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Mike on bus 125 at Amberley museum, circa 2005
A long, long time ago......!
A long, long time ago......!
2004ish, to be precise. Mike was volunteering at Amberley Museum in Sussex as a vintage bus conductor when one day he was introduced to a rather stunning young lady by the name of Catherine and given a simple instruction:
Teach Catherine to conduct a vintage bus.
Catherine Alison Pope
Catherine Alison Pope
Catherine had been volunteering in the museum print shop, but some health & safety concerns had been raised about young women of child-bearing age being in close proximity of lead used for some of the printing machines.
We got on great and soon developed a great friendship, with silly little "in jokes" and, looking back, a lot of flirting and teasing.
Despite going out on a "date" in 2006 (it didn't end well!) we remained great friends, albeit virtually through Facebook.
Catherine dressed as a QARNC nurse, circa 2005
Mike on a walk at Amberley, circa 2005
Mike Jaimes
Mike Jaimes
Mike was always entertaining when we worked the back platform together from singing to me - hits from Mis Saigon tended to be the favourite to trying his comedy material or just by the general observations he would make.
He wasn't always as dashingly handsome as he is now and as I keep telling him, he's definitely had a glow up!
After Mike stopped volunteering at Amberley our friendship, banter and entertaining anecodotes moved online. I kept a watch on Mike from afar as he developed relationships and had his children, never thinking for a moment that I might get the chance to be his (even though I turned him down in 2006!!)
19th December, 2022
19th December, 2022
At the back end of 2022 Mike was working for Princess Cruises as a challenge to himself - to get far from his comfort zone and see the world. Conversations with Catherine were a regular occurrance via Facebook messenger, sharing pics of the voyage and chatting about our lives.
On the 19th December 2022 the "Grand Princess" docked in Adelaide, Australia...
"Grand Princess" alongside at her berth in Adelaide, 19/12/2022
Mike in his formal uniform on board The "Grand Princess"
Finally!
Finally!
Maybe it was the 10,000 mile distance between us, maybe it was something in the air, or perhaps just that the time was right. On the 19th December 2022, mid conversation, Mike decided to drop the bombshell and finally confess to Catherine how he felt. To his absolute delight, his statement of "Catherine, I love you" was met with a brief pause, shortly followed by "If I'm honest, Mike, I love you too".
To finally realise that after 20 years we both felt the same about it each was wonderful and, more than that, meant that we could start planning our future together.
Our first adventure together
Our first adventure together
Impetuous as ever, Catherine decided to bring forward her planned trip to Australia in order to "Go and get Mike"!
On the 28th March 2023 Catherine arrived in Melbourne to join Mike's ship, the "Grand Princess" as a guest on the final leg of his contract which finished in Sydney on the 1st April 2023. Despite significantly lowering the average age of the passengers on board, it was amazing to see each other after so long and we had a lovely relaxing few days on board ship, as well as visiting Eden and Sydney, before flying home to Manchester (via Doha) and starting our new lives together in our little flat in Portsmouth.
Our first "Proper" picture together, boarding the "Grand Princess"
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