KS - honeymoon
June 1963-We then walked back to our room, with hearts full of love but also with a certain amount of awkward shyness. Just a little later in the evening we brought Matthew 19:6 into reality in our young married lives, “Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh.” And we determined, with God’s help, to affirm the rest of that verse in our lives as well: “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”
The next morning we continued our journey southward and if memory serves, stayed that night in the Miami area. At morning’s somewhat early light, we ventured farther south to Key West and as far as land could take us – to the very end of U.S. Highway #1. This highway was a major North-South route in that day of no interstates. It was somewhat comical to us both when we found that the highway extending from the northernmost part of Maine to this Florida location ended with a plank barricade and a row of metal trashcans – and those none too tidy.
We spent that night in Key West, in a beautiful motel overlooking a bay just off the ocean – in my mind I can still see the moonlight reflecting off the water. Of course almost anywhere in Key West has salt water on one side or the other of that location – since the land there is not that wide.
We had called Mrs. C’s kinfolk in Fort Lauderdale on the way down and they asked us to come back by to see them, which we did the next day. We enjoyed several days with them, going to the beach and just generally having a good time in the sun and surf with Mrs. C’s cousins. At that time Miami Beach was really the place to go and to tell others you had gone there.
I knew I was supposed to be in Lexington on Monday to terminate my job, but we were having so much fun that we left a day later than we should have. We started back Saturday and wound up driving all night Saturday night except for a short rest stop beside the road. We arrived in Lexington on Sunday about noon, absolutely worn out.
We went to my church up there on Sunday night and told my friends goodbye. Monday morning I went out to my job to terminate and wouldn’t you know that the extension on my job had come through. But it was still classed as a temporary position so I terminated there anyway because we had already set everything up in Augusta – I drove back to our hometown an unemployed newlywed.
TBC - ec
The next morning we continued our journey southward and if memory serves, stayed that night in the Miami area. At morning’s somewhat early light, we ventured farther south to Key West and as far as land could take us – to the very end of U.S. Highway #1. This highway was a major North-South route in that day of no interstates. It was somewhat comical to us both when we found that the highway extending from the northernmost part of Maine to this Florida location ended with a plank barricade and a row of metal trashcans – and those none too tidy.
We spent that night in Key West, in a beautiful motel overlooking a bay just off the ocean – in my mind I can still see the moonlight reflecting off the water. Of course almost anywhere in Key West has salt water on one side or the other of that location – since the land there is not that wide.
We had called Mrs. C’s kinfolk in Fort Lauderdale on the way down and they asked us to come back by to see them, which we did the next day. We enjoyed several days with them, going to the beach and just generally having a good time in the sun and surf with Mrs. C’s cousins. At that time Miami Beach was really the place to go and to tell others you had gone there.
I knew I was supposed to be in Lexington on Monday to terminate my job, but we were having so much fun that we left a day later than we should have. We started back Saturday and wound up driving all night Saturday night except for a short rest stop beside the road. We arrived in Lexington on Sunday about noon, absolutely worn out.
We went to my church up there on Sunday night and told my friends goodbye. Monday morning I went out to my job to terminate and wouldn’t you know that the extension on my job had come through. But it was still classed as a temporary position so I terminated there anyway because we had already set everything up in Augusta – I drove back to our hometown an unemployed newlywed.
TBC - ec
posted by mreddie | 9:25 AM
8 Comments:
EC, SOUNDS like an exciting and romantic honeymoon trip!
Obviously, you and Mrs.C have done a lot of things right! :)
June
junierose - Thanks - looking back, the trip could have been better planned, but it was great nonetheless. ec
I have enjoyed this whole series of posts so much. Thanks for writing a story of true love.
And thanks for the comment. I've never figured out where her blue eyes came from (or Elcie's hazel). Very unusual for a child of her ethnicity.
I enjoyed your description of the end of the road, with wooden planks and untidy garbage cans, then went on to describe the exquisite moonlight on the water. Isn't that how life is, a mixture of the worst and the best, of dead ends and new beginnings.
Rob and I love road trips. Especially finding the end of the road. :-) Sweet memories you share here!
Hi Mr Eddie ~~This must be bringing
all the memories to the fore. Sounds
like an exciting trip and great that you spent time with your in-laws.
I had to laugh at the rice in your
wife's hair. It certainly lightened
an awkward time. Congrats to you both
again. Are you remembering together?
Take care, Merle.
You remember everything so clearly! It must have been a wonderful time. I enjoy reading your accounts though I don't comment very often.
granny - It was indeed love - as much as I knew at the time - and this love has grown deeper over the years as I learned more about what real love actually is all about.
bonita - I'm almost sure that the plank barricade and scruffy looking trash cans were not on any travel brochures at that time. And yes, life is that way and I'm so glad that Christ is willing to give us new beginnings.
jayleigh - They were sweet indeed - and still so in memories recalled. This beautiful lady accepted me by faith, not really knowing the depth of my committment to her. I meant every word of the vow 'until death do us part' with this committment being much helped and strengthened over the years by my faith in God.
merle - The small cascade of rice came at a time when we were both a bit on edge, for possibly obvious reasons. And you are right, the retelling of the story does bring many other memories to the fore.
sue - Most of the memories were aided by army documents early on and then old saved letters later. These latter ones came directly from memory, fleshed out by several rewrites. This was a wonderful time in our lives and the good times continue today. ec
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