Still in love...

 

Another Saturday, another night out - I can't believe my luck! I feel like it's 20 years ago - which is rather appropriate...                                                             

We have some lovely friends Elizabeth and Richard who live in London and who we don't see enough of. We first met about 22 years ago when Elizabeth had just qualified as a dentist - and I was her dental nurse in my holidays whilst at college. We became firm friends - the sort of friendship where you can not see each other for months (this time almost 2 years) but when you do get together it's like the time hasn't passed - and you say a teary goodbye vowing not to leave it as long next time....

For reasons too complicated to blog about we wanted to thank them for their recent kindness - and what more excuse do you need to book a nice restaurant....UNLESS it happens to be your 18th wedding anniversary on the same weekend!

So, child free (THANK YOU Granny...again!) we jumped on the train and by lunchtime found ourselves in Malmaison London, with a bottle (or 2) of something sparkling and an M+S 'buffet on the bed'! Heaven.

I booked Jamie's Barbecoa restaurant for dinner, partly for the food, but also for the view. It's hard not to love the sheer splendour of St Paul's cathedral - but to have it in your eye line for a meal is a treat in itself. It didn't disappoint - great food, service and, of course, company.

Now, when Cleggy and I got married all those years ago, wedding photos were of the kind where everyone lined up and smiled on demand. Needlesstosay - we don't have many of them up on the wall! These are the only 2 - and if you suspect that Cleggy is suppressing a laugh in the first one you'd be right... 

Yep - it was the era of a 'leg of mutton sleeve', acres of fabric and seemingly MASSIVE eyebrows! 

When I met Cleggy, also 22 years ago (I never made enough of actually having a nurses uniform!) I fancied him like mad. He made me laugh til it hurt and I would rather spend my time with him than anyone else in the world. I'm pleased (and grateful) to say that I feel exactly the same way today! 

..and here we are (with less eyebrows and more crows feet!) 

18 years later

We didn't have very long in the big city - but always love it and wish we could visit more often. This time we only walked to the restaurant and back - but, in true tourist fashion,  managed a few pictures

beautiful, unexpected church

didn't know such a place existed...

an unexpected country garden

an unexpected glimpse of St Paul's in the daytime

...and at night

We've been through some (really) tough times over the past couple of decades but our relationship has seen us through them...it feels like yesterday that we got married. If there's one thing I have learnt in that time it's that life is too short and should be lived to the full - and I hope that we are lucky enough to spend the next 18 years together...laughing til it hurts, enjoying every day we spend together and appreciating a cheeky night in a London hotel! fee x