Oh, you know, my heart is just full of loveliness! Everyone has been so sweet about my last post- no one has told me I am wretched selfish girl! You have been so supportive- and backing up kind words with offers of help.
Friends at work who have heard the live version of my sob have been lovely, and you my kind blogging friends are wonderful too.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Tuesday, 26 September 2006
Monday, 25 September 2006
Feeling Blue
On the whole, I try and keep my blog a happy friendly place, as I am, on the whole, a happy person. But I also appreciate this as a little place where I can speak my mind when I am feeling blue- I feel like this is a space where I can speak and be understood. And since no one here is connected with what I am about to unload about, I don’t have to worry about offending anyone involved…
The thing is, our wedding. Well not our wedding itself, but the Wedding part of it- the reception, the dresses and all that. We do not have a huge budget, and even if we did have lots of cash to spare, a Big Wedding would not be us. So a lot of the things we are doing, we are doing them because they make our day more personal, and because they also save money- a happy combination.
Our day, so far. I am making the invitations. I am going to use a rubber stamp to emboss our names in the middle of a card, then use a craft punch to make some flowers in shades of pink, which I will stick randomly around our names. One or two of the flowers will have a little tiny diamante at the centre. Then inside, a slip of paper printed from the computer in a pretty font with the invitation, directions etc.
We are getting married in a little country church. I got my dress in a sample sale, and my Mum is doing the flowers (not the church flowers, but the people flowers if that makes sense). The plan from then on was to go to this little family run golf club about ten minutes away, to have a welcome drink and nibbles on the lawn, while we have a few photos.
In for afternoon tea- sandwiches, salad, quiche, cold meat and a baked salmon, served from a buffet, then trays of scones, strawberries and profiteroles served to the tables. We will have background music on the CD player, and if I can find enough money, I have found a man who can look at a person, then cut their silhouette portrait in two minutes- I would love to have him there, wandering amongst the tables.
Then we cut the cake, have speeches with sparkling wine for the toast, and move from the upstairs restaurant to downstairs for tea, coffee, and cake. Carl and I have our first dance on the lawn, then that is it- we go off, people go off, all in a flutter of confetti.
We got the quote, and it was around £5,000. This is where the trouble begins, you see. I am happy to lose the canapés, which with the welcome drinks account for £825 of the quote. I think the sparkling wine is overpriced- £19 a bottle, and it was meant to be an economy, instead of champagne!! I want to pay the £8 corkage and go buy a case of fizz from Majestic. But this is it- when I was talking about it with my in-law to be, she thought we were not being ripped off over the drink and suggested having just sandwiches for the reception.
Now I am not knocking anyone who wants to have a sandwich reception, but in my mind, that is what I would want for a Christening. I don’t feel like I am asking for ever such a lot, and am happy to lose the canapés, the welcome drink,- I don’t even really want to have wine on the tables as I don’t think it is appropriate for afternoon tea, but have been shouted down.
I am wearing a sample sale gown (which I do love, but it would be nice to have one that no one else has worn, that is just mine), I am making my own invitations, sorting out the flowers, having a cake from the supermarket, and it is getting to the point where I feel there is not much more we can do to economise, to cut back, to reel it in. There is not much more I want to do. I feel like the compromises we have made, we have made in good spirit- and as I say, mainly because me making the invitations means more to me than buying them, but also it is a tenth of the price.
I don’t mind not having a sit down dinner, not having a posh car, all of that. I know £5,000 is an awful lot of money, but considering the cost of the average wedding now is £17,000 I think we have done rather well. I find it really hard to articulate what I mean, but I feel sad, like I am not asking for very much, and am prepared to do with less than that, but not so very much less that it all feels wrong. I know, I know the day is about being married, and that is the most important thing to me. But it is also important to me to share this special day with our family and friends- and if we can’t do that, I am beginning to feel like I would just like to get married on our own and go have tea at the Ritz.
But then again, I feel that I want my family with me, and I don’t want to give up that for the sake of money arguments. (If you are wondering why In-Laws have such an influence, they are making the majority of the financial contribution).
I know it is a bad reaction to stress, but I went and ate a bar of Green and Blacks chocolate at lunch which I know is not the answer, but made me feel better for five minutes. And now I feel bloated and worried that I have spoiled my blog somehow by spilling all of this out here. I will probably take this post down in a few days. But just today, right now, this is how I feel.
Thank you to any lovely person who has read all the way to the end of my little sob!
The thing is, our wedding. Well not our wedding itself, but the Wedding part of it- the reception, the dresses and all that. We do not have a huge budget, and even if we did have lots of cash to spare, a Big Wedding would not be us. So a lot of the things we are doing, we are doing them because they make our day more personal, and because they also save money- a happy combination.
Our day, so far. I am making the invitations. I am going to use a rubber stamp to emboss our names in the middle of a card, then use a craft punch to make some flowers in shades of pink, which I will stick randomly around our names. One or two of the flowers will have a little tiny diamante at the centre. Then inside, a slip of paper printed from the computer in a pretty font with the invitation, directions etc.
We are getting married in a little country church. I got my dress in a sample sale, and my Mum is doing the flowers (not the church flowers, but the people flowers if that makes sense). The plan from then on was to go to this little family run golf club about ten minutes away, to have a welcome drink and nibbles on the lawn, while we have a few photos.
In for afternoon tea- sandwiches, salad, quiche, cold meat and a baked salmon, served from a buffet, then trays of scones, strawberries and profiteroles served to the tables. We will have background music on the CD player, and if I can find enough money, I have found a man who can look at a person, then cut their silhouette portrait in two minutes- I would love to have him there, wandering amongst the tables.
Then we cut the cake, have speeches with sparkling wine for the toast, and move from the upstairs restaurant to downstairs for tea, coffee, and cake. Carl and I have our first dance on the lawn, then that is it- we go off, people go off, all in a flutter of confetti.
We got the quote, and it was around £5,000. This is where the trouble begins, you see. I am happy to lose the canapés, which with the welcome drinks account for £825 of the quote. I think the sparkling wine is overpriced- £19 a bottle, and it was meant to be an economy, instead of champagne!! I want to pay the £8 corkage and go buy a case of fizz from Majestic. But this is it- when I was talking about it with my in-law to be, she thought we were not being ripped off over the drink and suggested having just sandwiches for the reception.
Now I am not knocking anyone who wants to have a sandwich reception, but in my mind, that is what I would want for a Christening. I don’t feel like I am asking for ever such a lot, and am happy to lose the canapés, the welcome drink,- I don’t even really want to have wine on the tables as I don’t think it is appropriate for afternoon tea, but have been shouted down.
I am wearing a sample sale gown (which I do love, but it would be nice to have one that no one else has worn, that is just mine), I am making my own invitations, sorting out the flowers, having a cake from the supermarket, and it is getting to the point where I feel there is not much more we can do to economise, to cut back, to reel it in. There is not much more I want to do. I feel like the compromises we have made, we have made in good spirit- and as I say, mainly because me making the invitations means more to me than buying them, but also it is a tenth of the price.
I don’t mind not having a sit down dinner, not having a posh car, all of that. I know £5,000 is an awful lot of money, but considering the cost of the average wedding now is £17,000 I think we have done rather well. I find it really hard to articulate what I mean, but I feel sad, like I am not asking for very much, and am prepared to do with less than that, but not so very much less that it all feels wrong. I know, I know the day is about being married, and that is the most important thing to me. But it is also important to me to share this special day with our family and friends- and if we can’t do that, I am beginning to feel like I would just like to get married on our own and go have tea at the Ritz.
But then again, I feel that I want my family with me, and I don’t want to give up that for the sake of money arguments. (If you are wondering why In-Laws have such an influence, they are making the majority of the financial contribution).
I know it is a bad reaction to stress, but I went and ate a bar of Green and Blacks chocolate at lunch which I know is not the answer, but made me feel better for five minutes. And now I feel bloated and worried that I have spoiled my blog somehow by spilling all of this out here. I will probably take this post down in a few days. But just today, right now, this is how I feel.
Thank you to any lovely person who has read all the way to the end of my little sob!
Thursday, 21 September 2006
Today I Am Wearing...
In honour of the lovely Indian Summer we are fortunate enough to be enjoying, I am wearing my white vest top, with my black and white flower print skirt. The skirt is so nice to wear- it is one of those double layer ones, and comes just below the knee, and curves in gently before flaring out. I feel like I want to get air into my lungs, breeze through my hair and gentle sunlight on my skin today
An Aside- My Thoughts Upon Healthy Eating
I am trying to eat delicious, simple, nurturing and nourishing, seasonal food. I am trying to avoid ‘low fat’ varieties and just have less of the full fat things. For example, I picked some blackberries, stewed them lightly with apple, and stirred them into natural bio yoghurt. Rather delicious, and it felt quite spoiling.
As I discover or concoct them, recipes will follow. Perhaps I shall post the recipe for my favourite five bean vegetable chilli...
I am trying to capture a kind of vibe- part Nigella’s ‘Temple Food’ part Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall’s fresh-from-the-garden thing, and part Jane Clarke’s Bodyfoods philosophy. Oh, and a bit of the sheer enthusiasm of India Knight. Who has a diet book out next year that I can barely wait for, even though I am so against diets . She just writes so enthusiastically...read The Shops to see what I mean!
So far I am feeling good…
As I discover or concoct them, recipes will follow. Perhaps I shall post the recipe for my favourite five bean vegetable chilli...
I am trying to capture a kind of vibe- part Nigella’s ‘Temple Food’ part Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall’s fresh-from-the-garden thing, and part Jane Clarke’s Bodyfoods philosophy. Oh, and a bit of the sheer enthusiasm of India Knight. Who has a diet book out next year that I can barely wait for, even though I am so against diets . She just writes so enthusiastically...read The Shops to see what I mean!
So far I am feeling good…
Is There A Word For This?
If there isn’t, I wonder what the word should be? Not quite a coincidence, something more…
Well, perhaps there is a word already, and I just don’t know it. As part of my eating healthily kick, I bought some oatibix for breakfast, having decided that oats are a good thing. They are rather nice, but I don’t want to have the same thing every morning, so I thought porridge would be good (well, when this Indian Summer we are enjoying is over, anyway!). So I went into the healthfood shop and became confused by all the different kinds. Logged onto www.pemberley.com one of my favourite websites, went to the Ramble board- and lo! A discussion about porridge (well, oatmeal, but it seems to be the same!).
I spotted Real Simple magazine in our little newsagents, and decided to treat myself to it on payday. (Yes, as if I need to buy more magazines!). I visited my dear friend’s blog http://prettylittleblog.blogspot.com and lo! She is talking about Real Simple magazine!
I idly mentioned to my sister that I had seen fabulous matte gold wrapping paper in Oxfam (the shop that sells the fair-trade chocolate and things, not the general charity shop)- and lo! She had seen it too and had planned to use it this year!
Although I am feeling a bit stressed about the reading I have to do (two for bookgroups, and two that have been lent and recommended to me) I wanted to make a list of books- good books- to read and lo! I visit the ever lovely www.vintagepretty.blogspot.com and she asks for suggestions for good things to read!
Perhaps we are just all really in tune?
Well, perhaps there is a word already, and I just don’t know it. As part of my eating healthily kick, I bought some oatibix for breakfast, having decided that oats are a good thing. They are rather nice, but I don’t want to have the same thing every morning, so I thought porridge would be good (well, when this Indian Summer we are enjoying is over, anyway!). So I went into the healthfood shop and became confused by all the different kinds. Logged onto www.pemberley.com one of my favourite websites, went to the Ramble board- and lo! A discussion about porridge (well, oatmeal, but it seems to be the same!).
I spotted Real Simple magazine in our little newsagents, and decided to treat myself to it on payday. (Yes, as if I need to buy more magazines!). I visited my dear friend’s blog http://prettylittleblog.blogspot.com and lo! She is talking about Real Simple magazine!
I idly mentioned to my sister that I had seen fabulous matte gold wrapping paper in Oxfam (the shop that sells the fair-trade chocolate and things, not the general charity shop)- and lo! She had seen it too and had planned to use it this year!
Although I am feeling a bit stressed about the reading I have to do (two for bookgroups, and two that have been lent and recommended to me) I wanted to make a list of books- good books- to read and lo! I visit the ever lovely www.vintagepretty.blogspot.com and she asks for suggestions for good things to read!
Perhaps we are just all really in tune?
Is There A Word For This?
If there isn’t, I wonder what the word should be? Not quite a coincidence, something more…
Well, perhaps there is a word already, and I just don’t know it. As part of my eating healthily kick, I bought some oatibix for breakfast, having decided that oats are a good thing. They are rather nice, but I don’t want to have the same thing every morning, so I thought porridge would be good (well, when this Indian Summer we are enjoying is over, anyway!). So I went into the healthfood shop and became confused by all the different kinds. Logged onto www.pemberley.com one of my favourite websites, went to the Ramble board- and lo! A discussion about porridge (well, oatmeal, but it seems to be the same!).
I spotted Real Simple magazine in our little newsagents, and decided to treat myself to it on payday. (Yes, as if I need to buy more magazines!). I visited my dear friend’s blog http://prettylittleblog.blogspot.com and lo! She is talking about Real Simple magazine!
I idly mentioned to my sister that I had seen fabulous matte gold wrapping paper in Oxfam (the shop that sells the fair-trade chocolate and things, not the general charity shop)- and lo! She had seen it too and had planned to use it this year!
Although I am feeling a bit stressed about the reading I have to do (two for bookgroups, and two that have been lent and recommended to me) I wanted to make a list of books- good books- to read and lo! I visit the ever lovely www.vintagepretty.blogspot.com and she asks for suggestions for good things to read!
Perhaps we are just all really in tune?
Well, perhaps there is a word already, and I just don’t know it. As part of my eating healthily kick, I bought some oatibix for breakfast, having decided that oats are a good thing. They are rather nice, but I don’t want to have the same thing every morning, so I thought porridge would be good (well, when this Indian Summer we are enjoying is over, anyway!). So I went into the healthfood shop and became confused by all the different kinds. Logged onto www.pemberley.com one of my favourite websites, went to the Ramble board- and lo! A discussion about porridge (well, oatmeal, but it seems to be the same!).
I spotted Real Simple magazine in our little newsagents, and decided to treat myself to it on payday. (Yes, as if I need to buy more magazines!). I visited my dear friend’s blog http://prettylittleblog.blogspot.com and lo! She is talking about Real Simple magazine!
I idly mentioned to my sister that I had seen fabulous matte gold wrapping paper in Oxfam (the shop that sells the fair-trade chocolate and things, not the general charity shop)- and lo! She had seen it too and had planned to use it this year!
Although I am feeling a bit stressed about the reading I have to do (two for bookgroups, and two that have been lent and recommended to me) I wanted to make a list of books- good books- to read and lo! I visit the ever lovely www.vintagepretty.blogspot.com and she asks for suggestions for good things to read!
Perhaps we are just all really in tune?
Monday, 18 September 2006
An Adventure In The Kitchen, And A Plague!
Oh! How I do love Sundays! I must surely have mentioned before how they seem special somehow- perhaps as they are the one day that I never ever have to work. (Although, alas, alack, I have signed up to work several this Autumn as we are short of staff). This Sunday was no different…
After a delightful cup of tea in bed with Radio 4, we went blackberrying in Maldon. I had part of a cappuccino cake I had made left, so we dropped that off with my parents, then went for a nice long walk to gather blackberries. Sadly, so many had died and withered on the bush! We got two small ice cream containers full- enough to make half a bottle of blackberry brandy with some left for a blackberry-apple stew- but I felt sad for all the berries that had gone to waste. We are thinking of going to a different village on Thursday evening to get some more- need to make that other half of a bottle of brandy!
We enjoyed lunch with my parents before setting off back home- where I settled with a pot of tea and the Sunday paper, and then the Boden catalogue! I made a loaf of bread to go with veggie soup ( a new bread machine recipe that uses less salt, no sugar and no milk powder, unlike my old one) and then made lunch for today.
I sat and stitched on my 12 days of Christmas cards (Five go-oo-ld rings!) and watched Spooks. Oh, I am glad that it is back! And I can scarce wait for tonight to see the outcome. Such delicious nonsense!
Now one thing- is anyone else under attack by wave after wave of Daddy Long-Legs? I counted seven in the kitchen this morning! They are everywhere- I even had one flying round my feet in bed the other evening which made me jump out of my skin! Has anyone else found themselves under attack? And short of closing all the windows, is there a nice (ie not soaked-in-chemicals) method of repelling them?
After a delightful cup of tea in bed with Radio 4, we went blackberrying in Maldon. I had part of a cappuccino cake I had made left, so we dropped that off with my parents, then went for a nice long walk to gather blackberries. Sadly, so many had died and withered on the bush! We got two small ice cream containers full- enough to make half a bottle of blackberry brandy with some left for a blackberry-apple stew- but I felt sad for all the berries that had gone to waste. We are thinking of going to a different village on Thursday evening to get some more- need to make that other half of a bottle of brandy!
We enjoyed lunch with my parents before setting off back home- where I settled with a pot of tea and the Sunday paper, and then the Boden catalogue! I made a loaf of bread to go with veggie soup ( a new bread machine recipe that uses less salt, no sugar and no milk powder, unlike my old one) and then made lunch for today.
I sat and stitched on my 12 days of Christmas cards (Five go-oo-ld rings!) and watched Spooks. Oh, I am glad that it is back! And I can scarce wait for tonight to see the outcome. Such delicious nonsense!
Now one thing- is anyone else under attack by wave after wave of Daddy Long-Legs? I counted seven in the kitchen this morning! They are everywhere- I even had one flying round my feet in bed the other evening which made me jump out of my skin! Has anyone else found themselves under attack? And short of closing all the windows, is there a nice (ie not soaked-in-chemicals) method of repelling them?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)