THINKING BACK OVER THE YEARS

Sixty years ago today my son Steven was born at exactly 5 minutes to midnight.  He weighed 6lb 5oz and spent his first two days on earth in a humid crib.  He was an 8 months baby and to make sure his lungs worked OK and a humid crib was free the medical staff decided to be sure rather than sorry. After several months he began to thrive and became a happy, healthy boy.  This photo in his pram was taken in the summer of 1957/58.

I look back on that day because today he is sixty years old.  Unfortunately I will not see him or be able to wish him happy birthday as 15 years ago he chose to divorce himself from not only me but all the family including his dad, his sister and her family and of course Phil and me.

All I can do is silently send him my love and best wishes for a very happy 60th birthday and many more happy years to follow.   Happy birthday Steve. xx

BEST LAID PLANS AND ALL THAT!

This is becoming quite hilarious.  Yesterday I had a call from Karen telling me C and her family are all down with this 'flu thing again!!  Next weekend is out as the AFL Grand Final is on the Saturday and Immy has dancing on the Sunday.

Karen has suggested the following fortnight weekend which will be the 14th or 15th of October nearly a full month after our actual anniversary date.   C had asked to please make it so all the family can be there so I told Karen we are happy whatever the date.

It has now been arranged that Karen and B will take us to lunch this Monday holiday which sounded a great idea to Phil and me so Karen will book and we'll spend a nice couple of hours with them then.

Just to change the topic....we have daisies similar to this (some are white with blue centres) coming up all around our front garden.   I planted 3 daisy bushes about 20+ years ago and even since we've been rewarded with these beautiful flowers.  This spring there seem to be more than usual.

Here is something right out of left field.   Had a call from Karen last evening to ask if I was OK.  Yes, I told her I was fine.....the team I like was winning the game and we were also watching an English show about trains which is always interesting.  I love to see the beautiful English countryside.  Now you are wondering why I got this call from Karen.  It seems she had just received a call from her daughter in New Jersey (our #3 granddaughter) saying she had a text from her that in a dream I had been taken ill with either heart or B/P problems.   "Please" said B "check if grandma is OK".  How wonderful that someone should care that much.  Thank you B for your love.  This is a photo of the 3 of us taken in Karen's back garden several years ago.  B does make us both look short!!!!

Phil and I are now looking forward to lunch on Monday and our w/a celebrations in October....all going well that is.

OUR SPRING HAS CHANGED ITS MIND!!!

We began September this year with warmer than average days but boy, has that changed over the past 48 hours or so.

The 16th of the month was our 50th wedding anniversary but we had to put celebrations on hold because not only did Phil have a bad cold  but one of the young families had bad 'flu.  That day was warm and sunny (25C) and it would have been delightful to spend the afternoon outdoors at K and B's home.

Celebrations postponed until 25th which is a public holiday in Perth so the weather decided to change and now Monday is forecast to be 17C with an 80% change of showers and a thunderstorm in the morning.  Quite strong winds and up to 20mm of rain.  Seems the sun is not going to shine on our party.   I love this weather but feel for Karen who I know has gone to so much trouble to make this a memorable day for Phil and me.   I just hate the idea of people having to go out in the rain but I am sure they will gladly do so for 'the ancients' as Karen calls us

We are so looking forward to sharing our day with the family and when thinking of 'the day' 50+ years back I decided to find some black and white photos.  This group comprises Best Man Eddie Simcock, the groom and bride, Matron of Honour Betty Simcock and in front is 10 year old son Steven (the ring bearer) and 12 year old daughter Karen (my bridesmaid).  Betty was a workmate back in the 1970s and we still keep in touch although live many kms apart these days.  Her hubby Eddie unfortunately left this life some years ago.  Incidentally I made Karen's frock which was yellow linen with yellow lacy sleeves.  (I still have it in a cupboard as a keepsake but don't think she knows that).   The orchids were kindly supplied by a charming man where we worked, Bruce Cantwell.  Oh yes, my brother Len gave me away but as he was taking the photos I don't have a photo of him which is sad.

The happy couple after the ceremony in the porch of Trinity Church.....we were both so much slimmer in those days.  My suit was pale blue, and I had navy and white shoes, a white 'hat' and a navy handbag.

Will be back next week to let you know how it all went.

A BIG DAY IN OUR LIVES

Fifty years ago Phil and I met at Trinity Church in Perth and exchanged wedding vows.  Today we celebrate our Golden Wedding Anniversary.

16th September, 1967, was a cool spring day and our good friends Eddie and Betty Simcock were our best man and bridesmaid, and my daughter Karen and son Steven were part of the wedding group.  My brother Len gave me away.  Afterwards we had a quiet lunch, organised by my wonderful mother, with family and friends before departing on a week's honeymoon touring the beautiful south-west of our state.

Today we are spending the day very quietly as we both have head colds so rest is the order of the weekend and probably most of next week.  Granddaughter C and her two children both have the flu' so the celebrations planned for today have been put on hold and hopefully, all being well, we will meet with family on Monday 25th (public holiday in Perth) for a belated celebration and Karen says she has arranged cakes etc for a lovely afternoon tea.

Having married in our mid to late 30s we were glad to celebrate our Silver W/Anniversary in 1992  and even then wondered if we would in fact see the new century arrive.  Well, we got through that event OK and here we still are going along, if not strongly, at least slowly and still happily.  We depend a lot on each other, me more on Phil physically than he on me, but I know each one of us would be lost without the other.

I can only say thank you to Phil for help making our life a good life. There have been so many happy times throughout these 50 past years.  My daughter and her family have helped to make it a complete life.  Without Karen our life would be so much the poorer.  I of course have regrets that my son decided to turn his back on all of us back in 2002 but I do know he and his family are doing well for which I am thankful.

This has been quite a big year for our family....great-granddaughter Jasmine was born in January, #2 granddaughter A had her 40th birthday in June, her daughter C celebrated her 21st earlier this month, and today it is our turn; on 24th of this month son Steven will be 60 and K and B will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary in November.

There have been a few medical issues of late but so far nothing too serious thank goodness.  I am hoping, as we continue to care for each other, we will still have some happy times to look forward to. Phil will be 88 in December and I will be 86 in January.  Just a couple of old fogies plodding along slowly but reasonably surely.