Friday, August 14, 2009
44 years on.
I wish I could tell you that the reason for a brief, lifeless blog is because we have been too busy gallivanting.
That is what people normally do on their wedding anniversary.
But we didn't feel the need today - and this evening I feel fragile.
The day has been very normal - though we were both thinking back 44 years and noting what we might have been doing at particular times.
Without any celebration to mark the occasion, we still feel that we have celebrated just being together.
On that day 44 years ago I attended what I think was the first wedding I had been to. I had nobody else's views about what a wedding should be - except many of my college friends, also planning weddings at that time. I felt daunted by what they seemed to think a wedding should be and I created a day that we will always remember and without most of the formal trappings of a wedding ceremony.
My dress was short. I had no veil. I arrived at the church in an old Fiat, driven by one of Bill's workmates. My family walked to the church. We had no photographer. The reception was held in the newly built garage and work shop at my parent's home. I did have a "proper" bouquet, donated by some neighbours. The worst breaking of the rules was that Bill and I spent all the morning, prior to the wedding, together - preparing things for the reception. The reception was interrupted by the arrival of some Indian carpet salesmen. Were there speeches? I really don't know.
There were some photographs - people had cameras with them.
Bill asked friends to take some pictures using his camera - and it went wrong!
Below is an interesting picture that shouldn't have been possible I guess - 2 shots of us outside the local church.
It was so good we did it twice!
I am glad now that our wedding day really reflects who we are - not that I had any idea of who we were, at the tender age of 20.
The years have been good. Poor Bill has had to dig deep for the "in sickness" bit of the vows. He has needed to provide a lot of support - and still does.
So another year of our married life begins.
We have an October holiday to look forward to. The little cottage is booked in North East Kent.
Who knows what lies ahead really.
That is what people normally do on their wedding anniversary.
But we didn't feel the need today - and this evening I feel fragile.
The day has been very normal - though we were both thinking back 44 years and noting what we might have been doing at particular times.
Without any celebration to mark the occasion, we still feel that we have celebrated just being together.
On that day 44 years ago I attended what I think was the first wedding I had been to. I had nobody else's views about what a wedding should be - except many of my college friends, also planning weddings at that time. I felt daunted by what they seemed to think a wedding should be and I created a day that we will always remember and without most of the formal trappings of a wedding ceremony.
My dress was short. I had no veil. I arrived at the church in an old Fiat, driven by one of Bill's workmates. My family walked to the church. We had no photographer. The reception was held in the newly built garage and work shop at my parent's home. I did have a "proper" bouquet, donated by some neighbours. The worst breaking of the rules was that Bill and I spent all the morning, prior to the wedding, together - preparing things for the reception. The reception was interrupted by the arrival of some Indian carpet salesmen. Were there speeches? I really don't know.
There were some photographs - people had cameras with them.
Bill asked friends to take some pictures using his camera - and it went wrong!
Below is an interesting picture that shouldn't have been possible I guess - 2 shots of us outside the local church.
It was so good we did it twice!
I am glad now that our wedding day really reflects who we are - not that I had any idea of who we were, at the tender age of 20.
The years have been good. Poor Bill has had to dig deep for the "in sickness" bit of the vows. He has needed to provide a lot of support - and still does.
So another year of our married life begins.
We have an October holiday to look forward to. The little cottage is booked in North East Kent.
Who knows what lies ahead really.
