The wedding eve was a balmy day with wall-to-wall sunshine. Travelling in the car to Bowness-on-Windermere, it was difficult to believe that this was winter in England. The dress and the full-length veil had been carefully laid in Tonys car, (thank goodness for drop-down rear seats). Our suitcase, walking boots, (well you never know we might just get to use them after all, we are) in the Lake District,) small holdall, umbrella and wedding favours are packed into my car. Tony went to collect his sister and with the two cars stuffed to bursting we set off on our adventure around 1pm.
I quite like a bit of peace and quiet occasionally but at about 2.15pm I was feeling bored and rang Richard (our son) to ask whereabouts he was. He absolutely hates being a passenger and he was driving his own car and the best man was his passenger. He said that he had overtaken me a long while back; hazard lights flashing and him waving, he had driven in front of me for a couple of minutes but, as he got no response, he shot off. We arranged to meet up at the motorway services he had just come to. I speeded up a bit, well a lot really - I had already been travelling at 70mph. About ten minutes later, I duly pulled into the next services, rang Richard again and established that he was about two services further back. He hadnt realised that I was in my own car and had been flashing at his Dad. So, having purchased one Mars Bar, I set off again, missed junction 36 which was just after the services, turned around at junction 37, and eventually arrived at the Fayrer Garden House Hotel at about 3.15pm.
All settled in our lakeview room, the dress hanging from the bathroom door, veil draped over a chair, there was a knock at the door and the receptionist handed us a card, a beautiful flower arrangement and tray with a bottle of Moet & Chandon on ice and two champagne glasses. The card was a photograph of our gang of friends with raised glasses in hands and a greeting inside. What a super surprise and a very touching thought.
We met the grooms parents and various others in the larger lounge for some liquid refreshment and eventually went to dinner around 7pm, for me melon starter, roast sirloin of beef on a bed of something or another (not a Yorkshire pudding in sight), washed down with some rather palatable red wine, followed by a desert of some sort but dont ask me what! And so to bed, tomorrows the BIG day.
I quite like a bit of peace and quiet occasionally but at about 2.15pm I was feeling bored and rang Richard (our son) to ask whereabouts he was. He absolutely hates being a passenger and he was driving his own car and the best man was his passenger. He said that he had overtaken me a long while back; hazard lights flashing and him waving, he had driven in front of me for a couple of minutes but, as he got no response, he shot off. We arranged to meet up at the motorway services he had just come to. I speeded up a bit, well a lot really - I had already been travelling at 70mph. About ten minutes later, I duly pulled into the next services, rang Richard again and established that he was about two services further back. He hadnt realised that I was in my own car and had been flashing at his Dad. So, having purchased one Mars Bar, I set off again, missed junction 36 which was just after the services, turned around at junction 37, and eventually arrived at the Fayrer Garden House Hotel at about 3.15pm.
All settled in our lakeview room, the dress hanging from the bathroom door, veil draped over a chair, there was a knock at the door and the receptionist handed us a card, a beautiful flower arrangement and tray with a bottle of Moet & Chandon on ice and two champagne glasses. The card was a photograph of our gang of friends with raised glasses in hands and a greeting inside. What a super surprise and a very touching thought.
We met the grooms parents and various others in the larger lounge for some liquid refreshment and eventually went to dinner around 7pm, for me melon starter, roast sirloin of beef on a bed of something or another (not a Yorkshire pudding in sight), washed down with some rather palatable red wine, followed by a desert of some sort but dont ask me what! And so to bed, tomorrows the BIG day.
. I have a feeling I may need to have the tissues near to hand!
