Brian and Barbara RV'ing: How can 50 years have passed already?

First let me apologize for taking so long catching the blog up, we are well settled into our winter quarters and all the friends and activities that we love here.

We met when we were about 16 at the church youth club back in our hometown of Birkenhead which lies on the banks of the River Mersey opposite Liverpool England.

We went out together and travelled on my motorcycle thru England and Europe. Barbara went away to college and I learned my shipbuilding skills as an apprentice.

In 1971 when we turned 21 we announced that we were going to get married. We researched church availability and places for the reception, October 23rd was selected for the date.

The Big Day 1971

We found a little flat on the top floor of an old Victorian house and planned our honeymoon on the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands.

Life was good to us, we worked and travelled in Holland, Canada and the USA. After 11 years together we had 2 great kids Sally and Fred who grew into nice responsible adults.

Almost impossibly soon we found it was time to retire and we began our motorhome adventure.

For our 25th anniversary we went back to the church in England we were married in, and renewed our marriage vows. We imagined how old we would be when it came to celebrate our 50th anniversary! What could we do to mark that special occasion?

Laughingly we said we would get Elvis to do it in Las Vegas. And there was the seed that grew and grew until we knew that we were going to make happen.

Suddenly along came 2020, we had 1 year to make plans. We researched the wedding chapels in Vegas but they wanted a fortune to do a ceremony and all wanted to limit the number of attendees. Hotels wanted a fortune to rent rooms for the event,

I researched Elvis impersonators and found an agency who could furnish somebody, we decided to camp at the KOA at Sams Town Casino because they also had a Hotel adjacent for non campers. We sent out tentative invitations.

And Covid happened.

We kept on planning and Covid died down a little but not enough for our UK friends to risk coming over for the event. Our great friends from our winter quarters were still up for a party, more fulltime friends were too and some San Diegans. We set the wheels in motion and before we knew it we were driving to Nevada.

Ed, Ruthanne, Paul, Karen, Jim and Lani camped, Al, Marie, Dennis and Staranne, Tammy were in the hotel, Bruce and Sue were at the Elks Lodge and Marty and Peggy stayed at the Airforce Base.

For the big occasion we dressed up and had a great Happy Hour together, some more guests Dee and Rob joined us and much merriment was enjoyed. Staranne surprised us with a cake and commemorative plaques. Plaques plural because Ed and Ruthanne were also celebrating 50 years too.

Karen and Paul were celebrating 37 years and Rob and Dee 16 years!

Right on time our Elvis arrived and set up his equipment, I had been checking in with him occasionally and I felt I knew him quite well, we hit it off after we discovered that he was from New Zealand and we were from UK.

We were surprised to meet him in person as he was quite the biggest Elvis we've seen at 6'-3" tall!

BIG Elvis!

Lots of good friends

The ceremony was not formal, we like it that way. Barbara and I had new wedding rings to exchange. It felt amazing to be sharing this with our friends, but we missed those who were separated from us by the curse of Covid.

Barb, Myself, Ed and Ruthanne

Champagne and gifts. Thanks Staranne

Elvis did us proud and although he was officially booked for 45 minutes he was enjoying it too and did another 30 minutes for fun

Me and Elvis rocking it.

Eventually he departed and more drinks were enjoyed before we all

staggered off to bed.

We were booked in for 7 nights as were Ed and Ruthanne.

Paul, Karen, Tammy, Jim and Lani, Bruce, Sue, Marty and Peggy headed out. Dennis and Staranne stayed a couple of extra days.

The “survivors” took a trip to the old section of Vegas – Fremont Street where we found an outside bar area and watched the street performers doing their thing. We went shopping at the huge International Market, watched the “Dancing Waters” show in the Sam’s Town Hotel, walked the famous Vegas “Strip” and visited the Burlesque Museum in between dinners out.