Forty-seven years ago today, the world changed--a revisit and a revision of a seven year old post:

[DFW]

Forty-seven years ago today, in a dark, smoky cabaret in what was then West Berlin, a woman from Münster in Westfalen told me she was leaving for China the next day, but that I should meet her girlfriend from up north. I said, sure, where is she? She leaned back, and said, "right here."

The beautiful vision I saw nearly took my breath away, And, nerd that I was, I figured I would never have a chance with a woman like that. But then I thought, if I took that attitude my whole life, I indeed never WOULD have a chance with a woman like that. So I started talking to her, and lo and behold, she liked talking to me, too. She had never met an American before (at least not one that spoke her language). And that, as the saying goes, was that.

We've gone through some hoops to get here (cancer, heart issues, bureaucratic BS, etc.), but we've had some good times, too. Attractive, intelligent children, great parents, and some wild luck in making some friendships that may seem a little out of the ordinary.

Totally in the dark about what the future would bring in 1974, now forty-seven years later, we figure we'll milk our time left for what we can, be it forty-seven more years or forty-seven more minutes. One thing is for sure: if you had told us that night in Berlin what the future held in store for the two of us, we would have both told you that whatever it is you were smoking, you were smoking too much of it.

In the beginning, there was an unsuspecting teenager in the flat farmland of northwestern Germany, never imagining that I was soon to disrupt her life a few years later:


Then, it was the two of us.....





A double wedding with my brother....


A couple of daughters along the way......






....who came to hang with interesting people.....






...but are interesting in their own right......





Some happy times.....










And some friends to remind us that things can change in a single instant....



By age 60, the last time I posted these pics, the years were starting to tell:


By 65, at least one of us was aging gracefully:


And now at 69, there are some grandchildren, now 1 and 3, waiting to take over the world. There is one recent new one, but he is only 3 months old, and like my own grandfather used to say, "don't send me a photo. All newborn babies look like Winston Churchill."
As all grandparents presumably do, we hope that they will do a better job than we did:




But at the end of the day, you play the hand that fate deals you. We've been more fortunate than many. It's been a nice ride, and we still have each other after ALL that crazy stuff that never would have occurred if we both hadn't been in that smoky joint in Germany forty-seven years ago. If it all ends tomorrow, and fate and genetics both say we should learn to expect that at any minute from now on, no one can take this life up to now away from us.

I said it then, I'll say it again now: what a long, strange trip it's been..........

[thucythucy]

1. Beautiful post.

Congratulations!

[DFW]

6. Forty-seven years down

Forty-seven to go (we'll take any portion thereof, too).

[AZ8theist]

63. Like most of us men, DFW....

We married above our station.
37 years for me and I'm lucky I got 37 minutes, much less years.
Congratulations.

[GeoWilliam750]

102. I do not know a single happy man...

Who married down

[DFW]

103. The trick is to marry up, and conceal it from the better half.

Though, what she ever saw in me, I still haven't figured that out. Maybe, since she is a social worker, she saw a long term project in me that had a limited chance of success.

[UpInArms]

2. Well done, DFW

Keep on keepin’ on

[DFW]

3. Thanks! The way we look at it...

There's not much of an alternative, is there?

[Delphinus]

4. Thank you

for sharing your life with us! Such love.

[DFW]

8. She makes it very easy.

Always has. I never play the lottery, because there is no jackpot that could top the one I won way back then.

[niyad]

5. Thank you for sharing part of your amazing life with us. May you and your wonderful family

be blessed with many, many more wonderful times.

[DFW]

12. Thanks, niyad!

We never know how much time we have left. We neither forget that, nor worry about it. There's always time for bad news, and we've had our share. So it's just onward and onward....

[Diamond_Dog]

7. What a beautiful post and beautiful pictures!

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and reminiscing with us, DFW. You have a beautiful family!
I wish everyone all the best.

[DFW]

36. Thanks!

We'll probably end up doing some usual unusual stuff--as usual!

[randr]

9. Congratulations! A beautiful tribute to a well loved life.

[DFW]

123. Mostly to the woman who made it possible

Without her, I would have gone nowhere.

[CurtEastPoint]

10. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing of yourself and your family and friends and your life. And PBO!

[DFW]

37. He is every bit as engaging as people who never met him imagine

And then some!

[dhol82]

11. Congratulations!

Beautiful family.

[DFW]

38. Thanks!

They are what make the rest of it all worthwhile.

[Rabrrrrrr]

13. Wonderful love story and great photos! Is that Stan Lee in one of them?

I had a moment of stupidity - after the photo with your two daughters, I assumed the next one would be with them grown up and I thought, "He's Hillary Clinton's dad?" before I could stop myself from thinking that.

[DFW]

17. Hillary Clinton's dad! LOL!

Last edited Sun Jul 25, 2021, 11:25 AM - Edit history (1)

Not quite. She WAS in that one photo with us, but since she is older than I am, I don't think I qualify to be her dad!

And that was indeed, Stan. What a wonderful character he was!

[Rabrrrrrr]

80. Wow- hanging out with Stan Lee at a diner! A childhood dream.

Never got to meet him. But he's always been part of my life.

[DFW]

85. He was supreme wisecracker with a heart of gold

When I told him I was expected to come up with a funny nursery rhyme one time, he sent me this suggestion:

Jack and Jill went up the hill
To do some things they shouldn't
But when they got
To the perfect spot
They forgot the viagra, and couldn't.

[Rabrrrrrr]

158. That's awesome!

Ah, I miss him. I hope he recorded a shitload of cameos before he died so that he can still be in marvel movies for another generation.

[DFW]

159. I wish I knew!

Knowing him, it wouldn't surprise me if he did, but I have no knowledge of it. I guess we won't have to wait long to find out!

[Tadpole Raisin]

14. What a wonderful life and family

you have DFW. I can see you beaming with pride in your words.

I did have to stop for a second and say - wait a minute, 47 years? That can’t be right!

On the other hand I’m doing that a lot these days, lol.

Nicely done!

[DFW]

23. It's scary how fast 47 years goes by when it's behind you

At age 22, it seems like it's centuries in the future.

[bluecollar2]

15. Congratulations

A moving tribute...

Thank you for sharing with us.

[DFW]

25. Thanks for joing the ride for a little while! n/t

[KS Toronado]

16. Congratulations!

I can see why she took your breath away.

[DFW]

20. Then as now

Don't tell her--she has never had the faintest idea how beautiful she is. Someone once suggested she become a model, and she chose to become a social worker, instead, saying what a boring job modeling sounded like. I don't want to give her a swelled head at this point! LOL!!

[KS Toronado]

28. I'd wager she's incapable of having a swelled head

but then you know her better than I do, but the picture you painted leads me to think otherwise.
She's an

[DFW]

32. You're not wrong, of course.

That smile of hers is 24 carat, always was.

[COL Mustard]

18. Sie Sind Ein Glckliches Mann, Mein Freund

My German ain't what it used to be but you are a lucky man, my friend. Congratulations and enjoy.

[DFW]

21. Danke! And I never forget that for a second, I promise you! n/t

[StevieM]

19. Congratulations!!

It sounds like it has been an incredible 47 years. I can see why you are so proud of your family and their story.

[DFW]

22. I'm just a happy footnote.

But, like you noted, a proud footnote.

[SCantiGOP]

24. Ain't love grand?

Last edited Sun Jul 25, 2021, 12:25 PM - Edit history (1)

Hope you have many more.
❤️👍

[DFW]

29. Thanks for that. We can't know, of course.

So, we take every new day as it comes, hoping it won't be the last, but hoping for no regrets in case it is.

[DemUnleashed]

26. Love...

Love this glimpse into your wonderful life....thanks for sharing!!

[DFW]

30. Thanks for visiting with us! n/t

[Alice Kramden]

27. Beautiful inside and out

You and your whole family

[DFW]

31. Mostly them! LOL!

But thanks for the kind words.

[LittleGirl]

33. Happy Anniversary

Harry dude.

[DFW]

34. Harry huh? LOL!!

Actually, to us, the anniversary of our having met is just as important as our wedding anniversary. One was dumb luck. One was a planned formality with legal force. Who's to say which mattered more?

[LittleGirl]

35. I agree

Hubby and I met in Stuttgart in ‘02 and we became a couple in 06. I can still see Germany from our balcony in CH. Many many more to you and yours.

[DFW]

40. Ah, so a similar story!

After dealing with German bureaucracy all these years, I sometimes wish I would be viewing Germany from a balcony in Switzerland, too!

[LittleGirl]

45. Lol. It's okay.

We’re happy here but I am a little homesick until I see all of the covid-idiots making travel a scary experience. We have a visit planned in late September and I’m afraid waiting until then will mean we have to cancel again. We got changeable tickets in case Delta takes over. Have a great day, DFW.

[dixiechiken1]

39. So lovely... ❤

You clearly appreciate what you have. A fine example to which I aspire. 😊

[DFW]

46. If I didn't appreciate what I have

I'd have to be some kind of greedy.

A very entertaining novel I read some 40 years ago had an interesting character named Le Cagot, who said that there were two ways to achieve contentment--either raise what you have to the level of your aspirations, or lower your aspirations to the level of what you have. He recommended the latter, of course.

I don't aspire to a hell of a lot more than what I have these days.

[PCIntern]

41. Just terrific...

Bookmarked.

You’re more fortunate than nearly everyone I know.

[DFW]

47. I'm sure you must know some people equally or more fortunate

But I'd be an idiot if I were complaining.

Well, some people are quite convinced that I'm an idiot anyway. I'll manage, despite all that! LOL!!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

42. Thanks for the absolutely wonderful photos and the stories, my dear DFW!

Even though I've read this before, I find that today it makes me a little weepy, god knows why.

You've got such an amazing family! LM and I are very privileged to have met you in person and enjoyed your hospitality so much!

And you've played the hand that fate gave you superbly! Well, I haven't had my coffee yet, so my thoughts are pretty scrambled, but know that LM and I wish you many many more years together.

What a long strange trip it's been...........and the best part? It ain't over yet.

[DFW]

51. Thanks, Peggy! You and LM know better than most.

We're been to your place and you've been at ours. You have a better insight than most.

Still, go get your coffee!

[Bo Zarts]

43. My best wishes to you both, DFW! Truly, a life well lived.

And welcome to the 47 club. We celebrated 47 on April 27. A very good year .. 1974!

Mac

[DFW]

50. A fellow member of the class of '74!

Sort of, anyway. We met in 1974, didn't even get around to getting married until 1982, and even then, it was only because my brother invited us to our wedding (long story).

Nice duds, by the way!!!

[Hortensis]

44. Congrats to all of you, DFW, and thanks for sharing this view into your lives.

It's a very nice one.

[DFW]

52. Always glad to have a few friends along! n/t

[Shrike47]

48. Good on you two. Congratulations! BTW, my advice is, keep the beard. Looks great on you.

[DFW]

53. I have no choice, so I will!

I have over-sensitive facial skin. Arafat's disease (not called that, but he had it too). If I shave, my face breaks out in a bright red rash. The choice to let the beard stay was an easy one!

[panader0]

49. Here's to many more anniversaries in the future!

[DFW]

54. Thanks, my friend!

At this point, each one is a bonus.

[seta1950]

55. Beautiful family

Happy anniversary

[DFW]

56. Thanks!

We took what fate dished out and tried to make the best of it.

[Hekate]

57. Blessings for always, friend

[DFW]

67. Mahalo, Hekate!

We will take them to heart! Our HPA daughter still calls herself Kama'aina.

[cilla4progress]

58. Wow -

thank you and CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

[DFW]

68. Thanks!

A day in the life, and all that........

[BlueMTexpat]

59. Congratulations to you all!

You have a beautiful family and that is priceless!

May you continue living the full life that you do!

[DFW]

69. You are so right!

Sometimes I think to myself what "rich" really means, and the most important part of mine is tax-free.

[colorado_ufo]

60. Loved this!

Thank you for taking us on the journey with you! It uplifted my day - The Husband and I just celebrated our 53rd. Lot of life behind us, lots ahead.

Big hug from Colorado_UFO to you both!

[DFW]

71. And back from us, exceptioinally from Massachusetts.!

53!!! Way to go!

[virgdem]

61. Thank you for sharing your life in pictures.

What a memorable life you've had surrounded by love. Happy Anniversary.

[DFW]

154. Thanks! For the record....

The official anniversary is in April. This anniversary is of the day we met, which is just as important to us as any other.

[3catwoman3]

62. You have had an such an interesting and fulfilling...

…life, and you write about it with eloquence, tenderness and warmth. Your posts are a joy to read.

[DFW]

136. Thanks for that!

I write as I remember things. As for my posts, I appreciate the sentiment. There are plenty who would disagree with you!

[Demsrule86]

64. Lovely post....

You have a beautiful family...a life well lived.

[Pepsidog]

65. What a wonderful story. At 59yo with a wife I met in high school and 4 kids later It's scary to

look back and see how fast time passes. It’s also worrisome that the country we confidently had children in might not be the same country we experienced. I never thought I would worry for my kids futures concerning climate change, income inequality, healthcare, and democracy itself. We just assumed our kids would enjoy the same benefits we had. But I worry about my kids futures even though they are adults one being an orthopedic surgeon, a medical rep, a lawyer, and a nurse. None are married but I would caution all of them that when they do marry having 4 kids may not be a wise decision. Knowing what I know now, if I had to do it over I wouldn’t have 4 kids. The country changed significantly since I started having kids durig the 90’s and not for the better. I hope as a country we can somehow regain the country I grew up in and felt good enough about to confidently bring 4 kids into the world. The next 3 years maybe the most critical in my lifetime. Everything is at stake.

[DFW]

73. Everything is at stake. Well put.

We are fortunate that our girls found good jobs and good men.

It is scary that we also have to worry about whether or not there will be enough water for our grandchildren to drink.

[7wo7rees]

66. Congrats DFW and E.

I loved this post the 1st time and love it still today.
Wishing you both many more wonderful years!!
Hope you all have had a great time on the Cape and that your trip back to Germany comes off without a hitch.
Much love to you both!!

[DFW]

104. Thanks, you 7wo!

We're still on the Cape, although the number of days we have left is fast dwindling--the saddest time of the year for me.

In less than 2 weeks, we head to Boston, where we will ditch the car and have one last night together. Then she heads directly back to Germany, where I have to remain in the States for a few weeks. I should be back over there by September.

[ornotna]

70. You're a lucky man

Long may it continue.

[DFW]

75. You're right

I did luck out in a few ways, and I'd be foolish not to recognize it.

[MustLoveBeagles]

72. This is a great post

You have a gorgeous wife and beautiful children and grandchildren. You are indeed very lucky. You have some interesting friends too.

[DFW]

81. I did luck out with the family. A few things fell my way.

As for my friends--my path and that of a few interesting people have crossed, it's true. With most of them, it just happened. Family connections, or a friend arranged a meet. With the political types--my dad was a prominent Washington print journalist for 50 years. When I was 6 years old, he used to take me with him sometimes to the US Senate Press Gallery. I thought it weird that where my friends were named Jimmy, Billy and Timmy, his friends were all named Senator. My first visit to a sitting president at the White House was to LBJ when I was 13. It just happened. My dad had to know all those guys for work.

One time, when I was in L.A. for a graduation, a friend asked if wanted to have lunch with Stan Lee. I said, sure, Stan Lee will have lunch with a peon like me. But he said he could put it together. And so he did. We had a great time, and we stayed friends. But it's like I said--paths crossing.

[MustLoveBeagles]

90. Sounds like you've lived an interesting life

With that and having a great family you have it made.

[DFW]

106. Having it made is a subjective term

But some wealth is not measurable on a calculator or an excel spreadsheet.

[MustLoveBeagles]

134. This is true

[berniesandersmittens]

74. Thank you for sharing your family with us!

What an awesome ride with some amazing people!

Your family is beautiful and have bright futures ahead.

Good job mom and dad!! (Now grandma and grandpa!)

[DFW]

107. Thanks!

We look at some people, and what they have accomplished in their lifetimes, and say wow, they did all THAT? But when we look back at the last 47 years, we can't really grasp that we've done our share as well. But just about the only thing we don't really remember well is that there was a time before we were together. That just doesn't seem possible any more.

[Sogo]

76. Congratulations!

Beautiful story, beautiful family, beautiful pics....

[DFW]

109. These are just a few snapshots of a life, of course

Most days consist of getting too little sleep, heading out to some country for work early the next morning, and getting home too late, cursing delayed planes or trains. But then, every now and then, I am reminded of what I do it all for. Those are the pics you see here.

[Mr. Evil]

77. Amazing!

Thanks for sharing such a wonderful and loving experience with us.

[DFW]

82. Glad to have you join the ride for a few minutes! n/t

[secondwind]

78. What a beautiful story,

And what a beautiful family you both made together!
The photos tell the whole story, and I enjoyed every minute of the journey. Thank you!

[DFW]

83. Nice of you to join us for a while

It has been an interesting ride

[mcar]

79. Congratulations DFW!

Beautiful family.

[DFW]

84. Thanks!

We just followed standard procedure, and hoped for the best, though with my wife's genes, any female children we had were blessed with at least a 50% chance of looking better than I do.

[dalton99a]

86. Thanks for sharing your beautiful album!

"What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others."
- Pericles, maybe Thucydides

[DFW]

105. Those ancient Greeks knew what they were talking about. n/t

[yonder]

87. Thanks for sharing, DFW and a happy 47/39 anniversary to you both. Prime numbers for a prime couple.

We are looking at our 43ish/37 next month and am fortunate to have drank deeply at the luck fountain myself.

[DFW]

108. It DOES happen.

Those less fortunate should note that it's never too late to get lucky.

[Stuart G]

88. Thank You for sharing your wonderful family and your life with us.

...Great Story...Great Pictures. You are proud and happy. Now we all know why!!

Thanks Again For Sharing, and Congratulations on a Wonderful Family..

[DFW]

111. To get there, there were a lot of fallen trees blocking the road.

But clearing them away was always rewarded sooner or later.

[lunatica]

89. I love this post!

Is that Stan Lee in one of your photos? He always shows up in the unexpected places!

[DFW]

112. That was indeed Stan.

He referred to my wife and daughters as "your fabulous females."

Stan always did have a way with words.

[lunatica]

139. Well congratulations on both counts

Stan and your wife!

[DFW]

140. Two degrees of luck

Knowing someone who could make a phone call and get Stan to have lunch with me, and stay in touch after that, was one piece of luck. But even guys like Stan gotta know SOMEBODY. So, one of those "somebodies" was me. Meeting my wife and having her stay with me forever was a different kind of luck. She was only going to marry ONE guy, because any man lucky enough to marry her wouldn't WANT anyone else. THAT was the kind of luck you usually only see in bad movie plots.

[Wild blueberry]

91. Wonderful life!

Congratulations to both of you! It really comes down to love, doesn't it?
Thank you for sharing with us.

[DFW]

113. It really does, you're right.

The foundation on which all can be built, the foundation without which all else sinks, sooner or later, into the sand.

[calimary]

92. Awwwwwwww...

Love these, DFW!

Thanks so much for sharing such a wonderful love story!

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[DFW]

114. Thanks, Mary!

Always nice to have you along for the ride!

[mountain grammy]

93. Wonderful post. Wonderful life.

Thanks for sharing. That picture with Gabby Giffords and Mark. Wow.

[DFW]

115. I knew Gabby and Mark for years before she was shot.

Those of us who knew her were positively in shock when it happened.

When I saw her two years later, when this pic was taken, I was scared that she might not recognize me any more. I needn't have worried. She saw me from across the room, let out a little noise of delight, held up her good arm and motioned for me to come over. She is just a phenomenon.

Obviously, in the meantime, it is Mark who does most of the talking now (it wasn't always so!). But he is not to be underestimated. As a non-politician, you don't dethrone a sitting Republican Senator in Arizona, even one as feeble as McSilly, without having some of "the right stuff."

[tblue37]

94. Your pretty daughters sure do look like their mom.

[DFW]

116. Good thing for them!!

I wouldn't want to contemplate the result if things had gone the other way!

[tblue37]

122. Yeah, you can carry off the beard, but I don't think they could.

[DFW]

124. It has been many years since they even entertained the thought........n/t

[11 Bravo]

95. Absolutely outstanding post, DFW. This made my day!

Here's to you, your stunning bride, and 47 more years.

[DFW]

117. Thanks! I don't know about 47 more years.

I'll consider us fortunate if we get through the next 47 months!

[appmanga]

96. What a lovely post...

...and such a beautiful family. And you guys are super nice to have let Clinton and Gore crash one of your parties. Thanks for sharing.

[DFW]

147. That particular party was my dad's party

He was president of a Washington journalists’ group called The Gridiron Club. Once a year, they host a special bash, where everybody roasts everybody (I don’t think Trump showed up once). Clinton, who both roasted and got roasted, sent my dad a handwritten note saying how much he loved it. Clinton gave a hilarious speech, and owned the room. This was during his first term. Newt Gingrich was sitting next to my mom, and told her, in a rare moment of candor, that anyone who thought Bill Clinton would be a pushover in the 1996 election was deluding themselves. It was of his “stopped clock” moments.

[Jedi Guy]

97. Glckwnsche! Beste Gre an Sie und Ihre liebe Familie!

Ich wünsche dir all die Freude, die dein Herz aushält!

[DFW]

148. Vielen Dank!

Last edited Mon Jul 26, 2021, 08:28 AM - Edit history (1)

Ich halte schon einiges aus!

[ismnotwasm]

98. Thank you for sharing with us.

Wonderful!

[The Jungle 1]

99. Great story, makes me happy

But being a guy I must go with the jab.
47 years same beard same glasses? Yo give the girl a new look.

[DFW]

118. Well, there is one obstacle to that

Like Yasir Arafat, I have extremely sensitive facial skin. If I shave, even with an electric razor, my skin turns bright red like a boiled lobster. Arafat chose to clip his beard short, and thus had his perpetual fuzzy look. That wasn't for me, so I let it grow out. My wife met me this way, she knows nothing different.

The high school I graduated from was mortified, but I wouldn't shave it off, even for graduation. It seemed they had some high military muck-a-mucks among the parents and the attending alumni, and they pressured me to do it. In revenge, when we were herded together for the class picture, my brother, who was a class below me at the rival school, was herded together with us. Instead of trying to climb over my classmates, so as not to be in our class picture, I convinced him to stay next to me for the picture. Word eventually got out, and the school was scandalized, but they cared so little about us in reality that they to this day couldn't point my brother out in the class picture.

[The Jungle 1]

156. Interesting never heard of that condition.

However I looked it up and it is real. Pseudofolliculitis barbae We are about the same age and I stopped shaving, working and cutting my hair because of Covid It is long salt and pepper and curly. When I put a ball cap on I look like a first class hillbilly. Life is rich now that I retired and can just putz around. My money guy said to start spending money. So we have.
I do appreciate the response and want to be sure you understand I was just busting balls.
A simple FU Jungle would have sufficed.

[DFW]

157. Lol!

I decided to play straight man instead

[The Jungle 1]

162. Wow ya got me.

Look at me being all liberal and sensitive. I sure don't want any of my conservative friends to see this. That is when I pay.

[DFW]

163. My lips are sealed. n/t

[vercetti2021]

100. Just beautiful!

Such an amazing love story!

[DFW]

119. Not unique

But I'm lucky to be one of the ones who found "THE" one early, and never let go.

[vercetti2021]

125. That's the best thing

Ya'll have a beautiful love story and beautiful children. I hope I meet someone like that one day

[DFW]

128. You never know when or where.

For me, that was 4500 miles from home, and it was only because I had taken some German in college. But it is a big world out there, and you never know who might say "hi there," maybe even tomorrow morning.

[GeoWilliam750]

101. Many congratulations!

And I do believe that you may well be the second luckiest man in the world.

[DFW]

120. After Barack Obama, you mean?

[spanone]

110. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

[DFW]

121. Much appreciated!

As for your friends, there, I DO happen to know a really good dentist in Dallas............

[spanone]

133. ☮️ ---We celebrate 45 on 9/4

We met 9 yrs before we got married

[malaise]

126. Truly lovely

[DFW]

130. Thanks, Malaise!

Every now and then, the slot machine says, "Jackpot!" You just have to recognize the lights and bells when they go off. They may not always be obvious at first.

[Stuart G]

135. Yes, total truth. DFW..Thank You for mentioning this..What is "Hitting the Jackpot"?

Last edited Sun Jul 25, 2021, 11:22 PM - Edit history (5)

(short story)...In 1973, I was in Reno Nevada and, Yes, I did hit the jackpot,,,and won one hundred dollars..(would be worth about five to six hundred in today's money..........BUT...I HIT ANOTHER JACKPOT..WORTH FAR MORE.......

YOUR WORDS........"Lots of other jackpots, they may not always be obvious at first" post 130...

............................I AM ALIVE TODAY......................................

WHY IS THAT A JACKPOT????....because I have had severe medical issues and have recovered completely...

Yes...quite severe.(required surgery)... but I am still here and functioning every day!!!!

I have enough money to live on...
I have a lady friend I just got off the phone with..(yes, very serious relationship)
I have a car and a place to live....
I have friends who call every day...(just to say hello)
I have relatives who are kind and decent
I have energy to go out and take a log walk
I can add 2 plus 2 and it equals 4...(Yes?)
I have a computer that was a dream to have... 35 years ago
I know how to operate the computer.
I have Democratic Underground with friends to discuss all kinds of issues and also nonsense with
Back to the computer......It has "spell check" to automatically correct my spelling..
(as I have noted before, I can't spell).........
I have traveled all over the world & U.S.A.
I taught in the public schools of a large city and saw things as a high school teacher I couldn't even dream of (& you wouldn't believe) 27 years...(& survived)

Well that is ..."HITTING THE JACKPOT FOR A FELLOW OVER 70 YEARS OLD".....

Yes, far better than hitting the jackpot & walking out with lots of money...I guess it all depends on
what you believe hitting the jackpot is.. Thank You DFW for your post..(130)

[DFW]

138. I hit that same health jackpot 17 years ago

In April, 2004, I noticed some twinges in my shoulder and some shortness of breath. Since two of my grandparents had died of heart attacks before turning 70, I had read up on recognizing symptoms of heart trouble, and those were two big danger signs.

I called up a cardiologist in my town in Germany and asked to see someone right away. They assumed I was on the regular German health insurance system, and told me there was an appointment open in 2 months. I said I was an American "passing through," and would pay my bill upon receipt. Oh, in THAT case, I could come in that afternoon at 5:15. I did, and the doc said there was definitely "something" there, and asked if could come back in 2 days for an echo-stress test. I said sure. So, two days later, I went back there.

During the test, he said, OK, that's enough. In my office, please. Umm, OK. He said I needed to get my ass up the cardiac clinic in Essen ASAP. This was a Wednesday. I said I had some stuff to do, but was free as of Monday. He said, no, not Monday, not tomorrow, NOW. I said, "THAT drastic?" He said that without performing surgery, he couldn't tell for sure, but I REALLY needed to get there THAT DAY. I canceled everything, dropped everything, and my wife drove me up the the clinic that night. The next morning, the top surgeon came in, looked at my chart, and said, "clear my schedule, this guy comes on at noon." An assistant of his came in, and I had to sign a form acknowledging that I was aware of all the evil things that MIGHT happen. They were all fatal. I said why don't you give me a gun and let me call my wife, and get it over with? He said, no, don't panic. none of that stuff had ever happened there, but they were required by law to inform me that it could. Oh. How reassuring. But, OK.

After going down to surgery, having the whole procedure done, Star Wars gadgets orbiting, things flying around me, stents put in, the surgeon told me I was going to be OK, but I was the luckiest man in Europe that day. He showed me the before and after (stents) pics of two forward coronary arteries. They had been 99% blocked. I was a fatal heart attack waiting to happen, as in any second. He said it was a miracle that I had been brought to him before anything really evil had happened. He could save 70% of the patients brought to him if they were still alive, but he wasn't sure I would have been in that category. So, my second birthday was on April 29th, 2004.

Like you: JACKPOT.

[Thtwudbeme]

127. One of the greatest posts I have ever seen on DU :)

and I have been around for 20 years here!

Congratulations! Your wife and daughters are absolutely lovely! The grands are adorable!

[DFW]

129. Think of it as a photo album

A few favorite scenes out of a long, LONG movie with long, dull stretches, and some danger scenes in between.

We've paid our dues (cancer, heart close calls), but at the end of the day, we have been fortunate, and wouldn't think to deny it.

[Tom Rinaldo]

131. Lovely, in every way. All of it, all of them...

So much happens in a life time, but a few key moments can mean everything. The point isn't to count your blessings, it's to honor them, and you do so very well.

[DFW]

132. Thanks, Tom!

Now I wish I had a pic of us in that Chinese place in New York so many years ago!

[Tom Rinaldo]

146. Me too! n/t

[FakeNoose]

137. That's a beautiful family!

Congratulations my friend, on your anniversary and the happy memories through the years!

[DFW]

155. Thanks!! At some point, the memories are all one has left

With any luck, we’re not quite there yet.

[grantcart]

141. What a strange feeling this thread provokes.

I remember the original one but it seems like last year not 7 years ago.

Just as uplifting as it was first time around.

[DFW]

149. We can't let the memories fade

The point always comes when they are all that is left.

[tishaLA]

142. Mandy Patinkin is going to have to play you in the biofilm

Although no way it'll ever be as interesting as real life.

[DFW]

150. They might have do some embellishing with the screenplay

Last edited Mon Jul 26, 2021, 02:31 PM - Edit history (1)

A friend of mine actually did get a film made about him.* The film actually became a smash hit, but the actor that portrayed him was NOTHING like the real man, and the things they showed him doing in the film were so far exaggerated, he said they would have landed him behind bars for decades instead of making him a celebrity. Even after the film was a hit, the portrayal of him was so far from the real man, no one ever recognized him on the street, which was fine with him.

*

[Generic Other]

143. You are blessed

Thank you for sharing a slice of your life.

[DFW]

151. Thanks for taking the time to join us! n/t

[Raine]

144. Beautiful couple, beautiful family, beautiful life ♥️ 🌹

Congratulations and thanks for sharing!

[DFW]

152. These are just highlights and snapshots, of course, but thanks!

Last edited Mon Jul 26, 2021, 08:33 AM - Edit history (1)

It’s not like we get together with Bill Clinton or Barack Obama every weekend for Sunday brunch

[Raster]

145. BRAVO!!! What a wonderful journey...

... Thank You for sharing with us.

[DFW]

153. Thanks for joining us for a while!

Sometimes it seems to us like it all went by in a week.

[PWPippinesq]

160. What a beautiful post, DFW!

At 78, and having taken quite a few and one current "interesting" trip, i find life can be fascinating, exhilarating and, if fortunate, a pretty good ride. I am hoping for many new experiences and joyous moments. Thank you for the joyous moment i had while reading this.

[DFW]

161. Good for you! Never stop!

Right before he died, my father, who was a journalist for over 50 years, 50 of them in Washington, wrote this in his farewell column:

"Only time sets the parameters. Until the body gives out (for the spirit never will), then I will have to call it a life."

[PWPippinesq]

164. i hope to follow my mother's example and continue on with spirit, grace and joy

Perhaps your dad and my dad Roger Tubby knew one another.

[DFW]

165. It's not impossible that their paths crossed

Washington was a much smaller town back then, although my dad didn't really get heavily into White House coverage until the Eisenhower years. He was with Nixon on the 1959 Russia trip. Still, he got to know a lot of people very quickly, and he rapidly developed a reputation for being fair and accurate, even among Republicans. When Bob Novak, the notorious right wing correspondent from Chicago, arrived in D.C. in 1957, he asked whom to look up to learn the rules and ropes. He was sent to my dad, who had only gotten there 7 years before. They became friends, even though it was immediately obvious they would never agree on anything in politics. D.C. is like that.

[PWPippinesq]

166. My dad was in the Kennedy administration under Dean Rusk at the State Dept.

Perhaps they met then. It's nice to think they may have and we have that "connection". It's too bad the small town feel of Washington has disappeared. Very little "crossing the aisle" anymore or meeting casually
. When my dad served under Truman as his last Press Secretary, he welcomed all comers and, like you dad, was able to make friends with "the other side".

[DFW]

167. That is a distinct possibility

My dad was assigned to cover anything that could have anything to do with the St. Lawrence Seaway, and thus had to know all Senators, Governors and Congressmen from all the Great Lakes states, as well as everyone at the Canadian Embassy (I’m still friends with Raymond and Kay Chrétien), as well as our people at State that worked with them.

[Niagara]

168. I'm late in replying.

Congratulations on 47 years together, Mr. and Mrs. DFW! Here's wishing the both of you many more memories and years together.



Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos and memories with us. The PBO photo really made me smile!

[DFW]

169. Thanks! And here's another one for you (White House Christmas Party, 2013)

Sorry for the primitive photography--hard to hold a camera and reach out to shake hands at the same time! The other one was taken by the White House photographer, who had a somewhat more steady hand!