Happiness, Happiness, Happiness and Family

[BandB]

Wifey B: I'm beyond in the clouds today and filled with happiness.

A little background. They year was 2000 and on the afternoon of December 25, my hubby and I went to Myrtle Beach for our first vacation together. He drove and I flew in with him meeting me at the airport. I was so happy and so looking forward. However,

On the way to the airport, I ran over debris in the channel, known as a chain in the road, and got two flat tires out of it. @^$##@&^% I said. I pulled off the highway and immediately saw a parking lot posted with no parking tow in zone signs, just perfect. So, I called to change to the next flight and called the tow company posted there to ask them to tow my car.

Car towed, taxi there, and I head to the airport. Meanwhile hubby is at hotel and there's a young girl at the desk, turns out to be 18 and the owner's daughter. Things are quiet there (before Myrtle Beach became big winter destination). Now my hubby had no idea what a flirt he was but he tells the girl about me and our vacation plus how sweet she is and soon we're upgraded to the penthouse suite from a normal room for very little extra plus he has her dying to meet me.

Neither hubby nor I had parents still alive nor parents we really ever felt as you should we parents. Yet, somehow, in the week we were in Myrtle Beach we immediately had a sister in the 18 year old and quickly had parents in her parents. They were the sister and the parents we never had. They were the only 3 people to attend our Vegas wedding and to our shock and contrary to anything we ever wanted, our parents upgraded our room to the fanciest honeymoon suite and paid entirely for it. I was 21, he was 30, and we had family we'd never had or imagined or really had any idea what one is like.

Over the years we also built an incredible extended family in Florida while our Myrtle Beach family expanded with a great brother in law and the most wonderful niece in the history of mankind, Aurora.

Well, skipping a lot of history and years, which I'm sure you're glad I am, this week, they all moved next door to us. Sister and brother in law are opening a business in Fort Lauderdale (real estate specializing in rental management) and all five of them living as our neighbors. Parents intend to travel a lot. Niece already in school here.

I never cried a single time as a child, not once until the night I met my hubby and we shared our life stories. He'll cry out of sadness and joy often and he cried that night over my childhood as I did over his. Well, last night when we went to bed, I cried tears of joy. I knew I would be happy, but I had no idea how overwhelmingly ecstatic.

I just had to share this. I know all of you are different when it comes to families and many always had great families. Well, in a way glad we didn't as it sure helps us feel and communicate with the kids we love so much as the orphanage. However, when you didn't have real family the first half of your life, you appreciate it so much. We love our extended family, but having our Myrtle Beach family here with us now is beyond our wildest dreams. They're out on the boat with us today and tonight they'll go home next door. If you have family to love, then do so. If you can't go find others who share your values and your views on life and build from there.

 

[SteveK]

Thanks for sharing. May the happiness continue.

 

[BandB]

Thanks for sharing. May the happiness continue.

Wifey B: You convince yourself when you don't have family, that you don't need it. Both hubby and I were convinced we'd never find anyone or get married. We lacked the belief that it would happen. Well, we met over 20 years ago and we've been married nearly 20 years. We went from alone to loners as a couple to deeply in love and deeply loving a huge extended family.

Most of us need other people more than we admit even to ourselves.

 

[rsn48]

Blessed is when reality meets hope.

 

[denverd0n]

Lovely story.


On the other hand, you think that 2000 was BEFORE Myrtle Beach became a big winter destination!?! We were going there in the late 80s and it was already a big, crowded destination back then. It has only become ever so much more crowded since then!

 

[Ted]

Happiness

Reading their story and desire for privacy I do not think a picture would be
appropriate

I will offer one of myself and wife in 1965, hopefully they will accept it as an honour.

 

[slowgoesit]

B & B, and Wifey B. Like you two, I am 9 years older than my wife. She was young and naive, and I took advantage of that! She turned 20, just 7 days before we were married! Ahhh, but it was such NICE cradle too!

 

[Mortensi]

Almost 20,000 posts doesn’t exactly scream “I want privacy”. This is me and my love, whom I captured in Miami, then moved her up into the country, stole her shoes, then put a lot of broken glass in the yard. Happily married 20 years (she’s also eight years younger, but we share the same birthday). Pretty much like anyone who’s bought and sold homes over the years, we’re are all millionaires. Almost impossible not to be by the time one is 68 yro.

 

[BandB]

Reading their story and desire for privacy I do not think a picture would be
appropriate

I will offer one of myself and wife in 1965, hopefully they will accept it as an honour.

Wifey B: Beautiful. It looks like a historical, beautifully photographed, captured perfectly love story.

 

[BandB]

B & B, and Wifey B. Like you two, I am 9 years older than my wife. She was young and naive, and I took advantage of that! She turned 20, just 7 days before we were married! Ahhh, but it was such NICE cradle too!

Wifey B: I was young, had just turned 21, but definitely not naive. He would have been the more naive one and I shook up his life.

If he hadn't been naive, I might never have captured him. He never realized all the other girls flirting with and/or wanting him. It just didn't strike him that was possible. Sadly, he just saw the sad and lonely kid, smallest in his class, nerd, from growing up when he looked in the mirror. In his mind he was 5'3" or so when he was over 6'4". In his mind he had a short hair cut when he had beautiful thick long hair. He had no idea he was handsome or sexy and attractive to girls.

My lack of self esteem was not believing anyone could want me for my mind or my character, could actually see more than my body. I think he was the first man to look in my eyes and he can do that and see straight to your soul somehow, and the first to ask me my goals, my desires in life. And he understood when I wanted to be a teacher.

We've been involved with a lot of orphanages. Like us, the things done physically to them and the things they've witnessed aren't the real challenge to overcome. It's their low self esteem and their belief that somehow it all happened because they are not worth anything better. The worst thing you can do to any kid is destroy their self esteem.

Well, family mostly settled and tomorrow is a normal work and school day and all is well, but family next door now. Just knowing if they need us for anything we've only got to walk 300'. Yes, the houses are only 42' apart but walking from one to the other is just over 300'.

 

[psneeld]

View attachment 116773Almost 20,000 posts doesn’t exactly scream “I want privacy”. This is me and my love, whom I captured in Miami, then moved her up into the country, stole her shoes, then put a lot of broken glass in the yard. Happily married 20 years (she’s also eight years younger, but we share the same birthday). Pretty much like anyone who’s bought and sold homes over the years, we’re are all millionaires. Almost impossible not to be by the time one is 68 yro.

I am not sure everyone here are millionaires or its that easy in some paths of life.

Every home I lived in I lost a lot of money, though I did well flipping houses for awhile.

Possible to be a millionaire under many situations.... but I wouldn't say universal to all.

 

[Capt Jack]

Mortensi. Why take a perfectly beautiful thread and make it ugly? I was enjoying reading this until that happened. Isn’t there enough confrontation in this world without doing that on TF? Respecting each other is something sorely missing in our society today imho.

BandB congrats on your choice of family. My bride and I have enjoyed 25 years now with our chosen family. Biological family? Not so much.

John

 

[Capt Jack]

Entitled to your opinion but I stand by mine. A little respect goes a hell of a long way.

John

 

[BandB]

Because almost 20,000 rather personal posts, and not one photo of the happy couple. If I was still 48 yro, 6’4” with “gorgeous thick hair”, with a wife in her 30’s and also super rich, with several yachts over 100’, I would be an “Instagram Model” with all the photos I would be posting. It just seems rather odd, and contrived to gain sympathy and awe?

Hubby B: 1 or 20,000 posts has nothing to do with privacy. Never in our posts or otherwise do we give identifying information. There are those here who know more but they are good people who don't share what they know. We post here for enjoyment and to assist others where we can, not for any form of publicity or gain. We never identify any business or solicit business of anything else from forum members. Frankly, we don't give a darn whether a jerk like you likes us or not. We don't post for sympathy, awe or anything else as I can't imagine what would be gained from strangers and online awe. Wife is no longer in her 30's and hubby has now turned 50. Looked up definition of several and we don't own several yachts over 100'.

Perhaps you would be an instagram model. Perhaps you crave such attention. Perhaps we have reasons to maintain privacy and that we've never posted a photo of either of us or allowed one to be posted on the internet. Perhaps at some point even our lives depended on privacy. Or perhaps we're just eccentric as heck, but we don't feel and will never feel compelled to post photos and as far as I know we're not required to by any law. We actually had a discussion on the subject very early with one of the moderators in which we revealed more of our reasoning.

We have met several members but none of those we ever met have any idea we are the persons from the forum or who we are, just people in passing. At least a couple in their places of business where we were just a couple of random faces.

There are times we'd very much like to meet others here or join in gatherings but after years of carefully protecting privacy we just choose not to do so. Our reasons for protecting our privacy in the past are likely no longer as much required but we've encountered people in online forums who made us feel that protecting our privacy was needed today for even different reasons. It's so important to you that you feel it's necessary to attack us and you're just the kind of person we'd never want to reveal anything to.

We have a great happy life and my wife chose to share a joyful event in our lives, one that has nothing to do with how much money we have, who we are, what we look like, or how many boats we own. She opened up and shared a little and others responded nicely and it was appreciated. Then there was you, posting for no reason other than to attack. She had no motivation other than the desire to share her joy. It's your motivation you need to examine.

 

[BandB]

Entitled to your opinion but I stand by mine. A little respect goes a hell of a long way.

John

Wifey B: Thank you John / Jack. Glad your chosen family is working so well. It's still hard for me to realize now we've been together 20 years as it seems like only yesterday. I couldn't have imagined any many tolerating me that long.

 

[BandB]

Nobody is “attacking” you, and no one called you any names, but here you are again insulting others, then hiding behind moderators. Perhaps you forget all your other posts on other forums? It’s just all rather odd, the sheer volume of posts you make on so many other forums at the same time you are supposedly “out and about in the world”, but certainly never on any trawlers. It wouldn’t be anybody’s business til you make it so. It was you who’s posted all your yachts, not anyone else.

I call your post an attack and you continue. We post 95% orally and can post fast. We can post from anywhere. We've never posted about all our boats here but then so what if we have boats? How does that mean we must then reveal name, rank and serial number and photos? What does it mean to post personal photos, is this a dating site? I'm insulting only one other, you, for your attacks. Not hiding behind anyone. Moderators want to ban us for not posting photos, do so. What is your unhealthy interest and stalking all about? Perhaps we should do what you want and just leave, but not going to happen that easily. Two people can achieve higher volume. Is trying to contribute to the forum somehow horrible? And then you with your 15 posts, 4 of which are devoted to criticizing us for my wife's feel good post in harbor chat. You sure do confirm in our minds the wisdom of maintaining secrecy. Fortunately, you're not typical of the members here.

 

[BandB]

How can someone be “attacking you” when nobody knows who you are, and apparently can’t question your credibility without being bounced out? I’m apparently attacking a ghost.
Just thought you would be happy to finally show yourself here on this hidden Harbor Chat. I have such few posts because I don’t claim to be an expert on any, and every subject under the sun, but I am a real person. Congratulations, you are just a few posts away from TWENTY THOUSAND posts. Who has that time, and can still run a business, and a wife?
I’m not the only one who’s suspicious of all your posts. Great wi-fi you have where nobody else even has cell service. Signed “another baffled deplorable “.

Well, we will never reveal more. So end of discussion. Can you prove you're real? Maybe you grabbed some photos. We could do that and prove something, even take some of strangers or buy some if we had that desire, but we don't. We have satellite when on the water and we have Wi-Fi and cell on land. You've now devoted 31% of your effort here to us. As to running our business, except during the pandemic, we generally leave it to others. As to disclosure, last time I looked there's a lot more in our profile than in yours. Ironic, isn't it?

You can all be suspicious. You can stir up all you want. You can message about us to others. We've been through real challenges in life far beyond those of an internet troll like you. You keep talking about having someone bounced out which is far beyond our ability or I'd definitely bounce you out just because I could. Makes it sound like you have a history of being bounced out of places.

Oh and since you're so focused on our 19,000+ posts, just need to get to work. Only will take you 8 posts per day to top 21,000 in less time than we've been here. You're doing well toward your goal today with 7 posts today, 5 in this thread. Helping us build up our total as well. Thanks for your assistance. We didn't even know how many posts we had but now we'll set some goals I guess.

 

[Peter B]

Wifey B: Thank you John / Jack. Glad your chosen family is working so well. It's still hard for me to realize now we've been together 20 years as it seems like only yesterday. I couldn't have imagined any many tolerating me that long.

Take heart B, the first 20 years are the hardest often, and yet it doesn't sound like it's been hard for you two.

My wife and I saw off our 53rd last July. Sadly, her health now precludes boating or similar activities. So, as none of us knows what's around life's corners, I think your attitude of making the most of every day is the way to go.

And speaking for myself, from your posts, I think I agree with your B, you are definitely a 'keeper'!

Oh, and point of order folks, but almost no-one posts photos of themselves, or other personal details on here. It's not a no-no by any means, but by no means expected. Just sayin'...

 

[BandB]

Take heart B, the first 20 years are the hardest often, and yet it doesn't sound like it's been hard for you two.

My wife and I saw off our 53rd last July. Sadly, her health now precludes boating or similar activities. So, as none of us knows what's around life's corners, I think your attitude of making the most of every day is the way to go.

And speaking for myself, from your posts, I think I agree with your B, you are definitely a 'keeper'!

Oh, and point of order folks, but almost no-one posts photos of themselves, or other personal details on here. It's not a no-no by any means, but by no means expected. Just sayin'...

Wifey B: Thank you, kind sir. Yes, to all thinking of photos, probably should point out how often they're swiped and used to form bogus identities on facebook or on far worse. Your photo may end up as someone else on another site.

53 years. Omg, I'll be 50 years old by then.

Sometimes you can't tell tragedies from blessings and what most would describe as sheer horror during the year we first met, we now consider an incredible blessing. We learned and believe we can handle anything together and I learned my man wouldn't run away but would run toward even at personal risk. We consider ourselves the two luckiest people in the world and know we're not that deserving, no more so than the poorest or homeless or any others. All men created equal. We're far from perfect, some might even consider us horrible, but we just try our best and make the most of each day.

Sorry to hear about your wife's health issues. We hate hearing when those here and their spouses encounter problems. In some ways it's a peril of hanging with older people but we also know those we're close to are older and can't be of perfect health forever and it reminds us of the fragility of health and life. We shouldn't need a pandemic to remind us. Just remind those near and dear of your love for them and if they're not physically near then get webcams or phone cams or something at each end and smile and laugh together and hug virtually. I know some of your generations used web cams, although primarily for cyber sex from what I heard, but now we've found out how useful they can be when we can't reach out and touch personally.

 

[JohnEasley]

What a beautiful story! Thanks for sharing that with us.

 

[lwarden]

B&B, I just revisited this thread after reading the first few posts which I found quite heartwarming. And then a troll crept in...

Anyway, my wife and I just celebrated our 30th anniversary last week. Here is a picture from our wedding day, a wonderful sunny San Diego day in April 1991.
I wish you both the best in what appears to be a wonderful relationship.

 

[catalinajack]

This posting will take two tacks. The first is about my wife of 35 years. I don't often share these thoughts with anyone but she is my all-time American hero. When we met she was a newly single mom with children aged 4, 6, and 8. She had kicked her alcoholic husband out of the house. At the time, she had no car and no job. Somehow she got a job and a barely running car. Her daily routine? Get the kids up for breakfast. Get them dressed for school. Drive them to a neighborhood woman for day care. Drive home. Walk to the bus stop to get to work. Reverse to get kids home. Feed them. Supervise homework. Get them bathed. EVERY DAMNED SCHOOL DAY. Father totally absent but he least paid his meager child support.

We have grandchildren now and you might guess that she is a terrific grandmother. She makes me a better person every day. The picture of us was taken in Manotick, Ontario when we did the Loop. She won't do another Loop because she does not want to be away for an entire year. Perhaps, we will do another in pieces. After living aboard for five years we have contracted to build a dirt house.

As for the second tack, this is for the moderators. Please consider removing or suspending the posting privileges of the "gentleman " who has been trolling BandB. His postings are wholly offensive and ridiculously speculative. While some of us engage in hearty discussion which sometimes takes on aggressive tones, this guy is just plain insulting. His comments have no redeeming social value.

BandB, no one, and I mean no one, should ever have to justify their desire to scrupulously guard their privacy. I have often wondered about the identities of your varied business interests, not because I am nosy, but because I admire the manner in which you value employees.

 

[StarBright]

More Happiness

Utmost respect to both of you, BandB, no pictures needed...!

I'm a lurker just in the throes of buying another boat that may qualify as a trawler, and your intelligent information, attitudes, and respect for others are an inspiration for me on this site. You have encouraged my desire to keep boating with a more capable boat with your every post.

My wife and I have been together for just over 30 years and even with all the ups and downs of family, life and work, just like an awful lot of us, we do it better together!

Keep up the great posts - hope that you get to 100K!

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Ah, the B's. That's SO romantical....

 

[BandB]

B&B, I just revisited this thread after reading the first few posts which I found quite heartwarming. And then a troll crept in...

Anyway, my wife and I just celebrated our 30th anniversary last week. Here is a picture from our wedding day, a wonderful sunny San Diego day in April 1991.
I wish you both the best in what appears to be a wonderful relationship.

Wifey B: Wow, truly a California wedding day. I wish I'd married my man in 1991 but at the age of 12, highly unlikely to have happened.

 

[BandB]

This posting will take two tacks. The first is about my wife of 35 years. I don't often share these thoughts with anyone but she is my all-time American hero. When we met she was a newly single mom with children aged 4, 6, and 8. She had kicked her alcoholic husband out of the house. At the time, she had no car and no job. Somehow she got a job and a barely running car. Her daily routine? Get the kids up for breakfast. Get them dressed for school. Drive them to a neighborhood woman for day care. Drive home. Walk to the bus stop to get to work. Reverse to get kids home. Feed them. Supervise homework. Get them bathed. EVERY DAMNED SCHOOL DAY. Father totally absent but he least paid his meager child support.

We have grandchildren now and you might guess that she is a terrific grandmother. She makes me a better person every day. The picture of us was taken in Manotick, Ontario when we did the Loop. She won't do another Loop because she does not want to be away for an entire year. Perhaps, we will do another in pieces. After living aboard for five years we have contracted to build a dirt house.

As for the second tack, this is for the moderators. Please consider removing or suspending the posting privileges of the "gentleman " who has been trolling BandB. His postings are wholly offensive and ridiculously speculative. While some of us engage in hearty discussion which sometimes takes on aggressive tones, this guy is just plain insulting. His comments have no redeeming social value.

BandB, no one, and I mean no one, should ever have to justify their desire to scrupulously guard their privacy. I have often wondered about the identities of your varied business interests, not because I am nosy, but because I admire the manner in which you value employees. View attachment 116958

Wifey B: Love your post for so many reasons. Your wife became my heroine when she kicked her husband to the curb. Hubby and I both had alcoholic fathers and our mothers did nothing about it, so we grew up with it. So praises to her.

Then hearing about your life together and grandkids is more feel good. The world, the forum, all of us need some feel good stories. It helps those of us at all ages to see those older, still in love, still enjoying life, still enjoying family. It's reassuring about our own futures.

 

[BandB]

Utmost respect to both of you, BandB, no pictures needed...!

I'm a lurker just in the throes of buying another boat that may qualify as a trawler, and your intelligent information, attitudes, and respect for others are an inspiration for me on this site. You have encouraged my desire to keep boating with a more capable boat with your every post.

My wife and I have been together for just over 30 years and even with all the ups and downs of family, life and work, just like an awful lot of us, we do it better together!

Keep up the great posts - hope that you get to 100K!

Wifey B: We do it better together....what beautiful words you wrote. Could be a title for a song or book or just a catchphrase, but it's so true.

We were the perfect complements to each other. We filled needs. People joke about how do we stand to be together so much of the time as we're seldom ever seen apart. It's just how we're happiest.

Maybe it's some chemical transference, or something like osmosis. Or maybe just sharing everything. Someone joked about my hubby being an educator and I laughed and said he should have gotten every degree I did as he laid in bed and helped me study for every big test and exam all along the way. As to me, a businesswoman, perhaps it didn't come as hard as I thought as we'd talked about his business world for years and when we did open our own business, he made me a real 50% and even taught me to read and understand financial statements so when we sat in a room in a business meeting I didn't feel lost. We do share everything.

Still, we gladly gave each other what we had that they needed along the way. More and more it became us with similar instincts developing. Did we change each other? I don't think as much as some might say. I think we each gave the other the ability and the courage to let hidden parts of themselves emerge. In a way it's like hypnosis. Hypnosis doesn't get you to do something you don't want to, something you find wrong or against your beliefs but it helps you open up to all your thoughts. It's not brainwashing, but it's opening one up. We haven't made each other anything, but we've opened each other up to be their true and full selves.

 

[Art]

All warm n' fuzzy!

Our relationship began oddly, continues ever since romantically. 25 yrs with that many or [hopefully] more to go!