Sunday 10 July 2011

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

28 comments:

  1. Happy Anniversary to you both, am I allowed to say, I think you look better today than in your youth! Here's to the next 18+ years :)
    Sue Xxx

    ReplyDelete
  2. awwww, what a simply beautiful post!

    ReplyDelete
  3. a gorgeous post, happy anniversary to you both, you do look so happy together! xxx

    ReplyDelete
  4. love this post, fee. happy anniversary to you both!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I loved reading this post about your anniversary weekend, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to you both.
    The recent photo of you and hubby is lovely.
    Anne xx

    ReplyDelete
  6. Happy Anniversary you two :)

    xxx xxx
    xxxxxxxxx
    xxxxxxxxxxx
    xxxxxxxxx
    xxxxxxx
    xxxxx
    xxx
    x

    ReplyDelete
  7. hmmm I took ages to make a heart out of kisses and it didn't work ....oooops x

    ReplyDelete
  8. Congratulations to that pair of you, you are both truly gorgeous and I'm pleased that you celebrated in fine style.

    xx Felicity

    ReplyDelete
  9. Such a happy lovely post to be sharing. Sounds a fabulous way to spend a weekend celebrating.

    X

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm with crafts@home, you both look fab, and what a joy to be with someone that makes you laugh like that and I know it goes deeper than that.
    You are both blessed to have each other. Fantastic night away too.
    x Sandi

    ReplyDelete
  11. Happy Anniversary to you both :)

    Some gorgeous pics there especially of St Pauls at night / during the day :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Being able to laugh together sure helps during the rough patches. Congratulations.

    Fantastic photos. My husband's offices used to be directly opposite the front of St. Paul's, so he knows the area well. xx

    ReplyDelete
  13. Happy Happy anniversaire to you both!
    I am strangely trying to re-kindle my once Brooke Shields-esque eyebrows but they are stubbornly refusing to grow anymore!
    Loved your glimpses of London, must get up to the Smoke! As for the leg- of- mutton sleeves as one who lusted for and subsequently became a Laura Ashley employee in the mid eighties, let's just say I have your back!

    Sarah x

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh dearest Fee,

    I AM PUTTING YOU ON MY BLOG LIST RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I CANNOT MISS ANY OF YOUR ACTIVITIES! You are the funniest, coolest, kindest and most vivacious person...thank you for coming to visit me. I hope you have a moment to click on the cottage and enter into my real home. Dearest, I would adopt you in a heartbeat, kids and ALL!!!!! YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL at any age, and IF EVER IN ENGLAND...may I meet you at a pub or somewhere? You are wonderful!

    I AM NOW GOING TO CLICK AND PUT YOU ON MY LLST...I have missed out on too much here!

    YOU ARE WELCOME CHEZ MOI ANYTIME!!! Anita

    ReplyDelete
  15. Happy Anniversary my Dear, I hope you have many more.
    x

    ReplyDelete
  16. Oh. Well my goodness. I'm getting choked up over here! What a beautiful post and a lovely way to spend your 18th anniversary! Truly. I would die over dinner looking out at St.Paul's. Oh London. I've only been once but would LOVE to return someday.

    And you and the mister?! Hello gorgeous! Love your old wedding photos (the leg of mutton sleeve comment cracked me up!) and how darling you are now!

    Here's to another fabulous 18 years Fee!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Happy Anniversary! Love those old wedding pics - leg o'mutton sleeves on the bride and the groom looks a bit 'new romantic' with that massive cravat!?!?!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Aw!! I read this post last night just before I went to bed and read it out to my husband. We only got married last year and I'm so excited about having a wedding anniversary to celebrate! You are such a lovely couple and you look so blinking happy together. Hope that we are as happy as you and manage to keep it together for so long.

    Cleggy looks like someone famous in your wedding pic (esp the first one) but I can't think who. It will probably pop into my head at the most unfortunate moment.

    I'm VERY jealous that you've had so many fabulous nights out lately. We haven't even got kids and still don't make it off the sofa most nights.

    NIcki xx

    ReplyDelete
  19. ahh what a lovely post, & what lovely wedding photos! it was our 7th wedding anniversary yesterday & we also went out to London {to see Aloe Blacc at Somerset house}i look back at our wedding photos & can't believe how young we looked!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Just popping back really quickly to answer your question re noths. Nope, not even mentioned it to them, just put my shop on suspend for 2 months!!! Didn't even occur to me to ask or mention it, and anyway what can they do if they don't like it?!! Nada! haha. Don't move til wednesday though then holiday the week after so I will be gone from blogland for over a month! anyway this is turning into quite a long message after all... and I still have so much left to do tonight... the house looks like a bomb has gone off, there are boxes EVERYWHERE!! :(
    Anyway, wishing you a great month, hope you have lots more exciting nights out planned! xxx

    ReplyDelete
  21. You look mighty stunning my love and I think Cleggy looks hot. I agree with Home Bird, he does look like someone famous.....hmmmm. need to think who.
    You both obviously deserved the most gorgeous weekend and it looks like you had it.
    The restaurant looks amazing. How romantic.
    I celebrate 9 years of marriage in Aug and we've been together 15 years. Can't imagine life without my man too. We can drive each other up the wall but we are still and always will be best friends as well as husband and wife.
    That is how you and Cleggy appear to me.
    And aren't you as pretty as a peach?! Honestly Fee, you really do look lush!
    Just replied to your comments on my post btw.
    x x

    ReplyDelete
  22. Can't believe you've bought one off Ebay for your son (aka YOU!!!!) Hilarious!
    I may have to buy two replacement toys and just keep washing them.
    But deep down, I can't rest until I do everything I can to hunt down this toy.
    What the hell is wrong with us??!!!
    Night night my dear.
    x x

    ReplyDelete
  23. I tried to comment earlier, but blogger was attention seeking, and not playing ball.
    I loved this post, and the celebration of love. You look gorgeous, and your hubby is very cute :). I think it is wonderful that you are still in love- my husband and I are still madly in love, sometimes I think the bubble will burst, but it never does.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Fee, check today today's Daily Mail front page. The headline made me chuckle as I thought of you. Re Cleggy!!!

    Not that I buy the DM though....I was scanning the papers for front pages. I actually bought the Mirror today, purely to read about fat celebs going thin. TRES shallow....
    Can't wait for replacement Mikey to arrive!!!
    BTW forgot to post and say I am sorry boy #2 was very poorly when young. Must have been a huge worry. x x x
    x x

    ReplyDelete
  25. Aaah, happy anniversary to you two, glad you got to celebrate it in style (ie: sans enfants...)
    Also - THANK YOU so much for the gorgeous block - it arrived today and I am absolutely thrilled to bits with it - it's perfect and I'm sure she'll love it. Don't forget to let me know how much I owe you
    Thanks again you talented laydee
    Emily x

    ReplyDelete
  26. Looks like a very wonderful, stylish, memorable anniversary, Fee!

    Have a sweet evening and a happy Thursday ahead xxxx

    ReplyDelete
  27. Huge congrats on the anniversary, looks like you had the best time! x

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by.
I LOVE reading your comments!
fee x