Secret of a Happy Marriage

It's been a Two Tree Day on a Three Dog Night. That got your attention and needs some explaining. I know "Three Dog Night" is an old pop group, but I am talking about the original meaning of the phrase. It's about a night cold enough to sleep with three dogs to keep warm. The mercury, although there no longer is mercury in thermometers, dipped to -3 last night where we live. My husband is currently talking to his long-time friend Dave on the phone. It is +47 in New Hampshire where he lives. At 47 you can let Fido sleep in his own bed. We actually don't have any dogs but a wonderful down comforter helps and is low maintainance.

Now about the two tree day. I recently "won" another silent auction bidding on a decorated Christmas tree that was auctioned off for charity. I thought I had bid low enough to start the bidding but not win the tree. Last year I also purchased a tree the same way. It jump starts the season to bring home a tree already decorated and light it up. I thought at least I wouldn't have had to dig through boxes of ornaments and assorted Christmas decorations but in a weaker moment recently decided to put up last year's tree as well. It is decorated with angels and I thought I would miss seeing it. So it was a "two tree day".

Traveling in Europe to the birthplace of Jon's great,great, grandfather in Germany and grandmother's birthplace in Nova Bystrice, CR has motivated my husband to organize his information on a computer program called Family Treemaker. Working on geneology has become a popular hobby of many people. Jon will sometimes say jokingly that he is going to "work on his gynecology!" He has extensive information on his mother's and father's kin collected over the years by other relatives. With the program he has been able to add old and new photos that are relevant. He found the ship's log listing his emigrant G.G. grandfather and family. His goal was to merge his info with data from my dad and mom's families. That would give an up to date family tree for our children. Doing this is a learning process and he is still working on it. When he announced, "I now have two trees" I looked up waiting for an explanation. Apparently he has all of his mother's families info in one tree and his father's in another. That does not account for my parents data. He tried to explain he has many branches or trees and it is still not merged. At least we had that in common. We both had two tree days.

I also remembered that I have a third artifical tree in my storeroom. Maybe I could merge the three of them for next Christmas. When you are married it is always good to have the same goals.

I was sent the following story on email today and thought it was cute.

Secret to a Long Marriage --

With a couple celebrating their 50th anniversary at the church's marriage marathon, the minister asked Brother Ralph to take a few minutes and share some insight into how he managed to live with the same woman all these years.

The husband replied to the audience, "Well, I treated her with respect, spent money on her, but mostly I took her traveling on special occasions."

The minister inquired trips to where?

Ralph replied, “For our 25th anniversary, I took her to Beijing, China.”

The minister then said, "What a terrific example you are to all husbands, Ralph. Please tell the audience what you're going to do for your wife on your 50th anniversary?"

Ralph replied, "I'm going to go get her."