Thursday, August 18, 2011

Strontium Anniversary

Entry for 18 August 2011:


We celebrated our 38th Wedding Anniversary today. Thirty-eight is the atomic number of Strontium, an alkali metal earth element. Interestingly, this is the first time we have been in Glasgow for our anniversary, and it turns out that Strontium is named after the small Scottish village of Strontian in the West Highlands, north of us, source of the minerals from which it was first isolated 200 years ago.


Strontium is silvery gray in color and highly reactive in air or water. It is a fairly common element, and has had many uses over the past 150 years, including sugar beet production, old fashioned cathode ray tube glass, engine alloy metal, and medical devices. It also used in toothpaste and may – or may not – be useful for treating osteoporosis.


Thus, Strontium seems to us to be a very appropriate element for symbolizing our 38th anniversary. First, it is a Scottish element, and here we are, celebrating its number in Scotland. Second, like us, it is not an ancient element, but has nevertheless been around for a while. Third, it is silvery in color, and so are we (our hair anyway…). Fourth, it has had many different uses over time, and these uses continue to evolve, just as we continue to evolve.