Anniversary Tales - Vol 2 of at least 3

Saturday was the big day here in the park. Our family met the park; the park met our family. We had our big 50th anniversary celebration centered around a potluck supper.

During the early part of the day, my brother Chuck and his wife Karma arrived for the festivities. They had driven down from Prescott, AZ, the previous day.

Here in the SKP Saguaro Co-op RV Park we have cable TV, and Channel 5 is the official park news channel. Anything that is announced is announced on Channel 5. So we set up our own announcement and invitation five days in advance.

In addition, we had posted flyers in the club house and handed out copies to everyone we could find at the Fourth of July celebration.

We had worked on this for months, ordering a wedding cake decorated for a 50th anniversary, buying two cases of champagne (and plastic flutes to drink it from), figuring what we'd bring to a pot luck (sandwich trays from Subway), who'd be there to help set up, etc. Daughters Deb and Kathie, grandchildren Renee, Jason and Sam, Cousin Carol and Father Ken all went up to help move tables and chairs into a welcoming arrangement, directed by park volunteers. They went on to put up decorations throughout the main room of the club house.

Many of the decorations were from the park's own supply room, but we had purchased some decorations, tableware, etc., that were used as well -- including the "50" topper for the cake.

Deb and Kathie assembled the cake and mounted the topper we had bought.

Suzy magically produced from our storage room the original cake topper from our wedding 50 years ago, which our daughters displayed beautifully.

Suzy also dug out the two champagne glasses we had used at our reception in 1960, as well as the knife we had used to cut the wedding cake!

Grandsons Jason and Sam were assigned the champagne preparations, which included building this pyramid of flutes!

At 3:45, park residents began showing up, bringing salads, hot dishes, casseroles, veggie platters and other delights. Friends Carol and Emerson Dayton presided over the food tables, assigning timing and placement of the various dishes.

At 4:00, daughter Deb announced the start of the festivities, introducing our family and friends, then asked us to start the food line.
During the dinner, two fellows from the park played dinner music, including "our song," I Love How You Love Me, which called for a soft and quiet dance from us.




When the dinner was nearly over, daughter Kathie presented a loving but humorous toast to us, while assigned friends and family members opened and poured champagne (or sparking cider) for everyone present.

We cut the cake (which had its own perilous journey to the table) and shared the traditional first bites.


Kathie and Deb finished cutting and serving the cake. Grandson Sam did his part by grabbing the mike and calling out, "Please come get a piece of cake!"

Then it was over. We retired home, oh so happy, full of memories, champagne and food. We all basked in the beauty of the day (oh, yes, we'd had some rain, but not a lot), talking and enjoying each other, with special attention to 9-month-old Darren, the latest in a line of charmers in a family living, or supporting ... Our Life on Wheels!