Apalachicola is one of those places just eat up with charm. I mean EAT UP with it. Old houses both stately and funky, palm trees, a beautiful bay, a gorgeous winding river, great shopping, great eating, fishermen, tourists, artists- hell, it even has its own homosexuals. It could be Key West but thank god it's not.
You can sit down in a bar and have the owner of some company sitting on one side of you wearing madras pants and an oyster-shucker wearing jeans and a ripped T-shirt on the other side.
And that's where Mr. Moon and I are headed tomorrow for our anniversary weekend.
Twenty five years we'll have been married on Sunday and no, I can't believe it either.
This is not going to be one of those sappy posts. I already wrote one of those today.
No, it's just a post about how nice it's going to be to get in a car (maybe the Cutlass!) and drive that beautiful road down to the coast and then crossing a bridge that looks like the back of some prehistoric reptile
which ends right in front of the Gibson. We've booked a room at the Gibson and some of you might look at it and say, "But Ms. Moon, your own house is older than that, and a lot more private and just as charming," and I'd say, "You're right!" but they have restaurants in Apalachicola and one of my favorite shops in the world, River Lily, where I can buy some of my favorite perfume and drool over the jewelry, lamps, clothing and great fun stuff I've never seen anywhere else. There are also antique stores, a fabulous book store, and the best oysters in the world, not to mention a lot on the bay that Mr. Moon and I own and which we hope to build on some day. Plus, someone else will be washing my towels and sheets and you can't beat that with a stick and it certainly doesn't happen here in Lloyd, plus, if a dog shits on the floor, I won't be expected to clean it up.
We've stayed in Aplachicola many times before and I wrote a novel based there and it's just the kind of place that grabs your heart and makes you think, "I could live here," and next thing you know you're calling a realtor and going around looking at houses. It's changed a lot since we first started visiting back in the eighties but not so much that it doesn't still smell like salt and fish and primeval funk. Makes me feel right at home, having grown up by a river in a fishing village. And the people at the Gibson will welcome us with open arms, or at least a friendly smile and we'll sit on the big wide porch and have a drink and watch the traffic, of which there is not much, and we'll walk down to the water and sit on a dock and ask people what they're catching and we'll go out for supper and we'll celebrate twenty-five years of marriage, which in this day and time is pretty remarkable.
We'll toast to each other and the kids and the grandkid and we'll look at each other and say, "How did this happen? Where did the time go?"
And we'll climb the creaky flights of stairs to our room where we'll sleep together under clean sheets and it will be fine and we'll feel at home in the little town where one day we might have a home.
And on Sunday we'll drive home and get out of the car and look around and if I know us, we'll be glad to be home in Lloyd and really, wherever Mr. Moon is, that is my home, and this life- this life of ours- this twenty-five years together of a life is worth celebrating both there and here and we shall do that.
Happy Anniversary to the Moons. May the moon shine on you two together forever. Shine on...
ReplyDeleteThank you for showing me, by example, a good marriage. Love you for that.
ReplyDeleteHave a great time, as I know you will.
Happy Anniversary Mr. and Mrs. Moon!
ReplyDeleteHope you have a lovely time together.
Happy Anniversary! I love y'all! Call me when you get back to town.
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary to you.Love the pictures
ReplyDeleteTake the Cutlass!! What fun.
ReplyDeleteNot cleaning dog shit off the floor on your anniversary weekend is a gift unto itself.
Have a wonderful time.
Elizabeth- Thank-you so much.
ReplyDeleteSJ- Well, it's a marriage. It's still interesting. I still love him to pieces. He still makes me cry sometimes, just watching him walk across the yard.
Mel- I think we shall. Thanks for the good wishes.
DTG- We love you too!
Technogram- Isn't that a cool bridge?
Michelle- I know. And Jessie will be staying here to clean the dog shit up so that's her gift to us. We may not be able to take the Cutlass. It is in need of a back window and it might be raining. Dang it!
Happy Anniversary!! Have a wonderful weekend. Your 25 years renews my faith in marriage.
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary!
ReplyDeleteI just looked up that place to see what it was like, and now I can't stop giggling because you'll have to drive through Sopchoppy. Such a funny name!
Have the best best best time ever!!!! I love you both with all my heart!
ReplyDeletelove,
May
p.s.
does Daddy like your toes?
You made me want to co there! Have a great time and a memorable anniversary.
ReplyDeleteHAPPY ANNIVERSARY MR AND MRS MOON!!!
ReplyDeleteApalachicola is all that and a bad of chips. I know it will be lovely.
xo pf PS What are mandras pants??
Happy Anniversary! 25 years with the same person is incomprehensible to me, but you give me hope that it is possible!
ReplyDeleteI've never been to Apalachicola, perhaps we should go.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on 25 years, that's great! We're almost halfway there, any tips on surviving the second half? ;)
So dog-poop scooping is going to be my gift to you? I'm cool with that.
ReplyDeleteI love you two so, so much. I'm glad I have the best parents in the world. It's really quite an honor. Hehe. But for real, you and Papa with your great bond and love for one another has only made this world, and me, a better person. (Not saying that your marriage has an affect on the whole world, but a portion of it, yes.) So I thank you both for that.
Good morning - I have a question:
ReplyDeleteHow is Apalachicola pronounced?
My Canadian-influenced brain wants to say apple-a-cheek-a-la - is that right?
Thanks!
Ap-uh-latch-ee-cola.
ReplyDeleteAp, like the beginning of apple.
cola, like coke.
Love the name of that town. Wow. It sounds like a perfect mini-vacation to me.
ReplyDeleteI'll raise a glass to you and dear Mr. Moon this weekend.
I am so glad you two have each other. I love Mr. Moon, because he takes good care of my friend.
Have a great fucking time,
SB
I forgot to ask, are there Palmetto bugs at the Gibson? I HATE Palmetto bugs. I get really freaked out by them and will leave a hotel in the middle of the night if I see one.
ReplyDeleteI'm a pussy Yankee.
Tiff- Yes. It CAN be done.
ReplyDeleteMwa- Hey! Sopchoppy is totally cool. I love that place. I know people who live there. You'd love it too!
May- He hasn't seen my toes. He watched the game with Jason and by the time he got home, my toes were under the blankets in the dark.
And we love you too!
Sandra- It's a very cool place. You should go.
Ms. Fleur- Thank you! Madras pants. Go to http://www.capemadras.com/product/mens-madras-pants.htm
and check it out. Prep, prep, preppy!
Rachel- Thanks! And it is possible!
HockeyManDad- Hey! I'm glad you stopped by the blog! And you guys would definitely love Apalach. Talk about history!
HoneyLuna- You are PRECIOUS and we adore you. Thank-you, little love, for doing the dog and chicken dance around here for us while we're gone.
Are you having good weather there? That sounds so great to me to hang out there. I miss gulf air and the sounds and smells that come with it. I recognize that house! Hope you have a great time with Mr. Moon. Happy Anniversary.
ReplyDeleteMary- I think DTG solved your problem. Apalach for short.
ReplyDeleteMs. Bastard- You, especially, would adore Apalachicola. I know this in my deepest soul of souls. Thanks. We will try to have a good fucking time. (Tee-hee)
Uh- you mean roaches? Because that's what Palmetto Bugs are. And I'm sure that the Gibson has them. WE ALL DO! Now get over it so you can come visit.
Have a great time!
ReplyDeleteSB, I hate to tell you, but there is not a single building in Florida more than 3 days old that does not have the occasional cockroach.
ReplyDeleteI want to come there, too, just so I can say the name of the town. I have been practicing, and it is a fun word to say.
ReplyDeleteWhat anniversary; best blessings on both of you for giving ME hope. :)
Thanks, DTG and Ms.Moon!
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing the emphasis is on the first syllable of cola, right?
ap-uh-latch-ee-COla?
Cheers for a happy weekend away being in love!
Happy anniversary, you've doubled our own stint.
ReplyDeleteHappy anniversary to you and your man. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who loves that place and that hotel. I plan to see it for myself one of these days.
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary!
Happy Happy Happy!
ReplyDelete