Mum's advice works wonders

DOING what her mother told her will see Kay and Jim Fincham of Aramoho celebrate 50 years of marriage tomorrow.
"My mother saw Jim walking in his cricket gear past our home in Johnsonville and said to me "that's the sort of boy you should go out with, not those on the motorbikes; so I did what mother told me," Mrs Finchman said.
What her mother did not know was that she had already met Mr Fincham at a Johnsonville Hall dance.
"I loved dancing and he was a very good dancer. One night he asked to walk me home; we started going out and got engaged. I was almost 20 and Jim 26 when we married in Wellington's old St Paul's Cathedral, on April 6, 1957. It is said marry in Lent, live to repent, but we've proved that wrong," Mrs Fincham said.
Mr Fincham said what he liked about Kay, apart from being a good dancer and great company, was she never objected to the time he spent playing sport.
"We clicked from the time we met," he said.
And he has a clear memory of his wedding day and seeing Mrs Fincham wearing a long lace wedding gown with a bustle, which was made by her mother ( a professional seamstress).
At the time they married, Mrs Fincham was working at the Jansen Swimsuit Factory and modelling their swimwear and Mr Fincham was a partner in a Wellington menswear store which sold Ivy league and other fashionable labels of the 1950s.
Shortly afterwards he joined the travel industry, working at various times for Russell and Somers, Burns Philps, Variety Travel and Dalgety's. The couple also moved from Wellington to Hawera so their three young children, Todd (since deceased), Earl and Tania could get to know Mr Fincham's father, Jack.
They moved to Wanganui in 1972 where Mr Fincham joined the Tech Old Boys Rugby Club, being a referee when not escorting tourists throughout New Zealand.
In November 1979, he was disappointed when travel commitments meant he had to turn down a free trip on the airliner which crashed into Mt Erebus.
"It was lucky I did," he said.
Mrs Fincham for a time was a member of the Wanganui Embroiders Guild. Currently she is a member of the Wanganui Miniature Club.
"I've found the people in Wanganui very generous in sharing their knowledge. At the guild Anne Pluck taught me how to hardhanger."
Their recipe for a happy marriage is 'treat it as a partnership".
"Jim is very good at helping with household chores and loves baking. We are supportive of each other's interests and always made decisions as a family."
They will celebrate their Golden Anniversary at home with friends and family including Maree Freer-Marks (nee Broad, who was a bridesmaid) and Ann Broad (Mrs Fincham's mother).