Day 294. Not Larkin. (21/10/13)

Two days until my 50th then which obviously means that 50 years ago my parents were waiting on my arrival. To be precise that means that 50 years ago today my parents spent their second wedding anniversary waiting on me.

Mum and Dad met in 1959 (I think, I hope to God I've got that right, I'll look very foolish otherwise) and married in 1961. October 21st obviously. Honeymooned in Blackpool (IIRC)  went to see West Side Story. All these 'facts' may be disputable, details blend into one another over the years as they're passed down piece meal, I was about to claim that I grew up on photos of their honeymoon in Babbacombe (Devon, near Torquay) but that was clearly a summer holiday, 1962 I think, they're all shirt sleeves and slicked back hair (dad), Capri Pants and sun hats (mum) they're as 60s as it gets and I'm  over a year in the future. In fairness, The Beatles are still in the future although mum has seen them live and dad has bet a mate that this unknown band that said mate is raving about is never going to amount to anything.

(An aside, listening to the soundtrack to West Side Story - of course I own it, did you think for a second that I wouldn't? - Leonard Bernstein's overture is utterly phenomenal, angular, edgy, jazz based, a musical that may be 50 years old but is still aeons ahead of most)

I could highlight the highlights but let's be honest, they're personal, they're somebody's life and it's not my place to talk about them no matter how much I may be very directly involved in them, suffice to say this;

My Mum and Dad have been married for fifty two years today, the day after tomorrow they will have been parents for exactly fifty years; fifty years ago they brought their first son back to a small terraced, possibly haunted, house in Bootle, the first house that they'd owned after initially renting a flat in Walton and started a new life.

There are three of us, three sons, all married, all happy, each with two children of our own, all great kids. We've all done well for ourselves and that is due in very large part to everything that our Mum and Dad did for us.

Fifty two years together, still happy, a good family well raised. We should all be lucky enough to do that well.

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