Tag: wedding anniversary

20 Up

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Look at that. It’s 20 (twenty) whole years since Mrs 6000 and I tied the proverbial knot.

We’ve enjoyed the many good times – and endured the several hard times – and we’re still here, together, stronger than ever. And both wearing our wedding rings on our [checks hands] left hands.

That’ll be my [checks map] Estonian and her [checks map again] Portuguese roots coming through, I guess.

We got married in Kirstenbosch Gardens on a day which was slightly sunnier than today. Always a risk playing with outdoor events at this time of year in Cape Town. But we got away with it and had a great day. If we’d tried it tomorrow (in 2025, at least), it would have been a disaster.

Honestly, I can’t remember the weather on 1st May 2005. I was too busy basking in the warm glow of recent marriage, and dealing with a mild hangover.

And it was only today that I learned that we shared our special day with the end of Adolf Hitler. We just did our thing 60 years later:

Unexpected invocation of Godwin’s Law. Happy Day(s).

Happy Anniversary, Mrs 6000!

Thanks for “putting up with me for sooooooo long0” – your kind words on a reply in a mutual Whatsapp group this morning.

Well, I hope we’re together for a long0 time to come.

Nineteen years

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I’m back from a most excellent long weekend with the football boys just in time for our wedding anniversary. Yep, it is – as beagle-eyed readers may already have spotted – 19 years since my wife and I tied the matrimonial knot in Kirstenbosch gardens with several (or more) tourists watching on as unofficial witnesses.

If I ever doubted that I was punching well above my weight before, then I was firmly reminded of the fact this evening as she headed out to a black tie work thing* and I was asked to do some photos beforehand.

Wowzers…

That was exactly the gif I had in mind. Exactly.

Look, maybe the soft evening light filtering through the smoke from the fire on Table Mountain helped, or maybe she is just stunningly beautiful and I got very, very lucky.

Maybe it’s both.

Anyway, here’s to the next 19 years and beyond.

* it’s ok – we will make sure that we do an anniversary dinner together soon.

Lots of things

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First off, it’s our son’s last day at school. Sort of, anyway.
He’s suddenly (yesterday, at least) 16 years old and he starts his exams next week. Thus, his study leave begins when the school bell rings this afternoon and wow… how scary is it that he’s so grown up already?

It’s terrifying.

Of course, the plan is for him to go back to school later this year and study much, much more, but technically, if he wanted to leave school now – he could. I am not ready for this news.

Next up, there’s Covid everywhere. (So we’re trying to keep the boy away from people because of those exams next week.) Every other conversation begins with someone who has got it. So yes, anecdotally, absolutely, because these things do sometimes correlate, but actually, as well.

And while we hope that this BA.4/BA.5-driven fifth wave won’t produce too much mortality, because of vaccinations and prior omicron exposure, there’s plenty of morbidity about, and hospital numbers are beginning to creep up as well.

While every new wave of this virus will be different, depending on what variant is responsible, this does give us a pretty good idea of what “living with Covid” will entail. A new wave every six or so months, with varying – but at the very least, significant – morbidity and mortality. But accurate, comparable data will likely be difficult to come by, with fewer people bothering to test (R300-600 each time) if their symptoms are mild and the restrictions they would face are either unpalatable to them or simply not dependent on the result. Because why would you if you’re an arse or it’s all for nothing?

In other – happier – news, we have a chance to go for a night away later this week to celebrate several (or more) wedded years. The place we’re staying looks stunning, and I began looking for a nearby restaurant for dinner. The local selection is large, and involves chalk and cheese:

Yep, this one is R1695 (£86, $109) (it does look a bit spesh though), but if that seems like too much, literally just across the road:

…you can get a “chip cone” for R35 (£1.70, $2.24).

I think we’ll try and find some middle ground.

Day 400 – Marking milestones

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It’s 400 days since SA embarked on its Coronavirus lockdown. Back then, we weren’t even allowed out of our property.
Since that day, we’ve been through two fairly horrendous waves of Covid-19, several alcohol and smoking bans, beach restrictions, economic disaster, and a stuttering, non-starting vaccination programme. Currently, our R number – marking the progress and pace (or not) of viral infections in the country – is sitting at 1.03, meaning that we’re ever so very slightly on the wrong side of where we’d like to be, but equally, that things aren’t nearly as terrible as they have been or could be. And that R number is currently being fuelled by minor outbreaks in the Northern Cape and the Free State. Touch wood, with the major centres doing ok at the moment, we’re still not seeing any sign of the expected Third Wave. Long may it continue.

Which does make one wonder why there’s still a midnight to 4am curfew.
Not that I had any plans for that particular period.
Other than sleeping.
Which is allowed.

Another milestone today: our wedding anniversary. The day each year when I sit back and reflect upon just why Mrs 6000, very much of Champions League standard, is still happily existing in my Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior League Second Division company. I’ve no idea either, but I’m very happy that she still seems content with my muddy, clod-hopping, somewhat makeshift agricultural style. Not much skill, but a whole lot of effort. As the actress said to the Bishop.
We’re going out to celebrate at a very good restaurant this evening.
But we’ll be back before midnight, Cyril. I promise.

I have spent much of the day painting. Not in any artistic sense, more in the “I’m not old enough for this Antique Cream to seem anywhere near acceptable in my house” sense.
I’m obliterating it all with brilliant white. Or rather, I was, until I ran out of paint. Very frustrating.

Soundtrack to my endeavours was provided by The Streets. I went for their Spotify catalogue, which has loads of live stuff, remixes and collaborations. Really nice trip (no pun intended) down memory lane, and one which culminated in me singing Fit But You Know It to the somewhat bewildered beagle.

A proper highlight of a milestone day for all concerned.

Thirteen

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Unlucky for some. Or so they say.
Fortunately, I don’t subscribe to that sort of nonsense.

Mrs 6000 might do though, and maybe she feels that she walked under a black cat or something, because it turns out that she’s been married to me for a whole thirteen years today. Back of the net!

Two kids, a couple of houses, a beagle and a lot of fun and laughter later, we’re still the best couple that ever there was.

Here’s to the next thirteen years, and beyond.