our ruby wedding anniversary

Forty years ago today we walked out of church as husband and wife.  It was a small wedding by modern standards - no huge, day-long party stretching out into the early hours.  It was just a simple church service, photos then a reception at a local hotel.

We left with 'L-plates' on the car only to sneak back a few hours later once everyone had gone. We married young and had no spare money whatsoever so the offer of a free room for the night as part of the hotel wedding package was just too good to refuse.

So where should we eat our first meal on our own as a married couple? We walked along the beach where we had done so much of our courting as teenagers and bought fish and chips from a seaside cafe. They were truly delicious and we wanted for nothing - we had each other.

We've celebrated every wedding anniversary since then with a fish and chip meal to remind us where we've come from. Over the years we've been so fortunate to eat in places as varied as a famous fish restaurant in Paris, on the wall outside a chippie in a Norfolk coastal town and down in the basement of family-run Jewish restaurant in Budapest.

Today was no exception. We celebrated with a plate of fish-fingers and chips before settling down to watch some tear-jerking videos from our past rescued by our eldest daughter as our ruby wedding anniversary present.

Simple food, simple times, simple love - what could be better.