Wedding Dedication

Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking…

Oh hang on, that comes later. I just thought I would take a couple of minutes on this, our wedding day, to say hello to those who can’t make it. Hello. We hope you will be thinking of us and we will do our best to raise a glass to you.

I was going to write something about my beloved, but try as I might I couldn’t quite put into words what today means to me. So I have taken the easy way out and resorted to poetry.

Bobo, this is for you;

   Sunshine, you're my only daylight,
   Sweetheart, stay cool and everything will be alright,

   Cos I've got sunshine, somewhere, sometime,
   And I will always be your sweatheart, 
   And you will always be mine,

   Sunshine, you know how hard I try,
   Sweetheart, stay close and I will treat you right,

   Cos I've got sunshine, somewhere, sometime,
   And I will always be your sweatheart,
   And you will be always be mine,

   Sunshine, your the most beautiful thing, 
   that I ever saw in my life,
   Sweetheart, I don't know why its right, 
   All I remember are the good times,

   And I can't stop this feeling,
   And I can't turn the tide,
   And I can't stop this love from falling down,
   I got nowhere to hide,

   Sunshine, you'll always be mine,
   Sunshine, you'll always be mine,
   Sunshine, you'll always be mine.

With many thanks to Francis Dunnery.

And I cant turn back now

So, after six weeks of shopping enough was enough and I have escaped to the midlands. Three days of peace, quiet, cable tv and a little bit of surfing the internet. My future bride is at Perry central in Bracknell and is spending her days sorting the contents of her underwear drawer and other pre-marital rites of passage.

Oh, and Mr Kenway, I haven’t spotted that nice man from the Moccona adverts.

This will be my last entry for a while. I’m rather busy for the next couple of days, what with getting married and everything. Then we are off on honeymoon to sunny Skegness. Apparently if I take my laptop there will be a very quick annulment so don’t expect to hear from me for a while.

One final thing before I shut up – can you spot me in the Wakehurst Tennis Club photos?

Climbing on the back, of a giant bird

Judging from the lack of activity on this here blog you could be forgiven for thinking nothing much has been doing recently. But you would be wrong. Since I last posted an entry we have been all over the place in a flurry of driving and the occasional stop. Let me start from the top.

I last blogged from the master of ceremonies’ house. Since then we spent a couple of nights Chez Molland (he is the best man you know), we then showed by soon to be in-laws around the wedding venues and were present at the meeting of the parents over lunch. This all went surprisingly well. The next day we met the registrar (you can call her Wendy) and took completely the wrong road from Exmouth to Lymington to see the photographer. We had arranged to see him at 3pm but because I took us on the picturesque A30 (as opposed to the much faster A303) we got there at about 5. It didn’t help that the New Forest show was on the next day either. Anyway, we met the man, had a chat and decided that we were are all lovely. Have a look at his web site if you don’t believe me.

From there we journeyed to sunny Poynings, home of the family Lewis. The ladies spent the next day being pampered and I skulked around Brighton. This was followed by a restful day with the kids. We then went back to Devon, had a meeting with the chef at Woodbury Park – the wedding breakfast menu is looking good – and SWMBO had a trial hair and make up run. So far, so good.

We then didn’t go out on Friday night in Exmouth. A personal record for those who are interested – the first Friday night I have spent there without going to the pub.

Next stop was back to Poynings so that we could babysit whilst Julia and Nigel went to a karaoke party. The next day we drove to Reading, where I got to go to my first Perry family luncheon. There were five children running around so I got drafted in to various football matches and military campaigns. Luckily the lunch was very nice and plentiful so I got to replace the calories that I had used up.

After that we dragged ourselves to London, where we are staying with Bobo’s elder sister and have spent the day shopping in the west end. I now have a shirt for the big day and my ensemble is complete. Marvelous.

The only footnote is that whilst I was shopping for my shirt, I got the assistant at T & M Lewin to measure me. It turns out I have been wearing shirts that are a whole inch too small in the collar. No wonder they pinch a bit.

Lets all Drink Til the Beer Runs Dry

A break from tradition. The observant will have noticed a theme running through my blog post titles for the last two months, well the theme has now changed.

For the clueless – and that must be most of the people reading this because no one has said to me "Andy, all of your blog posts are titled with Wonder Stuff song titles." – I have now moved on to Francis Dunnery lyrics. Mainly as an homage to the man who we are going to see in concert tomorrow night. I for one can’t wait.

The attentive amongst you will know that the fiance and I are with Mr East today. The sun is shining in rural Shropshire and the cricket is on the TV, marvellous. I may have taken leave of my senses though, I’m just going to take myself into the garden to mow the lawn. I just hope Mr Molland has plenty of beer chilling in advance of our arrival this evening so that I can cool off after my labours.

Its Yer Money I’m After Baby

Wedding preparations continue apace. If you haven’t had a look yet, I’m constantly updating the Where are they? page on this site.

To summarise the latest progress, we have been to both venues and finalised arrangements as much as possible (barring any changes of mind of course), the bride is fully kitted out and has arranged hair and make up for the ladies, the groom has a suit, a pair of shoes and some cuff links, so only shirt and tie to go, the disco is booked – no there will not be karoake – the notice of marriage has been made and we are seeing the balloon lady this afternoon. We have a meeting with the chef at Woodbury Park this evening because the standard menus are apparently not up to scratch and I am going for a dry run hair cut tomorrow morning – no laughing thank you very much.

All we have left to arrange are the flowers, nothing fancy just posies for the ladies and buttonholes for the boys, and the all important schmoo for after the ceremony at Powderham Castle. I’d say we are looking remarkably good at the moment – touch wood. That is probably because I haven’t started writing cheques though.

Next week we are going to the Algarve so don’t expect much updating. For the nosy amongst you, the international man of tax arranged an over supply of rooms for the family holiday so we have bagged one and have cashed in some air miles so that we can join them for a week. Lovely.

Play

Thanks to the lovely people at Intelynx I’m back on the internet. It took a bit longer than expected, but then doesn’t everything.

We’re in the mother country and the weather is what you would expect of an English summer – cold, wet and miserable. So good, in fact, that I have been out and bought a coat today. I brought jumpers with me, I’m not that stupid, but foolishly forgot anything waterproof. Thanks to the sale at the YHA shop that oversight has now been corrected. Marvelous.