Before, Margie went next door ...
Having lived in the same house, that is Brookside, Seaton Burn
for 22 years and being paired for 18 years
and both of us getting our free bus passes this year
and things like death duties
and who can say about the other in the final days
and anyway for goodness sake
neither of us are going anywhere else
no one would have us
we decided to get married.
It went something like this, one evening:
Roger: "I'm going to the North Shields Registry Office tomorrow morning."
(We sort out who is doing what next day
because although living together
Margie has her life
and I have mine, and we have to decide who is shopping/cooking/cleaning/etc.)
Margie: "Oh! what for?"
Roger: "To find out how to get married."
Margie: "Anyone in mind?"
Roger: "Yes, you!"
Margie: "I accept."
It was meant to be a quiet affair
just Margie and me and two witnesses, Doug and Jan from next door.
But by chance, Dan (Margie's son), said that he was passing via Newcastle that day
well we had to tell him we would not be at home and why
then having told him, we had to tell my children (Amy, Jack and Darren)
and then our little quiet affair was not so quiet.
But with just 11 grownups and one baby
it was still a quiet marriage.
Before, Margie went next door ...
Pictures of during the ceremony ...
After we went for a pub meal ...