Monday, June 20, 2022

Blind Dates and June Brides by J.Q. Rose

Arranging a Dream: A Memoir
by J.Q. Rose

Arranging a Dream: a Memoir by J.Q. Rose

In 1975, Ted and Janet with their one-year-old baby girl move all their earthly belongings to Michigan to make their dream of owning a greenhouse operation come true. Through tears and laughter they cultivate their loving marriage, juggle parenting and dig deep to root a thriving floral and greenhouse business.


Click here to discover more books by J.Q. Rose 
on her BWL Publishing author page.  
💕 ðŸ’• ðŸ’•

Hello and welcome to the BWL Publishing Authors Insider Blog! 

Yesterday was Father's Day, Sunday, June 19, in the US. We honor and remember all those fathers and men who are important in a child's life. 

Father's Day is right in the middle of a crazy week for us. Our anniversary was June 14 (and always Flag Day in the US), Father's Day, June 19, and my hubby's birthday, June 20.

Little did we know when we set the date for our wedding, we would have such a week of special days. I did not know June 14 was Flag Day until my maiden Aunt Elizabeth told me. She was a civics teacher, so when I said, "Ted and I have decided to get married on June 14." Instead of smiling and saying, "Congratulations," she said, "That's Flag Day." Yes, that would be typical of my dear Great Aunt Elizabeth. She liked Ted very much, but I think I flummoxed her when I told her we were getting married.

Wedding Cake Fun
Ted and I met on a blind date in 1963, the summer before our junior year in high school. 

My mom loved him from the moment she pulled back the curtain from the window and peeked out at the young man who was stepping up the stairs to our front porch. She turned back to me, her eyes twinkling, and whispered, "He's cute!"

I opened the front door, smiling as bright as I could while trying to keep the butterflies in my tummy in check. He stood tall and fidgeted a bit as his dark brown eyes caught mine. I had to agree with Mom. He was a cutie.

We had a great time at the Illinois State Fair with his older sister and her date and Freddie, who arranged the blind date, and his girlfriend. However, his sister's 1947 Chevy broke down in Springfield, IL as we started the hour's drive back to Atlanta, my hometown. Instead of getting home by midnight as my parents requested, we arrived at 3 a.m. Yes, we did find a phone to call home to let everyone know we were going to be late.

I remember writing in my diary the next day that if I never had another date in my life, it would be okay. I was in love with Ted.

Junior Prom

We went steady through our junior year, broke up, got back together, broke up after graduation so he could go to the Air Force, and I could experience college life. We got back together, broke up, and so it goes. Can you blame me when I told him to either marry me or get out of my life? 

By that time, I was teaching third grade in Galesburg, IL, and he was working for AT&T in Champaign, IL.  We were parked in a grassy area near the lake and in a deeply serious discussion about our future together when we heard branches rustling and voices in the bushes just behind the car. 

We twisted around to look through the car's back window to discover where the noise came from. As we swept our eyes over the green area, two little boys raced out of the woods and down the road. We laughed so hard at them eavesdropping on us that the intense discussion faded from our thoughts. We knew we loved each other and wanted to spend our lives laughing and crying together.

Looking back over the past fifty-two years, I know we made the right decision!

💕 ðŸ’• ðŸ’•

Wishing June Brides a very Happy Anniversary this month!

Ted and J.Q.

Click here to connect online with J.Q.





6 comments:

  1. Congratulations and may you have many more such days.

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a sweet story! Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are welcome. It felt good to share it with you.

      Delete
  3. Such a beautiful story. Wishing you many more decades of happiness.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Vijaya. So happy to know you enjoyed the story.

      Delete

I have opened up comments once again. The comments are moderated so if you're a spammer you are wasting your time and mine. I will not approve you.

Popular Posts

Books We Love Insider Blog

Blog Archive