What are you all up to

I suppose we haven’t been to that many weddings really during our married life. We tend to approach each one with a degree of wonder, not least around the venues chosen, and the order of the day. We have used the MH now on two occasions, and it is proving to be a great option, even if we don’t actually stay over somewhere. Food on Sunday was really nice, sit down formal four course, but it was a bit of a gap between short ceremony and eating. There were some keep you going snacks at one point. Evening was nice, a disco dance, but not too loud and it was quieter in some areas near the bar. Evening eateries were buffet foods, burgers, sausages, salads, pasta, rice, etc…. More and younger guests there in evening. As a non church wedding, it was a good one. A lot of thought, some good fun, excellent planning.
Next one, next year will be totally different we know. Very old church, I think bride (who we used to take out riding with us) is planning a horse and carriage, and then the wedding meal and shenanigans is Hodsock Priory, so plenty of history, lovely gardens, end of June as well. Only half hour from home. 
I have seen the Cupcake wedding ideas. Done well, they can look great if you want something different. My Mum made, iced and decorated our fabulous three tier cake many years ago. She was brilliant at sugar craft, and it was just stunning. Back then, it was church or registry office, no castles, hotels etc….  

I love herdwicks Goldie, my favourite sheep, we don’t get many in Devon 😀. 

Weddings seem to get more and more elaborate/expensive these days. We have been to some over the years that must have cost a fortune and then sadly lots of them haven’t lasted, probably leaving the parents and the couple still paying the bills. Over 50 years ago ours was done on a shoestring, but it was a good day. Relatives and friends who were married around the same time as us and also done on a shoestring are all still together so I don’t think it’s all about the ‘show’.

Son and family are stopping the week, a few days out with them which has been nice, but a quieter day for us today, which I needed, as they have gone house viewing. I’m a bit grumpy, we are dog sitting, which is fine, she’s no bother, laying at my feet asleep now. Its the mud! She’s a springer and very hairy, belly, feet all feathered. I used to trim our springer cos of the winter mud but they say they like her as she is. She came back from her run in the field plastered in mud, they didn’t bring an old towel, (or anything else), just the dog. I supplied a towel but after rubbing down, she was still absolutely covered, then when I said I’d rather she was left in the kitchen in her bed (which we supply) rather than being allowed in the living room on our pale carpet, until dry, and I’d stay out there with her, apparently I was being awkward. OH says I shouldn’t complain as they are guests, so now I’m in the dog house with everyone. (sorry for the moan)

I’m with you Debsc. We kept our Airedales very well trimmed, even took their legs off, just leaving the beards. It kept their skin healthier, no mud or sand trapped under feet. Labradors are fairly happy to be jet washed🤣 

I sympathise DEBSC.  We are dog sitting our son’s dog for a week and I’m fed up with the muddy feet!  Like you we have pale cream carpets (obviously with no dog in mind) and it seems almost every time he goes out I am washing his feet before he can come in.  He’s a nice dog but I’ll be glad when we take him back tomorrow.  I’m just grateful it hasn’t rained as much as was forecast as it’s bad enough as it is. 

As I reported a few days ago - on the page that has since disappeared! - we're on site at our favourite CS near Malton but it's very wet underfoot (grass pitches) so Meg has to have her feet washed after she's been out before we let her in the van.  Woke up this morning to thick mist and a heavy dew but went to Filey later on and were able to sit on the cliff tops above the Brigg in glorious warm sunshine. Needless to say, on returning to Malton, the weather had stayed as we left it.

Talking of weddings - was chatting with the owner's son who was telling us about one of his friends who got married last year and the wedding cost over £40k!!!! Six months later, he was divorced! There has to be a moral to that story, but I can't quite work out what it is

DEBSC I'm totally with you. I think the awkward ones are the others. Family or not, they are guests, so your rules should apply! You're not disallowing the dog access to the lounge, just when it's dry and clean. The least that should be done is a paw and belly wash and dry BEFORE entry to the house as far as I am concerned.

A dog towel should be with dog owners at all times! We have a large selection of very handsome ones 🤣🤣🤣

We keep our cockapoo, and our grand dog is too, clipped to moderately short so mud and wet isn't an issue. She looks lovely when longer, but keeping her knot free, brushing etc is why we do. If she only trotted nicely on lead on hardsurfaces I'd still keep her short.

We've had a dog shower fitted at this house. Best money we've spent 😀. It's been such a wet winter the dog trots straight round to the shower to await ablutions 😂. Yes it has warm water, a look of digust if I don't do my boots first to get to the warm water. Spoilt! We are lucky enough to have an under cover area, generally breezy, to towel her off. I think she's disappointed if we don't use the shower 🤔. Also good on a hot day for cooling.

It hit home to me how easy a dog shower is when we were away. I'd taken towels but no bowl. Sorted the later at the nearest town. But paw washing wasn't as easy or happy for either of us!

RichardandRos glad you're away and enjoying. We awoke to thick fog Easter Sunday, paying for beautiful Saturday. It did clear to bright grey. Today we had a lovely sunny interlude. Started grey gone back that way.

Glad the wedding went well takethedogalong.  Sounds like a nice day. Personally I don't understand spending vast amounts on one day. We certainly didn't 44 years ago. Is it show? I'd rather put it to a house, which is what we did. We had a lovely day with friends and family. As for 40k 😱😱. I trust they had a roof over their head..... Our daughter, in NZ, had cup cakes as part of their wedding cake. One 'normal' size cake to cut. It was all displayed together. I'd post a photo if it wasn't such a faff to find one and resize! Larger cake on the top, cup cakes in holders arranged in tiers cascading down. Distributing was certainly much easier!

Good to read others are enjoying their days. Safe travelling to all those on the move.

Pleasant couple of days in the garden, resulting in a much less strenuous day for us both today 😂

Edit. RichardandRos very sad that the couple split within 6 months. A friends daughter, nowhere near such a heavy amount on a wedding. They were in the plane on their way back from exotic honeymoon when he told her it was over! Wedding photos never collected let alone seen....  They'd been living together for a few years, so that wasn't it! Similar situation with son's friend but not quite so quick but only months. Both now happily married and settled. Why didn't their OH's have to courage to call it off before the day? Embarrassing but less costly and no legal fees!

Chilly and damp here today, but managed to get some things done before the heavy rain started.    We have been looking out stuff for the first trip of the year, always a major undertaking as our dealer requests the van be empty when brought for servicing.  

Stuff to go in the car was lined up along one side of the hall, caravan stuff along the other, all in big bags, most now stashed so feeling somewhat exhausted.  Still food and clothes to organise.  Rather  more stuff than usual as DD and the boys are coming with us, even after OH had weeded out some of what DD had supplied, on the grounds of preferring not to overload the van or kill the car!!

While we were busy doing all that the doorbell rang and it was the Lib Dem fellow Willie Rennie canvassing for votes in the election.  We had a nice chat and he enquired if we were having a "clear out"!    DD found that hilarious.

It is pretty chilly out in  the van, just using a small fan heater when we are out there doing things, too expensive to heat it up properly before we go using the Alde.  Once we get to our first site we will get it  going on gas, with the electric fan heater for some "instant heat".   We have had a few nice sunny days, quite warm at times, we need more of those, not this driech   weather.

nellie.....we are heading first to York, then the guests go home and we continue to North Wales and the Lakes, only a shortish trip this time.

Well... our daughter set off this morning to go to their home in the Outer Hebrides.  We've had a lovely Easter with them, in spite of them breaking down on the way down to us (and being recovered to a garage here in Tamworth, who managed to repair it in good time.).... and in spite of our coughs and colds!!  She set off at 5.30am in order to get to Glasgow in time to pick up Wayne (he husband) from the airport (travelling home from his Switzerland job).

Got a phone call from her (at Knutsford Services) at around 8am..... the car had broken down again!!  Something different this time!!  Unbeliveable - considering the car is regularly serviced..She's being recovered to a garage in Inverness.  Wayne (her husband) is making his way to Inverness by bus.  They'll spend the night in Inverness, before picking up a hire car to get them home until the car is repaired.

After the problem we had with our car last summer when we went up to visit them on Lewis, I'm beginning to wonder what might happen when we go up in August...!!

Oh well!!  I guess it's the luck of the draw!!

David

We don't get invited to many weddings. The last two have been the weddings of my Brother's Grand Children. Sadly he is no longer with us so one would have thought we might have been invited to the actual service, but no, only to the evening do which we were a bit miffed about! One was in Farnham and the other in Wells. The latter we declined as it was a long way to go just for an evening event. We did go to the one in Farnham which proved quite expensive. Not only was there the hotel but at the evening celebration bottles of wine were £40 a throw!!!! Given that a wine of a similar quality in Waitrose would likely be under a tenner I was somewhat shocked!!! I suppose its all the rich tapestry of life?

David

Moved from Rookesbury to Essex this morning both the A3/M25 junction and the Dartford Crossing played ball for us with no delays.  Weather was lovely so got a walk in on the farm tracks