Dear Reuben

I was reading online early this morning and happened across two articles that peaked my interest.  The first was entitled "The One and Only Reason" citing that sauerkraut was the only thing keeping the writer's husband from trying a Reuben sandwich.  The second article was called "5 Lessons Learned from 18 Years of Marriage" (title is self explanatory.)  I've decided to write my own article called "Dear Reuben" to describe how marriage is like that of a Reuben sandwich.  Reuben's made with pumpernickel bread, btw, are my absolute favorite sandwich.

Much like a sandwich, every marriage is in need of a strong foundation.  The perfect foundation for a Reuben sandwich is buttered pumpernickel bread placed butter side down in a frying pan.  The perfect foundation for a marriage varies by couple.  Family values, respect, trust, and honesty are pretty standard "foundation" items. 

Then you add in a bunch of other ingredients that make the sandwich what it's worth.  With a Reuben you add swiss cheese and let it get all melty; this is like the glue of the relationship.  Attraction, love, whatever works for you fits here as the "glue."  Then of course there's the meat and potatoes of the Reuben sandwich which are the sauerkraut and corned beef.  Communication, humor, common interests are the meat and potatoes in a marriage.  These are the things get you through day in and day out.  

And lastly, there's the dressing.  The silver lining.  The icing on the cake.  The romance.  Any proper Reuben sandwich is equipped with either russian dressing or, my personal favorite, thousand island.  When your significant other goes out of their way to do something nice, take you to a dinner or show, or even just help out around the house this can count as the "dressing."  It makes it all worth it, breaks up the monotony and makes you feel all warm and fuzzy.  I myself prefer my sandwich to have extra dressing. 

Reminiscing

This time last year I was in a bad place.  Well, technically speaking a good place location-wise but a bad place in my life.  On year ago today, I was on vacation in Ocean City N.J. with friends at a gorgeous condo just a few blocks from the beach.  It was just what I, or should I say we, needed.  Only a few weeks beforehand my husband and I were finding out that our very first year of marriage was truly turning out to be the most trying one (save your "I told you so," trust me, I know).  After being together for ten years we really didn't think any surprises would be in store once we got married, but fate has this neat little way of sneaking up on you and biting you in the proverbial arse.  On top of all that, my chiropractor turned nutritionist tells me that my thyroid is slow (no kidding - ice cold hands, hungry all the time, lethargic, low motivation, dry skin, headaches...you get the picture so I'll spare you the rest).  Her genius idea is to try an organic approach and put me on a 21 day cleanse.  Let me tell you, the last thing an already irritable person needs is to be told what she can and cannot eat and especially not right before a vacation!