The rest!

Hi! I'm home again, and thanks for all the welcome home emails and texts! I didn't blog last night when I got home! After a day and a half travelling and crossing back over time zones I was past doing anything much at all! Somehow the flights seemed longer, with time dragging, despite there being films and music and TV programmes to choose from on the inflight entertainment system! I tried to sleep but only dosed, couldn't concentrate on films or my book, and I think that watching our progress on the flight information section wasn't such a good idea either. We just didn't seem to be getting anywhere fast - despite our equivalent groundspeed of well over 500 mph! Anyway, I'm home now and have had a sleep, though it wasn't as sound as I might have liked!
What is strange is returning from autumn in NZ and Aus to springtime well underway here! Everything is so fresh and green and in so many shades, but spring is like that! The leaves are out on the trees; blossom is in bloom on my apple tree; the daffs are past..... and the weeds are a mile high! I should have been out in the garden today sorting that out but I wanted to catch up here with emails and blog!

So - back to Adelaide for a while! After my last blog I returned to my apartment - without needing to use the new umbrella - and began getting ready for the wedding and unbelievably I was ready a whole hour and a half before I needed to be! I sat down to watch TV for a while and suddenly heard a quiet taptaptap on the door! It was Brian, youngest brother of the bride's dad, and his wife Bette, who were booked into the apartment downstairs! Now I haven't seen Brian since he was 15, a quiet teenager in those days, but he was instantly recognisable, and what a lovely guy he is! We arranged to meet up a bit later when his niece Holly was coming to pick us up in the car, which she duly did, and off we went to the wedding. Again, I had a wonderful view of the ceremony, and what was so nice about this one was that the priest turned the couple round to face the congregation while he stood with his back to us, so we could see their faces as they took their vows. It had been said on Thursday at the rehearsal that father Sean was quite theatrical, and it was as if he was prompting them rather than asking them to repeat what he was saying. I think only the bride and groom heard him, and we all only heard Sally and Andrew speaking! "I Andrew...take you, Sally..." "I Sally... take you, Andrew..." etc. That I thought, was a nice touch. After all it was them, not the priest - as he had said himself earlier - that we were there to see and hear! Despite the rehearsal he also introduced a few wee extra touches on the day, like bringing the bride's and groom's parents out to stand alongside the couple, as he blessed and then introduced "the newly married couple" to the congregation. Of course Sally looked beautiful in her paler than pale pink dress decorated with some wonderful beading, and Andrew very handsome in his suit! The bridesmaids, including Clare as chief maid, wore long black dresses with pale pink sashes - very striking!

Another of the things I liked about the ceremony - as also in Clare's - was the lighting of the family candles. Of course I just love candles and love that the mothers of the bride and groom each lit a candle to represent their own family, and later, after they were declared man and wife, the newlyweds each took a light from their family candle to light a third candle that signified their own new family.

Oh, my reading went ok, by the way! I managed to do as the priest directed and look over to where Sally and Andrew were sitting, while I read them words from a letter from St Paul to the Ephesians - lots of good advice about loving each other, being honest with each other, respecting each other, communicating with each other, sharing their fortunes as well as the misfortunes... and ending up with "...be happy for the love you have been fortunate to find in one another."

There were photos outside after the ceremony - and the weather remained dry. I said afterwards - several times - that it was because I had bought the umbrella the day before! I'll have to include an umbrella in my scrapbook page when I finally get around to it! The uncles and aunts and cousins "adjourned to the pub" afterwards for a short time before the reception. It was great to realise that Ian and his four brothers were all together that day, something that doesn't happen too often, as they are all scattered around Australia now. Brian and Bette were the furthest away for some time when they lived in Western Australia. but now they have moved to Brisbane from where it is easier to get to other places.

The reception was held in the University College where Sally and Andrew studied and gained their degrees. The hall was decorated with flowers, fairy lights and swathes of organdy and looked magnificent. We had a lovely meal and listened to the speeches, amid much laughter on occasions, and finally the bride and groom cut their cake which we all enjoyed very much; the band struck up and the dancing began. Sally and Andrew did a beautiful Bridal Waltz and were then joined by the bridesmaids, groomsmen and parents.

The dancing continued well into the evening and at last Sally and Andrew did their farewell round, receiving hugs and good wishes from their guests. I'm not sure who caught Sally's bouquet, but there was a bit of competition amongst the young unmarried ladies to be the one!!!

Next day, back at the house, family and friends arrived throughout the morning for a lunchtime barbecue. Paul was again chef in chief, and dished up the burgers and sausages in fine style. I got talking to Andrew's grandparents, Gilf and Eileen, a grand couple of 90 and 81, who celebrated their diamond wedding not long ago. Eileen dressmakes and embroiders beautifully, so I was able to "show off" my sister who is also similarly gifted! I have promised to send her some pictures and patterns, so have asked Jean if I may have one of her designs!

At last the crowd began to drift off in cars homewards or to catch planes further afield, and the rest of the evening was spent tidying up and finally relaxing. I had by this time moved all my stuff from the apartment and was to spend my last night at the house.

On Monday morning Ian and Berny took me to Glenelg, to have lunch in a resaurant overlooking the sea. "Where's the next landfall?" I asked pointing out over the water. "Probably South America!" I was told! Anyway, it was finally time to get to the airport where we said our farewells - not goodbyes, as they plan to come back to UK at the end of the year. They have to come and visit their daughter and son-in-law now, as well as other family members. Which daughter and son-in-law? None other than Sally and Andrew, who are coming over in August to Glasgow for a couple of years, while Sally does her fellowship! How great is that, though I think it is going to be something of a culture shock for them both! At least they have already been to Glasgow so they do have an idea of how different it is from Australia. Anyway, I am sure they will settle in and enjoy life over here.

So, that's it! My holiday is over! Back to reality! I don't go back to work till tomorrow evening, so I hope I have suitably recovered and don't want to fall asleep after a couple of hours. By Aussie time it is now about half past midnight and in NZ it will be 2.30 a.m. 3.30 p.m here!

What on earth will I have to talk about now, I wonder?
Well, whatever it is, talk again soon.