I'd recently ended my engagement \to a super great guy-just not the super great guy for me, and I'd vowed I wasn't going to date anyone for a long, long time.

One night I got a phone call from a guy I'd dated in the-past-but he was stalker creepy-and I was afraid he'd show up at my place, so I agreed to tag along with a friend on a girls night out. We were going to meet up with another gal, but she wasn't off work yet, so we decided to go a nightclub to wait for her. The club was called The Library..

My friend had danced with a guy and as we were leaving we ran into him out in the parking lot. We got to talking with him and he asked us if we'd like to go to another club with he and his friends. There was a really cute guy in his car who had not been in the club, and he started flriting with me. He told me it was his birthday, (like I'd never heard THAT line before!) so I asked him to show me his ID to prove it. It really was his birthday!

We agreed to meet up with the guys and when we got there, birthday boy ignored me, I wasn't too bothered, as I was not interested in dating. But when his friend sat next to me and chatted me up, birthday boy suddenly found me very interesting.

Before I knew it, he and I talked the whole night thru. By the time I went home, I was head over heels-I had never been struck so hard by Cupids arrow in my life. I literally couldn't think of anything else but him. I knew I was going to marry him.

He called me the next day-and 2 1/2 months later we moved in together. .We'll celebrate 25 years on his birthday. I finally agreed to marry him after 9 years of living together. He always tells people I picked him up in a bar-but I tell people we met at The Library.

I met my husband at work but unbeknownst to me at first he also lived a few door down from me. We were both dating other people at the time and were just friends. Since we lived so close we would sometimes meet up after a date at my house and chat before retiring to our own quarters (no funny business). On those nights I would usually gather up my Clinic skin care, makeup removers and such and sit at my coffee table removing my mascara and foundation while we talked. He was not someone I thought I would ever get serious with as I considered him to be somewhat of a ladies man, he was tall and good looking in a young Mel Gibson sort of way and had an English accent. I really had no idea that over time I was getting feelings toward him until my friends friend who was dating him mentioned that she thought she was falling in love. Well that was it, he was mine after that. The feeling was mutual. Come to find out he was a very loyal person after all and has been a wonderful husband. It was meant to be I think. I moved to Florida from Michigan in September of 1978, he moved to Florida from England in September of 1978. For a few years we both lived in the same apartment complex (but didn’t know it), we also went to the same clubs for a few years but never met and finally even started working at the same place. There has been no other since the end of 1984, sheesh I’m getting old.

The short answer is the gym.

We went to the same high school, but didn’t know each other. He’s older than I am. His friend lived beside my friend and we ran into each once while passing outside. We chatted and flirted a few min. and that was that. Two years later we ran into each other at the gym. He remembered me and asked me out immediately. He was really forward and I didn’t have time to process what I thought so I turned him down. We repeated that scenario a week or so later at the gym with him asking me out and me turning him down again. Normally at this point, with someone that direct, I would’ve told them to pound sand, but something was different here. He wasn’t irritating or scaring me, but surprising me.

He didn’t give up! He asked around and finally called my friend’s parents (they went to his church), got my friend’s phone number and she gave him my number. He calls, I’m shocked, we talked for two hours. Before we ever went on our first date we talked about religion, politics, values, kids, etc. Not the norm, but he was bringing everything up. His didn’t want to waste either of our time if the conversation didn’t go well. Even though the conversation started out like a bizarre interview, I found myself actually appreciating that. It was a nice chat, but I was still trying to process.

He then crashed my girls night out. It’s funny how things work. He was at a local gas station and the attendant was on the phone with my friend (yes, that sounds terrible). She mentioned DH just came into the store and my friend got all excited because I had been keeping her informed with all that was going on. My friend had the attendant tell him where we were headed that night. He changed his plans and strolled into the bar, by himself, looking for me. I finally agreed to a date (on a different night).

We dated a few years and have been married 7. All that said, it’s interesting to me that he doesn't have a pushy personality!

I met my husband at work. We did a lot of flirting and laughing and we kind of clicked. But, he was my boss and dating was not allowed.
Eventually, I got transferred to a different area.
We were approaching the holidays and I purchased tickets to Phantom of the Opera for my sister and her husband as a Christmas gift. I got mad at her before I could give them to her, so, I kept them.
I then called him up and invited him to go with me.
We have been together 23 years and next month will be our 3 year anniversary.

He's the best!!!

Happy Anniversary Trailrunner!

We walked down the aisle together at a wedding. Dated five years and will be celebrating our 20th anniversary in a few weeks.

Edited for brevity.

My husband crashed his car into mine. Forever insuring I'm know n as the better driver in the family. We actually remet a few days later when his father my college professor invited me to a faculty student party at his home. I had no idea the idiot driver who hit me was my professor son!

This post was edited by NashvilleBuild42 on Sat, Feb 8, 14 at 8:29

HS sweethearts.

We took a French conversational class together. All the other students were much older than the 2 of us and they conspired to get us together, making sure we were always grouped together, or taking all the other available chairs so we'd have to sit together. I think they all enjoyed our budding romance as much as we did.

I have known my DH almost all my life. He was my cousin's best friend and was always there at his house when we visited-they were in NY and we in PA. He was the cutest guy ever (dark hair, blue eyes) and I was a skinny little girl six years younger (first memory of him is when I was about 5) with a blonde ponytail who followed the big boys everywhere and probably drove them nuts. In high school, I wrote him throughout my senior year while he was an AF pilot in Vietnam. Had his picture with his plane that my aunt sent me on my bedside table. No contact after he came home. Saved all the letters, though. Years passed. Got married to someone I met in college. Divorced someone I met in college. Moved back to PA with my son. Decided to take him to DC on Presidents' Day weekend when he was 11. Aunt said, "oh, you should let ____ know you are coming. He lives there now." She sent me his address. Followed her directions. Married 17 years. :)

Thank you Joanie and Kitch....we have had a stellar day. DH made blueberry pancakes for breakfast and we took a picnic and went for a hike in the forest and ate lunch...a great time. lovely stories all. c

Happy Anniversary Trail! Glad you had such a special day.
Lynn

Thank you Lynn... it has been a very special weekend. I don't get to the GW forums much anymore so glad I saw this thread. c

Trailrunner - try to stop by more often. You always have interesting things to add to the conversation. Congratulations on your anniversary!

Add my congratulations too, Trail!

Speed dating. Married 10 years.

bl..what a very nice thing to say...thank you !

Ellen...thank you ! We have had a very nice quiet weekend. Time with grandson and family and together. What a very nice thread this has been. c

We had offices on different floors of the same building, but never met there. We were introduced at a party and after that he knew where my office was but made no attempt to contact me--didn't get my number from our mutual friend, stop by the office, nada. He really had a one-track mind and only thought about his research.

So I had to do all the work: Track him down, hang around where he could see me, invite myself to his table at the pub, bat my eyelashes, explain what the batting eyelashes meant. Etc.

We've been together 22 years. He still spends most waking hours thinking about his research. I appreciate his being consistent.

LOL, Leafy. Well, the world needs Mr. Leafy's!

He was Board President at work. He signed my paychecks in 1975. He was married and off limits. His hair was so long and bushy that he had to use three rubber bands to contain it. Handsome but off limits. I knew what his wife looked like but I didn't really know either of them. I would usually greet him when he dropped by to sign paychecks with "Hi Robert, how are you? How is Margo?" It was evident that the Faculty held him in very high regard and spoke about him fondly. He and his wife moved to Ashland, OR shortly after we met and I didn't give him another thought.

Seven years later, he showed up at work again. He had moved back, built a house and his wife had left him. He came to ask me out because he had a dream about me. Could we have dinner?

He swears I played footsies with him during a meeting once but I KNOW I would never have done that. I'm not good at flirting, have never played footsies and I would never even think of flirting with a married man. It had to have been someone else.

The thing was, Aimee was 13. Not a great age for me to focus on anything besides her and work. I told him I was busy for the next month. He kept calling me at work and leaving messages in my box.

One day, he showed up at my work again and convinced me to have coffee with him after work. I relented. I decided to be honest with him. I couldn't have children and did he like his parents? He did. I fell madly in love with him by my second date and Aimee loved him too. He took her on without a second thought.

He still adores me as much as I still adore him. We have been married a little over 30 years. It's been a wonderful life. He is the most giving man I know. He is selfless. He is genuinely liked by everyone.

Great stories, everyone!!

What a fun thread!

I met my husband in a bar. I had just come out of a horrible, horrible first marriage and the divorce was finalized a couple months before. I had always loved to dance and a couple of my GF's talked me into going out to a small bar one Saturday night for drinks and dancing, a place I had always liked. I never was a drinker so had my usual one drink then went to sodas. Was having a great time as the place was full of people that we knew.

Then I started having a tingling sensation on the back of my neck. I kept thinking that my ex-husband was there watching me (he was a stalker, and not a pleasant one either) but I wouldn't turn around to look and refused to look when I got up to dance. I finally gave in and turned around. Didn't see the dreaded ex but saw one of the bartenders, who I have never seen there before, behind the bar. Couldn't take my eyes off of him.

About 15 minutes later I told my GF's that I was going to marry him. Everyone laughed, of course. We went back the following weekend, got there late, and there he was standing by the door on a break. A mutual friend introduced us to each other about an hour later. Again, I just couldn't take my eyes off of him as he was working the bar. I went up to the bar to get a round and he just stared at me...........then asked me if I wanted to go for coffee after he got off. We were still sitting in the coffee shop at 7 the next morning talking.

We had our first real date on July 4th, 1979, a week later, which was a BBQ at my sister's home. While jumping into the pool he did a mis-step and broke his leg. After a trip to emergency I took him home to his apartment............and never left. We were married 13 months later and our 34th anniversary will be coming up this year.

I've said this many times in the past ..... I had to go thru hell to get to heaven. He truly is my soul mate.

Jenna

DH was my supervisor at my first job after college. Hated the job but his desk was near mine and we became friends. He was very funny, which helped during long hours at a low-paying, lousy job that included occasional weekends. Over time, I realized that whenever we were standing near each other, I got butterflies. But I ignored it. He was a coworker, actually my supervisor, and I figured it was just a side effect of spending so much time together. During part of that time, he was dating someone else in another dept., and a friend of mine at work had a huge crush on him, so I certainly didn't want to get involved with him. After a year, I got a different job that I was really happy about, and on my last day at work, a bunch of coworkers took me out to dinner. After dinner, one by one everyone left...except for DH and me. At the end of the night, we kissed. About a month later we moved in together. Two years later, got engaged, and have been married almost 24 years. He still makes me laugh every day.

On the train. I missed my usual train and he was leaving work early. It was not the usual train for either of us. I got on first and sat in a seat that had another seat facing it at the end of the car. He barely made the train and sat down across from me. We chatted for 22 minutes, until my stop. He managed to get my name and the town I lived in, in that time. What's really strange is that he was a fraternity brother of my XH. He found me in the phone book and a day later he called me and we have been seeing each other for many years. Maintaining a little distance is what has kept us going!

Gosh, I don't know how I missed this post. Wonderful stories. I had a childhood friend that had moved several times but I had always kept in contact with. She had had a crush on my hubby's best friend for a long time. I had gone to visit her and we ran into Larry (my hubby). Well after some chatting we decided to go to the drive in movies in town. Had a great time. From then on we became a couple. Now mind you I am 5" tall and he was 6"2". Well, 5 months later I got a diamond for my birthday and married him 3 months later. Our friend that introduced us did marry his friend a year after we got married. Larry and I have been married 44 years. We have 3 children and our friends had 7. We ladies even had babies on the same day in the same hospital. Great life for all of us.

I was only 17 and went to a hotel ballroom with my gf, they didn't card in those days. My friend said to me, "don't look around, here comes Elvis". I was a huge Elvis fan, felt a tap on my shoulder and this very handsome guy asked me to dance. He was in his last year of college, there was a six year difference. I lied and told him I worked in Boston (which I did after school) and neglected to tell him I was still in high school. We saw each other for the next 3 weekends and then I asked him straight out "what are your intentions" to which he replied "I intend to marry you" Sooo less than 18 months later we were married and it's been 56 years of mostly good times. lol

This post was edited by yayagal on Tue, Feb 11, 14 at 4:01

No exciting story here - I was actually friends with his younger brother. Had known hubby for several years as "joe's brother". Just never paid much attention to him, or he me. Then one day it just hit me (and apparently him) that I'd like to go out with him. That was all it took. We dated for almost 5 years and celebrated our 32nd anniversary last week! He still makes my knees knock. He's been my rock in recent years with family health issues/deaths and my best friend. We married young and I know people had their doubts, but I never doubted for a minutes that he was the one for me. He treats me like a princess and is there for me - no matter what.

tina

Such interesting and funny stories!

How I met my dh is a short story - on a street corner as I was leaving a bar and he was riding his bike home from a party.

The long story is how we ended up together!

The first time I ever laid eyes on him was at a college graduation party - he was wearing a 70s leisure suit and passed out in a chair. I thought he was some nerd who drank too much. That was about a month before the street corner. I had no idea it was the same guy. My friend was dating one of his friends but we'd never met before, though I knew nearly all of his friends as she'd been dating him the last two years of college. I would hang out with these guys in the summer when I was home from college - they all went to college in MD and I went to college in NYC. So coming out of the bar, I was with mutual friends and they stopped to talk with him. He gave me his phone number and said to call him next time we went out bar hopping. I didn't. The end of the summer three months later, I ran into him in a bar and he asked me if I wanted to go sailing the next day. That was our first date… we dated a week and about halfway into it, he told me he was moving to San Diego at the end of the week. I was moving back to NYC for a job a couple weeks after that.

He came to visit me about two months later, but I decided he was not my type and I wasn't interested in a cross country relationship. Plus, I was 22, single and living in NYC! Woohoo. That was the end of that.

Except about THREE YEARS later, he sent me a postcard while on deployment with the Navy. It arrived just as I was moving back to MD from NYC. I wrote him back and said if he was ever passing through MD again, to give me a call.

Well, that letter went to an old address. It was forwarded to his next apartment in San Diego where his old roommates still lived. They then sent it to his parents' house in San Francisco. Five months went by, he arrived back from deployment, and was driving across country to his next duty station in VA for training. He decided to go visit some old friends in MD first. During the long drive across country, he apparently contemplated calling me, but since I'd ditched him once before and supposedly never wrote him back, he decided not to call. Except that when he arrived in MD, his parents had sent all his mail to his friend's house. And there was my letter from 5 months and three addresses ago.

At this point, I was back at my parents' house in MD while waiting to move in with a friend. My parents were away for the weekend and I was looking forward to a weekend alone watching movies, relaxing, etc….I'd been going out a lot after work with my friend who was beer rep to bars in DC and just wanted to hang out at home. So when the phone rang (we did not have cell phones nor caller ID then), I let the answering machine pick up, thinking it was my friend who would twist my arm to go out with her. I almost fell over when the message was being left, "Hi, this is Mark …., an old friend of your daughter's…" I grabbed the phone right up, we made plans for dinner that night, and we've been together ever since, more than 20 years and four kids later. I guess he was my type after all! And how lucky that he decided to give me a second chance after bruising his ego the first time around.

So yeah, that was a really long story. The short one is much easier to tell!

Oh and I nearly forgot! While we were dating the second time around, about five years after that first time I saw the guy passed out in the leisure suit, he gets a call from his buddy wanting to borrow his leisure suit. I about died laughing when I realized HE was the guy that was passed out that night. I never knew it was the same guy LOL.

I just love all these stories. And they give me hope for my kiddos, that they can meet wonderful partners, too, perhaps when they least expect it!

Great stories everyone...fun reading. I always thought it was sweet how my parents met.

It was 1940 in Philly.... Mom was 14 and dad was 16. Dad's friend Ed was dating mom's friend Marie. Mom and dad had not met before. Ed talked my dad into going to mom's and Marie's 8th grade graduation dance. He didn't want to go but finally agreed. Mom came from a very humble background and didn't have much, including a new, fashionable dress for the dance. Kids stayed kids longer then so mom didn't even know she wasn't in fashion. She wore her best Sunday church dress. Well, they are at the dance and Ed tells my dad he should dance with my mom. He took one look at her across the room and told Ed..no way, he did not find her attractive. Ed talks him into it and dad grudgingly agrees to one dance. Mom is leaning against a column and dad goes over and sort of kicks her foot while he asks her to dance and she falls down. Mom remained sitting on the floor, looked up at my dad, said nothing and extended her arm for him to help her up. They married 5 years later when he got out of the service and were married almost 60 years before dad died.

What a fun thread.
Happy belated Anniversary Caroline.

A little background. I took a break from art school and went back home to my folks in Nebraska, because of how little sleep I was getting between working and going to school full time. Living and working in Boulder, and going to school in Denver plus my school work left very little time to sleep. I lived with my older brother. After being home a short while I got a job a promotion and transferred to Iowa. I first arrived there early fall of '79.

The first time I laid eyes on my hubby was exactly a month later, in a parking lot. We were each in a friends car. My girlfriend knew him and his friends so we decided to meet up at a dance club/bar. Once inside we found and sat at a small table. One of my hubby's friends asked my friend to dance and another friend starting chatting to me. I was not impressed with him, but before my future hubby realized that, he got up to walk around. I followed him with my eyes hoping he'd come back and save me. He eventually did. We danced and talked agreeing to meet there the next night.

The next night we met as planned, danced and talked some more. Later some friends wanted to go to a near by disco so we all went in my friends car. Her X came and she left with him. (Long story) Figuring she'd be back to drive me home and hubby to his vehicle at the other club we didn't worry, just kept enjoying our second evening together.

When it came time for the club to close we had no way home so we walked across the street to a Village Inn. Hubby said he was sure we'd find someone he knew that could take us to his vehicle so he could drive me home. We did and they did. Though I really liked this guy (my later hubby) when I saw the only car left in the lot was Vette, I wasn't so sure I wanted to go with him. To me guys who drove Vette's only wanted ONE THING. And he wasn't going to get it from me!

It was very cold so I had no choice but to get in the car with him. As we drove to my place it dawned on me that my purse and keys where in my friends car. I'd already told him where I lived but wasn't sure how to tell him I couldn't get in the front door of my small but secure apartment building. Just as he was ready to turn the corner I blurted out, "I can't get in, my keys are in -----'s car." He said "no problem, you can stay at my place." Yeah I bet I can! I thought.

We drove to his place in complete silence. We walked up and into his apartment in silence other than him telling me he lived with a cousin and another guy. That did not make me feel any better! We get inside and he says I can sit on the couch asking if I'd like a glass of water. I didn't. He sits beside me. Neither of us says a word. I just stare straight head, then realize maybe if I just slowly let my head fall and act like I'm asleep he'll go to bed and leave me on the couch. Nope, that didn't work. He said it looks as though I was tired so he takes my hand and leads me to his bedroom. Why I didn't way that I'd just sleep on the couch I'll never be sure. Maybe on some level I wanted to stay close to him, who knows?

We get to his room at the end of the hall. It's small with just twin size bed and a large chest of drawers. He sits on the bed to take off his shoes. I sit on it, but don't move. Once his shoes are off he flips his feet around on the bed, rolls over facing the wall saying a simple "good night". I take that as a sign that he's not going to try anything so I take off my Famolare boots and lay down beside and as far away from him as one can get in a single bed saying "good night". Before a minute goes by his breathing changes to sound as though he's asleep. I later learned he really does fall asleep that fast. He does to this day. Lord I wish I could.

Anyway, after a short nights sleep we get up, put on our shoes, use the bathroom separately and he takes me to work. My friend also works there and she apologizes profusely about leaving me without my purse and keys. I fill her in on what happened and she thinks it's the neatest thing ever!

My future hubby came back to eat lunch with me that day and every day after that. At the time he was a president of a golf course so he could easily get away in the winter months. We pretty much spent all waking hours together. A month and 8 days after we met he proposed. I accepted. He had a scuba diving trip planned for over the new year long before we met so he went on that. While he was away we decided we didn't want to be apart again so I called my sister to ask when she could come home for a wedding. The weekend of the 16th of February was her reply. So we married just 3 months and 8 days after we met. This Sunday will be our 34th anniversary. We are still madly in love and act as if we're newly weds most of the time. Like when he leaves for work, I walk him out to the drive, get last minute kisses and wave while watching him drive through our country neighborhood. Just before he's out of sight I run through the house to the front lawn and wave as he drives by on the highway. He honks, blows kisses and waves. I wave and blow kisses. Then I turn and walk in the house feeling super lonely and wait four and a half days until he arrives home gain. We're both looking forward to his retiring.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Just...thank you...there are so many similarities in our two stories !! Wow...almost the exact same number of days and only 8 days apart...and you 34 and we are 43....:) And I miss sweet R everytime he leaves..I wander the house like a lost soul. Wish you lived closer.

I love the story joanie told about her parents. If it didn't hurt so much I would tell Mom and Dad's too....very similar...can't do it. Maybe next year if we have this thread again. c

You're welcome Caroline. Isn't it funny about the similarities? I noticed, but by the time I wrote my story I forgot to mention them. There was someone else I noticed similarities to too.
It would be awesome if we lived closer. I can see us having great times together. Are you still in your Victorian home? Did you share your kitchen here or on the Kitchens board?
~Becky

LOL at the boots!

I think it is delightful, in a world that can seem so cynical, how many of us are so happily married to wonderful men.

I was thinking the same thing as I read the stories too mtn.

I missed your mentioning my boots. Writing our story reminded me of them. I don't remember what else I wore that night, but I remember taking off my all time favorite boots. I wore the rubber right down to the core on those babies and the smooth polished ones I had too. I'd give anything if I'd have kept them and had them resoled even if I couldn't have gotten that famous original sole on them. The tops were still as good as new too.

This post was edited by justgotabme on Mon, Feb 10, 14 at 23:40

We went to kindergarten together but don't remember it. Then my family moved across town. We moved back in 7th grade and he remembers sitting behind me in 7th grade Spanish. Then we moved again so we went to cross town high schools. I dated one of his best friends all thru our junior year so I would see DH at parties. The first week of Junior College we were both dating other people. One day I needed a ride home and knew his girlfriend lived near me so I asked him where she was. She had already left and he offered to give me a ride home. On the way to my house we stopped for ice cream and we had a nice visit. It all just felt so right. We never dated any one else again. We were married 2 years later and will soon celebrate our 45th anniversary. It truly does feel like we are soul mates who were destined to be together.

Both had weekend jobs at a pizza place after school. He was 18,I was 16. Will be married 42 years in July.

Just---I remember having Famolare sandals!

Oh, and my mom and dad used to joke that my dad knocked my mom off her feet...and he literally did!

Weren't those the neatest shoe brand Joanie? Those bumps gave you a little extra lift in your step.

I was thinking the same thought as mtn. it's wonderful to hear of so many long lasting marriages here. It seems to be the opposite IRL!

I first met my husband when my family moved in the middle of eighth grade. We moved again a year and a half later, but I kept in touch with mutual friends . One of them set us up in 1981 at age 23 and we married four years later. Going on 29 years in October. I believe in soul mates and am so lucky to have found mine early in life.

This post was edited by anitamo on Tue, Feb 11, 14 at 15:21

I had Famolare sandals too!! Anyone else have Frye Campus boots in the 70's? How about Earth Shoes? Sorry but can't resist hijacking for a minute.

I wore Earth shoes for work since I was on my feet all day. Tried them about 10 years ago and just couldn't get the hang of them again. They still make them and you can buy vintage Famolare on eBay. Joe Famolare died last year in his 80's.

It was not love at first sight.

I thought he was too serious, aloof and self assured. It was the summer before my senior year of college and his sister and I had become friendly while working at the same store. He was 2 years older, teaching bio-chem and every now and then he would come into the shop to give his sister a ride home after work.

He barely acknowledged my presence, giving the impression that he had better things to do then make small talk with his younger sister's friend. Yet I noticed that as the summer progressed he came in more frequently and even managed an occasional hello.

My brother had a new boat and we made plans to spend the day at my parents' lake house, picnicking and water skiing. My girlfriend asked if she could bring her brother and since we needed an extra driver and car I agreed. Spending the day together I realized that I had misread him.

Yes he was serious. I was right about that. He still is. But he was also shy, quiet, thoughtful with a keen intellect and a a strong inner desire to do good, to help, to teach. We dated for 2 years and became engaged while I was in grad school. I graduated that August and a week later he left for medical school. I applied for jobs in the same city so that we could get married.

I found a job as a librarian and we married at the end of his second year. As a new employee I wasn't entitled to vacation time so we planned our wedding for June because Flag Day was a city holiday and the library was closed. I even had to take a 'day without pay' so that I could get a long weekend. We married on Saturday and we both returned to work on Monday.

We recently celebrated our 40th anniversary and DH will retire from his oncology practice soon. He is still serious and thoughtful with an inquisitive mind and a philosophical streak. I think it might be time to take an official honeymoon.

This post was edited by maire_cate on Wed, Feb 12, 14 at 6:04

I had a pair of Earth Shoes too Joanie. They about killed the back of my legs because I normally wore 4 inch heels. My doctor told me to toss the Earth Shoes. Looking back I think he would have been wiser to have told me to do some stretching exercises and wear the Earth Shoes for shorter periods of time until my muscles were ready for such drastic differences in heels.

I wore Earth shoes when i was late teens, early 20's...no pain, and they were great for being on my feet all day...but I was young and hardly ever wore heels back then.

I was in my late teens, but the doc said it was the back and forth between the two heal heights that was taking a toll on my muscles. Makes sense when you think about it.

Does anyone even know if Julian Lennon was there? Yoko and her son Sean was there, but I didn't see Julian.

Oops, put this in the wrong place so I deleted it and wrote this in it's place.

We met in high school, but I wouldn't date him at first. We were friends. Until one evening he walked into the mall store I was working in and asked if I wanted to go to a party with him and some friends when I got off work. I said sure, but I needed a ride, b/c I had my mom's car and she needed it. So he picked me up at home, and when we got to the party the cops were there breaking up the party because neighbors had complained. So we drove around for a few hours and talked. He drove me home and kissed me on the cheek. Didn't think anything of it, since we were friends, until he called me the next day and asked if I wanted to go out the next day for pizza. After that date he kissed me for real, and we've been together ever since. That was 21 years ago. I'm so glad I finally gave him a chance. I have such a happy and blessed life with him.

Such great stories from everyone! Mine is not so exciting, but to me just as lovely. We met in fourth grade, he sat across from me. He was so cute! I had a huge crush on him, but he liked my friend instead. My grade school heart was broken. His family moved away at the end of the year, they returned when we were in the 9th grade. We started dating. Dated all through high school, got married our Freshman year of college. Spring break week was our honeymoon- 22 years next month. I couldn't have asked for a better fairy tale!

Last night driving to the restaurant for dinner, I told Dh about this wonderful thread. We reminisced about our beginnings.

We were 21 and met in Khartoum, Sudan, at an international voluntary work camp. We were a group of six Swedish students and 25 students from various African countries, the US and Canada, building a youth hostel on the campus of Khartoum University.

It was not love at first sight, in fact the whole experience was so exciting that I had little time for my compatriots. We first talked on a group excursion to the Blue Nile, an unbearably hot day with no shade anywhere. The average temperature in May was 109 but we had one day of 116 F. My DH to be and I swam across the river over and over again to get away from the heat but I was severely sunburnt all the same. We talked of books in between and found that we'd read many of the same books. DH said later that was what first made him interested in me. Not very romantic!

We went back to Sweden separately, he to Stockholm, I to Uppsala to go back to school. I was staying with the mother of one of the girls from the camp because the housing situation was terrible in 1965, especially for students. Some had to live in railroad cars set up temporarily.

I had applied to become a stewardess with PanAm and was called for an interview in Stockholm and thought I'd look up this boy from the camp to kill time and also because I didn't know my way around Stockholm. We had dinner and he walked me back to my hostel. We kissed and then it happened, we fell in love. Luckily, I didn't get the job with PanAm because at that early stage of our relationship I might have taken it. I don't remember it myself but my landlady swore later that I'd told her on coming back that I'd marry this boy. We did marry a year later and have been married for 47 years. We have two children and five grandchildren.