Thursday 14 February 2013

Just For the Record

Fifty years married on Saturday


In February of 1963, JG and I went to a Valentine's Day dance. The next day, as well as I can remember, we were married. We were at Queen's (University at Kingston) at the time, and the dance, I think, was the 'Levana' formal.  We were married in the Chapel in the Old Arts building - my mother bought my dress and borrowed the hat from my cousin. That's champagne we are holding, and I was the only illegal drinker at the dinner my parents held for us.


 Four years later, we were obviously attending another party or dance, but for the life of me, I cannot recall what it was. I was pregnant at the time and had made my dress, that I do remember. As well as what a big nuisance long gloves were. It's 1967 and JG is all decked out in his Centennial beard.


Here we are a few months later, getting set up to visit the Montreal Expo '67. The passenger in the baby carrier is the YD, age 3 months or so.



  In this shot, we've just come back from a Canada Day parade. That's the YD on the left, ED with the balloon, and JG with his hair grown out.  I think this would be 1970 or 71.

 A few years later, 1975 or thereabouts. At 'The Farm' with a beagle named Bugle. The kids are now old enough to take photographs.


 This is 1980 ish. A holiday dinner at the house of some good friends. Again, one of our kids took this. It was really difficult to find photos of the two of us through these years - either I was behind the camera or part of a group shot.

 Here's one that the daughters insisted on taking to mark some kind of festival or anniversary. Or, maybe they noticed that there were not many photos of the two of us. This is 1990, we think. I am now sporting the highly permed 'poodle' hairdo that the YD hated.

 Kids have left home. Empty nesters got some good travelling time in. Here we are in Holland with JG's parents; I think his father took this. We are en route to Africa, I think in 1993.

It is 1995 and we are building our 'forever home'. My father took this one, and it is one of several where my backside is both large and prominent. But it is one of very few shots of both of us that I could find for this period. We have just walked that piece of framing, called a 'knee wall' up the ladders and are putting it in position.

 2004 at Stratford, at intermission of a Festival play. We're out in the grounds, and the ice cream in my hand is one of the reasons shots from behind make me wince. And my hair is back to its normal spider silk thinness.

2012. A Christmas party. I don't think this looks much like me, but the others are worse. It is good of JG who is post cataract surgery and no longer needs glasses.

This was just forwarded to me by the YD - Christmas 2012. Yum!

11 comments:

  1. What wonderful photographs - I absolutely love the first two particularly. A very happy anniversary to both of you.

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  2. Happy Anniversary to a very handsome couple! What a wonderful record you shared.

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  3. Happy anniversary! I loved seeing this progression of photos. (And you remind me that I have very few photos of my husband and me together. Hmm. I should work on that.)

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  4. Happy anniversary my darling Mother - you make me both proud and happy!

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  5. Happy Golden. Will you get a letter from the GG, I wonder? Nice tour thru time.

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  6. These pictures delight me. Happy Anniversary to you, goldengirl.

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  7. Happy Anniversary. It is lovely to see all those occasions and to look at the changing fashions! You look very well after all that time!
    We hope to get to December and celebrate our 50th!
    Maggie x

    Nuts in May

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  8. Happy 50th! I can't believe how much Wendy looks like you!! Enjoy your day with both your wonderful girls and the rest of your family. Guess Jim's two cents worth turned out to be a blessing for all of us who know the married couple.

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  9. I loved seeing all these pictures. I never imagined you with dark hair and JG red. Congratulations and best wishes for the years to come, may they be joyful and abundant.

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