Back to the scene of the crime

An email message received this week with the subject "Back to the scene of the crime" from one of my schoolfriends talked about our recent 40th Wedding Anniversary Party.

In a post last week I mentioned that Mr Geniaus and I had tied the knot forty years ago. We returned to the "scene of the crime" for a celebration where we replicated the menu served at our wedding reception. The 2010 interpretation of Minestrone and Chicken Maryland did not resemble to 1970s version at all! Our celebration was held in the same room where our reception was 40 years ago; the flocked wallpaper and crystal wall sconces were gone but the largee crystal chandeliers were still in place.

We had a slideshow of photos from our wedding running throughout the night. A number of the original guests who didn't get photos in 1970 have asked me to email photos to them. It seems as we get older that these photographic mementos become more meaningful. I look forward to receiving the photographer's disc of photos from this recent celebration so that I can share them with our guests.

In deference to my arthritic ankle we dispensed with the Bridal Waltz in favour of the Anniversary Shuffle. As I couldn't remember what tune we had in 1970 we chose "The more I see you" as the words of this song describe our feelings for each other. I felt sorry for the wonderful band "The Barry Shepherd Quartet" who played during the evening as hardly any of the guests over ten years of age danced; they were so busy talking. Indeed Mr Geniaus and I both lost our voices.

We displayed the brides and bridesmaids dresses on dressmaker's dummies. People asked me if my dress was a coat. It wasn't - it was just what fashionable and modest young brides wore on cool autumn evenings in 1970 - no goosebumps for us.

In 1970 just Mr Geniaus and I stayed at the hotel on the wedding night but last week all 15 of our children, their spouses and our grandchildren joined us. As it was Mother's Day on Sunday we were able to celebrate at breakfast (without the 1970 hangover).

Four Generations of our family

We have been inundated with thank you notes,emails and phone calls from those who attended before I have had time yet to send out thank yous to them. It seems as though everyone from our tiny grandchildren to my mother and aunts who are nearing ninety enjoyed the opportunity to get together for an evening of reminiscing and storytelling with old family and friends. Our children enjoyed meeting folk from our past and hearing tales of our youth from longtime friends.

I will be saving mementos and photographs of this function in my family history files. With this blog post it should tell future generations a little about our family.