Today, I made a chai anniversary cake with cream cheese frosting for Ray and me and wrote in raisins on the top, “Happy 43rd.” What I didn’t realize until I stepped back to examine my handiwork was that the 43rd looked as if it was about to slip off the top edge of the cake. (It’s pictured below).

I had to laugh when I realized what I’d done. This is so symbolic of my marriage to Ray over these many years: homemade, imperfect, uniquely ours, and full of flavor. When I showed Ray the cake, we both had a good chuckle. “That’s sweet,” he said. “Thanks for making this today.”

Since we don’t eat refined sugar, it’s hard to buy a tasty cake or cookie made with natural sweeteners such as maple sugar, maple syrup, honey, or agave syrup. On top of that, even if we find one, it is rarely as good as the ones I can make at home. So, this cake is singularly ours, and the chai flavor is excellent.

Happy Anniversary, Ray. Whatever we’re doing, let’s keep at it. Despite our occasional imperfect moments, we seem to have figured out how to keep our life together unique and full of spice. Besides, we’re only seven years from half a century. That seems like a worthy goal.