08-08 50th Wedding Anniversary

"We have to have 50 for 50." That was brother Ian, organizing a 50th wedding anniversary cruise on board the Caribbean Princess in December 2005. We had 44 of our friends and family booked, so Ian invited three couples that were his friends, and they all had a ball. Ian worked his heart out to make this a success, and it was indeed a smash. He used his commissions to pay for all the booze, and we drank a "boatful".
Don’t you love the 50th Anniversary cake prepared by the chefs on board the ship? It was sugar-free and delicious. Could not get over how fabulous Princess was in arranging all the details, including a suite for Mary and I, and mini-suites for all the guests. And an exclusive private dining room for the major banquet.
Jim and Rosemary Rapino were there and looking great. Rosemary who is a serious photographer, prepared a special disc of great photographs from the trip. And brother Peter prepared a disc full of photos and humour that everyone enjoyed. And our daughter Kelly did the same thing.
Nice photo of Tom and Becky. You can see the suite we had at the back of the ship. It was where we drank about a case of wine each night.
Our friend Ruth Lees fussed over Mary’s hair and outfit the night we had the big banquet. Ruth said she had never had so much fun any time in her life compared to the Anniversary cruise. How wonderful.
We were so glad that Beth and Eb Goldhawk joined us. Beth was a high school chum of Mary’s. And to our joy, they both went on later cruises with us around the Mediterranean, Australia and New Zealand and the Antarctic. Memories.
And from Lake Simcoe we were joined by the Gardiners and the Averys. Don and I were involved in the Innisfil District Association and Rudy had a cottage just a mile or so from us.
We miss brother Ian who died at age 71, only four years later. And of all the experiences we have enjoyed as a family with Robert and Jane, Peter and Polly, Ian and Meg, and Mary and myself, nothing will compare to the 50th Anniversary cruise.