Then I saw him standing there.

Many years ago I was the witness,(matron of honour),at a friend's marriage, to a chap I had introduced her to. There were two single men also attending the wedding. One was a M. Ross, Esq. and the other was DT, (Darling Trubes).
As I had introduced my friend to her soon to be husband, she was hell-bent on returning the compliment.
Still smarting from recently being divorced, I really had no intention of diving headlong into another relationship so soon, despite my friend's bungled efforts to 'match-make'!

We arrived at the Registry Office, and then.....

I saw him standing there!
Well..My heart went boom,
When I crossed the room,
and..He held his hand in mine...

We proceded with the Marriage ceremony and every time I turned around to check that the five children were ok, (my three, and my friend's two), all I could see was DT siiting in the centre of the children, with a smiling face and twinkling eyes.
The children behaved impecably throughout the ceremony. It must have been D.T's calming influence because they didn't move....Just too good to be true!

After the 'nuptuals' we proceeded to the local hostery for the reception.
DT offered me and the three girls, (aged 9, 7 and 4yrs), a lift in his car, which I gratefully accepted.
The children scrambled into the back and I sat in the front alongside DT.

All was quiet on the back seat apart from a bit of giggling and whispering.
Suddenly a little voice 'piped up' 'Well, if she marries Mr Ross she would be called Diana Ross and we could be 'The Supremes'! Another little voice chipped in, 'Well I want her to marry Mr.DT. because 'Aunty M' said he's got a much better job and lots more money than Mr.Ross....He's a much better catch and better looking too!.... What was the expression....

'From the mouths of babes, comes words of wisdom'.....

'Open up ground and swallow me now', I thought, as I turned crimson with embarrassment. Needless to say DT was highly amused and took all this in good fun....I really didn't expect to see him again...

However, a Month later at the Local Womens's Institute Dance, to which he'd invited me, (without The Supremes, I may add), who, were tucked up in bed with Grandma baby sitting.. we toodled off for a sumptuous Banquet and Disco at a wonderful local hotel....

Oh, we danced through the night,
we held each other tight,
Then, before too long,
I fell in love with him,
Well, I've never danced with another,
Since, I saw him standing there.

Three weeks after the WI Dance DT came around for Sunday Roast, we had been dating in between time and DT used to, some times call around early evening, and would invariably end up at the table playing board games with the children whilst I prepared supper..... However, Back to the Sunday Roast!

Everyone was sitting nicely around the table, and as I carried in the dinner, 'up piped' another little voice saying...'When are you going to marry my Mum'?

I nearly dropped the Roast Chicken, and again, blushed crimson in embarrassment....'Oh ground please, please open up and swallow me', again, I cringed.
Then, another little voice added, 'Look at Mum, she's gone all red'....

Again all this was taken in good humour by DT.
I really expected him to do a 'runner ', and join The Foreign Legion...
Bearing in mind DT was the eternal batchelor and was never in any rush to get married too any of his former girl friends.


Five years later we were married. Although, all the while, our relationship was getting stronger, DT, was never a man to rush into things, he wanted the three girls to accept him and also, I needed time to recover from an acrimonious divorce, which was, in some ways, like a bereavement.

During DT's Speech at the wedding he raised his glass to me and the three girls and said how happy he was, because he had fallen in love, not only with me, but, with the 'whole package', from when he first met us.

The whole package included One large Alsation Dog called Victor, A Guinea Pig called Gilbert, a one eyed Cat called Nelson, Two Goldfish and a White Mouse called Ben..... I guess he married the whole menagerie, (package).

We have just celebrated 20 years of Happy Marriage, thanks to my little 'Matchmakers'!