You don't get as long for murder!

Happy Anniversary to my Mum and Dad!  50 - yes 50 whole years!

Now I only had to live with them for 20 years so I know that managing 50 years (600 months) is more than pretty good going.  Yep - 18,262 whole days of being together!  Three wonderful, talented, intelligent kids.  6 and 8/9ths grandchildren (all completely barking in their own ways and I'm sure that the upcoming arrival isn't going to be breaking that mould!).

So what can I say about them.  Speaking for myself - and I'm sure my siblings will agree - they have been great parents.  They've had to put up with the three of us who've all been made strong willed and pretty stubbon at times but still have fostered a strong sense of family.  We've had our disagreements (small and large) but that's all they've ever been.  Nothing ever seemed to last for a long time, grudges were not held.

Our house always seemed to be full of friends coming and going.  I'd hate to imagine how many meals and drinks have been happily shared over the years.  Many times, especially during summer, there would be three sets of friends descending like locusts on the supplies.  Again, something I think we've all taken away with us and made us pretty good grown ups (well as grown up as we get!).

But they've been there during the tough times too for us.  We've never felt like we were alone with a problem - they would do what they could for us.  We couldn't ask for more than that and are very grateful for it.  Sometimes we don't express it as clearly as we should and personally I often feel that I wish I could do much more than I do as I don't think I can adequately repay everything they've done.

So, Happy Anniversary to you both - I hope you have a good day and I think we're all looking forward to getting the family together in one place this weekend.