Marriage: Take 2...

     Everything is fine and dandy here; the phrase "Take 2" just means a follow up to my original, "My Take On Marriage",... with some more thoughts on the ever evolving state of marriage.  I have made updates, since the first I wrote in 2013; posted in August of  2013; and this one, I wrote in 2014, and posted on November 22, 2o14.

     

     Then on June 26, 2015. Marriage Equality finally passed!  I was at a great Community Festival in Columbus, Ohio, on that weekend with one of my best friend/pseudo sisters; and we met up with friends she'd worked with at a restaurant, years before.  We all celebrated Marriage Equality!  In such an amazingly fun way! 

     Now ten years later...I'm working on books; starting on a screenplay; but now our kids are nearly... well, just older... as my mom told me, when you get to your mid 20's your hormones will have evened out, and you won't see things so dramatically terrible... 

     And I am working on an uplifting new post...Then last Friday, I went with another best friend/pseudo sister; and went and saw Sir Rod Stewart's One Last Time!!! 

     The concert was phenomenally uplifting and fun!  

     There'll be more about him, and the reason he was justly Knighted, on my post... 

Return to Renaissance... 

     

Now, back to Take 2...

     I started this post a few months ago, but due to many things happening in the world and the ongoing battle for marriage equality, it has taken this long to finish!

 
     My take is made up of what I've seen in current events and what I've been reading; Who Cooked The Last Supper? The Women's History of The World by Rosalind Miles;  Marriage, a History: How Love Conquered Marriage by Stephanie Coontz; and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen!

     With the intro of the phrase, "conscious uncoupling";  I can't help but wonder what Ms. Austen would make of it all.  Right now, I am reading Cleopatra: A Life, by Stacy Schiff.  Maybe I'll get an idea on the last pharaoh's take on the whole institution.

     Let me start with Charlotte Lucas's thought from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice: "Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance.  If the dispositions of the parties are ever so well known to each other; or ever so similar before-hand, it does not advance their felicity in the least.  They always continue to grow sufficiently unlike afterwards to have their share of vexation; and it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life.'"  She has a point.

...
 

My Take on Marriage

Just a little updates... since I wrote this in August of 2013...💕Gratitude to Jimmy Buffett...

     What do I think of marriage?  It's great.  That is my opinion today.  What I think most days, is it's a lot of work.  My husband will say the same.  Thankfully, it's work we both enjoy.  We had both been around enough to know that going in. It's compromises, concessions, and work to share your life with someone. It's a choice, and a privilege that not everyone gets to enjoy.  I think it takes 2, maybe more, to make it work- only 1 to make it not work.  I won't say fail, because I think if people look back on a marriage that didn't last till "death do us part",  there are still a lot of good and fun memories, and maybe even kids- so, in my opinion that's hardly failing.  

That's a choice as well, that yields its own compromises, concessions and rewards.

     I like my husband as well as love him.  

We have a lot of similarities, and quite a bit 

of differences.  The big one, politics.  For those

that James Carville's and Mary Matalin's marriage befuddles them- I can say that it does cause some debates, but we know we're never gonna change each other, (nor do we wish to) and for the most part get why the other votes the way they do and enjoy the enlightening each of us bring.  We've been together for nearly 16 years, and I can honestly say, he still makes me smile and usually laugh almost every day.  Most the time it's even intentional.

An Important Repost Because: "LOVE IS LOVE!"

Jessica's daughters drew this in honor of this post.  

     Today's post is a repost, of a post I shared 12 years ago.  It's one of just a few guest posts, that I've had here on Sadie's Gathering.  

      Since our loved ones are going to schools; and most start soon.., etc... 

     Many things have changed in the last few years; some for better, some less so. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

     What has not changed, is the ever essential need for compassion, understanding and acceptance!

     For as Ms. Herthel states below, "Because willful ignorance leads to hateful ignorance." 

     Sadly, today, even in 2025, we have too many examples as proof. 

     So, again I share, "Ending The Gay Charade" by Jessica Mayer Herthel. 

     It's way past time, we all need to acknowledge, no matter what gender, age, shade of skin, sexuality, religion, etc. 

     WE ARE ALL HUMAN BEINGS!  TOMORROW IS NOBODY'S PROMISE; WE ALL NEED TO AGREE, TO DISAGREE; TO LIVE, LEARN, LIKE, LAUGH, & LOVE!

Please pass this along! 
     

HAVE A FUN OCTOPUS HOLIDAY!

© Susan Jaye 2023

 
     The octopus is pointing where to contribute $; Just click the DONATE tap! Thank you!

     On August 7th of last year I was looking through emails, and got an email from VIKING GOODS.  

They are a great t-shirt company with unique cute t-shirts!  

     Just as if we were back in the Viking days ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

     Viking Goods~> GREAT OCTOPUS SHIRTS!  (Link to Viking Goods website) Viking Goods has so many t-shirts!

Click here for the latest t-shirts!

    If you like octopi as much as I do... get one of the great Viking Goods t-shirts for the official Octopus Holiday!!!  That fittingly is on the 8th in OCTOBER!!! 

    Just in case you'd like to know all of the holidays...here are some fun sites!  There's also more to see and read about octopi! 

LIKE MOJITOS? Here's some great options! HAPPY SUMMER!!!

Like Mojitos? 

Yumyumyum...

     The photo down there, is, my easy, peasy, Mojito Slushy!!!   The great table was made by my great friend who's a great artist!  Let me know if you'd like to hire her!  

     Those cocktails, and there's so many other GREAT RECIPES!  So, please... just tap the DONATE button, over there, to the right~> and contribute $!  Easy peasy...😉 right there...~>~>~>

Thank you!

     On this post, are recipes for... Mojito Punch; my Mojito Slushy, and my Aunt Mary's Bourbon Slushy! 

Easy Peasy Mojito Slushy!

  

Mosquitoes; What's The Point?

     I love summer.  However, one of the major pitfalls for me is the wretched mosquitoes.    In the spring when mosquitoes first start to appear, I could swear I can hear them sing and dance, the moment I step outside.  I currently have 15 bites.
     It was one of the lovely things about living in Southern California; very little humidity= no mosquitoes.  In the 8 years that we lived there, I got 1 bite!  And I am certain that little suckers traveled oodles of miles just to find me.  Maybe I should feel flattered ¯\_(ツ)_/¯