Anniversary Memories

      One day in the early 1930s, Bernadine Burrell was driving her dad's car down Second St. in Peoria.  Her new friend, Wanda Hartman was in the passenger seat.  Wanda had recently moved to town from the Arcola area to live with her sister, Laura and her family.  Bernadine spotted her boy friend, Russ Scovil  walking down the street carrying a sack of groceries, and rolled down the window and asked if he would like a ride.  He said yes, crawled in the back seat and Bernadine introduced her two friends.  A couple of weeks later, Russ asked his good friend, Ralph Dixon if he would take Wanda out and double date with he and Bernadine.  Ralph,  who was extremely shy  and not the fastest thinker in the group - gave this classic answer: "I can't take her out, I have a sore finger".  (He was teased about this comment the rest of his life and said one time, it was just the first thing that popped into his head, as he was just to shy to go out with girls),
       .....And now the rest of the story:  The rest of the story, I suppose,  is that Russ and Wanda eventually became a couple, got married, and had eight children of which I am the oldest.  But there is more to Ralph's story as well.  During WW2, he was stationed in Italy and sent my parents a post card from there.  Dad's cousin, Nadine, was visiting at our house and the parents suggested she write to him.  Nadine was one of the most loved of my Dad's family and had a great sense of humor.  Her first letter to Ralph started:  I am Mae West in Kate Smith's body - if you are too young to know who Mae West and Kate Smith are, ask someone.  They corresponded until the end of the War.  It was love at first write!   I'm not sure but I think he came home on leave once during this time.  He was not Catholic and while he was in the Army he took instructions in the Faith and was Baptized, made his First Communion and Confirmed all in one day at the Vatican and about a week after he got back to Peoria, he and Nadine got married and lived truly happily ever after. Wonderful, wonderful people.
     I'm telling these stories today because November 23 is my parents 76th wedding anniversary.  My sister, Suzanne and her husband, Jim Godfrey chose this day to get married as well.  I'm thinking it's 28 years.  Happy Anniversary to Suzi and Jim.   And some people said it wouldn't last!!