Cath

It's 1095 days since we first met
We went to the art gallery at Southbank
And you spent most of the time admiring my arse
You were obviously confused
Although I suppose they do sound similar, art and arse
I didn't know this until afterwards
But I didn't mind as long as it made you happy
I was flattered that you thought my arse was better to look at than the Spanish masters
This was the beginning of how you made me feel good about myself and comfortable in the shadow of your smile
We went for a walk across the Kurilpa Bridge, but your shoes weren't made for walking so we came back
Our first taste of flexibility and doing what felt right for each other
We never looked back
1095 days sounds longer than 3 years
But every day has been a good one
At first we looked forward to seeing each other
Then we looked forward to spending more time together
Then we looked forward to waking up together
Now we just look forward to being together and not so much to being apart
Anticipation is a powerful aphrodisiac
I don't think one of those 1095 days has been without laughter
I know none of them have passed without thinking of each other
The recipe is simple
Honesty, Transparency, No drama, Thoughtfulness, Caring, Sharing , Listening
And lots and lots of laughter and smiles
I look forward to seeing that number grow from 1095 to 6000 and beyond

Can it be that long
Since you became a part of my song
Not just a chorus
But many verses long

6 years have gone since we first met
On a Sunday afternoon in Brisbane
How lucky can we get
I don't think that we expected
It would turn out quite this way
When we first met on that very special day

And while the time just seems to vanish
We've packed a whole lot in
We have memories to cherish
That often make us grin

Sometimes we forget more than we remember
But it always makes us laugh
And to help our ageing memories we have lots of photographs
Your plan's to get me into onesies
Mine's to avoid at any cost
But the one thing we're agreed on is we're glad our journeys crossed

If you see a door then knock on it
Because if you don't you'll never know
What's behind that door of opportunity
You only reap what first you sow

Our paths crossed 9 September
Eleven years since mum passed on
Was it by chance another Catherine was sent to love her son
I don't think that it was chance; I think it was always meant to be
She would have loved you dearly
Just as she loved me

So thank you for six perfect years
And here's to many, many more
I'm so glad that you didn't hesitate
To knock upon my door

Did we meet by accident or was it meant to be?
Did I go online with purpose
Knowingyou were waitingthere for me
Or did we just coincide on that first date and every second since
If you told me you were seeking me
I would be easy to convince

In the end it doesn't matter
Because meet we did and together we remain
And whatever happens now
Our lives will never be the same

I didn't think that I was looking
I was happy as I was
But looking or not looking I'm happier because
I knowI've found my soul mate
The one I've been looking for
I need look no longer
I've found who I was looking for

A soul mate is not something
That everybody finds
But It's wonderful when the same thing goes through two completely separate minds
But maybe that's the secret
They're not separate minds at all
They just got parted for a while
And we're just waiting for the call

Someone who's heart beats in time with yours
Someone who doesn't just accept you as you are
Someone who enjoys you faults and all
And who's always on your mind
No matter if you're near or far

So no we didn't meet by accident
I know that we were meant to be
We just took some time a travelling
To where we both could see
That our souls were joined together
And our hearts were so much lighter for the pleasure
Of travelling different journeys at our leisure
Through the rest of life's sweet mystery

Like a diamond in a silver mine

She shines her light on me

Something I did not expect to find

Maybe she found me

She tells me what I need to hear

Not what my ears can bear

And I trust her implicitly

So, I listen without fear

She guides my star along the way

So that my path is true

Where would I be my darling girl

If I did not have you

To find someone so late in life

That fits you like a glove

Is like a diamond in a silver mine

The perfect kind of love

I have no further need for mining

I found the secret lode

My diamond in the silver mine

I found my happy road

You're all I ever wanted

You're all I really need

You fill up all my spaces

You're the book I love to read

You're the smile that I come home to

You're the smile that starts my day

You fill my thoughts even when I'm busy

You make everything ok

Sometimes we get lucky

and things fall into place

I got lucky, darling girl

when I first saw your face

So happy birthday darling girl

The fifth since we first met

On that day back in September

By virtue of the internet

It took a long time for our paths to cross

Through all the journeys that we made

But cross they did & blessed we are

Before our days began to fade

Rumi in his wisdom said

Lovers don't finally meet somewhere

They're in each other all along

It's hard to argue with the man

You were always in my song

You grew up in London

North of the border's where I'm from

And yet our paths crossed in Brisbane

Many years after we were born

Rumi in his wisdom said

Lovers don't finally meet somewhere

They're in each other all along

It's hard to argue with the man

You were always in my song

If your dad didn't come back to Australia

If I hadn't sought adventures new

I'd never have ended up in Brisbane

To cross my path with you

Rumi in his wisdom said

Lovers don't finally meet somewhere

They're in each other all along

It's hard to argue with the man

You were always in my song

It took too long to happen

We spent too many years apart

But now you're in my song forever

Two souls beating in one heart

We met, we clicked
Our Luck was in
You made me the happiest I've ever been
We didn't have to work at it
We were in that perfect place
I knew I'd found what I was looking for
The first time I saw your face

I didn't want a substitute
I wanted you to be the one
I can't begin to thank you
You're the full moon to my sun
And now we're heading off to Stanthorpe
For Cath & Ben part two
And I can't wait to spend my dimming days with you

So happy anniversary my darling girl
Waking up with you is still a thrill
Six years have gone so fast
But it has really been a blast
Soon it will just be thee and me
(And Noodle of course)
The perfect three

Another Christmas with you
What could be better than that?
Last year around this time we were just getting to know each other
Who could have guessed it would come around again so fast
And we'd still be together and thinking now of future Christmases to come
Not even considering that next Christmas we wouldn't be together
Making plans for the future
Doing things we want to do and visiting places we've always wanted to visit
Sharing dreams and daring to dream of new adventures
How did we get this lucky you and I
How did our worlds collide and place us in such perfect symmetry
Were we always heading along some parallel path leading to the same destination?
But how did those parallel lines converge so that we crossed paths when we did
Did an angel intervene and bring those lines together so we could see each other
And then left it up to us to seize the opportunity or not as the case may be
How many people don't see the opportunities in front of them
Or even worse see the opportunity but don't grab it and live the rest of their lives regretting what might have been
No regrets for you and I darling girl
We saw those lines converge and we understood what that meant
Not overtly but instinctively and we grabbed that opportunity with both hands because angels don't intervene for just any old souls
Another Christmas with you darling girl and many more to come

Another page has turned
The book is building up its leaves
more to look back on than yet to come
But nothing there to grieve

It's not a bad read so far
These somewhat tattered pages
Looking back throughout my ages
From birth to where I am right now

There's more smiles than tears
More comfort than fears
More friends than foes
More successes than woes

And I think the best is yet to come
From where I'm sitting now
With each blank page in front of me
And pastures fresh to plough

I think I've got a bit more life to give
And it's all yours Mrs White
You're my beacon, my great big shining star
You'll be on every page I write

So let's write the next chapters together
Let's write them hand in hand
Let's walk into the sunset
In our bare feet on the sand

Let's fill each and every page
With adventures big and small
Let's laugh and sing and dance
Until the piper calls

And when we look back
On however many years we had
We will know that it was perfect
The best time we ever had

So this is my birthday wish to me
And my birthday wish to you
May I have many birthdays more
To dance and laugh with you

I want to walk down a thousand strange streets with you
Eat a thousand new dishes sitting next to you
Share kisses in a thousand new rooms with you
Blow out a thousand candles one by one as I make slow love to you
Travel a thousand, thousand miles with you
Share a thousand smiles with you
Run my fingers down your back a thousand times for you
Create a thousand effervescent bubbles in the night for you
Spend a thousand lives with you
Declare my love a hundred thousand times for you
And watch the sunset in your eyes a thousand times with you
Rub a thousand vials of oil into your skin for you
Make you a thousand times happier than you thought you could be
And tell you a hundred thousand times how much you mean to me
My love my darling girl my thousand carat gift to me

I get a great big ball of warmth
Welling up inside of me
Every time I think of you
That's how you make me feel

And the anticipation of your smile
Keeps me going for a while
I'm truly blessed by knowing you
That's how you make me feel

That's how you make me feel
You make me feel I'm real
And the feeling deep inside of me
Confirms that you're the real deal

It's a special thing we have
We're lucky and we know it
And we know it's well worth working for
That's how you make me feel

That's how you make me feel
You make me feel I'm real
And the feeling deep inside of me
Confirms that you're the real deal

And I know you feel the same
I know I have the same effect
Our pulses beat in harmony
What else would you expect?

That's how you make me feel
You make me feel I'm real
And the feeling deep inside of me
Confirms that you're the real deal

You are beautiful in so many ways
And I cherish every day
I bask in the glow of your smile
You simply don't understand
How beautiful you are
But I hope that you will learn it in a while

You don't realise the effect you have
On the people in your space
You're such a kind & thoughtful human being
You live your life with such simple grace
And it shines out through your face
And you're the only one that isn't seeing

So thank you for simply being you
Thank you for the gift you are to me
Thank you for the special times we share
Thank you for the Cath you let me see
Thank you for the smile you put upon my face
Thank you for the style you've added to my place
Thank you for the way you make me feel
Thank you for the things about me you reveal

Dearest darling Cath
I can't believe you don't think you're beautiful to me
When the smile that fills your face
Is like the morning sun I see

When the light that fills your eyes
Is everyday a sweet surprise
That fills me full of so much joy
And makes me feel just like a boy

When the way you move turns me on
When your touch on my skin is like the breaking dawn
How can you ever believe I think of you
As anything but beautiful

I love that girlish look you have
Each and every time you see me
That special look I know
Is reservedfor only me

I love the touch of your skin
When I run my fingers down your spine
I love the touch of your hands
When you're holding yours in mine

I know you know I love you
In many different ways
But hear me when I tell you
Your beauty brightens up my days

I know that as a woman
You judge yourself in the way that women do
But I cannot be constrained by that
I just love the beauty that's uniquely you

I can't explain it any better
Than the words I've used above
I just see all kinds of beauty
In the darlingCath I love

I look at ample women differently because of you
I can appreciate their beauty because of you
Although my eyes still wander over long-legged blondes
Of course, you know they do

I laugh a lot because of you
I rarely cry over things you do
I smile on waking up each day because of you
Long-legged blondes don't really interest me because of you

Because of you, I can be me
Not some perfect being that's never really free
To evolve in my own imperfect way
Dealing with the challenges of each and every day
And I love you just the way you are
My own imperfect superstar

You were born in a faraway land
Not far away from me
But we didn't get the chance to meet
until the internet let you see
I wasn't there for the past
But I'll be there for the rest
I'll be there for the best
And I hope that we will be blessed
By many more years

To find your best friend
In your twilight years
Someone who helps you
deal with your fears
Is a blessing indeed
A blessing so sweet
That it peels away years
So don't shed any tears
For another birthday

I breathe easily with you
Because you make me free
You make the breath flow through me
Like the river to the sea

So breathe me in
And let me be
The energy
That sets you free

I sleep easily with you
Because you make me free
You make my heart beat with a different rhythm
The rhythm that is you and me

So breathe me in
And let me be
The energy
That sets you free

I love easily with you
Because you make me free
You energise my soul
Like the sun and the rain feed the roots of the tree

So breathe me in
So you can be
The energy
That sets me free

You're a lawn mower operator baby
You cut those stupid people down to size
They know not to mess with you
When they see that look in your eyes

You're an electrician baby
Fully charged and ready to go
You're totally wired for electric love
You're ready to go go go

You're a doctor baby
Write me a prescription for hot love
But you don't do it on the bottom
You prefer to be above

You're a mechanic baby
You've got my engine roaring
Fuel injection high octane
There's no way that you're boring

You're a baker baby
You know how to make me rise
Put me in your oven baby
Fill me full of sweet surprise

You're a computer programmer baby
You apply pure logic to the task
You talk in coded language
But you do anything I ask

You're a politician baby
You tell me what I want to hear
But you like erections not elections
On that you are quite clear

You're a psychiatrist baby
You understand my mind
But when you analyse me
All my imperfections you will find

You're a truck driver baby
Oh yes you like to - drive your truck
But when you shift to top gear
I know that I'm in luck

You're a dentist baby
You like to play inside my mouth
But when you lecture me on oral hygiene
You encourage me to go down south

You're a rocket scientist baby
But you don't like to get there fast
You're about the journey not the destination
You much prefer to make it last

You're a teacher baby
You've taught me such a lot
I was such an ingenue
But now I know how to do the fox trot

You're a vet baby
But you don't treat my like a dog
After we've been together
I sleep just like a hog

You're a policeman baby
And while I've never been arrested
The quality of your truncheon
Has surely been attested

You're a businessman baby
And you sure mean business with me
You check out all my assets
And forget my liabilities

You're an astronaut baby
You take me to the stratosphere
When I'm with you baby
I don't see nobody else here

You run a delicatessen store baby
But small goods a'int for you
You want Everything in full measure baby
When I make sweet love to you

Your'e a hairdresser baby
Give me a wash & cut
Get down & dirty with me baby
But don't Treat me like a slut

You're a green grocer baby
But you're anything but green with me
You give me full measure baby
Your ample shelf more than satisfied me

You're a banker baby
Yes you heard me right
I don't plan to make no withdrawal
When we get up close tonight

You're a lumberjack baby
But I'll cut you down to size
I'm less interested in the size of your tree
Than how you look into my eyes

You're an accountant baby
So I guess you're good with money
But the figures won't add up
Unless you treat me special honey

You're an economist baby
But don't make assumptions 'bout what I need
I'm looking for inflation
So my expectations you'll exceed

You're an artist baby
Your palette is so fine
Paint me any colour you choose
Just promise you'll be mine

You're a train driver baby
But you never run out of steam
You keep my engine running
And maintain my self esteem

You're a fireman baby
I want to slide up and down your pole
And when my fire's burning bright
You can satisfy my soul

You're a beekeeper baby
You extract honey from my hive
And when you're around my honeypot
It feels good to be alive

You're a trainer baby
Teach me how to do it right
And when I've perfected my technique
We can fornicate all night

You're a sous chef baby
Cook me long & slow & tender
Baste me with your juices
Good feelings to engender

You're a sea captain baby
Set your compass heading south
Then lie down here beside me
And I'll tell you where to put your mouth

You're a songwriter baby
You write such beautiful rhymes
And when I spend time with you
We have such wonderful times

You're a lawn mower operator baby
You cut those stupid people down to size
They know not to mess with you
When they see that look in your eyes

You're an electrician baby
Fully charged and ready to go
You're totally wired for electric love
You're ready to go go go

You're a doctor baby
Write me a prescription for hot love
But you don't do it on the bottom
You prefer to be above

You're a mechanic baby
You've got my engine roaring
Fuel injection high octane
There's no way that you're boring

You're a baker baby
You know how to make me rise
Put me in your oven baby
Fill me full of sweet surprise

You're a computer programmer baby
You apply pure logic to the task
You talk in coded language
But you do anything I ask

You're a politician baby
You tell me what I want to hear
But you like erections not elections
On that you are quite clear

You're a psychiatrist baby
You understand my mind
But when you analyse me
All my imperfections you will find

You're a truck driver baby
Oh yes you like to - drive your truck
But when you shift to top gear
I know that I'm in luck

You're a dentist baby
You like to play inside my mouth
But when you lecture me on oral hygiene
You encourage me to go down south

You're a rocket scientist baby
But you don't like to get there fast
You're about the journey not the destination
You much prefer to make it last

You're a teacher baby
You've taught me such a lot
I was such an ingenue
But now I know how to do the fox trot

You're a vet baby
But you don't treat my like a dog
After we've been together
I sleep just like a hog

You're a policeman baby
And while I've never been arrested
The quality of your truncheon
Has surely been attested

You're a businessman baby
And you sure mean business with me
You check out all my assets
And forget my liabilities

You're an astronaut baby
You take me to the stratosphere
When I'm with you baby
I don't see nobody else here

You run a delicatessen store baby
But small goods a'int for you
You want Everything in full measure baby
When I make sweet love to you

Your'e a hairdresser baby
Give me a wash & cut
Get down & dirty with me baby
But don't Treat me like a slut

You're a green grocer baby
But you're anything but green with me
You give me full measure baby
Your ample shelf more than satisfied me

You're a banker baby
Yes you heard me right
I don't plan to make no withdrawal
When we get up close tonight

You're a lumberjack baby
But I'll cut you down to size
I'm less interested in the size of your tree
Than how you look into my eyes

You're an accountant baby
So I guess you're good with money
But the figures won't add up
Unless you treat me special honey

You're an economist baby
But don't make assumptions 'bout what I need
I'm looking for inflation
So my expectations you'll exceed

You're an artist baby
Your palette is so fine
Paint me any colour you choose
Just promise you'll be mine

You're a train driver baby
But you never run out of steam
You keep my engine running
And maintain my self esteem

You're a fireman baby
I want to slide up and down your pole
And when my fire's burning bright
You can satisfy my soul

You're a beekeeper baby
You extract honey from my hive
And when you're around my honeypot
It feels good to be alive

You're a trainer baby
Teach me how to do it right
And when I've perfected my technique
We can fornicate all night

You're a sous chef baby
Cook me long & slow & tender
Baste me with your juices
Good feelings to engender

You're a sea captain baby
Set your compass heading south
Then lie down here beside me
And I'll tell you where to put your mouth

You're a songwriter baby
You write such beautiful rhymes
And when I spend time with you
We have such wonderful times

Your Christmas present didn't arrive
It got returned by the courier damaged
And they didn't have a replacement
I thought at first it was a scam
Because I had already received a message
To say it hadn't been picked up yet
But no I think it was genuine

Anyway it was perfume
And I'm sure it would have been lovely
But that's life in 2019
I'm a retiree now
things don't always go to plan
In fact I have to say there is no plan
Other than spending more precious time with you
Which is more of a dream than a plan
A luxury in fact
Aye lass a luxury

As we approach the new year
And plan for the next stage of our life together
I am full of delight at the simple pleasures
we have to look forward to
Up early, nap in the middle of the day
Eat when and what we want
With nobody but us to worry about
Aye lass a luxury

I'll pop into the office every now and then
But even now a few days after retirement
I can feel the pressure's gone
And I don't have a care in the world
I'll miss coming home to you every night
Because I enjoyed the anticipation
But I'll enjoy being in the same space
Rather than just having you in my thoughts

So a happy gift free Christmas darling girl
You can unwrap me later if you feel inclined
Or wrap me in your arms
Just you and me combined
Christmas 2019 and many more to come
With just thee and me
and Noodle makes three
Until the setting of our sun

I brushed my lips against your eyes

Just to hear you sigh

I pressed my lips against your lips

So you could taste the coffee I'd just sipped

I said my fond farewells

And wished you smiles throughout the day

And looked forward to your smile when I got home

And then I stepped into the fray

I'm driving home and I'm smiling
In anticipation of you
Sitting at the kitchen bench
Lying sleeping on the couch
Preparing dinner
It doesn't really matter
It's YOU I'm anticipating
Not what you're doing
I'm anticipating the smile on your face
As I walk through the door
Glasses misted over
from the aircon in my car
You laugh as my eyes gradually appear through the mist
We hug and we hold that hug for a while
We read that a 30 second hug is good for your health
But hey we knew that
Didn't need the research to tell us
But we don't do it for our health
Hell that's just a bonus
We do it because we love it
There's nothing better than that physical contact
At the end of the working day
First thing in the morning
Every time's a good time to hug
And we're together again just the way we like it
You and me
My skin on your skin
Your skin on mine
One skin
Our skin
Perfect

There are no consequences of loving you
Everything just plays out as it is
I don't have to change who I am
To be captured by your kiss

I don't have to modify my behaviour
I don't have to dress a particular way
I can just be who I've grown up to be
I don't have to worry about the price I have to pay

You can't imagine how empowering that feeling is
Just to be accepted for the man I am
because I didn't get here lightly girl
It took a while to grow into this man

I used to worry about what people thought
But I gave that up long ago
Now I do what I feel is right
And those who don't like can blow

But you fit my jigsaw perfectly
The missing piece that makes it feel complete
You love my strengths and accept my weaknesses
Because of you, my soul's replete

There are no consequences of loving you
Everything just plays out as it is
I don't have to change who I am
To be captured by your kiss

From the curve of her smile
To the curve of her arse
She's the one that makes me smile
She's the one that I would walk 100 miles for
She's my sweetheart from the Emerald Isle

She's the one that makes me wake up
With a smile upon my face
She's the one that reassures me
That I'm in exactly the right place

She's the one that I'll retire with
That I'll gift my remaining years to
That I'll travel my last journey with
Happy that it's just we two

From the curve of her smile
To the curve of her arse
She's the one that makes me smile
She's the one that I would walk 100 miles for
She's my sweetheart from the Emerald Isle

She's the one that makes me happy
Each and every single day
She's the one that I come home to
At the end of each day

From the curve of her smile
To the curve of her arse
She's the one that makes me smile
She's the one that I would walk 100 miles for
She's my sweetheart from the Emerald Isle

I'm so lucky that I met her
Back in September 2012
God bless the World Wide Web
It didn't leave me on the shelf

From the curve of her smile
To the curve of her arse
She's the one that makes me smile
She's the one that I would walk 100 miles for
She's my sweetheart from the Emerald Isle

When the darkness comes upon you
Let me be your light
Let me chase away the shadows
And make everything alright

If ever you are troubled
Let me be the one to ease your pain
Let me be the one to ease the pressure
So it doesn't bother you again

When you're chasing off your demons
And the pressure's getting hard to bear
I know how hard you're struggling
And I know it isn't fair

When you're feeling fragile
Let me be your strength
Let me be your patience
You know I'll go to any length

Wherever I am,darling girl
Even when you're home in bed
You know you're right beside me
Right here in my head

So let me push away the darkness
Let me be your light
When you feel a little flat
I'll be your Mr Right, Mrs White

I met this lovely girl called Cath
She took me down a brand new path
She calls me her darling man
So I know I'm not some also ran
She holds me tightly to her heart
And I'm partial to her other parts
Life is good life is sweet
Since Cath I did chance to meet
On the interweb it was one day
Who says browsing doesn't pay

I laughed in your dream
And you laughed in mine
Apparently at random
But at the same time

Are we really that tight?
That we share dreams as well
You laughed and I laughed
Like we were under a spell

Or were we just laughing
At two different things
Just laughing while sleeping
Is that what love brings

You don't understand it
And neither do I
But the laughter was real
Not something money can buy

To be so truly happy
That we laugh while we sleep
Is a treasure worth having
And one that we'll keep

We'll remember forever
And one day we'll say
Do you remember the night?
We laughed at the same time
And in the same way

I am just a drifter when you're not here with me
Do things really happen if you're not here to see
Does the sun come up each morning
Without your head upon my shoulder
Does time stand still without you or am I still growing older

You've become a part of me as I am part of you
When we're not together we both feel somewhat blue
We work on the same frequency
We're tuned to the same things
And as we edge in closer our hearts begin to sing

I am just a drifter waiting for my sails to fill
Hoping for a headwind but the sea is very still
But when you come back home to me
I will drift no more
I'll head in your direction, my safe haven on the shore

You say that I'm easy
And yes, that's the way I roll
I don't care for drama
Because drama takes its toll

I don't care for complications
And the games that people play
Because in my experience
Folks get hurt that way

We share thoughts before they become words
We breathe the same ideas and exhale them like the mist of breath on a cold winter's night so they mingle and we can't tell one thought from another
We laugh in tandem having seen the same joke at the same time.
We are entwined we two
each separate but our roots nurtured by the same sustenance
making us stronger with each waking day.
We are not one
we are our own separate beings with our own individual essence
created by the years we have travelled separately in this world
but without the need of a map or a compass or a torch
to see our way forward on the next part of our journey.
We will guide each other on this next stage
without fear of losing our way
trusting each other to provide the guiding light to keep us on our path.

I'm glad that I make you feel happy
I'm glad that I don't make you sad
I'm glad that I make you feel good
I'm glad I don't make you feel bad
I'm glad that I make you feel safe
I'm glad you don't feel insecure
I'm glad that I met you
I'm glad I've still got you
I'm glad that our love has endured

If I'm feeling God-like it's because of you
If I can do anything I want it's because you empower me to
The smile upon my face is all because of you
And if I can steal a line from another song
You make me feel brand new

I didn't think it possible that I could feel this way
I didn't think that's the way my life would play
But you brought something out from deep inside of me
That set my heart, my soul my very essence free

Life is simple life is sweet
Since you I chanced to meet
In the ether on the Internet
I truly bless the day we met

You're so good to come home to
and so hard to leave
I love the way
you wear my heart on your sleeve

You're always on my mind
Always in my thoughts
You complete me
And join up all the dots

You're the salt to my pepper
The light to my shade
The day we connected
Best call I ever made

We share the same kind of crazy
The same sense of fun
If I am the bullet
Then you are the gun

You're the peanut butter on my toast
The crackling on my roast
You're all the little things that added up make something great
You're the tonic in my gin
You're my lover, my best friend
I'm so glad we didn't leave it all too late

Hands soft on skin like a warm summer breeze
Like a butterfly resting on its way past
Fingers caressing, looking for pleasure spots
And finding them every time
Magical hands, hands that never hurt
Hands that smooth away worries
Hands that comfort and heal
Hands that give, that never steal
Bless those hands

Have I told you how important you are to me
Have I told you how much I love the way you make me laugh
Have I told you how much I enjoy waking up with you and going to sleep with you and all the bits in between
Have I told you how glad I am we stepped outside our comfort zones and met each other
Have I told you what a special place you hold in my heart
Have I told you that I want to walk hand in hand with you into the sunset after the cooling of our days
Have I told you how I love you in oh so many ways
If I haven't told you these things - I'm telling you now. (Just so you know) xxx

Home is where I'm living
But the places that I've lived in
Have etched their stories on my heart
And it doesn't matter where I am
I know that there are places
of which I am a part

I started off in Caledonia
The land of the pibroch and the thistle
And this ancient place will always be
A strong part of my epistle

The Scottish sense of humour
Will always make me smile
And the memories I have from there
Have travelled many miles

I'm a Bathgate bairn and proud of it
It was a great place to grow up
It's where I learned my values
Supping from my parent's cup

The sights and sounds of Aotearoa
will always make me proud
Because I became a Kiwi
In the land of the long white cloud

The kiwi sense of humour
Also makes me smile
And kiwi ingenuity
Has its own creative style

The sound of Pokarekare Ana
Brings sweet tears to my eyes
And the performance of the haka
Makes my heartbeat rise

So Scottish blood flows through my veins
But the All Blacks are my team
One by birth and one by choice
I hold them both in high esteem

But now I'm in Australia
Been here for 10 years now
It's not Scotland or New Zealand
But it's my here and now

I had to travel all this way
To meet my darling Cath
Even though she was born in Ireland
It was in Brisbane that she crossed my path

So home is where I'm living
And it's the people that make it home
I don't know which future path I'll take
I don't know where I'll roam

But I know who will be by my side
When I wake up each day
So home will be where Cath is
And that is where we'll stay

Location can be north or south
It can be east or west
Home will be where we are
And wherever we are will be best

I can't believe how good this is
And how easy
It's not that we don't work at this relationship
Because we do
It just doesn't feel like work
It feels like the most natural thing
It feels just like breathing
And sure you sometimes have to work at that!!
But when all you want is to make someone happy
How hard can that be
And yet so many people get it wrong
I've got it wrong before so I know it's not easy
But this is easy and it's so good
We do simple little things for each other
And the good vibrations come right back
Reinforcing that what we did was right
But then we knew that didn't we
We didn't have to think about it
We just knew it was the thing to do
And we didn't expect anything in return
The smile we received was enough
I mean HOW GOOD IS THAT?

When I think it can't get any better
and it does, I'm humbled
If you didn't hear me say how good it is
Perhaps I mumbled

But believe me when I tell you
it's much better than expected
And you need to hear
that you are loved & you're respected
More than you could ever dream of in a hundred thousand years

So when you look next in the mirror
See yourself with my clear eyes
And know that you are simply
My little piece of paradise

I am blessed by your presence in my life, even before you became my wife.

We had travelled apart for many years but perhaps in parallel directions and yet something caused our lines to cross until we both arrived at the same place at the same time and nothing would ever be the same again.

Could we have planned it better if we had worked at it for years?

I don't think so because this simple perfection could not be improved. Some things are meant to be and not even a God can make it not be so.

The simplicity of what we have is undeniable but it has layers of complexity woven into it so that it is beautiful to behold like an ancient tapestry of many colours and shapes and each day some new shade appears that complements those already uncovered and the picture becomes more and more uniquely ours.

I am blessed by your presence in my life.

I am unafraid because of you
You make me strong when I feel weak
You hold me up when I am fragile
You give me strength when things look bleak

You give me everything to live for
You help me grow in many different ways
You are the rainbow in my storm clouds
The mistral wind that cools my days

You make me glad that I was open
To meeting someone new
I just wish our paths had crossed much sooner
So I could have spent more time with you

I am unafraid because of you
Because of you, my shoulders brush the sky
There is nothing I can't do
With you walking by my side

I hope I make you feel the same
I hope you are empowered by my love
And the image in your mirror
Reflects the wife I'm so proud of

Of all the women in all the world

I choose you

The tall and the short

The round and the slim

I choose you

The young and the old

The timid the bold

I choose you

I choose you because you fill the cracks in me

I choose you because you shine your light on me

I choose you because you satisfy the need in me

I choose you, I choose you, I choose you.

You've always been there
I just didn't know where
But I knew you were out there waiting
Like the oxygen in the air

And now that I've found you
I won't let you go
Because you make me feel alive
You build me up and let me grow

I don't believe in magic but I do believe in luck
But I believe we must create it for ourselves
I don't believe things happen just because we want them to
We must act; we can't rely on anybody else

When I found you;
you found me too
Like a lighthouse finds a ship that's drifting
And guides it back to shore

We'd both spent time working on improving who we were
So that when we at last connected we did it without fear
I don't believe in magic but I do believe in luck
But I believe we must create it for ourselves

I don't believe things happen
just because we want them to
We must act;
we can't rely on anybody else

Loving you was easy
Things just fell right into place
We didn't rush we didn't worry
We just went at our own pace

We never felt under any pressure
We didn't have a single thing to prove
We just trusted our own judgement
And fit into each other's groove

I don't believe in magic but I do believe in luck
But I believe we must create it for ourselves

I don't believe things happen
just because we want them to
We must act;
we can't rely on anybody else

So now we're in this special place
Where everything feels right
Where everything feels perfect,
morning, noon and night

Where there's still adventure and surprises every day
And smiles, and lots of daftness in the things we do and say
Where every day brings another reason
To be thankful for the way

We did not rely on someone else's magic
We created magic every day
We created luck from actions
We grabbed our luck and held it tight

We'd waited too long not to take our chances
We just knew that we were right

I don't believe in magic but I do believe in luck
But I believe we must create it for ourselves
I don't believe things happens just because we want them to
We must act; we can't rely on anybody else

I don't want to own you
I just want to behold you
In all your majesty
I don't want to contain you
I just want to enfold you
So I don't lose anything you bring

I don't need to fill your space
I just need to see your face
From time to time looking at mine
And smiling with your eyes
Directing me into the coffee place
To make your two spoonfuls with one sugar

I like the way we occupy our space
So it doesn't fill up and we are able to grow
I like the way we learn new things together
I like the way we learn new things on our own and share
I like having you in my space, our space
I like your smiling face

(And your eyes are like limpid pools) :-)

If you were here with me
That would be really sweet
I'd look at you and our eyes would meet
Your face would break into a smile
And we'd lie like that for a little while
You'd rest you head in your favourite place
And I'd stroke the hair away from your face
I'd touch my lips to yours
You'd stroke me with your tongue
I'd feel the breath expanding in my lungs
And we would make gentle love slow& long
If I was there with you - it won't be long xxx

I hear your voice and I can't quite tell where you are from
But the way it makes my heart skip
There's no doubt where you belong
You're in my heart you're in my mind
Best friend I'll ever find
And I'm just waiting, waiting, waiting for your return

When you're not here this space is not the same
Although it looks no different it's like I'm in someone else's game
I can't feel your vibrations bouncing off my soul
So I go out wandering to some different watering hole

It's not that I'm lonely
It's not that I'm sad
I still feel good
I don't feel bad

But you're the one who makes it feel like home
You're the one who removes the need to roam
You're the one who makes this a special place
And I don't feel the same urge to be there when I can't see your face

It's not that I'm lonely
It's not that I'm sad
I still feel good
I don't feel bad

I love you Cath without regret
For who you are
As an individual with all your fragilities
Because you don't always get it right
Because you don't expect me to always get it right
Because of your kindness which I never take for granted
Because of your love for your sons despite their imperfections
Because you understand my love for my son despite his imperfections
You're harder on yourself than on others
I love you, you, you and I like you, you, you
You're my favourite person to spend time with
I don't have to find things to do with you
I can do absolutely nothing with you and still be happy
Just being in your space is enough
Just feeling the air you move around you makes me smile
You are my best travelling companion through life and across the globe
The one I want to share my successes and failures with
The one I travel home to with a smile on my face wherever I've been
You are Cath and I'm eternally grateful that you welcomed me into your life
You are Cath, my best friend, my lover, my wife

She said i love you more than shoes
I said I love you more than listening to the blues
She said i love you more than chocolate
I said I love you that much too

She said i love you more than thigh high leather boots
I said I love you more than Italian designer suits
But baby wont you wear those boots for me
I got some passion that's just
screaming to be set free

She said I love you more than all the blue up in the sky
I said I'm still thinking about how far those boots go up your thigh
She said I love the way your thinking
I'm having beer what are you drinking
I said I'll have a cider I must confessI'm rather dry

She said I love you more than coffee
I said you're sweeter than ice cream
She said come right over darling man
I think you could make me scream

I said baby I can make you scream
I can make you quiver
I can make you ripple
Like a breeze blowing on a river

She said I love you more than bird song
I said I want to love you slow and long
She said I don't want to describe how I'm feeling any more
I just want you. I just want you. I just want you knocking down my door

I said you can hang up the phone and close your eyes
I'm here baby and I'm looking at your thighs
So let's not waste any more time whispering on the phone
I'm tired of talking baby
I just want to hear you moan

The rest of this story is x-rated I'm afraid
We've built up such a head of steam
Now we're going to get laid
I'd love to tell you more
But I'm sure you know the score
There's going to be reverberations, best leave things to your imagination

When you wake up in the morning
And I'm not lying by your side
Don't worry darling girl
I'm still there

You occupy my waking thoughts
You come to me in dreams
My heart beats in tandem
With your heart

And when you leave for work
My lips will still touch yours
My lips will still caress your eyes
And when you come back at the end of the day
Just think of me as your sweet, sweet surprise

Friday seems a long, long, time away
But I'll be thinking of you
Each and every single day
It won't be if you can't be with the one you love
Love the one you're with
I love you, love you, love you, Mrs Smith
(oops White)

I want to touch you oh so gently
I want to kiss you oh so sweet
I want to make sweet love to you
From your head down to your feet
I want to feel your softness
I want to feel your tension peak
I want to work my way inside you
Until you're so happy you can't speak
I want to take you to nirvana
I want to set your limbs on fire
I want to take you over hours and hours
And satisfy your sweet desire
I want to lift you to a point
Where you have never been before
And when you think you're satisfied
I want to give you more
I want to make your body tingle
I want to make our juices mingle
I want to run my fingers up and down your thighs
I want to blow softly on your nipples until I can feel the ripples
I want to take you to the pointwhere you might cry
I want to run my fingers through your hair and down your neck
I want you to look down from up on high
And see you as just a speck
On the beach of pleasure
That I want to take you to
I want each grain of sand to represent
The love that's in my heart for you
So you can never ever feel you've had it all
I want to take you to a placethat you've never been before
I want you to feel like Cinderella at the ball
I want to cup your ample bottom
I want to get you wet, wet, wet
I want this to be your greatest pleasure
I want to savour our sweet duet
I want to feel your skin vibrate
When I stroke you soft and tender
I want to go deep inside you
In a way that you'll always remember
For you to feel me hard and long
And to know that we belong
In this special place forever
that we're in no hurry whatsoever
I want to make you happier than you have ever been before
I want to satisfy you
I want to make your senses soar
I want you to know and you to hear
That you've make my life complete
Since that day back in August 2012
When we agreed to meet
And it all comes down to this
You fit me like a glove
And it really is quite simple
You're the one I love

I'm jealous of the clothes you wear
That keep you warm when I'm not there
I'm jealous of the sheets on your bed
That caress the skin I should caress instead

I'm jealous of the sunrise
when he sees your smile before I do
Because you got up early
Before the sun came shining through

I'm jealous of the chocolate
You caress with tongue so soft
And the smell of chocolate covered peanut butter
That from your breath does waft

I'm jealous of the red wine
That makes you warm inside
I'd rather it was me that made you glow
With the skills that I have plied

But actually I'm not jealous
Of these things at all
Because I know that when you need something
I'm the one you'll call

A year has passed
It's going to last
Soul mates forever
Joined at the lip
Who would have guessed it would be this good?
I sure didn't think that it could
What makes it work?
That's easy to guess
Honesty, transparency
No need to confess
If you do the right thing
Consequences don't fill your head
You follow the path
You don't need to be led
Predictable but not boring
Listening not ignoring
Trying to find what will make each other smile
It's the little things that matter
That make the doubts scatter
Give you no cause for concern
And you know that you'll learn that given time
You'll forgot all the bad stuff
Wake up smiling at the good stuff
Go to sleep dreaming of the best stuff
We didn't think it would be this good
We were wrong, because it is
It's better than good
Good doesn't even come close
To what we're feeling right now
There are better words, but I don't know what they are
And even if I did
They still wouldn't come close
To describing the effervescent bubbles that flow through me
When I'm on my way to you
The anticipation is almost as good as the reality
There is no separateness just a sweet duality
Being in your presence is the warmest thing I know
And I'm grateful for the day I chose to go
To OK Cupid and saw the twinkle in your eye
My gut was right - my instincts didn't lie
I took a new and untried path
And it led me to my sweet darling Cath

Just to touch you is enough
To feel you shiver with delight
To run my fingers over you
With just the softest touch

Knowing that I've got it right
To wrap myself around you
To feel your breathing in my ear

To know that this touch is enough
To know that you are satisfied
Is all I really need to hear

As lovers do we both need to excel
Perfect technique in every move
Or is the key the way we make each other feel
The only thing that matters being in the perfect groove

I feel your heartbeat in my head
Sometimes racing sometimes calm
And the expression on your face
Tells me I'm doing something right

Seduction's perfect balm. As lovers do we both need to excel
Perfect technique in every move
Or is the key the way we make each other feel
The only thing that matters being in the perfect groove

I caress your lips with mine
And press my lips against your eyes one by one
I kiss the middle of your head
And hold you tightly for a while
It's time to leave for work
that place that exists between leaving you and arriving home at the end of the day
to your sweet, sweet smile

Knowing that you love me
Is the rain that feeds my roots
And makes my heart sing out with joy each day
Knowing that I make you smile
Is all I really need
to complete me and make everything ok

Sometimes I don't say I love you
As often as I should
I love you
If I thought - you were in any doubt
You know I would
Because I love you

Sometimes you need to hear the words
It makes you feel secure
I love you
But never be in any doubt
Of how you make me feel
I really love you

So if I don't say the words as often as I should
It's just because it's obvious to me
But just because the sound of it is music to the ear
I say
I love you
I love you
I love you
Just so you can hear - how good you are for me

Oh yes I love you
Just so you can hear - how good you are for me
Oh yes I love you

It's the last Christmas at Orange Grove Road
We're on a new adventure
Nurturing the seeds we sowed
Lots of memories here some good some bad
But for me, they've been the best I've ever had

It's always hard to dig up those roots
Move on to new things
Try on a new pair of boots
It's easier to stick with what you know
But that is not the way we grow

We've got our whole life in front of us
New experiences to nurture
But just you and me that has to be a plus
Just working out the steps together
Looking forward to some cooler weather

So as we put up the tree for the last time (hooray)
And pack our lives up for the trip
Looking forward to the first act of a new cabaret
Just you and me and Noodle makes three
Oh how exciting it's going to be

There is more light in my world
Since you came along
There are still shadows of course
But in the shadows nothing ever goes wrong
No monsters hide there
And there's nothing to fear
The shadows are simply thingsnot yet quite clear
But each day that I spendwith you close by my side
Makes the shadows recedeand any worries subside
And the trust that I have
That you'll protect my old heart
Gives me faith - that you and I won't ever part

I want lightness in my friends my soulmate my lover
I want people who add to not subtract from who I am
I want people who smile not frown
I want people who try to swim rather than drown
I don't want to have to be right every day
I don't want to be walking on eggshells
Being careful of everything I say

I want to be able to speak my mind
Because there's nothing bad in there
even 'though some people might not agree with what I say

I might not always say the right thing
But there is no intention to get it wrong
Just like I haven't got it perfect
When I try to write this song

That doesn't mean I don't want to share your problems
It doesn't mean I don't care
I'll gladly wipe the tears from your eyes
I'll gladly listen all night while you tell me about someone else's lies
I'll try and understand your perspective
But I might have more shades of grey than you because I'm not good in black &. white
I'm not good at always being right
I have no experience in that area

When I see you I want to think of sun and fun
I don't want to run unless it's in your direction

I want someone who'll help me become a better me
Not someone who wants to make me into the me they want me to be

You fit the bill
You bring this lightness to me
Lightness in the sense that I float with the support you offer
And lightness in the sense that you shine on me in so many ways
So much light that I can see for miles
I could light up a city with the power you create in me to just be me and nobody else but me
You make me better just because you care
By allowing me to evolve rather than change
By allowing me to learn rather than be taught
By allowing me to discover things that can't be bought

You're a wonderful lover Ben
That was all she said
But the sound of it echoed
All around my head

If what I do for you Cath
Satisfies your soul
Then I am truly blessed
Because I see that as my role

To see you truly happy
Puts a smile upon my face
To see the look of joy you have
Makes this a truly happy place

To know that what I do
Makes such a difference to your days
Is a privilege and a blessing
In so many different ways

So thanks for the gift of love you bring
Thanks for the songs you encourage me to sing
Thanks for appreciating what I do
Thanks for simply being you

Loving you is as easy as smiling
And you know how easily I smile
From the first time we met it has been easy
Easy in the most positive way
I never had to think of things to say
I never tried to fill the spaces In our comfortable silences
I never felt the need to DO things
Just being in your space is enough
Leaving you is always hard
And coming home so easy
We've grown to a place where the spaces are fewer
and the mingled thoughts more regular
Where two minds exist in their own right
but still meld in perfect moments full of shared smiles
And so much laughter throughout the day
Like rain in the heat of a Queensland summer
to lighten the air and lower the heart rate,
spreading good vibrations throughout the day
Loving you is as easy as smiling and you know how easily I smile.

A year's gone past since we first tied the knot. So I wanted to give you something you haven't got. The first anniversary is a paper one. And you're the page I'm written on.

A message in a bottle I thought might do the trick
As a memory of the day, we confirmed we were a perfect fit
The sun came out but not too hot
Our friends came round to our favourite spot
To help us celebrate the day
And hear the words that we would say
I read my proposal and tears were shed
Happy tears though eyes were red
You promised me that you'd be true
But not that I could be the boss of you
I wouldn't have it any other way
You're my equal on this or any other day
So with this message in a bottle sealed
I pledge that I will be your shield
To keep you safe my cherished one
Until the final setting of our sun

You look at me and I see myself through your eyes

Much more comfortable than a mirror

The image is softer - much more forgiving

I wish that your mirror could be like my eyes

So when you faced it each morning

The reflection you'd see

would be the view from my heart

And you'd be satisfied with what you saw

When I woke up this morning you weren't there
Just an empty pillow by my side and my shoulder bare
As Joni Mitchell sang
Me and them lonesome blues collide
The bed's too big the frying pan's too wide
But missing you is simply part of loving you
It's nothing to be sad about
I can still feel you by my side
I've plenty to be glad about
For many people don't have a special one to miss
Many people don't have the memory of that sweet, sweet kiss
So I won't cry because you're not here
Because I feel you close as though you were
I'll still miss your body next to mine
But missing you is so much better than having no one to care

Missing you is what I do
When you are there and I am here
But memories are powerful things
And I remember every minute that I spend with you

Being where you are
Is where I'd rather be
But not everything works out
The way we want it to be

So I'll just count my blessings and the minutes
Until you're back where you belong
In my arms under my wing
And so I wrote this little song

Missing someone dear to you
Really isn't all that bad
I'd rather miss you darling girl
Than never have the times we've had

So miss me, darling Cath
And I will miss you too
But don't be sad, instead be glad
That you have me and I have you

And tomorrow we'll be together
Just like we were before
And then we'll be together again
With little spaces in between - but for evermore

I've got so much more to do with my happiness
Than I ever realised
It's something I must contribute to
It won't just materialise

But since I met you baby
It's much easier than it was
Because being in your presence
Gives me cause to pause

About how one person
Can make such a difference
To the way we feel
One person can make each experience absolutely real
Can take away the sadness and replace it with pure joy
Can make it so the simplest things I totally enjoy

So thank you for the joy you bring
For the way you make my old heart sing
For the way you always make me smile
Even when we're separated by the miles
For the warmth that's always waiting in your arms
For your honesty, transparency and simple charm

When asked how long I've known you
I respond for ever - but we just met
It just took a while for our paths to cross
And now she's here - no more a silhouette

She said I'll never live with another man again
Based on previous experience that made a lot of sense
But I blew away the history and disposed of all the mystery
And now the pleasure of each morning is immense

Never say never unless you know what lies ahead
Never say never, it's a word that simply should not be said
Keep your options open to the world that lies ahead
Never say never until you're dead

When you base your life on what has gone before
There's a risk that you might miss a magic door
That's designed to take you where you have not been
Expose you to adventures that you would not have seen

Never say never unless you know what lies ahead
Never say never, it's a word that simply should not be said
Keep your options open to the world that lies ahead
Never say never until you're dead

As long as we're together and I hope that it's forever
I hope you wake up every day with a smile upon your face
In anticipation of the day that lies ahead
The things you'll do, the things you'll learn the laughter that we'll share
Rather than the things you might have done instead

Never say never unless you know what lies ahead
Never say never, it's a word that simply should not be said
Keep your options open to the world that lies ahead
Never say never until you're dead

2013 was a year of nurturing what we planted in 2012
We confirmed that there are no consequences
We can be ourselves strong and weak
Resilient and fragile
It doesn't matter
We confirmed that we really like each other as people not just as lovers
We became best friends
We gave each other space
We didn't cling
We didn't sulk
We didn't do anything that made the other feel less than they were
We didn't strive for ownership
Sharing each other was sufficient
We didn't have an argument
We didn't feel the need to be right
So when we were wrong it didn't make a difference
We made each other laugh and smile and sing and dance
We made pictures and we wrote words
We looked after each other and wiped away the occasional tear caused by things outside our control
We talked - often into the night and we listened
We took our time and savoured each other
We each became more and more important to each other without diminishing the other things that were important to us
Our lovemaking was new and fresh each day and we cherished the fact that it was more than sex even 'though the sex was unsurpassed
We cherished waking up together and holding each other close in the knowledge that there is no better way to start a day and we went to sleep in the same way
The love flowed from one to the other and energised us to face each day without fear
So what do I look for in 2014 - just to continue to nurture and sustain the seeds we sowed in 2012 and which have provided such bountiful fruit

It's nine years today since you came into my life
Who would have guessed
That you'd become my wife
The strangest things happen
When you least expect them to
I bless this special day, the day that I met you

Ten years before on this same day
A sadder one for sure
My dear old mother passed away
A hard thing to endure
But you and she were named the same
Another Catherine to reignite my flame

And so the circle keeps on turning
And so the flame keeps on burning
And old mother bless her heart
Would have loved you from the start
Would have welcomed you with open arms
Succumbing to your Irish charms

We never know what lies ahead
Our lives are short, we're longer dead
So we should fill the time, the days, the hours, the minutes
With all the love there is within it
So we can catch up on the years we missed
While waiting for our first kiss

There's no place like home

But there's a space where you lie

So this place called home is not the same space without you filling it

Your voice on my phone is a poor substitute for your head on my shoulder

The bed's colder without you

Too big too empty

I can't hear you breath

I've got used to that

The home that there's no place like is the one with you in it

Home is not the same without you

You are my oasis
My safe port in astorm
You make my heart beat faster
You make me safe and warm

You feed my soul
You warm my heart
You cherish the things I do
I'm ding things I thought were lost
All because of you

Seven years since we first met
Five years since we tied the knot
Who'd have guessed in 2012
We'd be in in this sweet, sweet spot

As another birthday comes along
Another anniversary too
I'm so glad I went to cyberspace
I'm so glad that I found you

So happy birthday darling girl
And happy anniversary number five
May we have many more together
Feeling great to be alive

So, dance with me and hold me tight
Let us dance into the night
As the morning sun lights up your face
We will be in our happy place

As we move out to the granite belt
So, in the summer we don't melt
It will just be thee and me
And with noodle we'll be three

We'll go for walks down by the creek
We'll chat to people that we meet
We'll grow young together hand in hand
Aye lass it will be just grand

She wandered into my life like she'd been searching for me for years.
She looked at me like she was seeing me through the mist you see after a heavy summer rain.
With a faint hint of recognition but still a little unsure.
But she was right.
We hadn't met before because our paths had taken different turnings.
But that faint recognition turned into sweet relief
when we realised that at last our paths had run alongside each other and finally crossed.
She smiled, I smiled and we haven't stopped smiling since.

The End

She was like oxygen
Her very presence made me breathe more easily
When she walked into the room
The air grew lighter
And my thinking became clearer
She energized me
Gave me the strength to do things I'd struggled with before
She was a window letting light in
And a door to new experiences
She was laughter
She was peace
She was music
She was art
She was words that created images sublime
And she was mine
All mine

2 is for the two of us
Zero is because without us there is nothing
1 is for the oneness that is us
2 is for the fact that 1+1 is 2 you and me; me and you

I didn't get you anything for your birthday
Except for all the love I have to give
I know you don't want to be sixty-four
But you still have a lot of life to live

I didn't get you anything for your birthday
But I'd give you everything I own
I know you don't want to be sixty-four
But you know you're not there on your own

I didn't get you anything for your birthday
But I thought of you every day throughout the year
I know you don't want to be sixty-four
But it's really just another year

I didn't get you anything for your birthday
But I hope I make your life complete
I know you don't want to be sixty-four
But my gift to you is love replete

So let my gift to you in your 64th year
Be the smile on my face when I look at you dear
Let my eyes be your mirror so that you see what I see
And know that you're loved more than you dreamed you would be

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
And remember I'll always be older than you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
See, through my eyes the best version of you

I love the way we interact
In our own way we have a pact
You do your thing and I do mine
And often both things intertwine
You give me space and I do you
I spend many hours ignoring you
But to be sure you're always on my mind
You're never far away from me I find
Even when we're separated
We are somehow aggregated
Each of us an individual
But there's always some residual
Thing that joins us at the lip
So of the same cup we will sip
As we both ignore each other
Agreeing that we'll never smother
What we have as separate souls
Each with our own unique set of goals
Together always but separate still
We drink in each other 'till we've had our fill
And then we go our separate way
Thinking of each other throughout the day
But never needing to consume
Always giving each other room
To grow and be in our unique way
The best we can be each and every day

You are my shining rainbow

My bright arc in the storm

You send your brightness down on me

And guide me through the storm

You are my coat of many colours

My technicolour dream

You make me smile to think of you

Like a lighthouse shines its beam

You add colour to my palette

You add texture to my life

You're my pot of gold at the end of the rainbow

Soulmate, sweetheart, wife

You make me feel safe & loved
Who could ask for more
Like being in a storm at sea
Knowing someone's waiting on the shore

You accept me as I am
Not seeking change in any way
Such a comfortable feeling
Waking up with this each day

I am better because of you
Because I'm more true to who I am
I just try to be the best I can
Don't need to be some other man

So thank you for the gift you give
The gift of love and security
The ability to make mistakes
And not have to prove maturity

And if I get it wrong from time to time
I don't worry how you'll feel
You'll know I tried my best
And any damage I will heal

So be yourself, my sweetheart,
Because you're the one I love
I don't require perfection
I only need your love

We've been in love before
but we were younger then
We didn't know ourselves as well
as we do now - Cath & Ben

We know who we are now
We know what we want
We know what's important
Don't need a clairvoyant

Second chances don't always come around
Second chances don't abound
Your second chance came with me and mine with you
A chance for you and me to start anew

We've both come from different places
some good, some bad, some in-between
We don't need to put on different faces
to express exactly what me mean

The lives we've lived, the things we've brought
contribute to what we've now got
No need to erase what's gone before
Let old and new mix freely on our shore

As we move forward hand-in-hand
we take with us what we've learned
Not burdened by the pressures of growing up
Embracing the happiness we've earned

We take the time to give and not to take
to nourish, to cherish, to grow
Enjoying the differences between us
like contrasting shades in the afterglow

Two people changing and growing
living our lives to the full
Welcoming this second chance
not constrained by younger people's rules

Each day's a blessing to enjoy
trusting, keeping each other safe
No surprises, no consequences
No need for caution, no open wounds to chafe

It's beautiful in its simplicity
this love based on reciprocity
To find new love at our time of life
without drama, stress or strife

Let's appreciate this love we've found
this love that keeps us young
Like an orchestra in perfect tune
like bells in celebration rung

I thank you, Cath, for what you bring
and I know you thank me, too
I have not fitting adjectives
to describe my love for you

She warms me
She warms my body
She warms my spirit
She warms my soul
She warms my heart

There is warmth in everything she does.
And warmth is such a basic need for everyone in this sometimes cold world
where people isolate and insulate themselves from anything that might touch them
and cause them to get involved with another human being
in case they might get hurt or get asked to do something outside their comfort zone

I don't really have a comfort zone.
Life is my comfort zone and she makes life such a comfortable place to be
She warms me with her body
With her mind
With her thoughtfulness
With the way, she thinks of me and includes me in her space
She warms me and I love her so

Don't shed your tears
At the thought of 60 years
You've many more to live
For us to share and give

So push away your fears
Let's laugh away our remaining years
As we move forward hand in hand
Leaving footprints in the sand

Remembering journeys we have taken
Crusty bread and crispy bacon
Walking by the Seine in gay Paris
Getting drunk in Hoi An down by the sea

Weekends at the hideaway just you and me
Listening to Cohen as the sun sets on the sea
Writing songs and drawing tangles
Seeing you and me from different angles

You've got many miles to travel
Lots of places still to see
Lots of days to laugh in
Lots of synchronicity

You've got many years of sharing
Much wisdom to impart
Many memories to cherish
Many journeys still to chart

So don't worry about the big six o
It's just a point along the way
It's really no more significant
Than any other day

Let's not focus on the number
Or count the days gone past
Let's just cherish each and every day to come
And make every minute last

The 60 years that have just gone past
Are part of who you are
They've moulded you and crafted you
Don't view them as your "bete noir"

And every minute that you have from now
Is a minute shared with me
So let's cherish each and every one
Like birds on the wing, let you and I be free

Your skin on my skin
My skin on yours
Your skin IN my skin
My skin IN yours
Where do you begin
Where do I end
Does it really matter
In the end

It's strange for you to be so far away
For us not to see each other for yet another day
But nothing really changes
And we are just the same
Distance doesn't change things
It's not that kind of game
Because you are still inside my heart
Inside my head, inside my soul
And I know that I occupy your mind
Even as you explore and appreciate the things you find
Because we are one not separate

And distance doesn't split us up
It simply means we cannot touch
In ways that we've got used to doing
But it won't be long before we're renewing
The closer contact we enjoy
because what we have's the real McCoy

I will always miss you when you're not here by my side
But our love is strong enough and cannot be denied
So whether we are near or whether we are far away
We will always be together for ever and a day

Sometimes I'm happy

Sometimes I'm sad

But for you precious lady

I'll always be glad

Sometimes I'm stupid

Sometimes I'm wise

But I always feel smarter

When viewed through your eyes

You are the window

Where the view's always good

When my soul feels hungry

You are my food

You are my sunshine

You are my rain

You are the codeine

To ease all my pain

You are my shelter

And my adventure

You are my sunrise

And my sunset

You're my beginning

You are my end

You are my lover

And my best friend

You are the smile

On my face every day

You are my heartbeat

My favourite cafe

You are my reason

My journey my path

Love me forever

My wifey my Cath

They asked how long I'd known you
All my life I said
Although we've just recently met
She's always lived inside my head

Some paths wind more than others
Some never find their way
But when our paths crossed it just felt right
I played Lou Reed's Perfect Day

Patience is a virtue, good things come to those who wait
I wasn't in a hurry a new future to create
But all the angels sang in tune and made quiet the devil's voice
You picked me and I picked you and we made the perfect choice

When someone lives inside your soul
When they fill you full of peace
When they permeate your every breath
Wonders never cease

It took too long to happen
But it was surely worth the wait
We will treasure every second now
Soulmate to soulmate

Take the weight off your feet
and lie beside me for a while
Lay your head on my shoulder
and let me see you smile

Laugh a little with me
Be daft with me tonight
You're the smile that brings me homeward, Mrs White

Take the weight off your feet
and throw your worries to the floor
There's just you and me here
And I love you to my core

Lay your hands upon me
Brush your lips across my face
You're the heartbeat that flows through me
The one that gives me breathing space

Take the weight off your feet
let me be the one to bear the load
Let me love you
Let me care for you

Let me tend the seed you sowed
Let me keep you young at heart
Let me hold your gentle hand
Let me tell you how I love the one who wears my golden band

I want to wear you
like a tattoo
So I can't tell the difference
between me and you
So close to my skin
The ink in your picture
Inside you for life
a permanent fixture

Thank you for being you
For making me smile
when I feel blue
For making me glad to be alive
For making life better
than something just to survive

Thank you for being you
For making me happy
Just to be me
For encouraging me
to be the best I can be
For allowing You and I to be We

Sitting at the hideaway watching all the gorgeous girls go by
Couldn't get you off my mind
Although it's unlikely that I'd try
Wishing you were here with me
Listening to the singing
Smiling at the joy that all this music's bringing

I love to listen to the music
With my hand upon your hand
To feel your fingers linked to mine
In our own special little land

I love to hear your laughter
I love to see you smile
When the music so delights you
My darling oenophile
:-)

I love that I've brought this new dimension to your life
Live music, smiles & laughter
You'd missed it for a while

So don't worry that I'm out here in the valley having fun
There may be lots of gorgeous women but you're the only one
That I want to be with
That I wish was here with me
That whatever, wherever you're the one I want to see

The light hasn't dimmed
In fact it's brighter now
Things are much different
No need to tread carefully now
Waiting for that wrong word that might be misunderstood
We walk confidently through this life
Hand in hand, completely in step
One trusting the other
Feeling safe, cherished, loved
We laugh in the morning when we wake
We laugh throughout the day at each silly mistake
But there's no malice in that laughter
It's a laughter based on trust and vulnerability
Neither one of us fearing that a mistake or fumble will expose them to ridicule
Or cause them to be anyone but who they are - their own imperfect self
There's a peace and calmness in all of this
A comfort in knowing someone cares enough that souls can be bared
And hearts exposed throwing caution to the wind because caution has no place in this world we have created
To share one's innermost thoughts even in their incomplete state
To be appreciated for the little things one does without thinking of the consequences
To share the same thoughts at the same time as though they were but just one single thought
There is beauty in all of that, more than can be described
To know that such a big slice of someone's life is filled by you
There is great responsibility in that
And yet it doesn't weigh heavily
It floats in the lightness of just being who you are and knowing that thisis enough
No the light hasn't dimmed one little bit
It shines brighter every day and illuminates everything that comes within its glow
So that every single thing is made better
And the things that used to trouble and test you are diminished
And everything is easier
Who indeed would have believed that life could be this easy, this simple?
With this astounding lack of complexity
This life so full of anticipation of more good things to come
This wonderment of what we must have done to deserve this very special life
Did we perchance save an angel in a previous life?
Or did we just by being who we are earn this special bonus in our twilight years
To be honest I don't really care why
I just want to grab this sweet miracle with both hands outstretched
In a kind of supplication that we two should have bumped together
In some cosmic collision that we did not expect or even look for
But which has taken us on such a journey
Even in this short time we have been together
Oh the joy, the bliss of things to come as this sweet mystery of life unfolds and we two come out of the chrysalis and fly together
It doesn't have to get better because that would be hard to imagine but simply to think of this love unfolding through another lifetime when we might have expected life to be slowing down into a more predictable pattern is such a great joy to even contemplate
So yes what did we do to deserve all this?
Quite simply I was me and you were you and it seems that this was enough to make it happen

You wrote me a list
A beautiful list of things I do that make you happy
That made me happy too
I've never had such a list and it was all simple stuff that just comes naturally to me
That sort of made it even better
To feel appreciated for the little things I do is the greatest blessing
To know that what I do makes you smile, makes you laugh, makes you bounce with joy
Is an even greater blessing
I think appreciation is a very underrated characteristic in the human race
We don't say thank you enough for the little things
We don't appreciate enough what we have and how blessed we are
Sometimes we know we got it right but hearing it said out loud or reading about the effect it had magnifies the pleasure of what was done a hundred fold
I always thought I was different
I never felt one of the pack
But you absolutely make me believe in myself so I know it's not just my ego talking
And the beauty of this reinforcement is that it encourages more of the same to the benefit of both of us
You could just have enjoyed the things I do
But you took the trouble to acknowledge your appreciation
And that makes you special too
You say that I'm unique and that I don't really understand just how unique I am
I think unique may be too strong a word but I can live with different or even special
But this also applies to you and I suspect you haven't been told that often enough
So I'm telling you now that I truly appreciate the light you've brought into my world
It was a world that was already light because I've never been one to hide in the shadows
But you brought a different kind of light
One that exposed things that had been hidden and brought them into stark relief, highlighting my potential to be myself.
And increasing my desire to explore myself and discover who I really am
So thank you for taking the time to write me a list of the things I get right
So that I know that these things truly make you happy
Walking side by side with you we can achieve anything we like and we've only scratched the surface of how good this can be
Darling girl you rock my world

Sitting on the Sala in the early hours of the morning
Wife's feet in my lap
Caressing, feeling the muscles relax
Cold beer in hand
Froth on lips
Favourite songs playing on the Bose
The surrounding houses and trees silhouetted against the clear Queensland sky
It doesn't get any better than this

You came into my life
while I was alone for a while
It was as though our spirits collided
And they each produced a smile

And said I think there is some magic here
We have some work to do
And so they worked their magic
And the magic it was you

And if it had been another time
We would not have come together
Because the space you filled just simply wasn't there
But space is such a funny thing
It creates its own dimension
And opportunities come for those who dare

So the secret is to grab those opportunities that come along
Because they may not come again
I'm so glad we took that opportunity
Glad we had that chance encounter
Glad the time was right and the space for you was free
Because we were meant to be together
And I guess our spirits knew it
And they worked their magic so you could be with me

I bought her cakes from the sweet spot
I said we can share them
She said, do I know you - what a strange idea"?
As she dug her fork into the paqoquinha - dark chocolate cup filled with Brazilian peanut and salted caramel cheese filling, topped with peanut brittle, her eyes went a little misty and I knew she loved me more than ever at that moment (or was it just the taste of the paqoquinta melting in her mouth?)
I guess I'll never know.

Sometimes a thought just wells up from inside of me
that I'm blessed to have you in my life
That I'm blessed to have finally found you
and you agreed to be my wife

It comes from nowhere in particular
but feels like the sun on a cold, cold day
or a cool breeze in a Queensland summer

It starts with a smile, not just on my lips
but in my eyes and a quickening of my pulse

This is a fine feeling you gift to me darling girl
A feeling so good there are no words that can truly capture it
But I know you understand because
I know you share that feeling

I love the way you love me
Full on no punches pulled
You give me all and ask the same
You don't want to be fooled
You've learned to ask for what you want
Knowing there's zero consequences
To be open & free and vulnerable with me
No need for false pretences
You appreciate the little things I do
Which to me seem like nothing at all
But you think they're so important
And I guess that says it all
If life for all could be this simple
The world would be a better place
No games, no deviant behaviour
Just behaving with good grace
We are two very lucky people
We receive we give we share
We were meant to be together
We were meant to be a pair
And it just keeps getting better
That's the amazing thing
I would sing it from the rooftops
But alas I'm a writer - I can't sing

The world is round we all know that

But when you're not there my world is flat

Without your smile to light my day

The journey home's a long, long way

I'm walking down the street
And a smile comes on my face
And I realise I'm thinking about you
It's amazing how the thought of you
Can make me smile on cue
But I guess that's the way it is
It's a crazy kind of bliss
That makes me smile and laugh out loud
I'm sitting at my desk
Focused on what I have to do
And I realise I'm thinking about you
It doesn't matter what I'm doing
Thoughts of you just filter through
But I guess that's the way it is
It's a crazy kind of bliss
That makes me smile and laugh out loud
I'm sitting at the pub
Listening to music on the stage
And I'm writing a song for you
Even the gorgeous woman on the stage
Can't stop thoughts of you from flowing through
But I guess that's the way it is
It's a crazy kind of bliss
That makes me smile and laugh out loud

You wrap me up in your threads
Like a cocoon
not enclosing me
Just keeping me safe
Not constraining me
Empowering me
Nurturing me
Adding to me
Not subtracting from me
Your many coloured threads
Adding vitality to me
Your fine threads
Winding their way around me
Your strong threads supporting me when I need support
But allowing me to run free when I need to run free
Your threads and my threads weaving together to create the tapestry that is uniquely us
All the colours of us
All the patterns of us
All the texture of us
All the being of us

I'd like to write a blues
But I don't have a clue
I'm simply much too happy
And it's all because of you
I'll sing you any other colour
any other hue
But my life is full of rainbows
since the day that I met you
It's hard to write the blues
When you don't have unhappy news
But even for a happy guy like me
You add colour to my life and set me free
So I guess I'll just write a happy blues
A lighter shade of blue
Or perhaps a pink or yellow one
That reflects my love of you
I've never really figured out
why the colour blue was picked
To reflect sadness and unhappiness
It's really got me licked
If you have colours in your life
Then your blessed whatever hue
It shouldn't really matter if they're
Red, yellow, green or blue
So thank you for the rainbows
You've brought into my world
The colours that you rain on me
The beauty you've unfurled
Because I think I'm a better person
Since the day I met you darling Cath
And I'm really grateful for the day
You came across my path
So I won't write a sad blues song
I'm much too happy for that hue
I've got all the colours that I need
To spend my life with you

I'd like to write a blues
But I don't have a clue
I'm simply much too happy
And it's all because of you
I'll sing you any other colour
any other hue
But my life is full of rainbows
since the day that I met you
It's hard to write the blues
When you don't have unhappy news
But even for a happy guy like me
You add colour to my life and set me free
So I guess I'll just write a happy blues
A lighter shade of blue
Or perhaps a pink or yellow one
That reflects my love of you
I've never really figured out
why the colour blue was picked
To reflect sadness and unhappiness
It's really got me licked
If you have colours in your life
Then your blessed whatever hue
It shouldn't really matter if they're
Red, yellow, green or blue
So thank you for the rainbows
You've brought into my world
The colours that you rain on me
The beauty you've unfurled
Because I think I'm a better person
Since the day I met you darling Cath
And I'm really grateful for the day
You came across my path
So I won't write a sad blues song
I'm much too happy for that hue
I've got all the colours that I need
To spend my life with you

You looked at me with frightened rabbit eyes
waiting for the blow to land
Not realising yet, that I'm not that kind of man
You opened up your heart to me, looking for a sign
That I'm playing straight with you and not giving you a line

Transparency is what we need
Transparency is what will feed
The life we want to lead
That will be our creed

Roses are red and violets are blue
And one plus zero doesn't add up to two
And two is my favourite number since you came along
And became my inspiration for yet another song

I wake up every morning
With a smile on my face
And I know you're smiling too
Because you put it there

The gaps between my Cath days
And all the other ones
Are filled with bits and pieces
But not nearly as much fun

So enjoy your travels darling girl
And then come home safe to me
And I'll enjoy hearing your stories
From far across the sea

And while I don't enjoy the parting
And the absence of your smile
The memories are strong enough
To last me for a little while

And knowing you are thinking of me
as I'm thinking now of you
Is what makes the absence bearable
And helps to get me through

So enjoy the sun, enjoy the food
Enjoy the lovely friends you make
Enjoy the sounds, enjoy the smells
Enjoy the oriental break

I'll be there waiting at the airport
On the sixth when you get home
To do the things that we both love
Until together we can roam

I've got 2020 vision
I can see you very clearly
You're always in my thoughts
And I love you oh so dearly

When we met in 2012
We both were on the shelf
But I'm glad that I withdrew you
from the library of love

We've grown closer every day
And I'd just like to say
That I want you as my Valentine
Until the very end of time

In 2020 we can't get too close
Two metres apart if you don't want a dose
Of CV19, it's not very nice
If we don't play by the rules
We will pay the price

But I really don't mind
Being stuck in with you
It's what we do best
You know that it's true

We don't need to go out
In fact, we'd rather stay in
Out is way overrated
In's not such a sin

So let's just do what feels right
On this Valentine's Day
Let's just sit in the light of our smiles
Let's just be grateful for the love that we have
Let's forget all the CV19 trials

Walking through the city
On a warm Brisbane winters day
Enjoying the sight of gorgeous girls
And the way their bodies sway

But I'm sorry gorgeous ladies
You don't move me like my Cath
She moves me in ways you couldn't comprehend
She takes me down a whole new path

It's not about the way she looks
It's about the way she is
The way she thinks the way she acts
Gives her the right to say "I'm his"

So I'll enjoy my day of watching
Enjoying beauty at a glance
But I wouldn't want you with me
Even if I had a chance

Because I know that what I have
Is special way beyond the norm
And I'm not the kind of guy
Who goes for any port in a storm

I appreciate not everyone's
as lucky as I am
But that's for them to fix
My girls on her way back from Vietnam

So sway on past you gorgeous girls
I hope you find what you're looking for
And I hope that when you find it
You don't let it walk right out the door

Because having someone perfect
in your life is not a right
It's a gift you should appreciate
And for it be prepared to fight

Give it everything you've got girls
expect nothing less in return
Because if you've found the right one
Your love he will not spurn

And if you haven't found him yet
Just live your life without regret
Because love turns up in the strangest places
And often with unusual faces

And when you least expect it
It may catch you by surprise
It did for me. It did for Cath
You never know where your love lies

So just go out into the world
With an open heart
Don't limit your many options
And you'll find cupid's dart

I met her on an online site
We were looking for a second chance
At finding someone special
And having some romance
I kinda liked her profile
She seemed a straight no nonsense lady
I figured that she wouldn't cause me
any serious malady
I liked the way she looked
And she was articulate to boot
I didn't need a mute
Even one that was so cute
So we talked a bit on line
I wasn't in the country at the time
I was over there in Thailand
With that special son of mine
I said let's catch up for a coffee
And see if there's a spark
She said that she would like that
And was I into art
I said I had neglected
culture for a while
She suggested an exhibition
It was in the Spanish style
So we walked and talked
We laughed & smiled
And we got on well together
So we thought we'd do a picnic next
Depending on the weather
The weather it was good next week
So we went to Tambourine
We walked the shops & cafes
And had a picnic by the stream
We hadn't found a deal breaker
So we made another date
She asked me round for dinner Thursday
And I said I won't be late
Things were going well
So we thought we'd spend a day together
Let's try Eumundi markets
It will give us time to have a blether
We had a lovely morning
Then went up to Noosa for a while
We didn't want the day to end
We made each other smile
So we turned off to Mooloolaba
To prolong the day some more
And we walked along beside the sea
On Mooloo's sandy shore
She slipped in a shallow rock pool
And oh Lord she broke her ankle
I had to call the local ambos
And she was in a bloody fankle
They took her to Caloundra
And I followed close behind
She didn't expect me to stay
Said I was very kind
We spent a lot of time together
Because she couldn't run away
My friends said that it was sad
That I captured her that way :-)
Six months have passed since that event
And our love is strong & sweet
Even though it was an unusual way
To sweep her off her feet
I could make this story last
For another hundred pages
Because we are going to be together for ages and ages and ages
But I'll stop it here
And say only this
Cath & Ben
It's simply BLISS

I want to see the girl in you
Remove the reasons to conform for you
remove the years of grief from you
Remove any need for fear for you
Make every morning sweet for you
And every day a treat for you
Make all your dreams come true for you
Be everything you want me to
Put smiles on your face for you
Hear laughter pouring out of you
I never want to see you blue
Know that you're who you want to be
Proud to walk the town with you
What I want for you is me
And what I want for me is you
What I want for us is we
Living our lives like a bird so free
Flying so high breathing the air
Living our lives knowing there's someone to care
And I want you to know I love you
Just the way you are
Kind and sweet, sexy and smart and curvilinear

Your reflection in the mirror is not the only view I see
We're never ever happy with the image that is me
But I wish that you would see yourself
As I see you each day
Because you're beautiful and you should own it

I love you for the things
That will be there until the end
The intelligence, the sense of humour
The compassion you extend
I love you for your memory of poetry, books and the silver screen
And for all the things you don't remember
That I mumbled in between
I love the way you sway
When we're dancing in the night
I love the way you love me Mrs White

So when I look at you
I'm not looking for extra wrinkles
Or for any weight you've gained
I'm just looking to see that the qualities
I love have been retained

And those qualities are all intact
They have not been impacted by the years
I just wish that you could see yourself
Through my loving lens and not your fears

I only see the things
that will remain unchanged until we reach the end
Yes I look at you and I'm grateful for
the you that will be mine until the end
Yes I'm grateful for everything about you
that will be mine until the end

When she sways her hips
I want to cash my chips
And hold her in a long slow dance
When she strokes my face
It's like a warm embrace
As she holds me in a trance

When she sways
She moves me
In so many ways
When the music takes her
To her happy place

Out on the sala in the early morning light
Her silhouette fills me with delight
When she shakes her head to the beat
I want to lie down at her feet
When she moves her body to the beat
I want to lie down at her feet

When she sways
She moves me
In so many ways
When the music takes her
To her happy place

The road is long without your smile to guide me home
The night is long without you by my side
My heart beats a little slower without the echo of your pulse
As into sleep, I slide

So remember the feel of my hand on your back
as you slip into sleep tonight
And know that you've never been loved more
than you're loved by your husband Mrs White

Who would have thought on that day back in 2012 when we met at the art gallery for our first date that we'd be celebrating our 3rd wedding anniversary in 2017.

Who could have guessed the endless happiness we would experience & the laughter we would share. The mornings lying in bed with your head upon my shoulder arguing over who thought what first.

The perfect boiled eggs we would share or the ultimate eggs Benedict or omelette with smoked salmon & feta cheese.

Who would have thought in five years together we would have travelled so many miles together and woke up in so many different places together.

It took a long time for our paths to finally cross but good things are worth waiting for and patience is a virtue worth cultivating.

I cherish the day I saw your smiling face on OK Cupid and we decided to make contact. Sometimes you just know when something feels right and we've never made a better decision in our lives.

Happy anniversary darling girl. Dance me to the end of love.

She came up to me and said
Would you like to dance?
And I said sure if you're prepared to take a chance
That an old fella like me
Won't make you look uncool
She said I'll take the risk
And I don't think
you'll make me look a fool
So we danced and I could see she thought
That sometimes these old dudes rule
We danced all night - had lots of fun
And I felt I was the gun
There was absolutely no romance
But I was glad she took a chance
That the old guy in the corner could really dance
When the music stopped we talked a bit
She was at uni studying English lit
I told her I had a beautiful lady
Who was over in Vietnam
and that she'd be home soon
into my waiting arms
She said that's nice and I'm sure she's cool
Then she asked if I'd like a game of pool
I said I have no skill but I'll give it a go
She chalked her cue and lined up the balls
I could tell she spent some time in the snooker halls
She hit the white
and I knew I was right
As six balls hit the pockets
I didn't think I'd get a shot
As they flew around like rockets
The game was over before it started
And I thought it was time that I departed
So I said I think it's time that I went home to bed
And I knew what was going through her head
We exchanged a smile that said another time another life
But not right now my friend
We might meet again in a hundred years
and create another end
She kissed me on the cheek and said
You're a very lucky man
To have someone beautiful to love you
Because not everybody can
Then she thanked me for a fun filled night
And I thanked her for the same
We both had fun but we had to run
We'd had a night of fun and laughter
but it was time to end the game
And as I walked back home that night
I had a warm feeling in my heart
That someone who didn't even know us
Could tell we didn't want to be apart
And I thanked my lucky stars
that OK Cupid put me on the path
Of a life with a special lady
Yes that's you my darling Cath
Note: This was of course all a figment of my imagination but I'm sure it could have happened

I love your sense of direction
It's absolute perfection
You're a homing pigeon
You would never get us lost

I love your mountain goat balance
On the broken stones of New Orleans
I'm going to call you Sherpa
Because you've got mountain climbing genes

I love the things you know
The poetry you can recite
The lines from movies you can quote
And the fact you're (almost) mostly right

I love how you say I must have mumbled
When you don't remember what I said
I know the problem's not your memory
Because you remember everything you've read

I love the way you introduce me
To people I've met many times before
Because you don't remember
and you just want to be sure

There are many things I love about you
And I'm sure I've many more to learn
I just hope that I'll remember them
(By the way my name is Ben)

Started in New Orleans in May 2014 & finished 27/1/16

You are the bones that hold me up
You are the heart that pumps my lifeblood
Filling up my cup
You are the skin that holds me firmly in place
But gives me room to stretch
You are the eyes that help me find my way
The music in my ears
The poetry in my head
You are the food that sustains me until I'm dead
You are the one that gives me strength
The one that would go to any length
to fulfill my dreams
You are the smile upon my face
You are my happy happy place

You complete me you don't deplete me

You sooth me you don't confuse me

You make me smile,

you don't cramp my style

You fill my bowl with healthy fruits

You don't waste my time on trivial pursuits

You make my heart soar,

you never bore

You make me reach for the stars

You don't drive me out to the bars

You constantly amaze me

That you're so surprised when I praise you

You complete me that's what you do

You fill me full of energy
Power me up to do my thing
You're the battery that's charging me
So my soul can truly sing

You're the one that gives me the freedom
To be who I want to be
The one that removes all the obstacles
So I can just be me

And even when I'm flat
You don't take what you don't need
Giving plenty of time to recharge
So I can get back up to speed

You don't drain me
You don't constrain me
You don't chain me
You don't try to explain me
You don't try to train me
To be someone that I'm not

You hold me up
You don't pull me down
You make me laugh
You're my personal clown
You're my rain in a drought
The one I don't want to be without

My wife
My life
My best friend
To the very end

You enhance me in so many ways
With your smile and your warmth and your beautiful open heart
You take me down paths I haven't travelled in a while
It's like going right back to the start

You make me laugh
You make me smile
You bring things out of me
I haven't seen in a while

I've always been a lucky dude
But life these days just feels so good
You enhance me in so many ways
I bow my head and offer praise

You make me warm inside
With you, my soul can glide
I don't have to think about what to do
As long as I'm doing it with you

You make me smile
Not just on my face
But all over my body
In every little place
You make me sing
You make me tingle
Make me glad that I'm with you
Even 'though I was happy single
I start the day off happy
Just because you're on my mind
Knowing that I'll hear from you
That our thoughts will be aligned
It's a really cruisie feeling
Having someone who really cares
About all the little things in your life
That happen every single day
There's a really warm vibration
That pulses through my soul
You're the beat that makes it happen
The bass line that makes it roll
So thank you for the smiles
The laughter and the love
12 months of joy and peace
You fit me like a glove

She said - you melt me
You take me to the top of the mountain
And let me float endlessly, never wanting to reach the bottom
You make me explode like a geyser
Pumping my happiness out in joyful bursts getting higher & higher
You turn me into one sweet erogenous zone I didn't know I had
You go beyond tactile & sensuous
You redefine those words
You make me so happy I could burst
I said you're welcome darling girl
My ultimate pleasure is the smile on your face
There is nothing else I need to say in the face of such joy

I wake up with you in my head
Just wishing I was there in your bed
With your head on my shoulder
In your favourite position
Hoping that I can be some kind magician
Turning this into your perfect day
The touch of your skin
The smile in your eyes
That forms on your lips
With some kind of sweet surprise
To have someone fill your day with perfect smiles
Is such a gift and I'm truly blessed
I never thought it could be this good
In my wildest dreams
I could not have guessed
You fill my head with such warm vibes
I simply don't have the words to describe
The touch of your skin
The smile in your eyes
That forms on your lips
With some kind of sweet surprise
We must have been good in some previous life
To deserve this much love without any strife
We must have made some angel smile
To get this gift of love so versatile
So thank you for your gift of love,
your smiles your thoughtfulness
To have you in my life I'm truly, truly blessed
The touch of your skin
The smile in your eyes
That forms your lips
With some kind of sweet surprise
The touch of your skin
The smile in your eyes
That forms on your lips
With some kind of sweet surprise

Best friend, lover, soulmate, partner, wife
You've ticked all my boxes
Since you came into my life

You fill my thoughts
You fill my dreams
It is exactly as it seems

The longer this relationship goes on
The more that you become my song
The words I think of in my head
You speak as though my mind you read

My thoughts are yours
Your thoughts are mine
This is a feeling quite sublime

I could say more but there's no need
You understand you're up to speed
My thoughts are yours
They're in your head
You anticipate before it's said

As we grow old we'll save some time
I'll just read your thoughts
and you'll read mine

We won't need to talk at all
With just a thought we'll know it all
And we'll have time for other things
All the joy that true love brings

I woke up and you were gone
I didn't know to where
So I went through to our bedroom
And you were sleeping there
You were all curled up in a little ball
Just like a pussy cat
And I wasn't sure if should wake you up
Or leave you there like that
So I slipped in there beside you
Slipped my hands around your waist
And you woke up and smiled at me
And I guess you know the rest