Rob and Laura have been around for 50 years!!!

The Dick Van Dyke Show is celebrating it's 50th anniversary this year. TV Land recently ran a Dick Van Dyke marathon to mark this milestone.

I thoroughly enjoyed the trip down memory lane - especially the episodes from the debut season - 1961. Many of you were not yet born but have watched the show in it's eternal syndicated reruns. I was there to watch way back then but I really didn't remember those segments. Guess I was simply too young and really don't recall those specific episodes being shown in the reruns.
In those very early shows, the cast and writers were still finding themselves. The Petries had not yet gotten their famous ottoman. Come on, you KNOW you all sat there in suspense each week, waiting to see if Rob fell over it or did a quick side-step as he entered the living room. What do you think was the deciding factor o that for the directors?
Laura frequently referred to Rob as "Robert" that first year. I really did not remember that in later years. When Rob was trying to sweet talk Laura way back then, he'd call her "Laurie". Again, something eliminated in later years. Personally, I found that sweet and endearing. They should've left kept those little touches in later years.

Particularly noteworthy was a bidding war between Rob and Laura. He needed her to attend a business cocktail party with him and she wanted to stay home as she felt Richie was "coming down with something." The final agreement came down to her attending the party in exchange for rob attending 2 "decorator shows" and 5 PTA meetings!! (Why did Laura think Richie was getting sick? "He turned down his cupcake!")
Watching their happy and loving escapades must've put me in a nostalgic and romantic mood as a few days later, The Big Guy and I were slow dancing to an Eric Clapton tune at an Oktoberfest. The thing is, we weren't anywhere near the band. We were actually heading for the exit when our companions jumped in a food line for something to take home. While we were waiting for them, I commented that we were leaving just when they played one of our favorites.

He responded by tucking his cane under his arm and pulling me close. This sort of thing was definitely out of character for us, but it felt so good and right and reminded me of the "old days" when our love was new and not so routine. I didn't even mind the stares as folks wandered by and - yes, most gave us a smile !