And everyday I am learning about you, the things that no one else sees (The XX)

Thirty years ago, on the 21st of April, about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, Jacqueline Frances Smith, age 22, never previously married, said, "oh go on then" to a humble secondary schoolteacher aged 26.

My memories from that time are pretty clear.

It was a cracker of a day in New Plymouth. A tad windy but fine. I know this because we had to have our photos taken indoors rather than beside the Waiwhakaiho River (or wherever it had been planned for). 

I watched bits of Singin' In The Rain in Margo and Clay's hotel room where I got changed for the big event and I remember smiling a lot during the day.

Mr and Mrs W N Purdy with Mr G N Purdy

As you can see, I looked 18 but I felt great. The day before we'd had a car crash outside the venue (we were rear ended just before turning into the place) but we were both fine - shock and a few superficial cuts only, however our car was a write off so Sallie kindly lent us her wheels to go on our honeymoon (south to Wanganui and Wellington).

Many or our friends and family had made it down or up or across to join in the festivities. In fact many of the present whanau you see on the bottom right column of this blog were there.

Fast forward 30 years - photo by Jade 21/04/14

Sadly a few people could not be at the wedding of the century: namely our mums - my mum had passed away the previous year and Jacky's mum couldn't make it up from the deep south.

Also sadly, a few people are no longer with us in 2014 to help us celebrate our 30 years together, but we feel their presence in our lives still.

So - be upstanding, raise your glass and drink to SWMBO and me and our pearler of a partnership over the last 30 years and here's to the next 30.

Love and peace - Wozza