1/3/2014 Anniversary
How amazing it is to be here today sharing an adventure together,
when I think of all the choices, decisions, coincidences and subconscious
actions that had to all align for this to be happening.
Yesterday Leanne and I celebrated our 28th wedding
anniversary with a long lunch at the fabulous Mocean’s in Streaky Bay joined by
Brian and Maree from Urchin and Brian and Eva from Zofia.
Not only was it a moment to celebrate that we are still together and
happy after what is actually 30 or so years of being a couple, but it was a
really good moment to reflect on how we met.
I arrived home from working in the Queensland desert around
Christmas. After some time with my family I started catching up with a few
mates. They were all gathering at Logue Brook Dam around new years, as we had
done for several years before. Logue Brook dam is great for water skiing, beach
cricket and other fun while camping on the banks.
Brendan and I organized to go together, but he said that his new
girlfriend was coming up from Bunbury, so I would have to get my own tent etc…
This new girlfriend turned out to be a vivacious energetic
personality, with a mischievous sparkle in her eye and a big broad smile that
was used often and regularly to charm all around her. Leanne.
Unfortunately, Leanne was not used to the sun and had to go home
with a really bad sunburn the next day. Brendan was relieved he said. He was
thinking of breaking up so that he could “play the field” again. Had a very
healthy ego did Brendan.
In the new year I found it very difficult to get a job locally. I
had been away a for a year or so in Queensland, prior to that I ran trucks to
Esperance with my cousin (all night work, no social life) and before that had
been working in an Iron ore mine on Koolan Island ( where men outnumbered women
200 to 1). I wanted to get local work so that I could actually have some social
life.
While I was looking for work I helped my Dad out by working in his
Toy Shop, as he set up another in Perth City. I started to enjoy some social
life again, and on several of these occasions Brendan brought Leanne along.
While chatting with Leanne I found that she was also looking for
work having left her pharmacy job. I said that I would ask my Dad about his
staffing in the Perth City Toy shop. Leanne started work at the store on a
casual basis the next week.
That week Brendan and Leanne called off their “status” and I found a
girlfriend called Kerry.
With me working in the Midland store and Leanne in the Perth store,
we would often have to ring each other to check stock or order some thing or
other. These conversations started off very official, but came quite quickly to
long friendly chats. The most common subject became how terrible I was as a
boyfriend and how badly I treated Kerry and how Leanne would never dream of
going out with me.
A few months later I got what I deserved from Kerry; dumped. Another
friend of mine announced he was to be married and that I was invited to his
wedding with a friend, thinking I would bring Kerry. I had no idea who I was
going to take as a “friend” but the invitation was there, the numbers had been
set and I didn’t want to be rude. In a moment of desperation led inspiration I
asked Leanne if she wouldn’t mind going to the wedding with me. She said that
would be Ok seeing as I didn’t have any one else to take.
We have been together ever since. About six months after that
wedding, during a drive into the hills, we decided to start saving money to invest
into a property together. Six months later we were buying a small house in
Roleystone and moving in together.
On 1st March 1986, we were married. On 14th June 1989 our beautiful
daughter, Bree was born and on 11th August 2000 our beautiful son
Luke came into the world.
My point of reflection today really is how amazing it was that all
these moments of decision, times when things could go either way and
opportunities for different paths colluded to bring us together.
Also how special that on many occasions where we could have found it
all too hard, we have both chosen to hang in there, have another go.
Now, to be sharing our sailing around Australia adventures aboard
Easy tiger, equally into it, equally enjoying the benefits of it, equally
frightened by it, is again an absolute delight.
Up until 2007, none of us had owned a boat, worked on a boat, spent
a night on a boat or even knew anyone that owned a boat.
Today, Bree is working as a chef aboard the MV Impact for the crew
of slug divers in Nickol Bay Karratha. Luke is in New York enjoying a break
while in between jobs on the super luxury yacht Predator and a new boat that is
currently in Asia.
Leanne and I are sitting aboard our sailing catamaran Easy Tiger,
swinging back and forth on the mooring near the jetty in Streaky Bay South
Australia.
If you told us that this would be happening just a few short years
ago, we wouldn’t have believed it for a second.
There were too many opportunities, choices, decisions and coincidences
that had to collude for anyone to predict this.
 |
| My wife, partner, fellow adventurer, lover, supporter, inspiration, advisor, critic, nemesis and above all my beloved, Leanne. |
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