Last night, G and I had the pleasure of meeting a gay couple at my cousin's wedding who have been together for forty-seven years. (It's unlikely that Pope Benedict will be sending them a pontifical blessing in three years time. I'm sure he'll be busy working on a Mel Gibson annulment or something.)

It's great, still somewhat uncommon and definitely inspirational to see two men who have been together for a lifetime. I had visions of what it must have been like to be a gay couple in the early 1960's dancing to Anita Bryant's "Paper Roses" only to have that bitch go on a venomous rampage on homosexuality in the late 1970's.

To J & V and to the new bride and groom, J & S, I offer an Italian toast, "per cent'anni!" which literally means "for 100 years" but better translates to "happiness for 100 years."