30th August 2025 - beginnings

 

The family has arrived for the wedding.  This photo was sent to Tom to say we had arrived safely and met up in a cafe with the London contingency and after brunch all ready to be taxied by Andrew to the cottage.  Andrew is a brilliant godsend to the family and we should all thank my daughter for bringing him into the fold.  There she sits as smug as a dowager over her little brood! ;)  There had been a panic over ties for the boys but Andrew managed to rustle up a couple for them

The cottage was flawless, less so after  we had left.  It gleamed the impersonal touch of an interior decorator, colours matched and a truly splendid kitchen. Bedrooms were sorted with little fuss and everyone went off to make themselves beautiful.  Lucien, you can just see his head popping up, the 'significant other' of Matilda was a little shy about attending a family wedding but soon melded in well. Short biography: did maths at Cambridge but his heart is set on drumming with his band.

Lucien and Matilda. They make a lovely couple ;)

Lillie took the mirror out of my room, Ben steamed his clothes in my room, Ben of course is the fashionista of the family, luckily it did not take me too long to change.

My room

A totally tidy kitchen

Ellie's parents had spent a lot of money on this wedding for their only daughter and they were a lovely couple, Imogen and Michael.  It had only struck me that this was the beginning of two families coming together and that I would have to think it all out.

Our lovely Tom who was making such a success of his life and  also marrying a very beautiful girl, a match seemingly made in heaven for the two of them.

Although the two had gone through a legal marriage at a registry office they also renewed their vows at the house in the Library Room, choice of which I will explain later.  The ceremony had been taken by a humanist celebrant and Tom was in tears he was so happy.  After a lot of vows given by both of them we were shepherded by the two photographers, here and there for wedding photos.  And, until Ellie gives the word the photos cannot be seen on social media.

So to return to the family and the cottage.  There were half a dozen cottages round the close, made out of the  exterior buildings, of this I think 18th century house, we had the laundry block.

All dressed up

Why the library room?  Ever since Tom as a small toddler, read everything in sight from his buggy and that day he picked up the Radio Times and said distinctly BBC as he could see it on the tv he has devoured words.  Escaping the family to find a quiet corner to read, it is a constant stress relief function I think for him.  Ellie is a Jane Austen fan, and there were quotes from her during the ceremony and also her father.  This was the reason for the venue, books and of course Tom has his most wanted job now which is with a publisher.

Early next morning and I heard a hawk in the sky, think it was a sparrowhawk

There is a part two but it needs thinking about.......