Thursday 21 May 2009

Z and the Sage's Special Day

In a few days it'll be our wedding anniversary. I know, again. We seem to have been married forever. However, this year is a special one, numerically speaking. I celebrated being married for longer than I was single many years ago, and am heading for the two-thirds mark before too long, but now at last the Sage will have been married for as many years as he was a bachelor.

Some of you will know the answer and the rest of you can work it out quite easily, but if I tell you that the Sage was the age of the year of his birth (in the sense that Dave, last September, pointed out that he was born in '54 and he was 54 years old and, a year earlier I, born in '53, was 53) when he got married and on Sunday he'll have been married for half his age in years...

What year were we married?

28 comments:

How do we know said...

Happy Anniversary, Z, and i am not working on the puzzle at all.. too tough for me..

Z said...

There is one more small twist to the puzzle, which gives rise to another significant number, but I'll mention that later, unless someone else comes up with it in the meantime.

A wildlife gardener said...

I'm hopeless at maths, Z...but I do wish you both a happy anniversary :)

If you fancy a spot of pond-dipping (that's right...pond-dipping...not skinny dipping!) come on over :)

Dave said...

According to my calculator, 1827.

That can't be right, can it?

Z said...

We haven't been married since 1827, no, Dave. Maybe mental arithmetic would work better than a calculator?

I love pond-dipping, WG. I spent most of my childhood early summers by the garden pond, catching newts (by hand, I considered a net cheating) and other assorted wildlife.

Anonymous said...

Happy anniversary to you both! I'm guessing, 1974. 35 years. Is that right?

Z said...

That works - born in 1939, married at the age of 35 in 1974, now 70 - but it isn't correct. I should add the next clue - he hasn't had a birthday yet this year, which slightly skews the maths.

Add to this the number, which is of a type I particularly like, and the extra twist once he has his birthday, and you'll be there.

Dandelion said...

A hundred years, is it? Congratulations to you both. Are you doing anything special to celebrate?

Dandelion said...

(It's 37, of course)

Z said...

If he was born in 1937 he'd have been 34 in May 1972.

Maybe a family barbecue if the rest of the family aren't doing anything else for the holiday weekend. No three-line whip. And we can't do anything else ourselves because I've been landed with playing the organ at 11 o'clock at another church, so I'll be in church continuously from 9 o'clock until 12.30. Not thrilled.

martina said...

Happy Anniversary Sage and Z! My brain is pooped from efforts of the day so no guess on year of your marriage. However long ago, you two seem to have a wonderful and happy marriage, with lots of patience, respect and love.

Z said...

PI should have got it right, except that I'd omitted to say that the Sage's birthday is in June. Then, he will be the age of the last two digits of the year of our marriage.

Dave said...

Ah. He was born in 2003, got married in '06 (when he was 3) and now he's 6.

That seems to work to my satisfaction.

Z said...

*sigh* no Dave, if he was born in June 03, he'd only have been 2 in May 06. Do pay attention.

Is there any possibility that we've got too much time on our hands?

Dave said...

I hope there will be a bit of anniversary cake left for my morning cup of tea on Monday.

Z said...

Cake? You'll be lucky, dear chap. Mind you, some days you'll be lucky if you get tea...

Blue Witch said...

Congratulations to you both. I won't spoil others' calculations by giving the answer :)

Z said...

I think it's fairly clear by now that the Sage and I are really quite ancient.

Dandelion said...

PI should have got it right? Is that a clue? It's not 3.14159, is it?

I thought my family were the only ones that have three-line whips for family occasions.

Dandelion said...

Ok, so if he was born in 1937, he'd still have been 36 when he got married in 1973, and he'd have been married for 36 years, as of the forthcoming anniversary, and he'll be 73 years old next birthday. What's wrong with that?

Z said...

Your adding up, darling. If he was born in June 1937, he'd have been 35 in June 1972 and still 35 in May 1973. The rest is right, except for the year of his birth.

Dave said...

Got it. The Sage was born in June 1869.

In May 1939, just before his 70th birthday, you got married.

This is your 70th wedding anniversary then? I believe you'll be receiving a platinum trowel.

What will you be giving the Sage for his 140th birthday next month?

Z said...

Persuasive, Dave, but still no cigar. If he was born in 69 and he was 69 when we got married, this would have to be our 69th wedding anniversary, not our 70th.

Dave said...

I realised that actually your 69th anniversary was last year, but I thought at your great age you'd probably forgotten that.

Dave said...

Oh, by the way, in your post of the 9th February last year, you mentioned that you got married in 1973. Just in case it's slipped your mind again.

Unknown said...

1984?

lom said...

I am not even going to atempt it, Have a lovely one what ever number it is

Z said...

Not bad, John - 25 years married and the Sage was 25 then, but then the Sage would have been born in 1958, so it still doesn't fit. He'll be flattered though, to be thought of as 5 years younger than me instead of 17 years older!

Of course, Dave, I say when we were married every year. I remember saying that our long marriage is the achievement I'm most proud of and being asked about that. I've never said before how old the Sage is however, although I've referred to his being a pensioner.

Thanks, LOM