The Mouse Trap

My lovely granddaughter bought us the best tickets in the house for us to see ...

... this is the world's longest running stage-show, which started in 1952, and is showing in Saint Martin's Theatre, London . It was totally brilliant.

We travelled down to London on the train - first time I've been on a train for a very long time. She'd also bought us a very nice hotel room near Regent's Park. This was a combined Birthday - and Wedding Anniversary present, for this week we have been married 53 years, and our birthdays were last week. I am 3 days older than Pat.

She was the red-haired (and freckled-faced) actress - she'd already won the British Public Speaking Championship three years running, and gone down a wow as Katherine, in The Taming of the Shrew.... with a voice, critics said was, "... like cut-glass crystal"... 
...........before I dragged her down to my level :0).

I was the boy from the wrong side of the tracks, a shipwright and recently qualified draughtsman. Her family were in despair and our friends declared us mad, "These tearaway's  won't last 10 minutes." Contrary to belief, we gave up everything, and decided that 'family' would be the centre of our lives.

We have never deviated from our original plan in which the central role would be the family-manager and the secondary  occupation would be the provider. To this end I somehow became a 'fly-boy' and spent the next 25 years flying around the world ... because it paid well! Pat brought up the four children on the proceeds.

When the kids had grown up and left home, 'we' gave up aviation and 'we' became an artist... then a project manager in Industry... then a Systems manager promoted divisional systems manager. Next a manufacturing director. Finally a life in academia in Criminology, and later a writer of thrillers and poetry.

The grandchildren, all girls, moved in with us and it started all over again! They've all left now, the last quite recently.

Over the 53 years, we have moved home 24 times, lived in many countries and it wasn't always easy sailing. We lived life at a break neck speed but we have had so much fun along the way.

Now 'we' are an artist once more ... this blog records the route back into art, which started in February 2012. For those who wonder why we call the blog, "Gatepost Pictures":

   
When Pat was 24, she drove the car through the gateway into the driveway .....the gate was shut at the time! I carved the broken gatepost into Maka Tiki, the Hawaiian God who looks after families. We called it a 'Gatepost Production.' From which emerged Gatepost Pictures!