37th Wedding Anniversary

37th Wedding Anniversary

Last week was our 37th Wedding Anniversary!
Quite a feat for these days when so many marriages fail.
While talking to someone who was engaged to be married about this I was asked, "So what's the secret of a long and happy marriage?".  Pausing for thought I replied, "Probably forgiveness, a determination to make it work and never stop loving him."  Of course it has meant we have had our ups and downs, but for both of us loving Jesus helps tremendously as we tackle life's journey and difficulties with Him in prayer.  But both of us have resolved to love, forgive and pray together and for us it works, especially as we work together as well as live 24/7.
Today we have 3 grown children. Both boys are now married to lovely Christian wives and have nearly 3 grandchildren between them (one due in July) and our daughter who still lives with us, but often has the house to herself when we are working away from home.  They are all such a blessing to us.
Well it's only 3 years to our 40th Anniversary (Ruby), so it should be enough time for my husband to start saving for one!!

The Snookery

I have just named our house 'The Snookery', a title very apt I thought for a place that has a lot of my family history linked to it, times past, present and I guess the future too as I don't think we will ever move!!!  We have lived in this house for 37 years, our first home since we were married and I changed my name to Snook!

It's a terraced house built in the 1930s just before the 2nd World War started and during which a bomb dropped near by ripped off the tiles so I'm told!!!  Since that time it has seen some changes structurally, but basically it is the same, with the same front door rather than one of those white PVC ones.

I often used to wonder who lived here before us during those war years and what kind of family life they had experience here.  Then one day at least 30 years ago while I was tackling the jungle in the front garden, an old lady walked by.  I looked up as she stopped the other side of the wall and said, "You are doing exactly what I used to do many years ago", "oh", I said, "What do you mean?".  She then went on to explain that she lived here during the war years and had had her family here too.  She also mentioned that there had been pear and apple trees in the back garden and also a grape vine, sadly they no longer are here. "How lovely" I said, "would you like to come in?".  She declined saying that she wanted to go and visit one of her last remaining friends here, but wished me much happiness and walked on up the road, taking with her her own memories of this house.

Now my family have grown up.  Both boys have since married themselves and started their own families.  My daughter still lives with us at the top of the house so they haven't all flown the nest.

My life has certainly been a full one and still continues to be.  A mix of faith, family and travel and crafting, all of which you will get to know as you follow me