Wednesday, February 23, 2005

23rd of February 2005 - Our Anniversary

We both worked today...Jeff working nights and I working days, but we managed to remember the day. I left him a card and a plate showing "25th Anniversary" in silvery lettering to commemorate the day. When I got home from a long day at the office, he had left on the table for me a lovely glass vase filled with gorgeous lilies of pink and white and red roses and a card also, this is a special treat for me, as over 25 years I can still count on one hand the times I have been gifted with flowers from Jeff. Needless to say I called his pager so he called me back and I thanked him! Wouldn't want him to think that I didn't recognize just how special it was.

We intend to make a dinner of it this Saturday...Destination as yet undecided.
We have talked on and off over the past few weeks of our intent to go to England! Off and on through out our married lives we have talked of our love for Europe, and at last we intend to make the journey as our celebration of 25 years of togetherness. I have a lovely friend in England (we originally met over the net while she was researching our name) with my same namesake - "Sherilee" and she and her husband Paul are going to let us stay in their home. We are bringing Aurora with us, good parents that we think we are of one amazing child (and yes we are prejudice about that...but then she is our daughter) we are bringing her with us to England. The trip will not be taken until July. The weather will be better then, Sherilee and Paul will hopefully be ready for us by then, and Aurora will be out of school.

I have my friend Valerie, who is also a travel agent, hunting the best air fare she can find for us so that our spending money will go further in England. Plans thus far are to go to France for a day, stay in London a few nights and then be treated to many outings by Paul and Sherilee...when I say treated, it is because I am allowing them as much latitude as possible in planning. We will pay our way of course! So far Sherilee says we will tour the lake district, see Beatrice Potter's residence, go to Blackpool and who knows what all else she has planned up thus far. They are of course waiting for us to confirm our dates, but thus far the plan is to leave July 1st and Jeff will come home on the 11th but Aurora and I will stay on until the 20th. Sherilee wants me to go to the Last Night of the Proms (a Queenly celebration) with music and fireworks that is held in Lytham or thereabouts on the 18th of July.

The excitement for me is difficult - trying to hold myself in restraint so that Jeff isn't overwhelmed with my excitement! He quite thinks I've lost my mind a bit planning so far in advance of the trip and worrying over things like getting our passports or buying luggage. He thinks if we buy tickets too far in advance it would be foolish in case something happens to one of my family members...like my Mom or his Mom or my brother. Not that his concerns are not unwarranted, but if I worry about every one else's lives then I won't enjoy the adventure of it all!

...and yes, this for me is a huge adventure! We were so excited having Paul and Sherilee here this past fall 2004, and had such lovely times together, now I want to make sure that I track my adventure with them in England. They celebrated their 25th anniversary with gift of coming to the States to see us and a few days in New York. Our 25th Anniversary will be not dissimilar, in that we will spend a few days in London and a day hopefully in France (though they will be joining us...we didn't join them in New York) and then on to their place. From their we will sally forth on short forays discovering what England is about and perhaps a bit of Scotland as well. Sherilee & Paul live in a lovely old row house in Lytham just a block or so off the beach. It will be wonderful to stay with them put up in the guest bedroom they have. Michelle (aka Mikki), Sherilee's daughter has offered her room up for Aurora which is very sweet of her to do. All in all it should be a wonderful time and as the months pass and more things happen I shall be tracking them in this online blog journal. My head is usually just too full of work for me to remember it all otherwise, so here I hope to remember everything...from the planning to the travel to the trip itself and what and where we go. Otherwise I will forget to many details. And for once I want to remember it all...all the glorious details!

Sherilee Anne