2 CRUISIN' TOWARD 68 YEARS OF WEDDED WITS.

Byline: Dennis McCarthy 

Odds and ends from around the Valley:

Lill walked into Al's life 71 years ago in the Bronx, N.Y. He was 17. She was all of 13.

``It was his 17th birthday party, and I crashed it,'' she said Thursday, holding the hand of the man she married in 1931 - three years after crashing that party and meeting Al Tarshis.

Was the party-crashing one of the smartest things she ever did?

``He thinks so,'' Lill said, and then she and her husband laughed.

They laugh a lot - this couple, Al and Lillian Tarshis, a couple of kids in their 80s who will celebrate their 68th wedding anniversary next week.

Celebrate it with a few jokes and plenty of laughs, especially when Al reprises ``Dinah,'' the song he sang on the ``Gong Show'' in 1977 when he won the $1,100 first prize.

``He's always been a ham,'' Lill said.

``She loves it,'' Al said.

You get the picture? Marriages don't come much crazier or better than this one that is closing in on seven decades.

So what do they have to teach us? What are the secrets of a long, happy marriage?

``First off, you don't go running home to your mother every time there's a bump in the road,'' Lill said. ``All she's going to tell you, anyway, is you made your own bed; sleep in it.''

Cruises, Al suggested - lots of cruises - definitely contribute to a long, happy marriage.

``We've been on 28,'' he said proudly. ``Only missed Australia.''

When you can get a straight answer out of this Burns and Allen team, now living over at the Summerville retirement home in Tarzana, they'll tell you if you want to last 68 years together, it takes three things.

``Patience, understanding and conversation,'' Lill said.

True, Al said - but don't forget the cruises.

One of the best, most important family-style Italian dinners of the year will be served up from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at Tierra del Sol's main campus, 9919 Sunland Blvd. in Sunland.

Sponsored by the parents of Tierra students, the dinner is held annually to raise funds to support Tierra's training programs for people with developmental and multiple disabilities.

Nearly 400 local men and women with mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy and other developmental and physical disabilities realize their true human potential, become as independent as possible, and establish a valued role in society because of the great work being done at Tierra del Sol.

For $12 an adult and $6 a child under 12, you can help them - and get lasagna, salad, roll and dessert, plus entertainment.

Now, where you going to beat that? For more information call [phone].

On Saturday there will be two local events you're going to want to check out in the Valley.

The annual Holiday Boutique and Bake Sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Wilkinson Multipurpose Senior Center, 8956 Vanalden Ave., in Northridge.

Everything's handmade by the seniors at the center, and it's all unique and reasonably priced.

At just about the same time in San Fernando, El Centro De Amistad will hold a gourmet bread sale to raise funds for the center's after-school homework assistance and tutoring program for local kids in the area.

The gourmet breads are being donated by De Martinis Baking Company.

``I'm helping because the program touches my heart and can mean the difference between staying in school and looking for a quick way out for kids who need help,'' said Ralph De Martinis, owner of the local baking company.

The sale will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at El Centro De Amistad, 566 S. Brand Blvd, San Fernando.

And finally, one of the Valley's hardest working and nicest volunteer couples, Babs and Harry Vickman, will be honored later this month at a special dinner being hosted by ONE, the Organization for the Needs of the Elderly.

The Vickmans have spent many years providing critical services to the elderly with no one to care for them and subsidizing day care for children and for senior citizens most in need.

They are an incredible couple who just seem to gather more vitality and heart as the years pass.

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Photo: Lillian and Albert Tarshis share some of the laughter and music that are part of the glue in their 68-year marriage.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer