I met Col because of Scouting.
In 1972 when I was 17 and my then boyfriend P (who went onto be first husband) got persuaded to help with the Cub Scouts after being a Scout in the Group. A new Travel Agent had opened in Stowmarket and, as a publicity stunt, they paid for a train to take the district Cub Scouts and Brownies for a trip to London. We both went along on the trip to help with the Cubs and somehow I carried on helping with the Cub Pack at their weekly meetings.
I'm not sure when I got to know Col, I think it would have been a few years later around 1975 when he started helping with the Scouts and P and I took some Cubs along to the Scout Camp for a day visit. By then I was married. Over the next few years I realised what a lovely person Col was as we met up at various Scouting events and when first husband went off in 1978 to live with a fellow bell-ringer who'd just split with her husband it didn't take long for me and Colin to get together and married a year later.
We spent the next 38 years having our 3 children and working together on all the various house renovations and the happiest 23 of those on the smallholding. We both loved being self sufficient and doing things for ourselves.
He never moaned about being ill after the diagnosis of the Non Hodgkin Lymphoma, we carried on as usual as much as we could.
He is missed by me and our children every single day.
Our wedding day........................So young! (and thin and I still had black hair!) We had our reception in the Scout Hall and honeymooned in a tent borrowed from the Scout Group. We carried on running the Cub Pack until moving away to the smallholding in 1992.
Just a beautiful picture.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post, Sue.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great narrative of a happy marriage after a bumpy first one! I'm glad you had those years, though I know what it is to miss a long time partner.
ReplyDeleteLovely post xx
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post and you both look absolutely happy.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Funny how life works, huh? So glad you two had so many great years together. This is a fantastic picture.
ReplyDeleteGreat tribute to the man in your life and a lovely photograph to remember your first steps together.
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous post Sue x beautiful photo. Plus great idea for a post too ! I’m so sorry you didn’t get longer together xx Rachel x
ReplyDeleteSuch a heartfelt post.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
A lovely post, filled with happy memories. ❤️👍
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing how you met and married Colin.Catriona
ReplyDeleteI am really enjoying this month’s posts. Only the third one but I suspect it will be my favourite.
ReplyDeleteYou have been very lucky to have had Colin in your life. What a lovely story.
ReplyDeleteI love your wedding photo - you both look so happy. Such precious memories :) xx
ReplyDeleteLovely memories, if bitter-sweet. So many of us understand this.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely photo of you both. I too had a ropey first marriage (he was a waste of rations, as my beloved Keith would say). Obviously you and Col had such a lot in common and running the smallholding was such a perfect way of life.
ReplyDeleteA lovely 'C' post Sue.
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely post celebrating your dear husband, Colin.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely photo of you and Colin. Wonderful post.
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely post
ReplyDeleteHeartfelt and heartwarming. Thanks Sue, these posts are helping me through November. What’s left of us is Love. Sarah in Sussex
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ReplyDeleteLovely to read. Jean/Winnipeg
What a lovely post. And that photo of you and Col is just beautiful, you both look so full of love and hope for the future. And wow, what a life you made together. xx
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this personal post. You both look so genuinely happy on the picture.
ReplyDeleteMaguy
How lovely of you to share this . Thank you.
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
You two look so lovely together. I am glad you had so many terrific years together. A wonderful choice for your letter "C" blog!
ReplyDeleteYou and Colin made a perfect marriage and life together. Your wedding photo is beautiful. All the love and happy days you and Colin shared will carry you forever. Clearly, you two were destined to be. It all began with scouting is a lovely story.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post and you made a wonderful couple. You both look so happy in the photo x
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful, thank you for sharing it. xx
ReplyDeleteNice photo of you and Col. I'm glad you had a good life together. He sounds like he was very nice to you through the years. I enjoyed being in the area where you lived at one point. Good memories, for you!! God bless!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this. He sounds like a really nice guy. Glad you two could connect.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely story. I am glad you found each other.
ReplyDeleteThat's a lovely picture! Well, it would obviously have been bad karma to abandon the Scouts once they had brought you together! I was a Brownie and a Girl Scout and I think my brother was briefly a Cub Scout but my sisters never bothered. My time in scouting was fun.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a lovely life together. How wonderful you found each other.
ReplyDeleteCathy
So nice to read this, my parents met in Scouting too (in the 1930's).
ReplyDeleteI don't know why I'm always so enthralled to learn more about You and your husband. I think it must be his passing time came so near a loved one of my own, Thank you so much for the delightful looks in.
ReplyDeleteJoan