Rich Archbold: A love letter to my wife, Pat, on our 50th wedding anniversary

Expensive Pat,

You didn’t suppose I’d overlook what day at present is, did you?

I could also be getting just a little forgetful because the years cross, however there’s someday I’ll always remember: April 15, 1972. No, I don’t bear in mind it as a result of it was tax deadline day. I bear in mind it as a result of that’s the day you and I stated, “I do,” to one another and began a lifetime of 50 years collectively. At present is our fiftieth wedding ceremony anniversary — a golden, unforgettable day.

We have now had so many great moments collectively.

One of the crucial memorable was after our first date on the Jamaica Inn, on Key Biscayne, in Miami, after I dropped you off at your condominium and also you ran upstairs to inform your roommate: “I simply met the person I’m going to marry.”

It was love at first sight for each of us.

That was the primary of so many recollections. There’s not sufficient house to recollect all of them, however, as a particular anniversary reward, I want to let you know 50 explanation why I really like you, together with memorable moments.

I really like you, in no explicit, as a result of:

1. You do what I like to do although you might not prefer it, comparable to going to baseball video games, which you discover boring however I discover thrilling, particularly when the Cubs are enjoying.

2. You make the perfect pancakes I’ve eaten since Pop, my grandfather who raised my seven siblings and me.

3. You hearken to all my tales with out nodding off.

4. You’re the finest back-seat driver sitting within the entrance seat. Keep in mind after we drove cross-country from Miami to Lengthy Seashore for my new job as managing editor on the Press-Telegram? It was 120 levels in Needles and the air-conditioning in our outdated Dodge Charger had damaged. Because of you, we made it.

5. You encourage me to be the perfect I will be.

6. You by no means complained concerning the lengthy hours I put in working on the newspaper — and there have been loads of them.

7. You deal with all of our monetary payments, taxes, and so forth., with the ability of an authorized public accountant. You’re a nice monetary planner.

8. You set up with my procrastination in doing sure chores round the home, comparable to cleansing the storage.

9. You confirmed nice perseverance in going to work after highschool to assist your loved ones after which, after we obtained married, you made it a precedence to get a school diploma, one thing your mom would have been so happy with.

10. You taught the marvel of artwork by the Meet the Masters program to hundreds of elementary faculty youngsters in Lengthy Seashore and Orange County. They knew you because the “Artwork Girl.”

11. You’re the finest mom. You raised two ladies – Kelly and Katie – who’ve grown into excellent ladies with nice households of their very own.

12. You’re the finest grandmother to our three granddaughters – Carmen, Huitzil and Ellie – who love their Abuelita, which they’ve shortened to “Lita.” Your love and caring for them is gorgeous to see. A lot pleasure.

13. You you hate litter and work onerous to forestall it, however you might be respectful of my assortment of autographed baseballs and different assorted memorabilia.

14. You’re a long-distance cellphone skilled, particularly along with your sisters, Diane and Carol.

15. You by no means met a Hershey’s Kiss you didn’t like, or a Reese’s Items.

16. You’re Queen of Mardi Gras, a former occasion placed on by the Lengthy Seashore Help League.

17. Talking of the Help League, you’re a nice contributor to its Thrift Store while you declutter our home.

18. You’re the most artistic house decorator for all seasons. You make the home heat, lovely and welcoming.

19. You’re a journey planner extraordinaire. You began us off on the precise foot with a memorable honeymoon to Paris, Switzerland, Italy and Germany. Keep in mind the rice that was nonetheless in your gown after we obtained on the airplane in Miami for the flight to the Bahamas after which Luxembourg? We needed to get to the airport so quick you didn’t have time to eliminate the entire rice folks had thrown at us as we left.

20. You had been calm and picked up and obtained us by a scary evening time hailstorm as we drove by Yellowstone and will barely see the highway.

21. You’re beneficiant and sort to anybody who wants assist.

22. You had been an excellent director of Operation Faculty Bell for Rick Rackers and the Help League, offering new faculty uniforms and backpacks for hundreds of youngsters.

23. You will have an excellent reminiscence, though typically you overlook the place you set your cellphone. “Are you able to name my cellphone so I can discover it?” you ask me at house.

24. You’re a winner of a black belt in fixing Sudoku puzzles within the Press-Telegram.

25. You’re “Queen of Reward Giving,” one in all your love languages to household and pals. Your presents present your love, kindness, help and generosity.

26. You’re a nice seeker of data, whether or not in newspapers, books, magazines or digital shops. You retain up on issues and know what’s happening in Lengthy Seashore and the world. A strolling encyclopedia, some have stated.

27. Your data of what’s taking place makes you an excellent conversationalist.

28. You’re a wine connoisseur. I do know you wince just a little every time I order the sweetest wine I can get.

29. Your bravery is commendable. Though you might be cautious of horses, you get on one every now and then however not typically. “How do you get off one in all this stuff?” you as soon as requested.

30. You’re adventurous. Keep in mind while you obtained on that camel in Morocco on our honeymoon? Now, that animal was imply and actually onerous to get off, however you probably did it.)

31. You’re a nice outdoor camper — in the event you can keep in a motel.

32. You’re a maker of artistic, do-it-yourself birthday playing cards.You additionally make the perfect picture books for all events. They’re treasures. I hope you make one for our fiftieth anniversary.

33. You will have a deep love of household. You will have honored, celebrated and constructed relationships with members of the family because you had been a teenager. You proceed to today along with your family members and with mine.

34. You’re an excellent household historian and ancestry digger. Your analysis in your Dutch, Puerto Rican and Portuguese roots is superb.

35. You like canines, particularly in the event that they behave, don’t have fleas and don’t shed hair. We’ve had two nice canines: Bubbles, a poodle and our first canine, who rode with us on that cross-country journey from Miami to Lengthy Seashore. I assumed we had been going to lose Bubbles after we needed to drive in 100-plus diploma temperatures with no air-conditioning. And Rascal, a Sheltie, who shed hair just a little an excessive amount of however was light and lovable. Their ashes are buried within the entrance yard close to the home, serving to our lovely azalea bush develop. Each canines liked our youngsters and so they liked them. Will we ever get one other canine?

36. Cats will not be your favorites since you are allergic to them, however you adopted a stray, grey cat that Katie named, appropriately, Grayer, and cared for for years. Grayer’s ashes are buried with Bubbles and Rascal underneath our azalea bush.

37. You’re an skilled at video games like Mexican dominoes and, now, with Join 4 with our grandchildren.

38. You make weekly feasts for the hummingbirds who eat in our yard.

39. You drive at evening as my eyesight weakens.

40. You’re the finest maker of flan anyplace.

41. You’re an insightful editor of my weekly column within the Press-Telegram.  I really like your honesty even when it hurts. For example, you may say one thing like, “This paragraph is boring.” However you’re at all times proper.

42. You’re a loyal pal who listens nicely.

43. You’re house remodeler supreme, transferring relentlessly from room to room and even the driveway.

44. You’re a great, loving companion. You make us a robust workforce collectively.

45. You’re an outgoing individual, at house in a crowd or with strangers.

46. You will have a inexperienced thumb, with lovely crops, flowers and bushes brightening our house, inside and outside.

47. You will have a smile that, even in any case these 12 months, continues to be one in all my favourite sights.

48. You’re calm in a disaster. All through the pandemic, you will have been a steadying affect.

49. You’re the everlasting optimist, at all times seeing the glass as half full, or, as you prefer to say, “Straightforward peasy, lemon squeezy.”

50. You’re the finest caretaker. Since I used to be identified with most cancers three months in the past, you will have been my rock to lean on. Your recommendation to take it “someday at a time” has been so useful. I’ve a big button at my desk that reads, “I’d be misplaced with out my spouse.” So true.

These are simply a few of the explanation why I’ve liked you daily of our 50 years collectively. Marrying you was the perfect factor I’ve ever finished — and I’d do it once more in a heartbeat. Right here’s a toast: Let’s have fun us.

Love at all times,

Wealthy