Forty two years and still plodding on!
Highlights of that time? Obviously our Wedding Day. As I recall it, it was a crisp cold but bright Spring Morning. The service as at Kelbrook St Mary’s where Dot’s Dad was the Vicar. I remember the gates being tied up as we attempted to leave the church. There was a tradition that you had to throw coins to the local village children so that they would leave the gates for you to unfasten them.
Chris, Dot’s brother, had thoroughly decorated my Morris Minor van, convinced that we would be leaving Kelbrook in it. I can still see his face as we left in Dot’s Dad’s car to head for Skipton station, and then quickly off the platform at Forster Square and into the Midland Hotel. I remember my Best Man, Barry asking me where we would be staying that night (as he knew we were flying to Jersey the next morning) and working on the idea that whichever hotel I told him he would not believe me, I told him The Midland. He apparantly phoned lots of Bradford hotels to see if we were there, but never tried the Midland!
The birth of our three daughters - Rachel, Sarah and Hannah. One of the memories I have is of attending all three births, and I think it was at Rachel’s birth that Dot grabbed hold of the tie I was wearing at the time (one of those knitted ones) and tugged with all her might. It’s a good job I got my hand betwewen it and my throat or I may not have been here to tell the tale! When I got home, the only way I could get the tie off was to cut it!
I recall picking Dot up at the bus stop at Steeton, one day after school, and she was holding a carefully wrapped sheet. In it was out first kitten who we christened Jess! She was eventually followed by Susie, then Tabby, another stray who it soon became obvious was expecting. One Sunday morning she presented us with four kittens who we called Tiger, Tabby Blackie and Clown. Much later Tommy came on the scene. Then followed an assortment of animals – umpteen hedgehogs (we looked after these for the local hedgehog hospital until they were sufficiently grown and recovered to be set free in the fields behind our house), three rabbits (at different times – Snowy, Buttons and Miffy), Chinchillas (Dolce & Gabbana were the two who arrived first, later followed by Chilli), and eventually our much loved Labrador, Ruby.
There were always pets at home during the girl’s schooldays, and it is interesting to see that this love of pets has rubbed off on to them even now when they are grown up. Rachel has two cats (Milo and Wilson), Sarah has two cats (Tillie and Socks) and Hannah has a cat (Dolly) a miniature Pinscher (Pixie) and a Shih-Tzu (Macey).
During our married life we have gone through a few cars. The original was a Morris Minor Van (863 DEA), and when this eventually began to fail, it was replaced by another Morris Minor Van (CWU 772B). This was succeeded by a Ford Anglia (DKU 475C) and eventually by Dot’s Dad’s Hillman Imp UTJ 118H). Later came a Vauxhall Cavalier, Three Vauxhall Astra Estates, a Vauxhall Zafira, and a soon to be collected Vauxhall Meriva.
The two Minor Vans did sterling service and were ideal when babies and prams came along. A full size pram could be simply loaded into the back of the van. I recall when I swapped the last Minor van for a car I really missed the space that a van provided and vowed that one day I would get an estate car. The Hillman Imp proved very versatile, and carried all the timber, sand and cement required for the two storey extension we had built on to the house! The estate cars proved very useful when we went on holiday, (self catering), and we were able to easily pack a full size cot, a pram and all the necessry paraphinalia required for a fortnights holiday! We have been spoilt with the Zafira, and when we go on holiday we simply throw everything we need into it, including cagoules, wellies,cameras, binoculars, groceries (for self catering for a fortnight), suitcases, all the dog’s food, bed etc. The only thing that seems to be missing is the kitchen sink!
Family holidays have been spent on Lindisfarne (Holy Island), Isle of Skye, Isle of Mull, Isle of Iona, Isle of Arran, Lewis, Harris, North & South Uist and Benbecula, Northumberland, The Borders, The West Coast of Scotland, and as far North as Durness, as well as a memorable Cruise to the Norwegian Fjords on MV Discovery.
We have three grandchildren Olivia, Mollie and Tom who have given us much happiness and pleasure.
Like all families there have been sad times, fortunately few in number, but being human one tends to put these to the back of ones mind and dwell on the happier moments, of which there have been many. As we toddle gently on to our twilight years I can only hope that our children and grandchildren have as happy and contented a life as we have had!
The birth of our three daughters - Rachel, Sarah and Hannah. One of the memories I have is of attending all three births, and I think it was at Rachel’s birth that Dot grabbed hold of the tie I was wearing at the time (one of those knitted ones) and tugged with all her might. It’s a good job I got my hand betwewen it and my throat or I may not have been here to tell the tale! When I got home, the only way I could get the tie off was to cut it!
I recall picking Dot up at the bus stop at Steeton, one day after school, and she was holding a carefully wrapped sheet. In it was out first kitten who we christened Jess! She was eventually followed by Susie, then Tabby, another stray who it soon became obvious was expecting. One Sunday morning she presented us with four kittens who we called Tiger, Tabby Blackie and Clown. Much later Tommy came on the scene. Then followed an assortment of animals – umpteen hedgehogs (we looked after these for the local hedgehog hospital until they were sufficiently grown and recovered to be set free in the fields behind our house), three rabbits (at different times – Snowy, Buttons and Miffy), Chinchillas (Dolce & Gabbana were the two who arrived first, later followed by Chilli), and eventually our much loved Labrador, Ruby.
There were always pets at home during the girl’s schooldays, and it is interesting to see that this love of pets has rubbed off on to them even now when they are grown up. Rachel has two cats (Milo and Wilson), Sarah has two cats (Tillie and Socks) and Hannah has a cat (Dolly) a miniature Pinscher (Pixie) and a Shih-Tzu (Macey).
During our married life we have gone through a few cars. The original was a Morris Minor Van (863 DEA), and when this eventually began to fail, it was replaced by another Morris Minor Van (CWU 772B). This was succeeded by a Ford Anglia (DKU 475C) and eventually by Dot’s Dad’s Hillman Imp UTJ 118H). Later came a Vauxhall Cavalier, Three Vauxhall Astra Estates, a Vauxhall Zafira, and a soon to be collected Vauxhall Meriva.
The two Minor Vans did sterling service and were ideal when babies and prams came along. A full size pram could be simply loaded into the back of the van. I recall when I swapped the last Minor van for a car I really missed the space that a van provided and vowed that one day I would get an estate car. The Hillman Imp proved very versatile, and carried all the timber, sand and cement required for the two storey extension we had built on to the house! The estate cars proved very useful when we went on holiday, (self catering), and we were able to easily pack a full size cot, a pram and all the necessry paraphinalia required for a fortnights holiday! We have been spoilt with the Zafira, and when we go on holiday we simply throw everything we need into it, including cagoules, wellies,cameras, binoculars, groceries (for self catering for a fortnight), suitcases, all the dog’s food, bed etc. The only thing that seems to be missing is the kitchen sink!
Family holidays have been spent on Lindisfarne (Holy Island), Isle of Skye, Isle of Mull, Isle of Iona, Isle of Arran, Lewis, Harris, North & South Uist and Benbecula, Northumberland, The Borders, The West Coast of Scotland, and as far North as Durness, as well as a memorable Cruise to the Norwegian Fjords on MV Discovery.
We have three grandchildren Olivia, Mollie and Tom who have given us much happiness and pleasure.
Like all families there have been sad times, fortunately few in number, but being human one tends to put these to the back of ones mind and dwell on the happier moments, of which there have been many. As we toddle gently on to our twilight years I can only hope that our children and grandchildren have as happy and contented a life as we have had!
....and we are proud to call you mum and dad...nan and grandad. With much love from your eldest ( now crying after reading this!!!) daughter Rachel, son in law Garry, and those 2 rascals you so dearly love!!!!! Mollie and Tom...oh and not forgetting Milo and Wilson xxxxxxxxxx
ReplyDeletePS It was Tabby who had the kittens...after 42 years your memeory is going slightly!!!!!xx
Thanks Rachel. When I typed it I thought it didn't sound quite right! But after 42 years of wedded bliss and three daughters to bring up is there any wonder the memory is fading???? Still we wouldn't change you for the world!
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