wildflowermama

Sixteen years ago today I married an amazing man. We had a record fast courtship. Met at my offices above the Whisky-a-Go-Go in Hollywood. I had a magazine, he had a band. We fell in love so fast, so hard, it was amazing. Six weeks later, during a late night run to Jerry’s Deli, decided that it would make perfect sense to be married. The next day, the 4th of July, we went to Laughlin, Nevada. For the record, you can’t get married on a whim in Laughlin, so we headed to Vegas.  We drove in the blackness on a little hilly highway to tie our knot in Vegas. Fireworks and bats followed in the dark sky above my little red VW convertible. Courthouse was closed for the 4th, so we gambled, talked about our future together and waited patiently until the sun came up. Then at 8:30 am on the 5th we were married at a funny little chapel with a drive thru window. Deliriously tired and happy, we drove home. Had our wedding dinner at Denny’s Barstow and headed back to Hollywood. Days later we began telling the family, sharing our love and our wonderful news. Shocked and always accepting, my family welcomed my husband and 16 years and 2 yummy kids later we still are deliriously happy. Happy Anniversary to the love of my life.

Once in a while
In a big blue moon
There comes a night like this
Like some surrealist
Invented this 4th of July
Night ride home

Hula girls
And caterpillar tractors in the sand
The ukulele man
The fireworks
This 4th of July
Night ride home

I love the man beside me
We love the open road
No phones till Friday
Far from the overkill
Far from the overload

Back at the bar
The band tears down
But out here in the headlight beams
The silver powerlines
Gleam
On this 4th of July
Night ride home

Round the curve
And a big dark horse
Red taillights on his hide
Is keeping right alongside
Rev for stride
4th of July
Night ride home

I love the man beside me
We love the open road
No phones till Friday
Far from the undertow
Far from the overload

Once in awhile
In a big blue moon
There comes a night like this
Like some surrealist
Invented this 4th of July
Night ride home

Stopping at the Hollywood Rocks offices, I got a cassette of Joni Mitchell’s soon to be released album, Night Ride Home. We grabbed it and left for Vegas. How could we have known that the title track was, somehow, written for us. Thank you Joni Mitchell for our wedding song.