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There used to be a programme
on TV called “Call My Bluff” in which a team had to
listen to and look a person in the eye and decide if
they were
telling the truth or talking a load of twaddle. It was
difficult to decide as the bluffers and their stories
always sounded so genuine.
Well, as I’ve discovered, there’s enough
bluffers in my circle to
fill the next two series.
I can’t believe that despite my intense journalistic
curiosity, doubting nature and pure nosiness I was
cajoled into falsely assuming that there was nothing
‘going on’, blissfully unaware that our secret 25th
wedding anniversary which we had managed to successfully
keep under wraps, was about as secret as Peter Andre and
Katie Price’s split. |
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Chief conspirer was one Ray Mengham, an excellent motor
mechanic but an even better bluffer who casually
mentioned to Teresa and I that we should call around on
Sunday afternoon for a cup of tea and a burger to
celebrate son Graham’s birthday.
Continuing on my idiotic trust in the human race we
drifted around to their house for a quick little ‘do’. I
was still in my Worzel Gummidge old clothes as I had
assumed it would be a barbie and beer and back home.
Wrong! |
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Ray had somehow managed to round up a large
collection of our friends from Berkshire and beyond to
surprise us. Gwyn and Betty from Wales and Teresa’s
daughter Gemma and the family from Great Yarmouth were
among the long haul ones.
The last time I had such a shock was when I realised I
had said ‘I do’ 25 years ago. Even Teresa was so
surprised she stopped talking for almost 30 seconds.
I suddenly realised what it was like to be the victim
for a change, as I have pointed my camera at many a poor
soul over the years capturing that look of horrified
terror as everyone shouts ‘surprise’. |
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I mentally listed all the culprits involved in
this conspiracy who would suffer in the
coming week when I carried out my revenge.
Mary Mengham had laid on an incredible spread and
along with Ray’s freshly barbequed food – we had a
great afternoon. One very intelligent lady did
comment that she found it hard to believe that I had
been married 25 years. I did assure her that it was
because I had married at a very, very young age –
dream on, Stanley. |
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Later,
during the afternoon Father Kevin gave
Teresa and I a blessing
that absolutely
sent her over the moon. |
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| Ray’s brother, Graham had baked us a beautiful cake which
we cut later. It tasted absolutely delightful and that, coupled with all Ray &
Mary’s tasty food, certainly made gluttony the major sin of the day. |
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It was days
later as we reflected back on that day that we realised how incredibly lucky we
are to have so many true, genuine friends.
Obviously there were many family and friends who weren’t there on the day and as
our now non existent secret spread, others started to get in touch. Some Holy Family ladies
e-mailed us best wishes and I would like to thank Ann Saunders for her lovely e-card, Gemma & Ron Meik for their kind comments and my Mentor-in-Chief, Ann Budd who
writes :-
“A
little bird told me that your wife has kept you for 25 years - unbelievable!”
It's true, I do wonder myself how she can be bothered.
She has to
look after two old things at the moment. Me and an ancient car. It rattles a lot
when moving; makes a lot of noise from the exhaust, and leaks quite a bit when
moving.
And the car’s just as bad. She's had enough of the car and is replacing it
so I'm slightly on edge at the moment -
though I suppose there’s no point
in her trading me in for a newer model, as there is no scrapage scheme for burnt
out husbands. |
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I think the one thing that has helped us to stay
together was an arrangement we made when we were
married. Teresa agreed that she would sort out and
deal with all the minor problems that ever cropped
up and I would deal with all the major ones. So far
we’ve been very lucky in that there never seems to
have been any majors problems happen over the past
25 years!! |
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Finally, thank you to absolutely everyone. It was a great
day.
Teresa and I would like to say a very sincere thank you to
Ray and Mary Mengham for their unbelievable hard work, preparation and time it
must have taken to pull together such a logistical nightmare. They are an
incredible couple.By all means use Ray for his mechanical
skills and knowledge – but if he ever sidles
up to you and casually invites you
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| around for
a cup of tea and a burger – RUN.
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| some Holy Family
Guest Book messages received :
click here |
| PHOTOGRAPHS |
If you
have any pics taken on the day and would
be happy to share them with us, then
please
e-mail them to me and I'll publish them
below.Thanks, Bernard.
bstanleylangley@hotmail.com |
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