Husband and Wife

Gary and I tied the knot on the 29Th February 2008. Initially it was planned, to marry at the registry office in Cairns, but my mother wasn't too pleased with this idea. Instead we were married at Trinity Beach. We only invited our nearest and dearest. We had a welcoming toast before the ceremony ( A glass of champagne ), a blessing of the ring and the significance of the ring was shared during the ceremony. My wedding ring once belonged to my Nana and her sister. My nan's sister died of shrapnel wounds during the bombardment of Rotterdam in World War 2 and her husband allowed my grand-parents to use the ring for their wedding as they couldn't afford to buy one at the time. You know how something always seems to go wrong at a wedding. Ours was perfect, except the celebrant informed us before the ceremony that she wasn't well and had suffered with gastric all day. Well I was having visions of our celebrant running of to the toilet frequently during the ceremony, but she managed to get through without the expected delays. After becoming Mrs Anneloes Warrener, we took our guests to the Atlantis Beach restaurant for a meal. We were given all our presents here and in Dutch tradition I opened them all right there. We all had a fantastic meal and we called it a night. Our wedding was a simple and low key event, but that is how we wanted it.

The Party

Well all good things come to an end. It's almost time for us to return to Australia but I would like to have one last get together. It involves all the people who once lived in the same high rise building as we did. Gert contacts as many people as possible and there will be quite a crowd. Cock and Anita, Marcel and Kitty, Reyer and Mieke, Gert and us of course. The decision is made to have a meal at Ben's ( a restaurant in Zevenhuizen ). This is nearby and allows people to have a drink or two. It is to be the following Friday and we are the first to arrive. I have mixed feelings. I am happy and sad. Tomorrow we are returning to Frankfurt to catch our flight to Cairns, Australia. One by one everyone arrives and we chat the night away, catching up on 23 years and we talk about the good old days, get merry, laugh a lot and generally just have a good time. The meal is wonderful. Gary has been surrounded by people who are able to speak English and he is enjoying the evening as much as I am. When it is time for us to depart, Gert seems a little upset. I believe he enjoyed having us around and especially Gary. Seeing Gert struggle with his emotions makes me emotional too. It is never easy to say goodbye for yet another number of years. This time I really enjoyed my stay in Holland and deep down I could have stayed forever. Back to a live I once knew, but I am married to an Australian who feels more at home in his country. Australia is a beautiful place and I also love my live there. I have Australianised and would miss Australia just as much if I was to return here for good.