38TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

It is hard to believe that 38 years have gone by - it feels like just the other day that we were newlyweds.  Living in South Africa, in Hillbrow, Johannesburg in a 13th floor apartment furnished with a mix of homemade, second-hand pine, or damaged goods purchased through an insurance company.  Our little blue Volksie - that always required a push start, and was never the faithful steed - always puttering to a stop at some inconvenient green light.  Two kittens - Duke the tabby, picked up at the train station; and Chanelle, the Siamese, brought home for her company. 

We had fun though - scraped by on minimum wage salaries, trotting through to  my parents on weekends for the good meals and comforts of home.   I was still experimenting with cooking, so remember many burnt offerings tossed away.   Remember our first gardening experience - pots of geraniums on the balcony.   

Thirty years ago, we flew across the world to take up our new lives in Canada with our two baby daughters and our two cats in tow, forever divided from the rest of our family.   We slowly caught up with our lives, settled down, and watched as time flew by.  Our girls went from toddlers to teenagers in lightning leaps.  And before we knew it, we were scrambling for university fees and embracing boyfriends and future husbands.

And now we sit at the Beach House Restaurant celebrating our 38th year, watching the sun go down on Bermuda.  Our children are married, starting on their own journey.  We have grandchildren now - a wonderful adventure.  And life has taken on a more sedate pace as we watch retirement looming before us. 

We are grateful for the love we have shared and continue to count on.  We are grateful for our health, our well-adjusted children, our adventures.  We appreciate the comforts of homes we have had in Burlington, Bahamas and Bermuda - and all the other places in between.  We have been very lucky.

                                                    We are truly blessed.