Today it is our 43rd wedding anniversary. 43 happy years ( with a few unhappy events) and no regrets. I really can't believe that shy 21 year old, trembling as I made my vows, is really me. After a church wedding and reception in the church hall we started on our journey to Petworth where we spent the "first " night, on our way to a caravan on the Isle of Wight. Colin had booked the honeymoon suite as a surprise. He had the booking confirmation letter and we went to the reception to be told there was no booking made and the honeymoon suite was occupied. Colin handed over the evidence of booking and the manager arrived, very apologetic to say a receptionist had been sacked some months before and had ripped all the pages out of the book, no computers then. We ended up with a room with twin beds. We pushed the beds together but hey ho, we both ended up on the floor between them. it could have been a disasterous start to our marriage, two inexperienced lovers struggling to get off the floor, sandwiched between two beds. I can still see the look of anxiety on Colin's face but I had a fit of nervous laughter. It could have put him off for life but he laughed as well and that was the start of a marriage filled with laughter, a few tears and lots of memories.
Nowadays folk would probably demand compensation for the trauma but back then, we just accepted what will be will be.
The photo is of an anniversary card, hand made by my lovely, niece.
Written by
NannaB
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Thank you Jill. I feel very blessed to have "met" so many lovely people on this site. A shame we had to meet under these circumstances but life would be a lot harder without you all to chat with, laugh with and cry with.
Lovely story NannaB. It's a shame, that now, like you said compensation would have been demanded, thus ruining a lovely memory, years down the line!
Hope you and Colin have a lovely day. Don't for get to spoil yourself, as well as him! Sadly, S and I won't make those sort of years, married too late in life. But having spent a lot of that time travelling in some very remote places, we too, have some "lovely" memories of where we have laid our heads! One place being, the mountains of Pakistan, lying in a very small tent, while the tribes of men from the region, let off their AK47's while under the influence of Chinese brandy and drugs. (Taliban country now, so I expect all that is long gone). Never been so frightened, or laid so flat on the ground!!!
Wow! Very scarey. What were you doing in Pakistan? Was it a holiday? Not a usual destination, even in the past. Must have been a great experience though.
We were on a trekking holiday, in the days that visitors were still welcome. Great experience, looking back. Very hard and extremely frightening at the time. The mountain scenery was spectacular, shame it's now a war zone. Although, some of the villages we went through had not changed in the last thousand years, so I doubt if there will be any difference now!
Congratulations NannaB and Colin- I hope your day is a happy one for you both - love the story of your wedding night .We booked ourselves into a hotel in St Margarets Bay near Dover on our way to France unfortunately so did an RAF reunion party who were determined to have a very raucous evening full of handlebar moustaches and over indulgence . !
Happy anniversary to you both. Wonderfull story glad to hear that the laughter on your 1st night has stayed with you thru out your life together. Long may love and laughter reign. Janexx
Happy anniversary and congratulations to you both. Keep the good memories and the happy times as your comfort in these bleak times. The first night story sounds very familiar especially the collapsing beds. Best wishes for a few more Tim
A VERY HAPPY ANNIVERSARY COLIN AND NANNA B WISHING YOU ALL YOU WISH YOURSELF ON THIS VERY SPECIAL DAY MATES TAKE CARE MEMORIES ARE GREAT ARENT THEY SEE YER FOLKS PETER JONES QUEENSLAND AUSTRALIA
PSP BLOKE A GREAT STORY NANA AND COLIN
And 'tebrikler' for me too - Turkish congratulations.
I cheated. Can't speak the language really and have forgotten most of what we learnt when we were there. I looked at the vocabulary page of the book I bought before our journey. It was in 2001. We spent 3 nights in Istanbul and then 1 night in Trabson before travelling East to Camlihemsin, the last little village before the mountain road came to an end. An unforgettable experience ( especially being scrubbed ALL over in the Hamam by two very large Turkish ladies wearing nothing but long white wet gowns). It was the annual holiday of the Laz and Hemsin people and the 8 days we were there were full of singing, dancing and celebratory gunfire.
I'm rambling again. Sorry if I've told you all this before.
I have yet to visit Camlhemsin although know Istanbul well having lived there for four years in late 60s - 70s and still visit regularly. also spent time in Trabzon. You may have cheated but you did it very well. Calls for another tebrikler.
Congratulations to you both,Yesterday we achieved 30th and had a lunch out with two friends nothing too grand you will understand!!But yours is a real achievement though.So glad we can all exchange news on this site even close family and friends find understanding hard you need to be on the same road.
I had a text message while we were both at the table so I read it to him, I had been invited to test drive the new Harley,I told him I would but thanks to chemo didn't have the hair for it, Des was amused by that for the rest of the day! Hopefully last chemo tomorrow then watch out for this old lady on a Harley in the leafy lanes of Somerset, could get a side car for Des {custom built for a wheel chair}}
Love to everyone on the site we could all sing "we shall overcome" at the on line party.
Believe it or not, I have never been on a motor bike. As children we did get rides in our uncle's side car and loved it so I'm sure Des would love one. It may have to have a ramp that pulls down at the back to get the chair in but you will certainly attract a lot of interest. I always wanted a Harley. Not to ride, too scared, but to keep and polish and put badges on. We live near the A21 and on bank holidays hundreds of bikers go down to Hastings. Years ago, not realising this, we decided to go to Hastings for the day. All the way on our very slow journey down, we were surrounded by scores of amazing bikes, all spotlessly clean with the Crome glinting in the sunshine. We never had the "Are we nearly there yet", the boys were fascinated. They particularly liked the long haired bearded biker with an enclosed basket on the front of his bike. Sticking out of a hole in the basket was the head of a little terrier wearing a leather helmet like those worn by pilots years ago.
I hope the chemo has done its job and you soon get the all clear so you can race round those leafy lanes of Somerset......I'll change that, so you can ride safely round the leafy lanes of Somerset.
We will overcome. See you at the party, all being well.
X
Congratulations, NannaB andColin - and congratulations to your niece for that perfect card.
When Roisin and I droveto Venice on our honeymoon we dropped off her younger sister, Deirdre, in Paris. Driving down a street near her apartment in the evening I was amazed to see how nearly all the lamp posts were apparently propped up by extraordinarily beautiful girls. I commented on this. Roisin was not pleased but Deirdre said "Don't worry, they are all men."
Much laughter at my expense, at my innocence more than anything else.
Thanks for making me laugh Christopher. They laughed at your innocence, and you a married man. I worked in a secondary school with teenagers and was shocked by what they spoke about, told me, watched on the Internet and had downloaded onto their smart phones. Sometimes I was quite relieved not knowing what everything they said meant. I knew I wouldn't like it if I did. It's such a shame the age of innocence is so short now.
Thank you Lynn. Yes, my niece makes beautiful cards. We always have home made cards from her for all occasions and they are too nice to discard so I have quite a collection. That one will stay on the mantelpiece for a long time.
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My husband is coming out of hospital today and I am scared I will not cope.
It's been two weeks. A new year starts tomorrow.
This strange new life! 
Stress the destroyer.
