Sunday 14 February 2010

My funny Valentine

Long, long ago I met a handsome Englishman on top of a mountain in Switzerland. I was skiing with a group of friends and he was a Foreign Office chap on leave from a posting in Thailand, it turned out. He took me out to dinner in a gentlemanly sort of way (see pic in nightclub) and skied with me next day, patient with my lack of skill on the slopes. Then, four days after I'd met him, completely out of the blue, he proposed on February 14th. I later discovered he'd intended to ask me to marry him overlooking the Rhone valley only I fell off the draglift on the way up, so he'd had to wait, nerves jangling, until we were just above the village. I was so utterly astonished I nearly fell over again.
What happened next? Well, it's a long story.
Typically, my husband of 34 years didn't actually know it was Valentine's Day.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh that is so romantic! Did you go to Thailand with him? He is good looking. You're quite darling yourself.

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

What a lovely story, so romantic even though he didn't realize it was Valentine's Day.

Anonymous said...

Loved this story and what a happy ending! Don't you both look glamorous too!

Ms Mac said...

Susie, that's just gorgeous! Happy Valentine's day to you!

LindyLouMac said...

My favourite post for Valentines Day, thankyou for sharing your romantic and whirlwind proposal.

Rattling On said...

Nine years ago on our wedding anniversary, MrH said to me 'We must do something really special when we've been married ten years.' It was our 12th anniversary...men, eh!
Love your photo.
Today is my birthday so Valentine's day has always been secondary really.
A cousin chose it as her wedding day when I was about 13. I was very miffed and couldn't really understand the point at the time. I look very sullen on the photos.

cheshire wife said...

How romantic! The only time that we went on a T-bar lift I fell off and what happened next would probably make a post. We did not see on another for three or four hours and we have not been ski-ing since.

Faye said...

What an exciting valentine memory, Susie. I admire your decision to go where your heart led. Apparently a sound decision at that since 34 years have gone by and you have no regrets.

Love the way couples used to dress up for dates. How feminine you looked with your handsome beau by your side.

Lane Mathias said...

A proposal after four days!

What a lovely story (and photo)

Susie Vereker said...

Thanks for all your kind comments. Yes, I did go to Thailand, Dedene, in a mad sort of whirlwind.
Re the clothes, well, in those days you had to be smart for so-called apres-ski. I look way overdressed by modern standards - son said why were you wearing a lace doily, Mum? Am sure you'd like to know that my trousers were purple velvet bellbottoms!

sablonneuse said...

How lovely. Are you going to write your autobiography one of these days?

Karen said...

Fab story, and what a glam couple you make :o) Did you forgive him for forgetting Valentine's Day?