OUR 45TH ANNIVERSARY!

July 23, 1966

Mr. and Mrs Howard Johnson
July 23, 1966

Yes, forty-five years ago today we were married at Bethel Lutheran Church in my hometown of Frontier.  It was a hot, sunny day and air conditioning was not common in those days.  Our wedding was at three o'clock,  with a cold plate lunch served to guests at the community hall.  Then we were off to Shaunavon to have photos taken.

We returned to the family farm where we helped mom and dad celebrate their 25th anniversary.  They were married in 1941 at the parsonage in Frontier.  Today marks the 70th anniversary of their marriage.

Following the evening celebrations, we left for Shaunavon.  But first we had to empty out our new 1966 Ford Fairlane two door hardtop.  It had been filled with crumpled up newspapers!  Someone had also put blocks behind the wheels so those also had been removed.

When we got to Shaunavon, I discovered that my suitcase had been left behind! No, it was not another trick, just an oversight.  Ardis and Marge had helped carry my things downstairs, and I assumed they had gone out to the car.  Instead, they were left in Mom and Dad's bedroom.  So on Sunday we returned to the farm for the suitcase and continued on our way south to Great Falls, Montana and on to Yellowstone Park the next day.

In 1981 we celebrated Mom and Dad's 40th, (and our 15th) at the Senior Citizen's Centre in Frontier.  Their twelve grandchildren sang an anniversary song to the tune of the Norwegian "Per Spelman".  Joan surprised some of us at the reunion by singing the first verse of it!)

For our 25th anniversary we had a family gathering here at the farm on the Sunday before our anniversary.  On the 23rd we drove south to Medora.  We spent a night at the Badlands Hotel and took in the evening musical,  all for $79. 85, according to the VISA bill that I saved.  We also had our picture taken, in dress of bygone days.

Our 25th anniversary at the Johnson farm
July 1991

It looks like we had homemade icecream, ginger cookies
 and flatbread  twenty years ago too!

July 23, 1991

Another memorable anniversary was on our last camping trip as a family.  We had enjoyed several days exploring the Black Hills area of North Dakota, including and evening performance of the Passion Play.  We drove to Rapid City, intending to camp there for the night.  Temperatures were over 100 degrees F and campgrounds were far from appealing.  So we splurged and spent our first night ever at a Howard Johnson motel.  We had a lovely suite for the six of us for a total of $113.13.  The pool was wonderful with part of it inside and part out.  It was a far cry from camping out in an asphalt covered campground that we had checked out, and one that we'll always remember.  The kids bought us matching tee shirts from the Black Hills so I think we'll wear them today and enjoy those memories together.

Howard Johnson's in Rapid City, ND

Our room at Howard Johnson's
July 23, 1988

Shauna phoned last night and said she is bringing a rhubarb cake to St. Joseph's Care Home this afternoon.  I'll meet their family there for coffee and cake.  Then Howard and I will got out for supper and I'll take him home for the weekend.  I'll have pictures on my next blog.