I am always fascinated to observe the varied personalities that come into the store, and to listen to the colorful stories they tell of the people in their own lives.

Two lovely women were in our store today, one newly married at 55. She met her second husband at her children's school - they shared classes with his children. Since he came into her life he has been an antidote for her loneliness and a good influence on her boys, who were growing up without a dad.

It was her best friend who first introduced them - she was married to the single dad's best friend. That worked out well for EVERYBODY!

From their calm demeanor they could have just as easily been talking about the best methods for fertilizing petunias, as dropping little nuggets of wisdom in the shop as they discussed lessons they'd learned about marriage over the years.

When you're old, you concentrate more on being nice to each other. You've learned the importance of unselfishness and working for the good of the other person.

"Things that were important when we were 20, they aren't important anymore. You're going to have to get over all those annoying habits they have eventually, why get mad?"

The long divorced mom met her new husband five months before they began dating - her best friend laughingly relates how they stared at each other during school baseball games. When his sister had surgery, she stayed in the hospital room with him for days as he sat by his sister's bedside.

A short five months after they started dating, they were married.

"You just know what you want by the time you're my age."

Her friend knew her husband for 30 years before they finally got married - a far cry from a short 10 months. He hated dogs, had since being bitten as a child. But over the years as he got to know her and her dogs, he fell in love with her, and with them. Now the two rescue animals together.

"You learn things like, revenge isn't important. And that your words DO affect your husband and your relationship, and if the other person is upset by your negative words or your attitude, it IS your problem."