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Praetorium Honoris

Monday, September 6, 2021

When you can't be with the one you love....

 Contrary to Mr. Stills, the rest of that line is "...make the best of it."

The 4th and 5th of September in the Juvat clan is Anniversary weekend, even if it doesn't occur on a weekend.  Why?

Glad you asked, Beans.  Way back in 1954, a dashing young Fighter Pilot and a young San Francisco debutante, said the words "I do"  on September 4th. 9 months and 2 days later a son was born. 28 years after the latter event, and on the same day, a dashing young Fighter Pilot and a young, beautiful and smart Personnel Officer said the words "I do". A couple of years after that (one must be in reasonable proximity at the correct time for the "magic" to happen, events in the world delayed that "magic", but persistence pays)  a son was born. 25 year and 1 day later (the church wasn't available for a perfect trifecta), a dashing young Computer guy and a young, beautiful, Elementary Teacher said the words "I do".

So, now you know why "Anniversary Weekend".  While the first dashing young couple are no longer with us physically, they are still around in our memory and prayers.  Also given that the Dashing young Computer guy works for the State Dept and has been in countries that are mentioned prominently in the news lately, he has been physically absent from the Anniversary Weekend a few times also.  That was the case this past week also.  He's in Hong Kong, but because of Chinese rules, animals that come to HK from countries with Rabies present (E.G. Kuwait, his last assignment) must enter quarantine in a Chinese facility for six months.  You know the stories about China and Dogs, so....They decided DIL and Tex would RTB to Rancho Juvat and spend 6 months proving he's rabies free.

But...Anniversary weekend is upon us and much like "Fiddler on the Roof"....TRADITION!

So...Little J and Mrs J had a planning teleconference.  Unfortunately, the classification thereof was way (way, way) beyond any classification level I was ever cleared for.  

Execution of the OPlan began on the morning of the 4th with a normal visit to what passes as my social life nowadays, shopping at the local HEB (grocery) store.  After replenishing the items on the shopping list, Mrs J stops by the flower department and picks up some sunflowers and roses.  My radar warning gives a little chirp as I am not unawares that that day is OUR anniversary.  But the plan was, we were going out to dinner (first time since wu-flu) to our favorite steakhouse to celebrate.

She smiles and said "It's for DIL."

The fear for my life receded. (for now)

We RTB and Mrs J asks if I have a yardstick. Fortunately I do.  I bring it to her and kinda hang out to see if I can pick up some intel on what the heck is going on.  

She shushes me away citing "need to know" and "til death do us part might come quicker than you think, otherwise".

An hour or so later, she comes and gets me and hands me a vase with Sunflowers and Roses nicely arranged and tells me to get in the truck and drive down to DIL's cabin.  It's about 1/4 mile from the house and it's still technically Summer....in Texas.  

I ask no questions.

She gets out of the car and asks me to take pictures of events for the next couple of minutes.

I took lots of pictures. These three were the only ones that turned out, I was laughing so hard.







He was invited to dinner with us that evening.  Here's a picture of the 4 of us.






He ordered a Medium-Rare strip steak with garlic mash potatoes and a very nice Tempranillo from our winemaker friends. All the wait staff somehow managed to stop by our table at least once that nigh and check on us for some reason.  Most were laughing as they left.


However, being rail thin, he didn't eat very much of it, so Mrs J brought it home for lunch.

He was pretty quiet conversationally, but, such as it was, his presence lightened the evening.  DIL laughed quite a bit, which was the desired outcome.

"If you can't be with the one you love, have a sense of humor and make the best of it"


Well planned and executed, Mrs J and Little J!


Peace Out, Y'all!





34 comments:

  1. Operation Tradition was a success since DIL expressed much smiles/giggles although it seems Little J wasn't much of a tipper.......:) Two thumbs up for Mrs J.

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    1. Yes, it was a well organized and executed OPlan. As to Little J not being much of a tipper, for some reason, he also made no reach for his wallet when the tab came. Ah well, such are the responsibilities of being the oldest in the tribe.

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    2. Just what you'd expect from someone working at the State Department. Just saying. :)

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    3. Now, Now, Now, Much like all organizations, not all the folks at the bottom are horrible human beings, unlike those at the top.

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  2. Okay, y'all crazy..
    That was funny as heck..

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    1. Crazy? Now you're just being kind JOG. Thanks

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  3. I'm stashing that great idea away for some future use.

    I'm glad that the occasion measured up to tradition.

    My brains music player fired up as soon as I read the words, "Fiddler on the Roof".... and TRADITION"

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    1. Feel free, John. It worked pretty well. There were a couple of Harley driving couples (about my age, you know the type) sitting at the next table. After explaining the sitch to the waiter, which they overheard, they were chuckling also. Lowered a lot of blood pressures that night.

      In the original version of that paragraph, I made no mention of Fiddler on the Roof. As soon as I typed Tradition however, I knew I had to link to it for the same reason you mentioned.

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  4. Replies
    1. Thanks, Boss. How's the relaxing in the sun and the sand going? 🤣

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  5. I see the beginning of a second TRADITION...good on you guys

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  6. Well done, y'all - glad Little J and DIL had such a good time. Was there per chance any real time comms with Little J during the event?

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    1. DIL and Little J were texting back and forth, including pictures, so there was some.

      Thanks Tom

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  7. That is just SO COOL!!!! Mrs J (and Lil J) are both VERY awesome!!

    So is the Anniversary Weekend tradition.

    You all bring a smile to my face today--Thank You Sir!
    And Congratulations to all couples involved!!!

    (I was a bit confused as to what day yesterday was...had to check the calendar...but then I figured it out--been working waay to much recently)

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    1. Suz, Need I remind you. LABOR day is S'posed to be a day off! I know, I know...A Nurse's job is never done! For different reasons, I too have a hard time figuring out which day it is.

      Smile to the face? Mission Success!

      Thanks Suz, take care!

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  8. September is a family month for us too. 13th was Mom and Dad, 19 was me, 26 is my sister and BIL. I like that stick figure idea. Made me laugh too. Well played.

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    1. Maybe, September being the 9th month, that dark and cold January requires a bit of something or another to warm things up. Just a Hypothesis.

      Thanks, STxAR!

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  9. Oh how very GOOd! ...and cute, too!

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    1. Thanks BBC, Glad you liked it, although I can claim no credit other than 5 decent shots out of a couple dozen. Seems the phone camera stabilization isn't up to a juvat belly laugh.

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  10. Very nice. Good traditions are just that, good. Mrs. Andrew's and mine are a nice dinner followed by chocolate fondue. At one time it was cheese fondue followed by chocolate fondue, but, well, gluten-free bread falls apart too easily.

    Glad that everything went well. And that was a brilliant idea by whomever thunk it up.

    Y'all are so cute!

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    1. Thanks, Beans, I appreciate it.

      Chocolate Fondue? Can you substitute a spoon for bread? Less calories in a spoon.

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  11. Happy Anniversary to you both. It's our day too- 28 years and counting. I know several couples who chose Labor Day Saturday as their wedding day too. Although I often get confused if it's 9/4/93 or 9/3/94. Fortunately she does that same so I don't get elbowed in the ribs.

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    1. Happy Anniversary to you both, Tuna! Hope you did something fun and entertaining.

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    2. Happy Anniversary Tuna!

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  12. What a creative and wonderful idea! I now expect next year's extravaganza to exceed this one.

    (The Ravishing Mrs. TB would probably state, in similar circumstances, that this was the best behavior I had been on in a restaurant...)

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    1. Well, DIL will hopefully be in close contact with here husband in a few weeks. We will probably arrange a rendezvous at some point only a quarter of the globe away in a neutral territory with no Covid/Mask BS. That would be a pretty good slice of perfection.

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  13. Well done to Mr. and Mrs. juvat!!

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  14. I'm still laughing! Little Juvat has always had a great knack for surprises, and this was another fun one. Thanks to everyone for the well wishes!

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