Yesterday was Adam and my first wedding anniversary!
The day began with a visit from our contractor and the plumber. They would be spending the morning tying the new first floor bathroom (you read that right—we are finally getting a first floor bathroom!) into the existing waste stack, and they were very transparent about the fact that this might not prove successful.
Basically, the stakes were high as we packed Dewey into the truck and headed north to Costco. After stopping for coffee and croissants, we arrived at the warehouse store just as they were opening. We sat in the car for a few minutes and watched with extreme amusement as dozens of cars whipped into the parking lot, like hungry dogs swarming a piece of meat.
My favorite Costco finds of the day? OMG Milk Chocolate Almond Toffee Clusters, La Croix Curate, and an impressive selection of charcuterie.
We also bought practical items like paper towels, toilet paper, and frozen salmon.
On the way home, we popped into Sherwin Williams to pick up a few paint samples for our new kitchen and dining room combo. Here's the current frontrunner: Needlepoint Navy. It reminds me of the sea and feels quite cozy!
We arrived back to our little Tudor with the news that the plumbing had been a success! Hurrah!!! A very good omen for a pair's first wedding anniversary, I think.
Adam went to grab lunch with his dad and sister, while I ran an errand at Target followed by an impulse trip to At Home. I ended up with the greeting card I'd gone to buy as well as a rainbow costume for Gus, a plush carrot toy for Dewey, eye shadow palette, front porch pillows, and lots of Christmas decorations.
My credit card sobbed.
That afternoon, Adam and I enjoyed drinks alongside a charcuterie board. We exchanged gifts—the first anniversary theme is "paper." Adam gave me Ben Folds tickets, and I gave him the new Anthony Bourdain Remembered book plus a rather risky bracelet with the coordinates of our most favorite place, Long Lake, New York.
"It's okay if you think the bracelet is weird," I ventured cautiously. "You won't hurt my feelings if you don't want to wear it."
"I love it," Adam replied, looping it around his wrist.
He's the coolest.
We took a quick picture in our demoed kitchen before we left for the evening—I wore my exit jumpsuit from our wedding reception, complete with my wedding shoes.
We called an Uber and had it drop us off at Holy Cross-Immaculata, the church where we'd gotten married.
"You're late to the wedding!" a man called from the bar across the street as we exited the Toyota. A 6 o'clock wedding mass was in progress.
"We were last year's October 19th," I replied. "We just came up here for our anniversary."
The man beamed, "Well, happy anniversary to you both!"
Adam and I walked to the front of the church—seeing our wedding coordinator along the way—and sat on the long, winding steps that lead up to it. Since we hadn't been allowed to personalize our vows during our Catholic ceremony the year before, we'd prepared new vows to read to one another.
As I cried during Adam's vows to me and then all over again as I read my vows to him, I realize this Catholic rule was quite the blessing. I would have been a blubbering mess on the altar had we done vows like this! Imagine the tragic state of my eye makeup!
We watched the sunset from the steps and then walked to Crowley's for a quick drink before our dinner reservations.
The man who'd called out to us earlier was there, and he promptly told the bartender and all the other patrons that it was our wedding anniversary. The bartender turned on The Dixie Cups' "Going to the Chapel," and everyone cheered.
"Happy anniversary," she smiled, setting a handful of Hershey Kisses in front of us. "And Happy Sweetest Day, too!"
For the next hour, various couples came over to wish us well, sometimes telling us their own wedding stories. One husband and wife had been together for 45 years! They'd gotten married at ages 17 and 18 before a Justice of the Peace, with only $75 between the two of them. They still had their rings from a local pawnshop—the husband had paid $25 for the both of them.
It was such a special part of our day talking with these people.
After our enchanting happy hour, we hailed our next Uber, which delivered us to Boca.
Naturally, I'd forgotten our very generous gift card my cousin and cousin-in-law had given us for our wedding.
"Just another excuse to come back," Adam said.
We enjoyed the most incredible supper, which included foie gras, scallops and Brussels sprouts, two kinds of pastas, halibut, and beef tenderloin. We couldn't help ourselves and ordered dessert, which I promptly had packaged up because I genuinely felt so full I could puke.
After our indulgent dinner, we came home and enjoyed a few episodes of Schitt's Creek with our pups.
Everyone likes to say your wedding day is "the best day ever," but I know that can't be true.
It's simply one of the best days ever.
Because while relationships have their ups and downs, being married to your best friend is actually the best thing ever. And so many wonderful, crazy happy days are to come.
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