Monday 3 January 2011

12 years ago…

Twelve years ago today, Mr PB and I were married in Hobart in front of our dearest family members and friends. That seems like a lifetime ago now! It was certainly a time in our lives far removed from the noise and clamour of daily life on Planet Baby. Back then, we were concerned about such highly important matters as:

* Would Mr PB’s groomsmen play a practical joke and write ‘Save me’ in texta on the soles of his shoes, to be revealed in all its glory when he knelt down at the altar to pray? (No, they didn’t. Our wise old minister checked his soles before the groomsmen headed to the altar to wait for us girls to arrive!)

* Would Mr PB’s iris stay in his buttonhole properly? (Hmm, it didn’t. Irises were our wedding flower but we hadn’t thought the whole ‘buttonhole effect’ through. The iris was enormous and by the end of the ceremony, its head had drooped so it was upside-down, something I hurriedly rectified as we strode back down the aisle of the Cathedral, greeting well-wishers along the way.)

* Would Mr PB manage not to walk on my white bridal train? (Er, no, he didn’t. At one point of our promenade back down the aisle, I was pulled up in my tracks by a firmly planted dark shoe on my spotless silk dress. Which left a large black footprint. Sigh.)

* Would we be able to pull off the Bridal Waltz? (After many lessons, we did it. To Frank Sinatra’s ‘I’ve got you under my skin’ – the version with Bono. Mind you, as the video records *for all posterity*, Mr PB was so proud of his fancy footwork, he serenely sailed around the dance floor smiling at everyone else. Not at me! You should see him looking over my head at everyone else.)
Yes, I am a shorty - see him leaning in towards me?
* Would the photographer carry enough film with him to make it through the night? (Remember the good old pre-digital days? Well, he didn’t, much to our chagrin. He ran out of colour film just before the all important traditional photo-of-the-happy-couple-with-Mr-PB’s-parents-and-his-five-siblings-and-their-spouses shot. Which ended up in black and white. For the first time in his family’s history. All his other siblings had theirs taken in colour. Sigh.)
Hmm, they were the *big* life questions back then!

On that day, we would never have imagined that 12 years later, we would:

* Spend 11 years living in glorious Sydney (we thought maybe it would be for a few years);

* Arrive on Planet Baby so much later than we had expected and hoped for;

* Be chasing around three gorgeous pixies with only 3½ years separating them; and

* Be served up a meal of plastic food by the older pixies tonight, all ever so carefully and lovingly prepared “for your anniversary, Mummy. We’re going to cook you dinner every year for your wedding anniversary”. Bless them.

Today was not marked on PB by romantic declarations of love or even some time for Mr PB and me to be alone. No, it was celebrated in far more *prosaic* fashion – by emptying out the entire contents of the shed in our first ever let’s-sort-out-all-our-worldly-possessions-which-have been-shoved-in-boxes-since-we-got-married-12-years-ago moment! Yep, our life on the lawn!


Call me crazy, I know – not *exactly* my preference either but it coincided with a certain we’re-starting-a-new-year-but-we’re-completely-disorganised-and-can’t-even-open-the-shed-door-without-something-falling-on-us thought. Of mine. Oh, and that was coupled with a I-want-to-find-my-childhood-autograph-book-and-Holly-Hobby-swapcards-to-show-the-pixies thought. Er, yes, mine again.

Anyway, after a few *terse* words, Mr PB got on board and we soldiered on through an afternoon of finding and sorting. Hardly glamorous but eminently useful. We found treasured childhood toys and books which the pixies can now bring to life again. And I found my autograph book. As well as my bridal shoes and my wedding dress. Now I just need to find that old U2 CD and Mr PB and I can trip the light fantastic in what’s left of our anniversary!
Photobucket

37 comments:

  1. Happy anniversary, you look gorgeous!!

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  2. Happy Anniversary to both of you - we are celebrating next week and are one year ahead of you! Hope you have a wonderful year together and I so love your wedding pictures - I am a shorty too and think you look stunning :)

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  3. Happy Anniversary Jane. Your wedding photos are just gorgeous and your dress is timeless.
    Loved reading about your day and I laughed at the bit about Mr PB smiling at everyone else during the first waltz!
    Hope you got to celebrate with a glass of bubbles after the clear out of the shed. x

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  4. Wonderful Jane, I loved it all! Best wishes on your 12 years and the many more to come :)

    Jeanne xxx

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  5. Congratualtions Jane! It must be something about this time of year (mine is on thurs!). No, we're not planning much either...but clearing out my entire life onto the lawn *definitely* isn't on the cards!!
    xxxCate

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  6. Happy Anniversary Jane.
    Here's to many, many more.
    Fiona.

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  7. Congratulations Jane! Your wedding photos are beautiful, and I bet the black and white ones are very classy too ;)
    We've only been married 4 years, and have only lived in this house for 8 months, but already I need to put the entire contents of my house on the lawn!! I once saw that on Oprah and thought it was brilliant!! Good on you, it must feel good to have done it. And yeah, I too hope you had some well deserved French Champagne at the end of the day :)
    x Rhi

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  8. Happy Anniversay Jane! What a fantastic life you and Mr PB have created together, those pixies are the cherries on top xx

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  9. Happy Wedding Anniversary, funny how life changes from wedding day worries to real life things like actual human beings!! Love Posie

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  10. Happy Anniversary to you both!! It is funny the changes isnt it, my man and I have been together for just over 8 years now and while we were only together for 2 years before our first it really was a whole different world we lived in!

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  11. Oh happy, happy anniversary to you both!
    We celebrated our 12 year anniversary on 2nd Jan.
    Was a great year to get married Jane ;)
    I think it's actually quite symbolic to have a big declutter and clean out 12 years on.
    Hope you got to dance to that cd.
    We went for lunch and left our 4 little cherubs with my inlaws.
    We worked out that last time we had been out for a meal together was 18 months before and even then we had #4 with us who was then six months old.
    A rare treat to have some couple time, but oh so hard to get these days with a full on little family.
    We wouldn't have it any other way though would we?

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  12. You haven't changed a bit!

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  13. Happy Anniversary Jane and Mr PB wishing you many many more.DEb

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  14. Congratulations on 12 years of marriage! Loving the meal every year on your anniversary every year - precious. In a few years time it might even be real food!

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  15. Happy 12 year Anniversary! Enjoy celebrating such a wonderful and special occasion with many many more to come. xo

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  16. Happy Happy Anniversary....

    I think it sounds like you had a gorgeous day even if you decluttered. Nothing wrong with a forced stroll (march?) down memory lane as you tidied up.

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  17. Oh happy anniversary Jane and Mr PB! I love the plastic meal idea - so thoughtful and cute. And oh I wish I still had my swap cards and autograph books and sticker collections from childhood - you lucky girl!

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  18. Happy Anniversary Jane..may you have many more happy years together hugs melli xx

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  19. Happy Anniversary Jane and Mr PB! Love your funny reflections of your big day and your present desire to find-and-sort ;)

    Oh, and Happy New Year too! Am sure it will be a wonderful one for all of you on PB :)

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  20. Happy Anniversary! Congrats on 12 yrs of happiness!

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  21. Happy Anniversary Jane and Mr.PB!! Hope the rest of your day is fabulous and that you find that U2 CD ;) Huge hugs sweet girl ~ Txx

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  22. Happy Anni!! I love that your kids make you dinner - I think we might start that tradition (if I can remember it until October). Hope you have a wonderful celebration! XO

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  23. P.S. Do you know why your blogger symbol at the top of my tab is blue instead of orange, like the rest of ours? Also, got my signature in place - thanks to you!! XO

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  24. many congrats Jane and Mr PB - how time flies by .... BTW how do you clean and sort with the wee ones around - I have never managed to accomplish this feat - bravo !! Le xo

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  25. Cripes! I turn my back for a moment and look what you sneaky Planetarians have been up to ☺. Thanks, everyone, for your generous comments.

    Ah, Naomi, shorties of the world unite! And enjoy your special day soon. Maybe the cherubs will serve you real food for dinner instead of the plastic version.

    Rhi, you're right - whilst tiring and messy, it was cathartic. At least I know where to look for things now - about time after 12 years.

    Cool, Kat! Fancy being only a day apart. I was so tired after all that effort, I forgot about looking for the CD...We also need to make more effort to spend time alone.

    AFW, it was quite enjoyable to reminisce a little. Mind you, we had the three pixies buzzing around at the same time, so those moments were *brief*.

    Sarah, I might just bring that autograph book along on Friday!

    Ah, Laura, follow Katrina's tutorial at http://www.katrinaleechambers.com/2010/12/tutorial-on-how-to-change-your-blogger.html to change your favicon. She's a legend. And I can't wait to see your new signature!

    Er, Le, it was quite *difficult*, put it that way! J x

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  26. Hey Jane- Happy Anni! the garden in your wedding photo looks familiar- where abouts were you? Well done on the belated spring clean- very brave of you! xxx Fi

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  27. Heartfelt congratulations Jane, so pleased for you and Mr PB! You make a beautiful couple and irises are one of my most loved flowers!!! Also, super envious that you still have your Holly Hobby swap cards, I was only berating my mother the other day for not keeping my Hollly Hobby lunchbox! xx

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  28. Happy Anniversary Jane! Lovely memories :)
    Boy, that is one impressive collection of stuff on the lawn!!

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  29. Congratulations on your wedding anniversary Jane, and for sharing your photos. Beautiful, and don't worry the photos you have are wonderful and enough. Good work on the organising. I hate those jobs that once you commence you feel as if it will never end... but when everything is in order it does have a calming effect. Congrats again! x

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  30. Happy anniversary beautiful Jane...and many more to come. Hugs, Emma.

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  31. Thanks, ladies. Fiona, our wedding reception was at Woodstock in Hobart. They did a splendid job with the garden.

    Oh, Emma, yet again I ask if we were separated at birth! I've found the autograph book but am still on the hunt for the HH swapcards ☺.

    Er, Sarah, that was only half of it!

    Thanks, Sonia, yes, this whole turning-the-calendar-over thing has spurred me on to do so much tidying and sorting. Tiring but rewarding.

    Thanks, Em - looking forward to finally meeting you in 2011. J x

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  32. How heavenly!!!! Just as it should be- tumbling all in together. What a wonderful song for the wedding waltz. Simply stylish. have fun and happy anniversary baby!!!...

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  33. Congratulations on 12 years :)

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  34. Congrats on the big anniversary. Loved the wedding stories. Also love the 3 x pixies squished in the back seat. I reckon 12 years ago we could have fitted 7 kids with no seatbelts and definately no carseats (or perhaps that was a little further back in time???).

    thanks for jogging my memory re: the blog signature. have fixed the post and put a link. thanks again for the great, easy instructions.

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  35. Happy Anniversary gorgeous Jane and Mr PB - a wee bit belated, sorry! I simply love this post and your fresh take on "the way things change"...which reminds me - we really need to clean out the shed.

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  36. A HUGE Happy Anniversary to you both Jane! I really enjoyed this post.
    Megs x

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  37. You made a beautiful bride, Jane. I mean, you look like you're about 13, but that can't be helped, right!?!? Happy anniversary, Jane. I know your marriage has weathered some storms in the past 12 years and you have such a strong, wonderful bond. x

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Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, you gorgeous soul. You've just made my day! J x

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