CIVIL UNION

As I write this Blog entry, February 23rd is a little over two weeks away. The date is important to us for two reasons -

First, we have been together in a same-sex partnership for 28 years on that date;

And secondly, it's the date of our Civil Union Ceremony. The State of New Hampshire finally saw the light last year and the state legislature passed a Civil Union bill to become effective January 1, 2008. Naturally we're very excited.

If we had the time to get away, we'd go to the Highlands Inn in Bethlehem, New Hampshire. Several years ago we spent three glorious days and nights in a cottage there. The setting is magnificent, lots of walks to take and best of all, we could bring Rosey, our Yorkshire Terrier.

Two years ago we had a Union Blessing Ceremony in our church, First Church Congregational, UCC in Rochester, New Hampshire. This is an Open & Affirming church which means same-sex couples can have a blessing ceremony in the church sanctuary.

Following that service, we did have a trip back to our favorite "place by the sea", Ogunquit, Maine.