Happy Anniversary to My Loving Husband — #MondayBlogs

My husband and I celebrated our 39^th wedding anniversary yesterday… time flies. Thirty-nine wonderful years. I admit, there are times we had to work at it — work hard — but it has been worth it.

We went to the same high school (High School of Art & Design in NYC) but the only memory I have of him was a confrontation in the school halls when he, as an anal hall monitor, tried to stop me from going down to the auditorium between class periods. (I was a Theatre Arts student and we had a show to prepare for). It wasn’t until years later when we were both volunteers with the NYC Auxiliary Police that we really had a chance to talk with each other… and we instantly disliked each other. Thanks to the meddling of our superior officers (my own dad was our Auxiliary Captain) we finally went out on a date. Two weeks later we were engaged; our wedding date was set for December 28, 1975.

I was late to the wedding!

In my defense I had a valid excuse, my sister (my MOH) fell down a flight of stairs and in the age before cell phones I couldn’t reach Mark to let him know. Luckily he waited for me. Yes we were married with all four of our parents standing under the chuppa with us, and my sister was a real trooper and hobbled down the aisle in her everyday flat shoes instead of the dressy heels that went with her dress. It was so sweet when I spoke the words “Ani l’dodi, v’dodi li” (I am to my beloved as my beloved is to me). Mark had our wedding rings engraved “plus qu'hier, moins que demain"(More than yesterday, less than tomorrow).

After the ceremony my mom, with all the stress of planning and then worry over my sister’s accident, had a diabetic reaction and spent most of the afternoon lying in the bridal suite — she refused to let us call an ambulance. By the end of the reception she was feeling better and soon it was time to leave.

We planned to spend the first night of our married life in our own apartment in Rockland County so we drove IN A BLIZZARD from Queens over the Tappan Zee Bridge. By the time we reached the garden apartment complex I was in tears from worry about my mom and my sister. Since we didn’t  have a phone installed in the apartment Mark found a pay phone (in 1975 that was all we had). The snow drift was piled so high and Mark in his tuxedo carried me in my bridal gown over the snow. All was well back in the Bronx and we were able to relax back in our own apartment. The next morning we traversed semi-plowed snow covered roads to the Poconos for our honeymoon and we enjoyed the holidays and our first New Year’s Eve as Mr. and Mrs.

Through the years we suffered the loss of all four parents in a relatively short time period. We also celebrated the birth of two fantastic children [a daughter and a son], job and career changes, a house with a yard for the kids to play, and watching them as they grew and experienced life and the world. There were money problems and health issues, arguments and making up, laughter and tears, friendships that came and went, public accolades in our respective careers, family births, and the loss of some dear relatives. We’ve celebrated holidays with our sisters and their families, got to witness graduations, bar and bat mitzvahs and weddings for the next generation. Both of our children are married now, and our in-law children are wonderful, and we’re at the empty-nester stage and talking about eventual retirement. It’s definitely been a “ride”.

Sometimes our plans went astray, but we’ve adapted TOGETHER. Our marriage has been a lot of work and it definitely has worked for us.

The biggest constant throughout our married life has always been that I have woken every single morning having fallen more in love than I was the day before — and he has always shown me that it goes both ways.

I love you, Mark. Happy anniversary, Sweetheart.

Hello Young Lovers ~ #MondayBlogs

A couple in love beginning life together as Mr & Mrs...

This past weekend on December 13, 2014 (12/13/14) our son Marc married the love of his life Patricia (Trish) during a wonderful ceremony surrounded by several loving family members and friends. The evening was filled with wonderful expressions of devotion and commitment between these two soul mates and from everyone present ~ and in these modern times, thanks to the magic of cellphones, even some relatives who were unable to make the ceremony joined in via SKYPE and speakerphones!

Seven+ years ago our daughter Jenni married the love of her life Jason...

So now both of our precious children are married to wonderful people who will always love and take care of them. This fact is such a joy for a parent, knowing that your child will always have someone by their side to support them, hold them, laugh with them and be there.

Mark & I began our life together 39 years ago. Together we've faced challenges and joys and most importantly we raised two incredible children who are now adults that we very much admire and respect. To say that I am proud of who they have become is an understatement.

Once again in our life it is Mark and me because, although you never stop being a parent once you've been there, our children have a nuclear family of their own, someone to share their decisions with, someone to confide in and depend on. There is a wonderful order to this natural cycle of life and I couldn't be happier for both of my offspring.

Hello young lovers, whoever you are 

I hope your troubles are few 
All my good wishes go with you tonight

I've been in love like you

Read more: The King And I - Hello Young Lovers Lyrics | MetroLyrics

thanks to Teri Hamilton for producing this video

Can we talk?

Oh come now, you know that everyone is going to make use of that iconic line – and that is just the way the late Joan Rivers would want it.

The world lost another comedic great this week so shortly after the loss of Robin Williams, but honoring these two who brought so much laughter into our world means we must keep laughing. Joan Rivers left her wishes for all to know and see in her book, I Hate Everyone...Starting with Me; her wish list is making the rounds and already bringing chuckles and laughter Joan Rivers’ Funeral Wish List: Beyonce Hair, A Valentino Gown And Sobbing Meryl Streep (from MTV News).

Funerals should be a celebration of the person’s life and all that they gave us. While we all “hope” we will be missed, we don’t want our loved ones to be left bereft and inconsolable, I sure as heck don’t want to be the reason my family and friends are miserable. I think everyone should leave a wish list for their funerals and the top of that list should include some way to make their families smile and return to their lives… and some laughter wouldn’t be so terrible either.

My husband and I lost our parents (all 4) within a relatively short period of time. My dad was first, my father-in-law just a mere 18 days later. In planning my father’s funeral service we hired a “Rent-a-Rabbi”. The man was eloquent and showed the grieving family the best of compassion and kindness - we were very happy with the selection. My dad was involved in the community and my parents had a lot of friends so the room was overflowing. The rabbi began his sermon with the words “And when I die…” and went on to talk about how the large throng of mourners was a tribute to the life my dad lived. It was a beautiful sermon with a moving eulogy and our family felt that the rabbi did my father a great honor.

Less than three weeks later after my father-in-law passed away, my mother-in-law liked what she had seen and hired the same rabbi to perform the service; living in the same community as my parents, the funeral home was the same as well. Again, there was a very impressive turnout of folks. The rabbi stood in front of the crowd and began his sermon “And when I die…” and until the personalized eulogy, it was the same speech. All of the relatives looked at one another in surprise which we did manage to hide from most of the crowd. Afterwards we rationalized that the rabbi probably had a pre-set group of sermons to deliver, after all he did  a lot of funerals, and just didn’t think twice about using the same speech in such a short time period – it isn’t often, I believe, that the same exact family had use of his services so soon after the first.

A year and a half later, my mom passed away. This time the funeral location was more than 40 miles away and yet the same rabbi’s name appeared on the preferred officiate list – well despite the repeated speech, we were very happy with his eloquence and services at least twice before, my mom had really liked his gentleness, so we hired him again. Well do I need to tell you? He looked out over the crowd of mourners and began his speech “And when I die…” – my sister and I were seated on either side of my grandmother, my mother’s mom, and our husbands sat beside each of us. Bobi, my sister, and I looked at each other over Grandma’s head and began laughing, uncontrollably. Terribly embarrassed about laughing at a funeral and not wanting to upset our grandmother any more we hid our faces in our husbands’ shoulders. Well everyone thought we were crying hysterically – “those poor Cordero girls, this is just too much for them…”; we laughed harder. Somehow Mark (my husband) and Del (Bobi’s husband) managed to hold it together although they both fought the smirks. (Later they told us how contagious our laughter was)

It was then that I decided that at my funeral SOMEONE, ANYONE, needs to announce loudly and clearly “And when I die…” and I hope that it will bring as much laughter to the room and my loved ones and that it will NOT be hidden. I’ve told my family members and close friends of this wish and I hope they remember, but if you are in attendance and it isn’t said, please do it yourself – thanks.

By the way, when my mother-in-law passed away a few years later, we used a different rabbi.

Last Chance- Enter My Anniversary Celebration Giveaway

Dec.28, 1975

My husband and I celebrated our 38^th wedding anniversary on Saturday December 28! That put me in a real good mood so I’m going to celebrate by giving YOU presents.

…I want to ask you for a favor; my publisher wants us to give interviews and I need questions. Please think of a writing related question you want me, Author Chelle Cordero, to answer and then post it on my Facebook page  https://www.facebook.com/AuthorChelleCordero (if you haven’t already you will have to “LIKE” the page)

I’ll choose up to 10 questions to answer in a blog on Wednesday, January 8. I will give each person whose question I choose a gift – either a FREE downloadable audio book or an e-book from Smashwords (randomly chosen). Last day to submit a question is Sunday, January 5, 2014.

Here’s a list of prizes: (1 each) audio books of Bartlett’s Rule; Hostage Heart; & Courage of the Heart; and e-books of A Chaunce of Riches; CommonBond, Tangled Hearts; His Lucky Charm; & (4) The Many Faces of ChelleCordero.

It’s simple – LIKE my Facebook Author page, post an author interview question, and read my responses on January 8 on The Potpourri Parlor , my Facebook page, my blog  and my website.

Anniversary Celebration Giveaway

Dec.28. 1975

My husband and I are celebrating our 38^th wedding anniversary on Saturday December 28! That puts me in a real good mood so I’m going to celebrate by giving YOU presents.

…I want to ask you for a favor; my publisher wants us to give interviews and I need questions. Please think of a writing related question you want me, Author Chelle Cordero, to answer and then post it on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/AuthorChelleCordero (if you haven’t already you will have to “LIKE” the page)

I’ll choose up to 10 questions to answer in a blog on Wednesday, January 8. I will give each person whose question I choose a gift – either a FREE downloadable audio book or an e-book from Smashwords (randomly chosen). 

Here’s a list of prizes: (1 each) audio books of Bartlett’s Rule; Hostage Heart; & Courage of the Heart; and e-books of A Chaunce of Riches; CommonBond, Tangled Hearts; His Lucky Charm; & (4) The Many Faces of ChelleCordero.

It’s simple – LIKE my Facebook Author page, post an author interview question, and read my responses on January 8 on The Potpourri Parlor, my Facebook page, my blog (here) and my website.

Hubby's Birthday today!

Happy Birthday Sweetheart!

Today is my hubby's birthday - yes, this is the man that is referred to on my book jackets as my husband AND lover (One Man, Double Wonderful)

Mark is truly the inspiration for ALL of my book's heroes - he is my best friend, my business partner, my inspiration, my life...

I am a writer of romance - and Hubby is the man who taught me all about love.

Today, December 11, I want to publicly say to my guy... I want to shout it to the world -

I LOVE YOU MARK!