On the Eighth Day of Christmas & Happy New Year

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On the eighth day of Christmas,

my true love sent to me

Eight maids a-milking,

Seven swans a-swimming,

Six geese a-laying,

Five golden rings,

Four calling birds,

Three French hens,

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree.

(Or does it refer to the eight beatitudes?)

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Hello and a Happy New Year to you all....I will warn you that this is a long post with lots of pics, naturally....lol....

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Well I survived to tell the tale and a good day was had by all on the last day of 2008. I am now officially a MinL and Step-Nana....Oh it was a busy morning as you can imagine but the dress was finally delivered but they forgot the veil and headdress but soon returned with it. Andy was off busily putting ribbons on the car and without us knowing he went and bought bunches of flowers to put on the back shelf of the car, isn’t he a star. Andy was not only giving Jane away as Jane’s father was not available to do so, he was also driving the bride to the church and the couple to the reception afterwards. Thankfully we had friends to help. Charlotte’s mother got Korenza ready, Charlotte helped Jane and Vikki, an ex-girlfriend of Christopher’s (many years ago but she is like a daughter to me and now a very good friend of Christopher’s) was brilliant helping with everything. Me, well you can imagine. Then the time came to leave. I was going with my good friend Cheryl but typically I was rushing out and my long skirt got tangled in the bramble hanging over our garden wall, which I had been meaning to cut down...hint hint Andy!!!!.........

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Before you knew it we were at the church, St Elwyn’s, and the service began. My first job however was to give my son the small tin that belonged to my father, Christopher wanted to have it with him so it felt like his grandfather was there. I know he was.......

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It was great to see our friends there, especially after some of the wedding preparations did not go as planned for Christopher. Sadly a week or two before the day his appointed best man let my son down for very petty reasons. They had been best buddies for 10 years but Christopher in the end had a Best Woman, his long-term friend Jenny, who also organized his stag do.....As I said to Christopher ‘At the end of your special day look around you and the ones who are there are the ones that matter’ ... obviously, due to the time of year, work commitments, etc, some people could not come but the guests yesterday are true friends.....

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It was a very relaxed and cheerful service. Being New Year’s Eve the Christmas tree was still there and one of the songs was ‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’. Naturally I didn’t take many pictures but everyone else did.....The ones below are some of the ones I managed to take, hopefully there will be more 'professional' ones.....

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This one shows the back detail of Jane’s dress, it is beautiful when seen fully but I do not have a photo as yet. The tree is seen in the corner and the beautiful altar in the background. This church has one of the best examples of stained glass windows I have ever seen. I have a booklet about the church somewhere which I will have to find for later.....

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A very good long-standing friend of Christopher’s is Dobbs (Mathew is his given name) who I treat like a second son. He was given the task of giving a reading and Christopher did not know what he had chosen to read. Now Dobbs has a wicked Cornish SOH and we were ‘dreading’ what he would come up with...hehe....but he did not let us down. My son is very proud of his Irish roots and Jane and I had discussed months ago the possibility of someone reading the Irish Wedding Blessing but had forgotten to organize it and yes you’ve guessed it, Dobbs had chosen this very poem. Jane and I just looked at each other and smiled......

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May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

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May God be with you and bless you: May you see your children's children. May you be poor in misfortune, Rich in blessings. May you know nothing but happiness From this day forward.

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May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home. And may the hand of a friend always be near.

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May green be the grass you walk on, May blue be the skies above you, May pure be the joys that surround you, May true be the hearts that love you.

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I think this is a beautiful photograph I managed to take. Charlotte is seen on the left as a bridesmaid. Next is Vikki who was a witness as was Dobbs. Obviously the couple seated is Christopher and Jane with beautiful Korenza. She looked adorable. The lovely girl with Jane is her niece Chloe who was a bridesmaid. The handsome little pageboy is 2 year old Cody, brother of Chloe. See the ring cushion. Jane made this herself and Cody carried it with the rings down the aisle.......

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I love this one. See how relaxed and happy they look....

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My two very good friends with the happy couple. They recently moved back to Hayle from Wales. Rosie, on the left, and her daughter Gemma on the right. Gemma is holding her beautiful 4 month old daughter Poppy.......

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My ‘family’....Left is Alan, Cheryl’s partner. Christopher is hugging his ‘sister’ Alana or Lallie as I call her (she’s 21 not 22!!!!!). Then comes Alana’s brother Lee next to Jane, I love his new haircut. Then the best friend anyone could have, Cheryl. Now believe me, she doesn’t always look this stern but like me she doesn’t always take good photos......The one below was taken Tuesday night....

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Korenza with Cheryl...

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I really like this one as it is such a natural photograph. I tend to prefer these and leave the formal ones to others.....hehe......

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Christopher and Jane near the main entrance to the Watermill

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I said that the bridge would make a nice setting for a photograph.....

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Very good friends and neighbours who shared this special day. In the background are David and Liz, Charlotte’s parents. The couple seated in the foreground are Stella and Michael, parents of Dobbs....

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Three loyal friends of Christopher who also sang very heartily in church!! Next to Dobbs is Matt and to the right of the photograph is Andy....

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How cute is this. Johan is Vikki’s 2 year old son...Jenny the Best Woman is sat behind him. She was feeling rather tired by now, she is usually full of beans....

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Of course I went wandering off for a break and decided to explore the garden before it became too dark to see. Now I know you guys will appreciate this but as I took the first one my son shouted ‘Mum it’s only a box’.....

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I like it, nestled in the undergrowth....

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Old Weighing Scales. I like to think they belong to the old mill that was once here....

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A nice old rusty milk churn...

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But I did finish the evening off with a lovely pic of Charlotte. Both she and the dress looked beautiful and as you can appreciate, and judging by the earlier outside photos, it was very cold yesterday.....I did joke with her though that she did look as if she was going to start some Irish dancing...lol...

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We left the Watermill at about 10.30pm and went back to my house. Andy was working unfortunately but Christopher, Jane, Cheryl, Alan, Lee, Alana, Charlotte and me celebrated New Year together. Korenza was fast asleep, little sweetheart. As Big Ben chimed we sang......

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And then went across the road as Charlotte’s parents opened the door and cracked open a bottle of bubbly. We stood in the freezing cold drinking the New Year in with fireworks exploding in the background......

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I have lots more to tell but that can wait until tomorrow......the downside of today was that I had to wave goodbye to my friend Cheryl. We had a lovely time together before she went but it is sad seeing her go. I didn’t envy them the 325 mile journey home, we have done it many times....

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But before I go I thought I would continue with the Irish theme and mention that today is the anniversary of the first immigrant to pass through Ellis Island....Until next time...lol....

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Annie Moore
"This statue of Annie Moore - the first immigrant to pass through Ellis Island - stands on the dock in Cobh. Co. Cork. She looks back towards the home she is leaving while her brothers look out to sea and, beyond the horizon, the New World, three thousand miles away.Annie set off for America from here aboard the S.S. Nevada, on December 20th, 1891. Imagine how excited and nervous she must have been when she and her brothers arrived in New York on January 1, 1892. As the very first of 700 immigrants to disembark from her ship and two other boats that day, she was given a wondrous welcome - and also a $10.00 gold coin!....."

(Curtsey of http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ArticleIndx.html)

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