Forty Seven

“So what number is it then?” asked Local Nephew.“47…”“47. Phew…” Here he took a long breath. “That’s a lot!”Is it a lot, 47 years of married life?Google a search for special anniversary names and there’s nothing between 40 (a Ruby Anniversary) 45 which in the States is referred to as a Sapphire Anniversary and 50, widely known as a Golden Anniversary.So, carry on, carry on…Down in South Pembrokeshire 47 years to the day since a long ago wedding Boatwif and the Captain remained creatures of habit. Their nowadays home is landlocked, so there is a compulsion to gaze at the sea when in these far west parts. Today (Thursday 5^th January) there was a walk beside the Atlantic Ocean.     Freshwater West - seas here often whipped into wild frenzies by west blowing gales - was calm, but cold.  Two surfers gave up on the feeble waves,    though one managed a brief ride.     Down on the beach north easterly winds were combated by warm hats and snow mitts – and a good walk was had.How many times these sands have been trudged across.  Decades ago as a small child it seemed such a very long way.     The walks continued, often, throughout childhood, as a teenager, as students back from the city, then as married returners…The church, St. Mary’s in Pembroke, is still there,    just as it was on 5^th January, 1970.    Then two post war babes, both born in 1947 (that 47 number again) tied the knot.  Internally the church is just the same as 47 years ago, with the addition of some internal porch doors and a fine blue aisle carpet.    Outside a public bench reminds the world of Pembroke Castle’s famous son.The internet can throw up bizarre nuggets, don’t we all know. There’s a 47 Society,  : did you know that…?What is 47?

In short, 47 appears to be the quintessential random number of the universe. In other words, when a number appears randomly, more often than not, that number is 47. In other words, if you asked people to pick a number at random, more often than not, that number would be 47.

There’s something rather reassuring about that phrase “quintessential random number”. The Freshwater waves curled onto the beach,   seemingly randomly, the pebble banks backed against the sand dunes     contain stones of varying sizes and shapes, colours and textures, forming random patterns across the sands     – and 47: a random number of married years.Cheers and Happy New Year All from a couple of ’47 babes swilling around in 47 years of crew life together…