PEAR TREE LOG

pear tree log: I started this blog to keep my younger son, Jonny, in touch with life in Lincolnshire, while he spent a year working in China. That year turned into five! Now he is home and training to become a physics teacher. This is simply a patchwork quilt of some of the things I enjoy - life in rural Lincolnshire, our animals, friends, architecture, books, the gardens, and things of passing interest.



Tuesday 28 February 2012

Once on a High and Windy Hill

Once upon a time, long, long ago...   

... a young man and a young woman went out on a blind date.  

I fell madly in love.  
Does it show?


Sixteen months later we were married.  
I came across the bill for our church wedding, the other day, and it made me smile.
We were married in a large and beautiful parish church, with vicar, organist, choir, bell-ringers, etc all for the princely sum of £31.55.  What a bargain!
My wonderful mother made my dress - it was white velvet - and I carried a bible and a single red rose.   George's family  travelled down from Newcastle, in a mini-bus.  Unfortunately they were a little late and my father and I were driven round and round until they were seated!
I'm sure our reception was lovely, however my main memory of it is that people kept disappearing and reappearing - it turned out that Newcastle United Football Club were playing in an important match...the League Cup, whatever that is..and they were nipping out to find out what the latest score was!


When we arrived at our honeymoon destination in The Lake District the very first thing George did was to put on the television, to watch 'Match of the Day' as the Newcastle United football match was being shown...   
We are still married, so I must have forgiven him!
George's lovely Uncle Jimmy quietly gave him a bundle of cash during the reception and told him to have a good time.  Thanks to his generosity we were able to treat ourselves to a fabulous seven course meal at the Aynsome Manor Hotel, which was just a short drive from where we stayed in Cartmel.  Here is the bill - a fabulous meal, wine, coffee and superb service all for the sum of £10.80!  The couple who ran the place were wonderful to us and really went out of their way to make it memorable and enjoyable.    




That was 36 years ago.

A lovely meal is going to cost a little more than that today, 
but you're worth it!
Happy Anniversary George.
xxx



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42 comments:

  1. The Owl Wood28 February 2012 at 07:12

    Happy anniversary!

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  2. Scarlet28 February 2012 at 07:41

    Happy Anniversary! The photos are wonderful- I love your wedding dress and hat.

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    1. Elaine28 February 2012 at 09:57

      Hi Scarlet, Thank you! I think my mother came close to despair at times while sewing the white velvet, her sewing machine really didn't like it. I am so glad she persevered though.

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  3. Molly28 February 2012 at 08:16

    Elaine what a wonderful story. Happy Anniversary to both of you

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    1. Elaine28 February 2012 at 09:58

      Hi Molly, Thank you! I am so pleased you enjoyed it, I certainly had a chuckle as I re-visited my memories of that day. They are two little scraps of paper which I am very pleased to have hung on to!

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  4. DEB28 February 2012 at 11:11

    Happy anniversary, It was mine a cpl of weeks ago and my wedding was cheapy as we had a surprise wedding. Everyone thought they were coming to a BYO BBQ. Love the outfit! You look like a snowflake with that hat.

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    1. Elaine28 February 2012 at 12:59

      Hi Deb, Thank you! It was a wonderful and memorable day, very homespun compared to what people think they should have these days. I'll bet the surprise on your guests faces was priceless when they found out the real reason for the gathering!

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  5. Chris28 February 2012 at 11:36

    Happy Anniversary to you both. You make a great couple.

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    1. Elaine28 February 2012 at 13:01

      Hi Chris, Thank you. We do have our moments though - George just turns off his hearing aid while I do my nagging - when order is resumed he turns it back on and we move on!

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  6. Cuby28 February 2012 at 11:59

    HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO YOU BOTH. We too had a cheap registry office wedding and a honeymoon camping in The Lake District and the West Highlands of Scotland. Like you we are approaching our 33rd anniv
    later this year. You do make a beautiful couple. Came here via Owl Wood.

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    1. Elaine28 February 2012 at 13:06

      Hi Cuby Poet, Welcome! I see that you love the Outer Hebrides, too. I think that once those islands get under your skin they are there forever! You went camping in two of the loveliest parts of the country - how magical that must have been!

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  7. Knatolee28 February 2012 at 13:18

    Happy anniversary!!! I love these photos. You were such a stylish bride! Hope you have a wonderful celebration together.

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    1. Elaine28 February 2012 at 16:53

      Hi Knatolee, Thank you! We have had a wonderful day - digging the vegetable beds! We know how to celebrate!

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  8. Linda Starr28 February 2012 at 13:23

    True love for sure, I am enamored by your unusual hat.

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    1. Elaine28 February 2012 at 16:56

      Hi Linda, The whole outfit was my mother's idea - and I am so pleased that I listened to her!

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  9. Joanne Noragon28 February 2012 at 13:43

    Happy anniversary to both of you. Have a wonderful day.

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    1. Elaine28 February 2012 at 16:57

      Hi Joanne, Thank you! We have been working outdoors in the spring sunshine - it was lovely.

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  10. Janet28 February 2012 at 13:47

    Happy anniversary -what lovely photographs and memories you have to look back on-I have enjoyed sharing them with you-loved your hat by the way x

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    1. Elaine28 February 2012 at 17:01

      Hi Janet, Thank you! I am pleased that you enjoyed it, I didn't want to get too sentimental so I picked out the amusing bits!

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  11. Meggie28 February 2012 at 15:00

    This is truly a wonderful story....Happy Anniversary, Elaine and George!

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    1. Elaine28 February 2012 at 17:02

      Hi Meggie, Many thanks, it has been a lovely day. The weather has been wonderful so we have been up in the vegetable garden... digging!

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  12. Jane and Chris28 February 2012 at 15:45

    What a stunning bride you made!!
    During our reception the guys kept disappearing for the rugby scores....why couldn't they wait until the reception was over?
    Jane x

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    1. Elaine28 February 2012 at 17:05

      Hi Jane, Thank you. I think my mother did amazingly well, the whole outfit was her concept and she made the dress. She often wished she hadn't started it because the fabric was so difficult to sew. Football/rugby...what is it with men?

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  13. Ms Sparrow28 February 2012 at 16:09

    Happy anniversary to you both. I love the line from, "Love is a Many Splendored Thing"--it's so appropriate!

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    1. Elaine28 February 2012 at 17:06

      Hi Ms Sparrow, You got it in one! I love that song - and the film. Thank you for the anniversary wishes!

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  14. Jan28 February 2012 at 16:10

    Happy Anniversary! I am SO envious of your wedding dress and hat! I desperately wanted a 'cossack style' wedding outfit and to be marride in the middle of winter. My parents insisted on an August wedding so I couldn't make a case for a furry hat and muff! All the best, Jx

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    1. Elaine28 February 2012 at 17:18

      Hi Jan, Thank you for the anniversary wishes! We had a February wedding because it fitted in with work leave schedules - so then my mother came up with the concept for the dress and hat. An August wedding sounds lovely - our daughter's wedding was the last day of July and it was fabulous!

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  15. Jenny Woolf28 February 2012 at 19:30

    Nice post, and you were a beautiful bride!

    Seven courses - wow. I didn't know you could even HAVE seven course meals! :D

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    1. Elaine28 February 2012 at 21:34

      Hi Jenny, Thank you for your kind comment - it was all down to love. The meal was wonderful, alas the only course which I can recall was the Goulash Soup - in my memory it was amazing, but love can do that to you!

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  16. forties@heart28 February 2012 at 22:29

    Happy Anniversary! x

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    1. Elaine29 February 2012 at 14:31

      Hello Juliek57, Welcome! Thank you for the anniversary wishes, we had a lovely day...working in the vegetable garden! Actually, it was really lovely!

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  17. Anonymous29 February 2012 at 05:30

    Happy Anniversary! Love the photos and what an attractive couple!

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    1. Elaine29 February 2012 at 14:32

      Hi Janet, Thank you! We don't look at the photos very often so it is nice to remind ourselves that we were young once!

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  18. John Going Gently29 February 2012 at 12:54

    That is so sweet...what a handsome couple you both are and still am,
    Best wishes
    John x

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    1. Elaine29 February 2012 at 14:35

      Hi John, You are very kind. At least George had forewarning of what I would look like with white hair - shame I now have wrinkles to go with them!

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  19. Ian29 February 2012 at 13:39

    Happy Anniversary

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    1. Elaine29 February 2012 at 14:36

      Hi Ian, Thank you very much, we had a lovely day.

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  20. Moving with Mitchell29 February 2012 at 15:58

    This is so romantic! Happiest of anniversaries to you both. (If you're looking for George, he's down at the pub watching the match.)

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    1. Elaine29 February 2012 at 19:14

      Hi Mitch, So that's where he is - I have been searching all afternoon! His love for football hasn't diminished.

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  21. Unknown29 February 2012 at 22:52

    oh my GOD... check out the HAT!!!!! fabulous darling!!... and George, so handsome... x

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    1. Elaine1 March 2012 at 09:43

      Hi Dom, Thank you! Yes, George and I were young once. He was infinitely better looking than those photographs show!

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