Fight For Your Dream by Elaine Hazel Sharp Page A

to smile and say, ‘You know you’re out of vogue not living together first.’
    Yes we were, and that’s just the way I wanted it. Not that I’m a prude or anything, but the idea of living together before marriage never really appealed to me, nor Nigel, for that matter. When one leaves one’s family home, it’s a massive adjustment to make, and both Nigel and I had a very warm, loving relationship with both our parents. It was tough, and I don’t mind admitting that we had our fair share of arguments. Both of us would test the other, to see just how far we could push one another, before the other one would snap. I can remember, in particular, our first Christmas, six months into married life. Our mums and dads, along with Nigel’s only aunty, were spending Christmas Day with us. I was cooking my first Christmas dinner, and I felt slightly nervous. Both of us were working full time, and as such we’d worked right up until Christmas Eve lunchtime.
    I decided that I would prepare as much as possible that evening, so I wouldn’t be left with so much to do on Christmas Day; then I could enjoy the festivities along with everyone else. As with some best laid plans, they don’t always go as intended, and this evening was no exception. I became stressed about something as ridiculous as mince pies! I had been making mince pies for years. Why now were my pastry making skills deserting me? Well, for whatever reason, they were. Every time I tried to roll out the pastry, it just kept breaking up. Every time it happened, I got more and more frustrated. After mixing up five separate lots of different pastry, I was beginning to tear my hair out. By the time I’d done, I looked like an irate flour grader, and the kitchen looked like I’d whitewashed the walls with flour! Poor Nigel: I’m afraid he drew the short straw, and ended up with the wrath of my temper. By trying to offer me his advice, I took my anger out on him. Eventually, he got cross and I stormed upstairs in tears and locked myself in the bathroom.
    Ooops, first rule of marriage... quit while you’re ahead. Thirty seconds later Nigel was banging on the door asking why I was shouting at him. ‘Elaine, this is stupid, they’re mince pies for God’s sake!’ In desperation to reason with me, he banged on the door with such force that the bathroom door, complete with architrave, came falling in towards me. There was I, sat on the toilet seat crying when Nigel made his grand entrance. He was beginning to make a habit of falling in through doors, I thought. We were both so surprised at what had just taken place. Still sat on the throne, I glared at Nigel in silence. Nigel shook his head to regain his composure, and raised his eyes in my direction like a little, lost puppy. What a crazy scenario, we stared at each other and burst into laughter. Oh, bloody hell, now we’d got to repair the door! Fortunately, peace was restored, and Christmas Day went off without any hitches. A great day was had by all.

Boating and Juliet
    â€˜Juliet’ Our first boat under construction in our front garden at Dobcroft Road
    We had many happy years whilst living at ‘Dobo’, as we fondly used to call it. However, we also had difficult times. One month before were due to celebrate our first wedding anniversary, I found myself admitted into the infectious diseases ward at the old Lodge Moor Hospital. I’ve always struggled trying to keep weight on, so because of this Nigel has always encouraged me to eat food that will help me put weight on. Cream, off the top of the milk, was one of those and, although I don’t like fatty meat or butter, I do like cream. So, every morning when we had our cereal, Nigel always sacrificed the cream off the top our milk so that I could have it. Unfortunately, we didn’t take into account that when our milk bottle tops had been pecked at by the birds they were infecting it