As well as the usual hard work in my life (trying to be a successful artist and cookery book writer, washing up manically at The Greyhound, and being happily married to Mr Cooper) I realised that Juliette and Colin's wedding was getting alarming closer, and there were still things I had to do.
As well as being my wonderful female friend in the (for me) male environment of The Gayhound, Juliette is a regular reader of this blog, and always gives fun feedback.
It's not easy you know, being an artist. We work all day on our own and all we need is everybody we meet to tell us how wonderful our work is. You can imagine now why it's not easy being an artist!
Anyway, back to reality. Juliette asked me if I would do a reading at their marriage ceremony, which was so exciting. Son Sam suggested that as Juliette was a Green Donkey fan, I should write the actual reading. Not only did Juliette and Colin agree that this was a good idea (even more exciting) they wanted the contents to be a surprise on the actual day ( substitute 'scary' for 'exciting' now!)
So a Sunday morning was spent in my most productive writing place (in bed surrounded by sheets of paper and cups of tea.) Then afterwards me and Mr Cooper went out for our usual Sunday afternoon drinks, and Mr Cooper pronounced the reading to be good, even before the second pint.
Then onto the completion of the Smash and Spam tray………….
……………I know I have alluded to a forthcoming artwork, featuring Spam and Smash. They were to be united in my wedding present, along with their good friend Worcestershire Sauce. And is it was to have a breakfast tray feel about it, what better drink to include than a robust and uplifting G and T?
Wedding jobs done, all I had to do now was to do my regular 11-12 hours in the kitchen on Thursday, and then, joy of joys, go to our hotel room at The Grosvenor, ready for the wedding on the following day. To make this even more better, Mr Cooper joined me for this novel Thursday experience, and we went to the hotel via the Three Cups.
Friday morning dawned, and we ventured down the High Street to practise the speech on George and son John ('Too fast, much too fast, far too fast and you said again twice', from George. 'It's very good, well done, perhaps a little slower would be good, and there's nothing wrong with a reinforcing repetition, perhaps just a little slower' from a more tactful John)
Then all we had to do was to return to the Grosvenor to dress, and apply jewellery and nail varnish, one or both of us, then go downstairs in readiness for the wedding.
And what a wedding! It managed to be beautiful, so moving, happy, deeply personal and just fab all at the same time. Our friend Jane Waterston was conducting the ceremony, and she was just perfect too.
Not only was it such a privilege to be there, and to be reading, but it was so lovely to not only be included in the happiness of Col and Juliette, but to be able to continue that happiness beyond the ceremony, and beyond the day.
Here they are, only just married, and still looking like it was a jolly good idea…..
……………………and very much a traditional start, will Col upright and manly, and Juliette touchingly leaning towards him for support. Nothing to do with pre-wedding Bucks Fizz.
'Attention to detail' is a good mantra for living, and must have been the mantra for the wedding.
After bubbles, then more bubbles, we went through for the meal. Although Mr Copper and I knew only 3 people there, and one of them had already left, we met such great people on our table. The order for the day was indeed smiles and laughter.
All of us received a personalised goody bag, each illustrated by Juliette's daughter Lisa.
When the meal was over, Mr Cooper and I decided to reserve some strength for the evening ahead, so we retired for a couple of hours to eat fudge from the goody bag, and also a wedding cupcake.
For a couple who normally eat only savoury food, we were doing really well.
All that remained to do then was to spend the rest of the evening dancing, and to music that we not only recognised, but really liked!
And as we put a lot of effort into all that dancing, we made sure we kept our liquid levels topped up.
So much so that at the end of the night I was so worn out with all that dancing, that Mr Cooper had to help me up the stairs!
Christmas draws closer, bringing with it that manic Christmas rush. On Sunday I went to stay with Mum, and we went out for Sunday lunch, a really good habit we seem to be getting into. This week, a lovely pub about 4 miles from Mum, in the village where my younger brother went to school. It sounds idyllic, but it was not a small village school. Rather, a large, rough secondary, full of a real mixture of pupils from many villages. Glinton.
I don't know what the school is like now, but the pub is well worth a visit. A really charming village, attentive staff, and super food. http://www.thebluebellglinton.co.uk/
After that, Mum and I did our usual evening occupation…….trying to remain awake enough to watch a complete of episodes of 'Murder Most English, The Flaxborough Chronicles'. After 3 separate attempts now, I have gathered the gist of 2 of the stories. This is not helped by the fact that Mum is apt to wake from a doze, then go mad with the remote control, so if you are conscious, what you watch will change in front of your very eyes. If dozing, you will wake to wonder who these new characters are, in 'The Chronicles'.
When I was there, reading the radio times, I saw that the film 'Seven Years in Tibet' was on the TV. I remarked to Mum about how childhood had changed. When we three were little, 'Seven Years in Tibet' was a book that Dad had bought (and never read.) We had been through it to look at the illustrations (we had to make our fun in those days, and yes we did have electricity, John)
The illustration below never failed to make the three of us laugh. But after many a wet afternoon of us all inside, and laughing repeatedly at this butter skull procession, Mum always seemed a little cross and frazzled. If only we had had ipads then. We wouldn't have had to have made a sound, or even moved!
Back to preparations, and this time for Christmas. I have just returned from completing the Christmas present shopping, phew. When this is written, we are off to Bristol for the night to see Mr Cooper's family, and then over to Portishead, to have an early Christmas with my little brother's family. Back on Monday, which is my only work-free day till Christmas Eve. On Monday we have only got to do the shopping, put up the tree, find the decorations, put the tree up again, ice the cakes, wrap the presents, make pickled pears, clean the house, stay talking, etc etc.
But more important than that, inspired by Colin and Juliette's decorated camper van, I am knitting two tinsel Christmas scarves. It suddenly seems very important to be festooned with sparkles whilst cooking goose and flaming puddings.
Next year I am going to be more organised. At least I have kept with 'attention to detail'. The 2 scarves with go beautifully with my 2 Christmas dresses.
I hope your preparations are proceeding smoothly. Just remember, as you are getting frazzled at having to do so much in such a short time, and be seen to be enjoying it too, that it's 'just for one day'. If that quote really makes you cross, you are probably well stressed, and trying to do too much.
Why not sit down for a short while with someone you love, and a little glass of something?
Oh well, time to get up and peel the potatoes, chop the carrots and bugger the turkey.
See you all just before Christmas, I hope. Till then, stay sane and have some fun.
so h
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