Monday, July 09, 2007

After all those years ...

Celebrating the fact of being married (to the same bloke) for 37 years brought some interesting reflections. Not the least of these was occasioned by the wedding photos which we exchanged with Mr and Mrs Heathbank at our celebratory dinner last night. How young we all were! Quite apart from the fact that we actually were young, we looked positively childlike - and no top hats or tail coats could disguise the fact.

I was also recalling the first few weeks in our own home, which felt strangely unreal. Perhaps it was the proximity to my parents' house, perhaps the fact that we kept coming home for a few days and thn heading off again to places like the Cathedral on Cumbrae (a long-term feature of our life together!), but I remember thinking how unbelievably liberating it was to have a place of my own after living at home all through university and the first couple of years of my working life. My own kids left home at 17 and have never actually lived here since - does, that, I wonder, lessen the impact?

Anyway, I had a shot at reproducing them ...

10 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:59 PM

    Should that not be "I had a second shot at reproducing them"?
    Yours pedantically, and with heartfelt congratulations.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would have thought that the first time we were reproducing ourselves (sort of) when I produced the offspring. Thank you for the congrats - are you not up awfully late?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous3:08 PM

    You're absolutely right. I was so pleased with my little jeu de mots that I didn't think it through. I had my esprit de l'escalier moment about half an hour later. It kept me up till 2. I'm frequently up till even later, despite my advanced years. À bientôt.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous3:52 PM

    If you have really been responsible for two kids who look like this then you should be doing community service, hen!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm hurt, Kenny - more at your criticism of my way with Weemee than anything else! ;-)
    Now off to walk my black dog (see Churchill)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous5:57 PM

    What's to be depressed about? A long-standing spouse, successful sprogs, a home in sunny Dunoon, friends, life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness (see Jefferson et al.)? As long as you don't start dictating in your underwear and drinking vast amounts of brandy! Mind you, you'd look cute in a siren suit. Ahem.

    ReplyDelete
  7. The incessant greyness doesn't help - I need some sun for me serotonin levels! A visit from entertaining old friends might help ..(hint)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous6:36 PM

    Hint taken. The next couple of weeks might provide an opportunity for a dash to Dunoon. Is a Tuesday OK? Or possibly Fair Monday? I'll consult the entrails and find a propitious day. Hepatoscopy rules!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Is Fair Monday 15 July? It'd be fine, as would Tuesday. You would, I take it, phone?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous12:40 AM

    Tsk, tsk! Colonsay seems to have dulled your sense of time, as well it might. Monday is the 16th. I see that you follow what another alumnus of HHS used to say on the wireless long ago: "If ye waant me, thingmy (or hingmy, if you will), ring me." Stand by your phone - but not until Sunday at the earliest: I am heading south to see my great niece in Banbury. (Semantic note: "great" is both a term of approbation for the mother and a sign of her child's being two generations back from me. I really shouldn't stay up so late.)

    ReplyDelete