ANOTHER WEDDING.

We had the most brilliant weekend up in Peterborough! Eldest Stepdaughter married her long time partner with Grand-daughter as the most miniscule and perfectly beautiful Flower Girl you can imagine and Eldest Grandson just the most perfect Best Man! Considering the entire country was under threat of being seiged by snow, we were incredibly lucky. It only rained once and that was between the ceremony and the reception and there was no snow until the following day. It was just so wonderful seeing Eldest Stepdaughter looking so happy. And Laid-Back Son-in-Law (as he shall henceforth be known) just so utterly chuffed - as if Life had handed him a whole bowl of cherries - which I suppose in a way it had. Or a lottery win of some significance. Hubby held up very well. He wept buckets when Eldest Stepdaughter married the first time round. Not tears of sorrow, I hasten to add, but tears of downright pride and joy. Then, when Youngest Stepdaughter married some years later, he stole the show during the speeches and had 'em rolling in he aisles. He was, quite rightly I felt, at complete liberty to feel so proud of himself.

It fell to Granny - ie. me - to keep Youngest Grandson happy throughout the ceremony. He only began to build up to a howl once so I deftly walked him to the back of the Registry Office and back which was enough to send him into little coos of appreciation as he smiled and gurgled up at me for the rest of the service. In fact I think we bonded somewhat as he seemed quite content just to lay there in my arms. For a three month old, he is very expressive, I must say. After the service, we all head back to the house for light refreshment and a couple of hours later went along to a quaint little contry pub where they had hired a private annexe for the Wedding Breakfast. It was a lovely meal, much highlighted when Eldest Grandson clinked a glass and proposed his first ever toast "To my mum and Mark for getting married. Congratulations." Short, sweet, precise and a huge step forward into manhood for him. We gave him a standing ovation because he is usually so shy. The meal itself was divine, with plenty of choices (even for a Veggie like me), good food, good drink and very good company. Grand-daughter kept us all entertained with her dancing afterward. She just loves music and has a surprisingly well-developed sense of rhytmn for one so young. It all went very well with the party breaking up aound 11pm. Eldest Stepdaughter and Laid-Back-Son-In-Law went off to their hotel for the night and the rest of us piled back to the house exhausted but happy. At lunch time the next day, Hubby and I had to head home ourselves as he was due at work that evening.

It really could not have gone better and Clever-Son-In-Law (who else) had been roped in to be the official photographer. Is there nothing technical that man can't master? He took to the role like a duck to water and took almost 300 pictures over the course of the weekend; all on a digital camera he'd borrowed from a friend and had only a few days to get to grips with.

I think that's it wedding-wise till next year now. Last year we went to six of them so I guess it is no surprise we've only had the two this year.

I'll be back in a few days with a writing update I promise.