I was reminiscing this morning and thinking back to my early life here in the Cayman Islands and some of the celebrities I met that I would never have done if I’d stayed in England.

The most famous was Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach. They were here with Allen Klein, Ringo’s then ‘notorious’ manager.

The three were here as guests of the men who had the vision to build Pappagallo Condominiums and Restaurant, Peter Fedele and Adrian Bertolleli. I don’t believe either of them have anything to do with the complex now.

Fedele was trying to get Ringo to build an hotel just east of Pappagallo and it did get to an initial design. A Jewish Star and fountains at the star’s points and a huge one in the centre. Ringo likes fountains I was told.

Alas, it didn’t happen. In some media house archive there is a photograph of me with them plus John Elliott who was the Contracts Manager for Pappagallo. I was the site Surveyor and seconded to Arch and Godfrey.

Why would I think of all that today?

I was looking for some famous people who are still living today and had been married for over thirty years. That is a VERY long time for celebrities! Bingo! Up came Ringo! Thirty-seven years plus four months.

That triggered my reminisces.

Two years ago People Magazine interviewed Ringo and Barbara on their then 35 years of romance together and what was their secret to marital bliss?

This is the article:

As it turns out, it comes down to one of the Beatle’s oft-quoted lyrics: Love is all you need.

“I love the man, and that’s it,” one-time Bond girl Bach, 69, says of Starr, 75, in the new issue of PEOPLE.

Adds her husband: “There’s no escape … I think I love Barbara as much [today] as I did [when we met] – and I’m beyond blessed that she loves me and we’re still together.”

Having been together for three-plus decades of rock ‘n roll romance, they’ve accumulated a lot of “stuff” along the way. And now that the couple has settled in L.A., they’re cleaning out their closets for a good cause.

Starr and Bach are putting their priceless memorabilia and possessions – from a guitar John Lennon gave Starr to an outfit Bach wore in The Spy Who Loved Me – up for bid Dec. 3 – 5 with Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills.

“It’s time to let go,” says Starr of their belongings, the proceeds of which will benefit Bach’s charity, the Lotus Foundation.

You can read the whole article at:

https://people.com/celebrity/ringo-starr-reflects-on-marriage-with-barbara-bach-blessed-were-together/

Of course, that is a very short time compared to Ann and Kirk Douglas. They were married in 1954.

They have something in common with Ringo and Barbara. Both males have been married once before.

And Joan and I have that distinction, too. Ours is 35 years.

Bingo!