Richard and Anita Fricklas celebrated their 50 th Anniversary with a Tea in their honor held on Dec. 30 2007. When asked what it is like to be married 50 years, Rich replied, "It was the best 23 years of my life." Anita retorts, " For me, it was the best 17 years."

Rich and Anita are "dyed-in-the-wool" Anglophiles who have traveled to England more than 20 times in the past 30 years. Whenever they go, they always have tea at the Stafford Hotel, a small, but , charming, hotel just outside of Green Park. So a tea is the most fitting way for them to celebrate this special occasion.

The tea was elegant. Over 80 of their closest friends and family snacked on asparagus rolls, deviled eggs, fig confiture, scones with clotted cream, petit fours, fruit and marzipan tarts, cream puffs, and an anniversary cake that was bigger and more elaborate than their wedding cake. Made by Child's Bakery, it had three tiers, each a different cake and filling, with pink frosting and gold ribbon trimming. It was topped with a bouquet of roses made of frosting.

The highlight of the event, though, was the performances by their children. Susie, Ken, and Carolyn sang a song written by 10-year-old Adam (son of Susie.) Then Carolyn read a poem she wrote about being accepted into the family as the second wife. Michael read his piece about the past and present of how wonderful Anita and Rich are as parents and grandparents, and, while they mistrusted their lessons when they were teenagers, they learned "that these lessons were not half bad."

Finally, Anita and Rich talked about how the definition of how love changes as you age."Love is about sharing our everyday lives and giving when we need to and taking when we need to; and, especially, letting us know in so many ways that we love each other from the depth of our hearts."

Happy 50th Anniversary to The Fricklases - truly a milestone event.