Friday, July 13, 2018
Lovely letters, some Congratulatory and some Thank You's...
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
During our 'Noughtie Party' on Rodd Island last Sunday we got everyone together for a Group photo... a Rodd tradition... while we had a captured audience David and I did a little Chat.
By Special Request from a couple of friends who were right up the back and didn't quite hear what we were chatting about.
Sunday 8th July 2018 - 50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration Chat.
Pennie.
Our 50 years of marriage has involved a lot of luck, a lot of hard work and compromise with a lot of way out totally wacky plans and ideas.
David.
We met at Wollogorang a sheep station near Goulburn, fell in love with different people until we got over them and saw each other as potential partners, my marriage proposal from England along the lines of... 'Why don't you come over and we'll get married or something?' clinched the deal and most of you know the rest.
Pennie.
We have such different tastes in so many things such as foods, he likes his well cooked while she likes hers lightly cooked or raw, he enjoys a good drink be it wine, beer, tea or coffee, she doesn't, but she does enjoy jumping into a cold pool for a swim while he doesn't!
David.
When first married she suggested we have 6 children, I suggested 2... so 4 was the compromise.
I guess compromise, compassion, supporting and sharing has played a big part over these 50 years, I have my hobbies such as playing with buses, she has her's making quilts and writing... all of which our family love to be involved with.
Pennie.
What we are both the most proud of is how fantastically we have bought up our four children, there has been some threats, such as 'sitting on them' if they don't do as told, there have been some lies such as Underwater Chicken (which is really fish), there has been bribery as well but we won't go into that right now. Then there was teaching them to say 'Please Mummydarling, I love you very much... ' which turned into Penniedarling from nieces and nephews and now Grandchildren.
David.
One of our aims has been to try to ruin each child's life. Not once were they taken on holiday to Hawaii, although we did spend a day there on our way home from England in 1978, but they wouldn't get off the ship, the playroom on the 'Oriana' was just too good.
Nerys tells us we ruined her life by not letting her watch American junk TV such as 'Love Boat' and 'Bay Watch'.
Tomos tells his friends that we ruined his life by not letting him see 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' when he was 8 years old.
Briony's life was ruined because we never took her skiing as some of her more prosperous friends parents did.
Gwilym knows we tried to ruined his life but he can't remember right now...
But we tried to show them a good time by taking them on long trips in our Double Decker Bus, all over the State and 5 years running to the Burleigh Heads caravan park which we all loved.
Pennie.
One by one and twice in their lives we have tried to kick our children out of Home and Country, the first time was when they turned 11. During their Summer School Holidays we put them on a plane all by themselves and sent them to America for four weeks to go to school there and stay with friends of ours. Then when they turned 18 we kicked them out once again to Europe to stay and work for friends... but hey... they still keep coming back so we must have done something right!
David.
We are so proud of all our children, they have kept out of jail for a start... plus each and every one of them has chosen partners that have blended into our family so well and are all so easy to love. When they are all together we watch with pride as each and everyone of them chats away while preparing food, or cleaning up, playing games with the children or just hanging... holidays together are the best times ever. Then to see them all volunteering through their children's schools, sports teams or through community is a joy to be proud of as well.
Pennie.
... then there are our Grandchildren!
Very Big Sigh... 8 kids aged from almost 16 down to 2 years of age, living in different States and Countries makes together times eagerly looked forward to by every single one of them... watching and playing sport together, playing card games together, enjoying Double Decker bus rides, and sleep overs, then watching Pennie's YouTube Channel with little movies of the much younger them. These are all very happy and noisy events.
Seeing the older Grandchildren looking after the younger ones and the younger ones looking after the youngest is a delight, they never need to be asked they just do it and they all blend in so well. I once asked them individually if there had been any fights or cross words and they just looked at me as I was weird... No???
It's also been delightful seeing how well my daughter Susan has blended into the family.
David.
It has occurred to me in recent years that there has been a huge amount of good luck in our lives. I don't mean clever plans coming good; just lucky breaks, a lot of pleasant surprises and some lucky escapes. We give thanks for the way the cards fall!
And most important... All you need is Love! Which Pennie has in armfuls and has taught by example.
Pennie.
Our 50 years of marriage has involved a lot of luck, a lot of hard work and compromise with a lot of way out totally wacky plans and ideas.
David.
We met at Wollogorang a sheep station near Goulburn, fell in love with different people until we got over them and saw each other as potential partners, my marriage proposal from England along the lines of... 'Why don't you come over and we'll get married or something?' clinched the deal and most of you know the rest.
Pennie.
We have such different tastes in so many things such as foods, he likes his well cooked while she likes hers lightly cooked or raw, he enjoys a good drink be it wine, beer, tea or coffee, she doesn't, but she does enjoy jumping into a cold pool for a swim while he doesn't!
David.
When first married she suggested we have 6 children, I suggested 2... so 4 was the compromise.
I guess compromise, compassion, supporting and sharing has played a big part over these 50 years, I have my hobbies such as playing with buses, she has her's making quilts and writing... all of which our family love to be involved with.
Pennie.
What we are both the most proud of is how fantastically we have bought up our four children, there has been some threats, such as 'sitting on them' if they don't do as told, there have been some lies such as Underwater Chicken (which is really fish), there has been bribery as well but we won't go into that right now. Then there was teaching them to say 'Please Mummydarling, I love you very much... ' which turned into Penniedarling from nieces and nephews and now Grandchildren.
David.
One of our aims has been to try to ruin each child's life. Not once were they taken on holiday to Hawaii, although we did spend a day there on our way home from England in 1978, but they wouldn't get off the ship, the playroom on the 'Oriana' was just too good.
Nerys tells us we ruined her life by not letting her watch American junk TV such as 'Love Boat' and 'Bay Watch'.
Tomos tells his friends that we ruined his life by not letting him see 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' when he was 8 years old.
Briony's life was ruined because we never took her skiing as some of her more prosperous friends parents did.
Gwilym knows we tried to ruined his life but he can't remember right now...
But we tried to show them a good time by taking them on long trips in our Double Decker Bus, all over the State and 5 years running to the Burleigh Heads caravan park which we all loved.
Pennie.
One by one and twice in their lives we have tried to kick our children out of Home and Country, the first time was when they turned 11. During their Summer School Holidays we put them on a plane all by themselves and sent them to America for four weeks to go to school there and stay with friends of ours. Then when they turned 18 we kicked them out once again to Europe to stay and work for friends... but hey... they still keep coming back so we must have done something right!
David.
We are so proud of all our children, they have kept out of jail for a start... plus each and every one of them has chosen partners that have blended into our family so well and are all so easy to love. When they are all together we watch with pride as each and everyone of them chats away while preparing food, or cleaning up, playing games with the children or just hanging... holidays together are the best times ever. Then to see them all volunteering through their children's schools, sports teams or through community is a joy to be proud of as well.
Pennie.
... then there are our Grandchildren!
Very Big Sigh... 8 kids aged from almost 16 down to 2 years of age, living in different States and Countries makes together times eagerly looked forward to by every single one of them... watching and playing sport together, playing card games together, enjoying Double Decker bus rides, and sleep overs, then watching Pennie's YouTube Channel with little movies of the much younger them. These are all very happy and noisy events.
Seeing the older Grandchildren looking after the younger ones and the younger ones looking after the youngest is a delight, they never need to be asked they just do it and they all blend in so well. I once asked them individually if there had been any fights or cross words and they just looked at me as I was weird... No???
It's also been delightful seeing how well my daughter Susan has blended into the family.
David.
It has occurred to me in recent years that there has been a huge amount of good luck in our lives. I don't mean clever plans coming good; just lucky breaks, a lot of pleasant surprises and some lucky escapes. We give thanks for the way the cards fall!
And most important... All you need is Love! Which Pennie has in armfuls and has taught by example.
Labels: David and Pennie 50th Wedding Anniversary, Rodd Island
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Rodd Island.
Some old Rodd Island photos, some new, some of mine, some sent by my family and friends and some from Google Maps.
Labels: David and Pennie 50th Wedding Anniversary, Rodd Island
Rodd Island 'Noughtie Party' - 8th July 2018
Many thanks to the many people who sent photos for me to put into this Slide Show, thanks Gwilym, Peter, Jenni, Matt, Sarah and Kaye just beautiful they are.
And... Happy 2018 'Noughtie' Birthday to Casey 20, Emma 50, Nick & Kaye 60, Tim, Andrew & Neill 70 and Happy Golden Anniversary to us... David and Pennie.
Labels: David and Pennie 50th Wedding Anniversary, Rodd Island
Friday, June 08, 2018
50th Wedding Anniversary Lunch.
Way back in October 1967 David was about to sail off to England for who knows how long! We were good friends and had just started to like each other so before he left he took me on our first and only real 'Date' to Barrenjoey House at Palm Beach. How' La de da' was this eh!!
I remember it well, I had my first ever Carpet Bag Steak (Fillet Steak stuffed with Oysters), very popular in the 1950's and 60's but never seen on a Menu now days.
During this meal David asked me to wait for him... I replied... No way! I wasn't going to wait for someone who was going overseas for one or two years! No Way!
David sailed off a few days later and we both remember that feeling of 'What the???' while I was on the dock and he on board sailing away out of sight... The rest is history.
So today is our 50th Wedding Anniversary and we decided to go back to Barrenjoey House for lunch... and do you know what that man of mine did... he checked the menu online, no Carpet Bag... so he rang and booked a table then asked if he could order two Carpet Bag steaks, the Chef had to be asked and yes... just for us!!
Amazing, what a beautiful gift eh!
Blini, Smoked Salmon, Caviar, Dill and Creme Fraiche.
A deliciously yummy Blue Carpet Bag Steak for me... Very Big Sigh...
Mango, Raspberry and Sticky Fig Gelato for me...
Affogato, Vanilla Bean, Gelato, Espresso, Frangelico for David.
These beautiful lights fascinated me.
Out the window is Pittwater.
This bus was full of Asian Tourists enjoying their tour... and further up the road around the corner in Governor Philip Park were truck after truck of film crew so maybe they were lucky and saw some filming!
I remember it well, I had my first ever Carpet Bag Steak (Fillet Steak stuffed with Oysters), very popular in the 1950's and 60's but never seen on a Menu now days.
During this meal David asked me to wait for him... I replied... No way! I wasn't going to wait for someone who was going overseas for one or two years! No Way!
David sailed off a few days later and we both remember that feeling of 'What the???' while I was on the dock and he on board sailing away out of sight... The rest is history.
So today is our 50th Wedding Anniversary and we decided to go back to Barrenjoey House for lunch... and do you know what that man of mine did... he checked the menu online, no Carpet Bag... so he rang and booked a table then asked if he could order two Carpet Bag steaks, the Chef had to be asked and yes... just for us!!
Amazing, what a beautiful gift eh!
Labels: David and Pennie 50th Wedding Anniversary
