1181 Dancing with the Stars

We've never gotten into the reality TV mode. Most of them look pretty silly--eating bugs in the jungle, picking spouses in mansions, etc. But when Dancing with the Stars began on June 1, we were definitely tuned in. By the third week, the rest of America had discovered this delightful show and 15.7 million viewers were watching, according to USAToday.

Our first date was for the St. Pat's Ball at the University of Illinois. That's when he told me he planned to marry me. And I told Sally, when I returned the red lace dress I'd borrowed, "You won't believe the line I heard tonight." On my to-do list for retirement was ball room dance lessons, which we did, two or three sessions I believe. We've tried a few new moves for the jitterbug and I think we can move around the floor in a fox trot, but unless you have a place to dance and go frequently, you lose it pretty quickly. The learning curve and physical demands for the non-pros in this reality show must have been incredible.

Armory House Spring Dance, 1959