Summer finally came! It was late but SO welcomed when it finally came. It had felt like the longest winter ever. We tried to make the most of it with lots of days out in the sun… we pretty much hit most of the parks in London, especially ones with Paddling pools, Sand Pits and Splash pads.
I took a girls weekend away to West Wittering for my sisters hen do. We had lots of fun camping out by the beach… and doing hen do things… mainly a girls weekend was just good fun. Loved it.
William finished at his Beanstalk Nursery School. They had a sports day at the end of term and he wore his Super cape for it!
Anthony and I got to go to a few weddings without the children which was really fun! We enjoyed a sunny out door English/Aussie wedding when Mike Barnet married Erika. Mike has been one of the "stag do" crew who have pulled some pretty harsh stunts on each other - like when they dropped Anthony in the middle of France with nothing. Their plans for Mike where originally to drop him in Germany but they ran out of time and ended up leaving him in the middle of a dark Forest in the middle of the English country side, miles from anywhere….tied up…Naked. He made it home with some funny stories. They had the sweetest touches to their wedding including individual personalised thank you notes to each of their guests hidden with in your place setting. It was a pleasant and sweet surprise when they where revealed during the speeches.
I also got to reunite with some much loved friends from my school days when we went to the wedding party of our friend Ian. I wish I got more chances to see these people!! My School friends are actually some of my most cherished friendships. (Getting cheesy in my old nostalgic age!).
Then there was THIS big fat wedding! Mike and my sister Chrissy got married and weren't we all glad! They had a beautiful English country style wedding and reception on the Friday, then on Saturday they travelled to the temple to be sealed. I have to be honest, I did not enjoy being "made of Honour", its a title I simple couldn't fulfil with two kids in tow. I was a frazzled mess from start to finish and was not one of those glossy well put together brides maids at all… Id actually been looking forward to just looking "nice" for a day but I forget how much of an impossibility that is in my world! Unfortunately my lack of enthusiasm was also caught on some pictures! It started when I kept getting last minute to do jobs from Christine, which I really should have anticipated…but this just meant I was constantly trying to do a million things at once and none of them was get myself ready. When I finally got to the hotel to get myself ready I was still being given things to do, then the hairdresser who was going to do my hair and make up for me got stuck in traffic, leaving her only time to concentrate on the bride when she arrived. This meant I had to suddenly fend for myself under pressure! In a hotel room of excitable girls I some how managed to walk out with an 80's quiff! But that was OK as it turned out I matched my daughters 80's pineapple high pony, a result of letting her dad get her ready. Whilst driving to the church, Helen hands me some gum, GUM I forgot to take out before walking down the isle because of the hurry of it all. And the thing with gum is that the more under pressure, rushed or nervous I am the harder and bigger I chew… So I managed to walk down the Isle looking like an 80s hooker from pretty woman! Just what Id always hoped for. But this was better than what I looked like walking back up the isle on the way out. I had to sit at the front of the chapel, with the kids! And all I had was a packet of soft mints to keep them quiet. They were not interested in sitting with their dad so there I was "made of honour" handing out soft mints to the page boys and flower girls, trying to keep them quiet when Anthony hands me the activity bag and then there was a mass of children spread out on the floor colouring and playing with sticker books…and not being very quiet at all. Anna managed to keep taking the mints out of her mouth and holding them in her hand and then kindly sticking her hands all over me. By the time i was supposed to be walking out and up the isle again I had noticeable greasy sticky wet hand marks all over my dress. My hair had dropped to a chav like come over and I wore an unconvincing fake smile.
The rest of the day followed suit like this.
I was actually ordered to smile during a photo shoot, but this was because all I could see and hear was my son having a massive melt down and anna crying to be with me in the photo. But Chrissy looked amazing, Mike looked great and the kids looked cute, which are all more important than me.
Take a look at the photos HERE.
After the wedding we found our selves down by west wittering for our newish niece Isabelle's baby blessing. So we made a holiday of it and camped a few nights by the beach again. Mum and dad came with us and It was a really good way to wind down after all the business of the wedding. I love beach therapy.
At the end of Summer we had to say good bye to a few friends who left London, one of the tough things about living in London is how transient it can be with people. Eventually people want the space that living outside of London affords. One of the hardest was saying goodbye to The Furbanks.
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