We were standing on a grassy green hill overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge, the bay, and the Pacific Ocean. It was a spectacular and sublime setting for question and answer. Marry? Yes.

For several minutes, we stood looking down on the rocky, battered shore on the Pacific side. We said nothing for quite awhile. […]

Joel, who was showing off his clean bedroom to me this morning: My room is as clean as a monkey!

Me: That’s clean?

Joel, his patience strained: He’s had a bath.