“We just had a marriage ceremony with 150 dogs.”

I am assuming, give the barking taking place all over the casino, that by dogs she was referring to the animals’ species, not the brides’ appearances.

We were in Vegas celebrating our 15 year anniversary, and deciding whether to renew our vows at the Cosmo’s pop-up wedding chapel. It had the fun, funky vibe we were looking for. But somehow we couldn’t really work up the energy or motivation to pay $125 for a fake wedding vow renewal. Maybe if Elvis had been the minister.

We were living in England on our first anniversary. So we used the occasion to stay on the grounds of a nearby National Trust property, Cliveden House. Our cottage was down on the banks of the Thames, and we had to drive up a dark, dirt road to get to dinner at the restaurant in the main house.

Give my husband a secret door anywhere and he is happy. So, to be seated next to one during dinner was his idea of perfect romance. Mine, though, was having a private dessert served to us in the library. While waiting for what turned out to be a plate decorated with Happy Anniversary in chocolate, we scanned the books on the shelves. One that we picked up, a biography written by Cornelius Vanderbilt Jr., my husband gave me as a gift on our 2nd
anniversary:>) At the end of the evening it was either the wine, the fact that I am legally blind without my contact lenses, or that we were in a 200 year old cottage, but I woke up in the night convinced there was a ghost in the
room.

Not all anniversaries are this memorable or relaxed. And, I think in many ways anniversaries are much like New Year’s Eve- the expectations can be a set up for failure. Yet, as I read more about the doggie weddings I imagined
their owners dreaming up something even grander for future  anniversaries. The good news is that the pups won’t feel this pressure. They will simply be surprised by a full day of treats and attention. It could be a great model for
how I to handle my own anniversaries in the future.

Have you celebrated an anniversary recently? What did you do to mark the occasion? I love hearing from my readers. And to prove it I will be giving away a copy of my book, UNTANGLING THE KNOT, to one lucky commenter in October.
Leave a comment for any of my blog posts and at the end of each month I will randomly select one  visitor/commenter to receive a free  download of my book. (Note: winner will be notified by a reply linked to their original comment…. Check back at the end of the month for directions on how to claim your prize!)

NOTE: 
September is now over; thanks to everyone for your fun comments. I have chosen the winner of BETTING JESSICA
from the names of those who commented during the month. Congratulations JENNY HANSEN. Please
send me and email at dwilstedauthor (at) outlook (dot) com and let me know where I can send your digital copy:>)

“I read it again now and can’t believe I liked it in high school. I guess it was just angst ridden like us. Now it felt whiney.”

We had arranged a book swap at school and, in between classes, the volunteers were talking about the classics we had read as kids. The children’s books were easy to review… things like Nancy Drew or Little House on the Prairie. But when we got to the high school level we all had different favorites.

It’s now clear I always leaned toward a British sensibility. The Importance of Being Ernest, Pride and Prejudice, even the Canterbury Tales were all favorites of mine- but American writers not as much. Many of the women were re-reading some of the classics because of The Great Gatsby coming out as a new movie. “What about Steinbeck?” asked one. “Oh, or Virginia Woolf?” said another. East of Eden by Steinbeck was a top choice for someone and a bottom for another. Everyone agreed, though, that J.D. Salinger fell flat compared to our memory of it as a teenager.

We wondered aloud why something would appeal so strongly to us at that age and came up with the teenage angst theory in the overhear.

As a writer it made me think; how do young adult authors write something that is true to who they are as adults, but is also relatable to a teenager or twenty something? The phases we go through in our lives are unique, not just in situation, but in tone. Even if I wanted to write for this age I am not sure I could pull it off… I don’t think I could have even when I was a high schooler. 

I am glad to say, even on it’s worst day, my life was never angst ridden enough to match Salinger.