Mum and Dad have been married for 37 years as of 11am today. Dad was a handsome dairy farmer with his own property in Christmas Creek, a little valley one hour south of Brisbane just outside of Beaudesert: otherwise known as Ba'desert if you're a local. My mother was a pretty 24-year-old primary school teacher from the northern Brisbane suburb of Sandgate. They met in 1968 at the weekly dance at the Hill-view Hall located at the top of Christmas Creek. Dad thought Mum was a snob and Mum thought Dad was arrogant. It was love at first sight. They were married less than three years later.
Dad said that they had the wedding early in the day because everyone had to be home by 5pm to milk the cows; so wonderfully rural Queensland. The wedding was at the Sacred Heart Church at Sandgate where Dad's Uncle, Father Jim married Mum and Dad. The reception was at Market Street which was THE place to have your wedding party in Brisbane at the time. 165 guests attended…….mostly Dad's relatives some of whom my mother said she met for the first time that day and never saw again!
After the wedding and the three-month honeymoon travelling around in a lime green Holden Kingswood Premier, they moved back to the farm in Christmas Creek and stayed there for 18 years. In that time they had both my brother and myself. We then moved to Toowoomba so that my brother and I could attend secondary school. They moved to Kenmore in Brisbane about 12 years ago and they have been there ever since.
Mum and Dad's relationship is still the benchmark in relationships for me. I rate every relationship I've ever had against theirs. Unfortunately for me they set an incredibly high standard to which I am always failing to aspire.
Yes it's clichéd to say but they do still love each other as much as they did the day they got married. But as Mum said it is a different kind of love to that newlywed romantic love they had when they first exchanged vows. It's one that has evolved and grown into a richer more familiar love. Mind you, as they both say, it hasn't been easy. There have been times when either of them could have easily walked away from the marriage…. particularly during some very tough financial times. But they hung in there. They've had to work hard every day at their relationship and they continue to do so. I guess with Mum and Dad, it's the little things I notice. They always make sure they have "tea" (as in dinner) together, they go out to dinner somewhere nice once a week and Dad always brings Mum breakfast in bed! I've never been able to convince my previous boyfriends to do the last activity! Dad calls mum Herb and Mum calls Dad Mary. So as I said….it's the little things. LOL.
The best advice my dad has ever given me was this:
All you want in a 'mate' at the end of the day is someone you can share a nice cuppa tea and a bit of a yarn.
So true….
Happy Anniversary Mum and Dad!
JBxxx
Dad said that they had the wedding early in the day because everyone had to be home by 5pm to milk the cows; so wonderfully rural Queensland. The wedding was at the Sacred Heart Church at Sandgate where Dad's Uncle, Father Jim married Mum and Dad. The reception was at Market Street which was THE place to have your wedding party in Brisbane at the time. 165 guests attended…….mostly Dad's relatives some of whom my mother said she met for the first time that day and never saw again!
After the wedding and the three-month honeymoon travelling around in a lime green Holden Kingswood Premier, they moved back to the farm in Christmas Creek and stayed there for 18 years. In that time they had both my brother and myself. We then moved to Toowoomba so that my brother and I could attend secondary school. They moved to Kenmore in Brisbane about 12 years ago and they have been there ever since.
Mum and Dad's relationship is still the benchmark in relationships for me. I rate every relationship I've ever had against theirs. Unfortunately for me they set an incredibly high standard to which I am always failing to aspire.
Yes it's clichéd to say but they do still love each other as much as they did the day they got married. But as Mum said it is a different kind of love to that newlywed romantic love they had when they first exchanged vows. It's one that has evolved and grown into a richer more familiar love. Mind you, as they both say, it hasn't been easy. There have been times when either of them could have easily walked away from the marriage…. particularly during some very tough financial times. But they hung in there. They've had to work hard every day at their relationship and they continue to do so. I guess with Mum and Dad, it's the little things I notice. They always make sure they have "tea" (as in dinner) together, they go out to dinner somewhere nice once a week and Dad always brings Mum breakfast in bed! I've never been able to convince my previous boyfriends to do the last activity! Dad calls mum Herb and Mum calls Dad Mary. So as I said….it's the little things. LOL.
The best advice my dad has ever given me was this:
All you want in a 'mate' at the end of the day is someone you can share a nice cuppa tea and a bit of a yarn.
So true….
Happy Anniversary Mum and Dad!
JBxxx
5 comments:
"Dad calls mum Herb and Mum calls Dad Mary" Crikey gender bending at their age !
But lovely nevertheless.
Awwwwww that's sooooo sweet! Bless! :-)
Congratulations to your parents. My partner and I will celebrate 38 great years together July 4th.
We just returned from Australia...can't wait to return.
Your blog is fun....hope you write that book.
you give us all hope! thank you!
A nice bit of sage advice that your father has given you. Congratulations to their anniversary and thank you for sharing!
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