12 Weeks

How can it be that we only have 12 weeks 'til we get married? We got engaged sometime around March 2008. I'm not sure exactly when as I am not really a remember the date kind of girl. Mr SC would have given notice the next day and married me two weeks later if I would have agreed, but I told him that I wanted to be engaged for a long while first. We picked November 2009 pretty soon, although we did end up moving the date forward a bit.

We went out on the little motorbike for a ride today. Went to an English Heretics site near us and enjoyed just exploring and watching kids play in the grounds. The sun was gorgeous and it was so lovely to just relax in each other's company. Having two day weekends again feels amazing!

We drove into town, and then as we came back I got to thinking about the day I moved in with Mr SC. He had driven his cavalier back from my parents and I had driven Rudolph with tinsel around her bumper the whole way. I remember as we headed up the M1 there had been a highway patrol car ahead of us and I had refused to overtake it in case I got in trouble for the tinsel. Finally we came to the road from town to our village, and as Mr SC had been living in our house for a month on his own, he knew the road far better than I did. I followed him and looked forward to knowing the area as well as he did.

I'm not sure I could ever contemplate living anywhere else now.

Sleeping in your own bed.

There is something so nice about coming home. After spending an extended weekend with my in-laws, its lovely to be sitting on our own sofa and just relaxing. Not that I don't relax with my in-laws, but it is a different kind of relaxing. 

Today I was making our bed while Mr SC had a bath. He came upstairs after and moaned that the t-shirts we had ordered for his new business were too small. I looked at the label, and pointed out that it was the small one I had ordered for me, and maybe he should try the XL ones I had ordered for him. Interesting that....

I found it!

After so many times back and forth with the hotel for our wedding reception, we gave in and looked for somewhere else. Today we spent the day with my in-laws, and went into town to look at a couple of other restaurants. The first pub, I had found online; it looked great and had been recently been refurb'ed. THE INTERNET LIES! The pub has been changed again, and is now a vodka bar. So not the feel I am going for.

We went to see a bar that I thought had a function room, but it turned out there was no function room. Then the third and final place only opens on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, and is in a gated cul-de-sac. What a let down; we headed back to the in-laws.

Then, while Mr SC was cooking Sunday lunch, I had a call from the owner of the last restaurant. If I could get there in the next half hour we could see inside and talk. I grabbed my sister-in-law and we headed over to see the place. It was perfect! There is great disabled access, the decor is lovely with a nice cosy country french feel, the owner/chef is happy for us to order food on the day from the normal menu and he is really understanding about vegetarians, allergies and food fussiness. Wow!

Trepidation

Mr SC is a mechanic. Not just by trade, but also by habit. He loves playing with engines and fixing vehicles. I love watching him head out to the garage to play with whichever of our vehicles needs tweaking. Sometimes it is simple, and he just needs the odd drink to keep him from getting dehydrated in his concentration. Other times, bolts shear, bodge jobs from previous owners are difficult to fathom, and he has to sit back and work out how to achieve what is needed. Sometimes the air is blue and his hands are battered by the time it is done.

Covered in swarf, with various mucky rags and clothes that need a really hot wash, he will wander back up the hill to the house and give me a hug with a look of satisfaction on his face before he jumps in a muscle-salts bath. He will tell me in detail everything he did, and patiently answer my stupid questions. Then we can both relax, knowing we have achieved something. (You didn't think I just sat back bored while he was busy, did you?) It is great to see him enjoy having earned his relaxing time. 

Today is Mr SC's last day at his current job. As of 4.30 today, he will be a self employed mechanic. We have not yet got a lot of work lined up, so there is a fair amount of handing out of business cards to be done over the next few days and weeks. Might put an ad in the local paper. Most of all will have my fingers crossed that it all works out.

Persisting Down

Walking back from the office to the car this afternoon in the pouring rain, as my legs got soaked under my mac, I had three things running through my head:

- Eurgh, yuk yuk yuk,

- 'English Summer Rain' by Placebo and

- If it rains this much in three months, I am going to need the biggest plastic poncho in the history of plastic ponchos to keep my wedding dress dry.

Three months today. OMG!

Watch where you are going!

Today I was sat at the traffic lights on my way home. Two girls were crossing, followed by a guy on a bike. He must have decided to be a bad-ass and cycle around the island to get where he was going quicker. Which would have been fine, but he spent more time looking at the girls than where he was going, and damn near faceplanted when his front wheel hit the island kerb. What a way to increase your street cred. I nearly missed my green light I was laughing so hard.

Tomorrow I need to:

-get chocolate, fountains, dippy bits, plates, skewers, signs and tablecloths organised for the chocolate fountain I am running on Sunday at our village fair.

-get signs and airflow balls organised for the golf game that Mr SC is running on Sunday.

-try to design our wedding invites.

-get some laundry done.

-plant the last of my tomatoes.

-bake some cookies. Mmmm.

Educational

My sister-in-law (as will be) called me this evening. She has just had her introductory day for her training to become a midwife. As well as a lot of biology homework before term starts, she has been told that they will send her a knitting pattern and she should knit up a pair of breasts.

Yes, thats right.

Apparently, they use knitted breasts in order to help new mums learn how to breast-feed. Unfortunately, L cannot knit, so thought I would be the best person for the job. That will go down on the top of the list of weirdest things to knit ever!

Shattered

I have just got back from a 160 mile round trip to drop off a motorcycle we have sold. Last night I went to the pub after brownies as we have now broken up for the summer. I spent the weekend on Pack Holiday with 20 brownies not from my pack, at a beautiful house on the North Yorkshire Moors.

To say that I am tired is an understatement.

I picked up my wedding ring from the jewellers yesterday, and it is very lovely. Fits perfectly, far too snug to have to worry about it accidentally coming off my finger. I have also been in touch with the hotel/restaurant we are planning on having our reception in, and the registry office. I wish booking things was more straightforward. 

Would I be asking too much of my reception venue that they allow us a choice of meals for 26 guests, provided we pre-order? I wouldn't think it impossible, but it seems to be an issue. I really don't want to have to dictate what 26 people eat, it just seems wrong.

Anyway, I must get bathed quickly and get to bed. Night x

That which we call a rose...

I nearly missed my little brother's birthday. Today begins that strange time of year where there is only one year between us, until my Birthday when all of a sudden I am two years older than him again. 

I was talking to my Mum the other morning about making decisions on changing my name or not. Obviously, tradition dictates that I should be taking Mr SC's surname once we are married, but I have to admit that I am not sure. While I like the idea of us sharing a surname, I disagree with the convention that it should be his name. Why not my name, or pick a new name we both like?Perhaps I would feel less disinclined if I were to take his name for convenience, rather than because he will not even discuss changing his name. Why should I have to go to the trouble and effort when he won't even consider compromising. (Stop being so contentious SC.)

Back to the point. I was telling my mum, that I do not know who Mrs SC X is. She doesn't exist yet, and her future existence relies on Miss SC Y not existing anymore. How could I not be SC Y? I've been SC Y for a quarter of a century. I guess that Mr SC's refusal to contemplate becoming Mr SC Y or even Mr SC Z, just sticks in my throat. It makes me feel like he doesn't care how changing my name might be making me feel. OK I give up on trying to not be upset by this. Let's just agree that at this point in time, I am heading for being a Ms SC, unless Mr SC's attitude changes!

What a mess of a post. I may come back to this.