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Thursday, March 4, 2010

Khartoum Flying Home

As this post is aired, we will be flying home to South Africa on a three week break. We should have left by 06h35 but the take off is normally thirty minutes late. We have an hour to make the connection in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and normally do this by the skin of our teeth. The last time we flew out, we were met at the bottom of the aircraft steps by an official who was calling desperately for Johannesburg passengers. Two young ladies, Grant and I were the only ones. He asked us if we had checked in baggage. We only had hand luggage but the ladies said theirs was checked in. At the official's urging, we sprinted across the tarmac, into the airport terminal, past/through queuing passengers, down the escalators, through another hall. All the time, I felt as though we were in a movie scene where the baddies are chased by the police. Only thing: we were in hot pursuit of the uniform not vice versa. Eventually we exited a sliding door onto a bus which sped us to the waiting aircraft. We never saw the young women board our plane and suspect they had to spend the day in Addis Ababa and catch the Johannesburg flight out the next day.

In the light of the narrow time limit, we may be in Johannesburg just after lunch, or we may be in Addis Ababa until tomorrow. Either way, I will only be online again on Saturday morning in South Africa.

Our wedding day, 4th March 1972

Today is also our wedding anniversary. Grant and I have been married for 38 years. We met at school in 1968 and have made it together through thick and thin. On that momenteous day of our lives, my sister, Rose was my chief bridesmaid. My sister-in-law (then still my brother's fiance) was the other maid while a young cousin, was a sort of in between flower-girl/bridesmaid. Grant's best friend was his best man while his brother was the groomsman. We all look like school-kids in the photos.

This photo was taken at Angus and Amanda's wedding in 2007. (They are the couple who have just presented us with another grandchild)

12 comments:

  1. Jo...I'm so glad you and your husband are able to go home for 3 weeks...and congratulations on your anniversary!
    Love the photos from the day you were married and 2007. You two are adorable. I love being able to put a face with the name of the person I have been communicating with.

    Enjoy your time at home. When will you you be able to move back permanently?

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  2. Congratulations on your anniversary. What a lovely couple you and your husband make...then and now. Wishing you many more happy years.
    Sunny :)

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  3. Happy Wedding Anniversary, Jo - and may you both have many more happy years together ....

    Hopefully you are on - or soon will be - South African soil again when you read this !
    xx

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  4. You haven't changed a scrap! Happy anniversary and congratulations for being together so long. Hope you got your connection.

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  5. Good luck to u, Jo.
    Have a nice day
    graceolsson.com/blog

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  6. Happy 38th Anniversary, Jo and Grant! What a cute photo of you on your wedding day--You do look like high school kids! And what a handsome couple you are still. Have a wonderful time with your family in SA for three weeks.

    Jerry and I will celebrate our 34th in June.

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  7. Congratulations on your anniversary! What a wonderful thing - an anniversary & a visit to see the new baby. Blessed! Here's hoping you didn't have to wear your running shoes this time.

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  8. Happy Anniversary! Congratulations on 38 years of marrage! You make a beautiful couple. Enjoy your trip home! Thanks for sharing the story with us!

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  9. Happy Anniversary, Jo.... You and Grant look even better now than you did some 38 yrs. ago.... You both look fabulous!!!

    Hope you made it home safely. Those three weeks will go quickly--but I'm sure you both will love every minute of them... Can't wait to see a picture of you with that new grandbaby.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  10. Either way, have a safe trip home and happy anniversary!

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  11. Beautiful photos. Hope you made it home okay!

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Thank you for visiting my blog and taking the time to leave a comment. I appreciate your feedback. Jo