So do sailors, as in Greek tradition Saint Nick is the patron saint of sailors. The chap that bring the prezzies to good children is Saint Basil (which always brings to my mind images of a manic red & white-clad John Cleese doing silly walks across festive hearths to fill the waiting stockings... but that's another story).
It is the 21st time we have celebrated his Name Day together. Mind-boggling, but kinda marvellous too.
At the risk of sounding cheesy and gloopy, I have to say that my particular Nikos is the one who completes me. Cue Renee whatersface looking all tearful and blurting out "You had me at Hello".
I know, it's horribly corny, but he really did have me at that first (very Greek) "Hhhhhello" back in April 1989, when he looked across the lobby of the hotel where he was working, gave me a cheeky grin, and suggested the perfect place to hang my Holiday Rep notice board. A quick peek at us, the way we were then, probably tells you all you need to know.Since then, we've both changed quite a bit. Fluctuating fashions and haircuts, expanding waistlines, a few more wrinkles, some adjusted priorities and a good few revised preconceptions.
We've been through quite a bit too - the thrill of buying our own home (along with the scary mortgage payments), the deaths of dearly-loved and greatly-missed family members, a heart attack (fortunately minor) when he was away on a business trip on the other side of the world in Singapore, periods of bleak depression and anxiety, the constant flow of my 'does my bum look big in this' insecurities, and - of course - the birth of our very own Kidling Grand.
But one thing that has remained constant, throughout all those years, is our ability to make each other laugh.
Nikos is a natural born comic, with a phenomenal memory for jokes and the way to tell 'em, enormous personal magnetism, a brain as sharp as a razor and a heart as big and warm as the sun.
It is laughter that has gone us this far - and I'm sure that it will take us much, much further.
Nikos is not perfect, though there's plenty of things he is: smart; funny; frustrating; creative; demanding; laid-back; confusing; inventive; complicated; generous; cynical; excitable; cool; infuriating; ingenious; original; kind-hearted; quick-tempered; borderline manic depressive; idealistic; fun; warm; sexy; cuddly; charismatic; abrupt; neurotic; clever; charming; hard work; a challenge.
No, my Ovver Arf aint perfect - but he's perfect for me.
Happy Name Day, Niko!
what a lovely tribute blog to your Ovver Arf, I love the mix of words you've used to descibe him
ReplyDeleteAn excellent tribute to a throughly nice man xx
ReplyDeleteThis was really sweet! And that's a lovely fun photo of the two of you :-)
ReplyDeleteThe beginning of the post cracked me up, because it reminded me of the scene in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, when the Greek family is being introduced, "This is Nick, my cousin Nick, my brother Nick, my cousin Nicky, My uncle Nick... "