“Grow old with me, the best is yet to be-”

It all started a long time ago when I went skiing.

He arrived, a Swiss Ski Instructor
My lunch companion shared her immediate advice. Stay away from the Swiss Ski Instructors. And then, I blurted. “See that Swiss Instructor, the one laughing and doing all the talking? He is trouble and I am going to marry him.” Surprised by my own absurd comment, I laughed and changed the subject.
I laughed again a week later, Werner, the notorious playboy labeled by my advice-giving lunch partner, asked me to the company Christmas Dinner.
I laughed again when the gossip buzzed around the ski lodge. Will he love her or leave her?
I laughed when he asked me to marry him and celebrate our wedding Switzerland

I laughed, sort of, when the wedding plans included learning how to rappel

to climb the backside of the Rublihorn.
halfway up a rock chimney an overhang stopped me from moving higher. “how do I get down.” He smiled and said, turn around.”

I laughed on our wedding day

All the steeple bells rang a joyful noise throughout the valley and the Alps echoed back -joyful, joyful, joyful!
We thought we had forever. The words, “Until death,” had nothing to do with us.” We were a happily ever after love story.
UNTIL- FAST FORWARD THIRTY-YEARS