We set a date months ago for our wedding camp. I wanted from the start to have an outdoor wedding, where we can really invite everyone who means something to us. One without the structure of a standard legal wedding. A handfasting, if you like.
I finally realised the other day, that this really is not happening this summer. We cannot afford to hire either a field and portaloos or a campsite, what with Fast still not in work.
It's time for me to make an effort to craft my way to a handfasting. I need to get making stuff and have a go at selling it on etsy to make some cash!
Thursday 14 January 2010
Saturday 9 January 2010
Happy New Year
OK, so I have done my usual and completely flagged on the posting. This always happens, because life gets in the way and all of a sudden it has been almost three months since I wrote and I've thought about it maybe twice before getting distracted by something else.
Also I confess to having the memory of an ADHD afflicted goldfish.
Since October, I have:
- Got over my three-week newlywed flu.
- Celebrated our 1-month wedding anniversary with a training course in Birmingham on Business Interruption Insurance
- Celebrated our 2-month wedding anniversary with a cheap and poorly microwaved meal at the local hotel/restaurant, but at least we also shared a good bottle of wine to make up for it
- Completed my second half term as a brownie leader, making me 1/3rd of the way through my first year
- Made some inroads into a quilt project I first bought fabric for over three years ago
- Completed a cross stitch sampler to wish everyone a "Merry Fucking Christmas". It has hung by the front door this whole Festive season
- Completed the Elephant Cushion cross stitch kit I got for my birthday
- Had through from the photographer the CD of our wedding photos. They are gorgeous
- Moved house
Yeah, we finally decided that there was not much sense in us staying on the edge of the national park, when there is no work for Chris, and I spend the best part of three hours a day travelling to and from work. We have moved to a gorgeous house with double glazing, central heating, a shower, and enough space downstairs that Chris's disabled parents can come visit us. I now spend less than a hour getting to work, and am home by six in the evening. It's heaven.
There is a good college less than 5 miles away, and Chris plans to go back to education in September. The house even has a big enough room for a dining table, so (thanks to a freecycle dining table) we can actually have people for dinner and use those cut crystal tumblers. Haha!
We had a housewarming barbecue on New Year's Eve, having only moved in on the 12th December, and only cleared the old house completely on the 23rd. I managed to have time off between Christmas and New Year to make the house presentable, and we had a really great time.
Also I confess to having the memory of an ADHD afflicted goldfish.
Since October, I have:
- Got over my three-week newlywed flu.
- Celebrated our 1-month wedding anniversary with a training course in Birmingham on Business Interruption Insurance
- Celebrated our 2-month wedding anniversary with a cheap and poorly microwaved meal at the local hotel/restaurant, but at least we also shared a good bottle of wine to make up for it
- Completed my second half term as a brownie leader, making me 1/3rd of the way through my first year
- Made some inroads into a quilt project I first bought fabric for over three years ago
- Completed a cross stitch sampler to wish everyone a "Merry Fucking Christmas". It has hung by the front door this whole Festive season
- Completed the Elephant Cushion cross stitch kit I got for my birthday
- Had through from the photographer the CD of our wedding photos. They are gorgeous
- Moved house
Yeah, we finally decided that there was not much sense in us staying on the edge of the national park, when there is no work for Chris, and I spend the best part of three hours a day travelling to and from work. We have moved to a gorgeous house with double glazing, central heating, a shower, and enough space downstairs that Chris's disabled parents can come visit us. I now spend less than a hour getting to work, and am home by six in the evening. It's heaven.
There is a good college less than 5 miles away, and Chris plans to go back to education in September. The house even has a big enough room for a dining table, so (thanks to a freecycle dining table) we can actually have people for dinner and use those cut crystal tumblers. Haha!
We had a housewarming barbecue on New Year's Eve, having only moved in on the 12th December, and only cleared the old house completely on the 23rd. I managed to have time off between Christmas and New Year to make the house presentable, and we had a really great time.
Saturday 24 October 2009
Ribena from a cut crystal tumbler
Today marks our one week anniversary of being married. I have spent the whole day in my pajamas and dressing gown writing our thank you notes. I still have a few more to do, but I have broken the back of them now, and figured it was time to chill out for five minutes.
One of the gifts we have been given is a beautiful set of six lead crystal highball glasses. They really are stunning, but I have spent the last week thinking that they would end up being put into storage for twenty years until we have a dining table, in a dining room, with adult guests for dinner and no young children in the vicinity. Maybe even twenty five years.
Chris just came back from Tesco with bags full of value crisps, reduced cheese and BOGOF frozen peas, and I made a joke about us hoping to one day have a dining table to go with the glasses. We laughed and decided to grab a drink each. Chris opened the glass cupboard, and asked me which glass I wanted, and I made a decision. Having these glasses is great, but pretty pointless unless we use them, at least occasionally. So we washed a couple of the glasses, and we are now drinking beer and squash from stunning crystal tumblers.
Classy!
One of the gifts we have been given is a beautiful set of six lead crystal highball glasses. They really are stunning, but I have spent the last week thinking that they would end up being put into storage for twenty years until we have a dining table, in a dining room, with adult guests for dinner and no young children in the vicinity. Maybe even twenty five years.
Chris just came back from Tesco with bags full of value crisps, reduced cheese and BOGOF frozen peas, and I made a joke about us hoping to one day have a dining table to go with the glasses. We laughed and decided to grab a drink each. Chris opened the glass cupboard, and asked me which glass I wanted, and I made a decision. Having these glasses is great, but pretty pointless unless we use them, at least occasionally. So we washed a couple of the glasses, and we are now drinking beer and squash from stunning crystal tumblers.
Classy!
Friday 23 October 2009
Continuation
I've been ill this week with a stonking cold that Chris has generously shared with me. While he has been tucked up inside recovering and fighting the virus, I've been at work, so I should imagine that I will be hit with the full force this weekend. Fingers crossed that I will be fighting fit by Monday though!
I want to continue (in a way) my last post, as I don't think I am finished on the subject of the wedding or of marriage. It is really important to me that I don't forget the little things. Like having breakfast with my parents and brother in the Asda cafe on the Saturday morning, and the texts that Chris and I sent each other as the morning went by. The mad dash from the Travelodge to the Swan Hotel at 2pm when my hair was 1/3rd in rollers, 1/3rd pinned curls and 1/3rd still to be curled, leaving me booking into my room in jeans, a massive baggy black T of Chris's, unlaced boots and rollers.
My dress was very low cut at the back, and I had to be very careful what underwear I wore. This photo was taken at the shop I bought the dress at, and if you look carefully, you can catch a glimpse of my fucshia big pants at the bottom of my back. On the day, I had taken all my clothes off to put this dress on, and in the rush to get out the door, I never put my correct pants on. I got married without any knickers on! Brazen hussy. (I didn't tell Chris until after we were married, on the outside steps of the registry office while we were having photos taken.)
My friend Laura texted me on Tuesday morning, to ask me if married life was different to living in sin. It is. It feels, if that were possible, more permanent. Chris and I were already happy and committed and convinced that we would be and wanted to be together forever, but it still feels different.
I asked Chris if he felt different, and he said he felt like 'us' was now higher in his thoughts than 'me and you', that our future was now more in his hands. We both still want the same things, but somehow the perspective is different.
I am even happier than before. I'm not yet used to my married name, I can't sign without a lot of thought, I still answer the phone wrong and haven't got around to taking my dress to be cleaned. Most of my documents I have not even started to change, I haven't fully unpacked my suitcase, I'm working on my thank you notes and still reeling from the notes being 20p each and the stamps being 30p each, but despite all this, I FEEL married. Or maybe I just feel like a newlywed, and feeling married is yet to come?
I want to continue (in a way) my last post, as I don't think I am finished on the subject of the wedding or of marriage. It is really important to me that I don't forget the little things. Like having breakfast with my parents and brother in the Asda cafe on the Saturday morning, and the texts that Chris and I sent each other as the morning went by. The mad dash from the Travelodge to the Swan Hotel at 2pm when my hair was 1/3rd in rollers, 1/3rd pinned curls and 1/3rd still to be curled, leaving me booking into my room in jeans, a massive baggy black T of Chris's, unlaced boots and rollers.
My dress was very low cut at the back, and I had to be very careful what underwear I wore. This photo was taken at the shop I bought the dress at, and if you look carefully, you can catch a glimpse of my fucshia big pants at the bottom of my back. On the day, I had taken all my clothes off to put this dress on, and in the rush to get out the door, I never put my correct pants on. I got married without any knickers on! Brazen hussy. (I didn't tell Chris until after we were married, on the outside steps of the registry office while we were having photos taken.)
My friend Laura texted me on Tuesday morning, to ask me if married life was different to living in sin. It is. It feels, if that were possible, more permanent. Chris and I were already happy and committed and convinced that we would be and wanted to be together forever, but it still feels different.
I asked Chris if he felt different, and he said he felt like 'us' was now higher in his thoughts than 'me and you', that our future was now more in his hands. We both still want the same things, but somehow the perspective is different.
I am even happier than before. I'm not yet used to my married name, I can't sign without a lot of thought, I still answer the phone wrong and haven't got around to taking my dress to be cleaned. Most of my documents I have not even started to change, I haven't fully unpacked my suitcase, I'm working on my thank you notes and still reeling from the notes being 20p each and the stamps being 30p each, but despite all this, I FEEL married. Or maybe I just feel like a newlywed, and feeling married is yet to come?
Tuesday 20 October 2009
Newlyweds
We did it, and it went with hardly a hitch!
I loved:
-seeing Allan filming the whole thing as I arrived at the registry office.
-standing just outside the marriage room, seeing my friend Liz just inside the door looking at my dress and smiling at me.
-walking in to see Chris for the first time that day, and smiling like mad at each other.
-grinning the whole way through the ceremony, and shaking from the nerves the whole time I was at the registry office.
-when the registrar asked Chris if he took me as his wife, and he answered 'yes' instead of 'I do'
-when we made our vows to each other, and I've never meant anything so much in my life.
-making each other laugh as we grafitti'd the fake register
-walking through town to the car to go and take photos, and standing on top of a concrete bollard while Chris used a public loo.
-Chris picking me up off the bollard and carrying me towards the car.
-taking photos in the woods on the way to the castle for photos, then clambering on the walls for more shots.
-arriving at the restaurant where everyone was waiting for us and enjoying each other's company.
-laughing and joking with all of our best friends and closest family.
-the Frustration tournament that seemed to happen between Laura, Lauren, Beki and Mike.
-cuddles with Conor, who was his usual curious self and behaved impeccably.
-the couple of hours after we got back to our hotel where we revelled in being married, and just enjoyed relaxing, discussing the day, opening cards and gifts, lounging around and drinking wine.
-waking up the next morning in our posh suite and going for breakfast.
-my veggie breakfast including baked beans, and Chris scraping them off as I held the plate, without us even having to discuss it.
-calling each other husband and wife.
-Chris being a lurgie monster on Monday, and realising while he slept that, actually, marriage had changed everything, and I love him even more now that we made that massive commitment to each other.
I loved:
-seeing Allan filming the whole thing as I arrived at the registry office.
-standing just outside the marriage room, seeing my friend Liz just inside the door looking at my dress and smiling at me.
-walking in to see Chris for the first time that day, and smiling like mad at each other.
-grinning the whole way through the ceremony, and shaking from the nerves the whole time I was at the registry office.
-when the registrar asked Chris if he took me as his wife, and he answered 'yes' instead of 'I do'
-when we made our vows to each other, and I've never meant anything so much in my life.
-making each other laugh as we grafitti'd the fake register
-walking through town to the car to go and take photos, and standing on top of a concrete bollard while Chris used a public loo.
-Chris picking me up off the bollard and carrying me towards the car.
-taking photos in the woods on the way to the castle for photos, then clambering on the walls for more shots.
-arriving at the restaurant where everyone was waiting for us and enjoying each other's company.
-laughing and joking with all of our best friends and closest family.
-the Frustration tournament that seemed to happen between Laura, Lauren, Beki and Mike.
-cuddles with Conor, who was his usual curious self and behaved impeccably.
-the couple of hours after we got back to our hotel where we revelled in being married, and just enjoyed relaxing, discussing the day, opening cards and gifts, lounging around and drinking wine.
-waking up the next morning in our posh suite and going for breakfast.
-my veggie breakfast including baked beans, and Chris scraping them off as I held the plate, without us even having to discuss it.
-calling each other husband and wife.
-Chris being a lurgie monster on Monday, and realising while he slept that, actually, marriage had changed everything, and I love him even more now that we made that massive commitment to each other.
Friday 16 October 2009
One Day...
Yes, there is only today left of build-up. The wedding is tomorrow. I am freakily calm. Calm enough to be blogging, rather than running round the house packing stuff up. The 'almost silent part of the movie where the hero is stalking around the set with a very quiet creepy backing track and he isn't going to see anything really awful yet but they have to build the suspense' kind of freaky-calm.
Apart from the whole so stressed that I have been back and forth to the loo twice already and I haven't been up more than 90 minutes, but I don't think you needed to know that. If I eat tomorrow I will be surprised.
There are still a few things to get finalised, like getting cake, and making some signs to say thanks in our photos, and wrapping up Chris's present, and making sure we don't forget anything, but otherwise it's all pretty sorted.
I suppose really I should go and get packed up. Wish me luck in not tripping up down the aisle!
Apart from the whole so stressed that I have been back and forth to the loo twice already and I haven't been up more than 90 minutes, but I don't think you needed to know that. If I eat tomorrow I will be surprised.
There are still a few things to get finalised, like getting cake, and making some signs to say thanks in our photos, and wrapping up Chris's present, and making sure we don't forget anything, but otherwise it's all pretty sorted.
I suppose really I should go and get packed up. Wish me luck in not tripping up down the aisle!
Friday 9 October 2009
Today
Today I have curlers in my fringe to repair it from the motorcycle helmet monster while I type this and eat a bagel and drink smoothie. Multi-tasking FTW!
Today I will pick up my wedding dress from the second dressmaker and the third attempt to take it up correctly. I have faith that I will be singing her praises this evening.
Today I must check what time I am helping in the Guiding Shop tomorrow morning.
Today I still have only half the responses I need for our wedding invites.
Today Fast is sleeping in because he was up 'til half one playing computer games.
Today I feel really relaxed because he gave me a brilliant back massage before I slept last night.
Today is hopeful.
Today I will pick up my wedding dress from the second dressmaker and the third attempt to take it up correctly. I have faith that I will be singing her praises this evening.
Today I must check what time I am helping in the Guiding Shop tomorrow morning.
Today I still have only half the responses I need for our wedding invites.
Today Fast is sleeping in because he was up 'til half one playing computer games.
Today I feel really relaxed because he gave me a brilliant back massage before I slept last night.
Today is hopeful.
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