Wednesday 31 August 2011

A Saturday Wedding Part 3

When we arrived at the wedding most of the guests were already there and it was in FULL swing. The tea party room that we had left on Friday eve and Saturday morning looked more like backstage at I don't know where.












You hear most brides say that the day flew by so fast and as a guest this day went at rocket speed. It could have been the amount of children there and that either one of you were following a little one in and out of the gardens but everything was a lightening pace.
Mr and Mrs must have been exhausted but are to be commended for doing so much to accommodate their guests needs including calling a halt to the proceedings at 10pm!

A good day had by all lots of chatting and laughing, I probably ate too much cake that since opened the flood gates for chocolate consumption this week.

Looking back at my photo files we appear to have been to a fare few weddings these past few years not one of them the same, aren't we lucky.

All the best for your future Mr and Mrs Havers, I am not sure when you will see this message on that useless computer of yours!

CM

A Saturday Wedding - Part 2

My friend was getting married, a small service and a big party and she asked me if I would dress the venue for her.......of course! I'd love to!

It wasn't to be a difficult task as she had spent most of the year collecting and making things so it was just a case of pinning it all up. Her theme was her Nana and it was to have lots of things for the children to do as it was mostly families that had been invited.
We prayed for a sunny day.

We broke the whole experience down into parts. A while ago we visited the venue which when booked was in a sore state but was undergoing renovations - but not really the room she had booked. We looked on the bright side and made a plan of action and stuck to it.

Further meetings we looked at pictures and got a feel for the theme and looked lovingly at all the bits that she had collected and finally last week we went down to an un renovated venue and made a plan of where everything was to go.

Luckily for us African Theme Night had been cancelled on the Friday night so the bride, her friend and I were able to get in there with our cleaning products (really I am not kidding!) our drawing pins and blue tack and set forth changing shit into gold.


No formal wedding cake required here thank you
Cake Stall
The groom ironed EVERYTHING but he is a smart Essex boy so I'd expect nothing less.
Small children used these as weapons on the day

Friends made cakes and buns galore!
P blows through these like she is hyperventilating!

If it didn't move it was on a doily
Home made bunting
Balls for outdoor play
What a beauty in her big fat knitted gown

All finished the night before

I came in the morning with my yard broom and swept outside and made sure that the bits to go in the public area were put out and noticed that none of the staff had bothered to lock the fire escape so the whole place had been open to vandalism the whole night. We were very lucky it was all still in one piece in the morning.

I thought that it looked lovely.

Lessons learned.
Try and book your venue the day before - less stress - there was no way I could have done this on my own on the day of the wedding.
I will never offer to do this again. This was the least stressful situation but looking back on it I feel terrified but maybe that is the delayed reaction.


Stay tuned for what it looked like after guests and children arrived!
CM

Tuesday 30 August 2011

A Saturday Wedding Part 1

So this Saturday gone we were invited to a wedding reception that was to be family orientated and the bride had arranged for there to be a face painter for the children.
T has never had her face painted as I am anti social and never go anywhere where she would have had the opportunity to have it done.

She was itching to be painted, a big butterfly across the face, and you know, that's what she got.




On the way to the venue we got a flat tyre and had to go fill up at the petrol station which made us 45 minutes late. She was so good she didn't whine once but she did throw in a few Come On DAAAAD!
When we got there she stood next to that table and stood there like she was on duty she had a ticket, lucky number 7 but they were only painting number 4 I think it was the longest wait for her.

In my mind I was sure that the face painter was only going to be there an hour and I wanted her to have it done so bad that I would have gone out of my mind and hired a painter just to make her day.

It was about half an hour after her face had been done that I clicked that she hadn't seen the butterfly because she didn't smile, talked with gritted teeth and freaked ever so slightly if someone brushed passed her. All her fears were laid to rest when she realised this paint was on and probably not coming off until the morning then she had a great time!

CM

Rackham Fete and Flower Show

So for the past 100 years I have heard tales of the Rackham Fair which is actually the
Rackham Fete and Flower Show.

Its in the middle of nowhere, mum and I never had a car when we lived on the south coast so wouldn't have been able to get there without a whole heap of troubled traveling.
My oldest family friends who lived chaotically round the corner and loved me dearly usually went every year but not with much planning as it was the event that sort of jumped out at you from the calender. There are also six in their family it could have been an unsafe squeeze with me in the car although I did travel to Thorpe Park in the boot with them once when I was about 10.

Stories of the fairs wooden slide that travels through the trees have stayed with me forever.

On Sunday my oldest friend said "tomorrow it's Rackham"
I am not sure if she was inviting me but I was going.

Bless her she sent me the post code and a message to bring coins and I bundled us into the car and off we went.


It was amazing for lots of reasons
These are the photos that I managed to take. Crappy overcast weather didn't help and then the battery ran out.

The approach from the free car park
LOOK! The slide and isn't that Peter Rabbit

Is anything 30p and more?


This print was a great distraction from all the Cath Kidston walking around.

The Pre War Tea Tent
So much bunting
Lots of stalls lots to win but nothing to buy. Refreshing

I thought that the slide was about 100 meters long, it's not, but it is great and I could go on it 100 times. The tea was fantastic and it looked like everyone had baked a cake we had a slice of everything......still exaggerating.

At 3pm they have the children's races, potato, egg and spoon, sack and straight running.
T was up for winning the under 5 running. She had two attempts. The first race had all children under 5 so there were children everywhere and it was a disaster so they tried again and she and I were up for winning.
Unfortunately I had told her to run striaght to the end and stop at the bunting and didn't add the information about running around slower children and she ploughed straight into a boy.

MY ANKLE!! she cried I WANT TO GO HOME!

A couple of turns on the slide soon fixed things but an an ice cream which turned out to be the wrong flavour and then you add in a bit of misery and miscommunication and before you know it you can see the end of the afternoon appearing on the horizon.

G wanted a turn at the coconut shy - 3 balls 50p - but was unsuccessful but I think that was because you had to hit them at 15 meters at least! He was a bit of a disappointed looser a bit like his daughter, peas in a pod actually so with two lollies I packed everyone back in the car and promised to come back again next year and headed for home.
Maybe next year we will enjoy flower display then and have a crack at the tombola.

We unpacked two sleeping sticky faces and all had a peaceful evening.

Today I sound like Mariella Frostrup or that other one who's been around for years who's name I can't think of.

Busy week going to clean house.
CM


Monday 29 August 2011

It's Summer But Only Just!

My health related anxiety has relaxed as my throat has flexed. I have a throat and tight chest none of which is painful but is annoying and knackering.
Yesterday I took to the sofa and watched most of Runaway Bride with Richard, Julia and Joan.




It all felt a little bit like Autumn, there was a cool breeze outside and I wanted to get my woolens ready!















In the morning we got out in the garden and just started to move a few plants around and have a bit of a chop back I think the Autumn seed was planted then, started thinking about having a bonfire party in such limited space and how much of a firework display we could arrange. Not much says G.
To be honest building a launch pad on the roof might be safer although not for G who would be in charge of lighting the fuses.
In my mind I filtered through my memory of Halloween/Bonfire recipes and carved gourdes and cake stands made from tree trunks and what bowl could I pour a punch into. I pictured our friends in winter scarves and cosy coats and twinkling lights in the trees.
I am so ready for TV version of small town America in the Fall.
Doesn't everyone think like this? I am sure it's half way organised.

So this is what it looked like Sunday morning. All very grey green and purple.

Trimmings
Moving Soil
They finally like each other
Still to make a decision - where to put stuff
Cutting it all back
Getting ready for Grand Prix - Hamilhead! What are you doing?

Today we are off to a country fair that I have wanted to go to for YEARS maybe today is the perfect day to visit

Speak Later
CM


Tuesday 23 August 2011

Coming Out of the Weekend

Summer is certainly rolling on and before I know it term will be starting and I won't be ready for Autumn.
Do you have to be ready for anything, nope, but prepared sure makes my life easier and more enjoyable. I am definitely learning to flap less.

Having said that this past two weeks has been filled with health related anxiety with no solid foundation I think that I am coming out of it but I think that I have been in shock realising what pressure my mind and body can put me through.

I have a form of Agoraphobia.
There you go, I said it. I didn't say it first. Someone with a qualification said it along time ago when it had manifested as social anxiety.
Now the problem is the fear of fear or dying prematurely from something that can't be fixed.
It is also morphing into separation anxiety and I am finding it difficult when G goes out for the evening or to town for a meeting.

Having said that I had a great time on my own at the car boot on Sunday.
I bought a couple of geranium plants to pack out a planter at the back door. A big basket for toys and a Christmas deoration

And this stuff!

What is this - what did it store at one time?
If you have an angry make believe call - it dings when you slam the receiver!
T said - Bambi 2 - Without his mother to guide him
£5! Joint Christmas Present - just got to Grimm it up a bit


On Sunday morning I was reading the online news headlines crying.
There was an accident in the South, an air show, a plane lost control and the pilot managed to steer his plane away from houses and bring it down in nearby fields. Sadly Flt Lt Jon Egging died.

People were  out walking. I can't imagine how loud and frightening it must have been to feel a jet crashing to the ground around you then to run toward water and use all your strength to pull a parachute out to try and find and save a life. I am constantly amazed at the bravery of those who help others when all they did was get up in the morning to walk the dog.


P has learn't to say Peek a Boo! To pronounce it as if she is an aristocrat. Its hysterical!
The girls also are in bunk beds and it is safe to say that after 4 nights 3 fevers it has been musical beds but hopefully things are settling

Have a good Tuesday
CM

Thursday 18 August 2011

Sticki Brix

Picked these up in a shop locally, used, but clean and in a nice bag so they can be cleared and stored away nicely at the end of the day.....or not as I am still looking at the butterfly palace T built yesterday afternoon.

I always loved these as a child but I don't think I played with them that often.
I love the shapes and colours.





She has been, ON ONE! as some might say. T cannot stop talking, today or yesterday asking all sorts of questions, asking for me to LOOK Mummy! or insist that anything she requests be done a different way to which she has asked.
Not angry or rude,  just FULL ON.

I think I have had it up to here
As I type this she is practicing her hopping
Fine
But does it have to be so loud?
Apparently so

I am yelling a bit as I am so tired
It's like an elephant hopping.

Last night both girls slept in their own bunk beds. For one reason or another they have been sleeping/camping in with us for some time and to be honest I still missed them terribly but I can't keep them in there until they are teenagers.
It all went rather well except for when I decided at my bed time to swap T's choice of bed time toy, a pink furry puppy that screams flammable in appearance with a nice brown bear that I thought she might like to wake up to.

Nope

At 04:15 she woke me up with her torch and quietly explained that there was some confusion with her puppy who was missing and a brown bear was in its place and could I come and sort it.

Which of course I did because I felt guilt and now I am knackered and really I should have known better to meddle in the inner workings of her mind.

She went straight back to sleep, but Oh my! 

Oh well. Make dinner and a bit of crochet in front of a movie for tonight I think
CM