Old, New, Borrowed, Blue

Me and Mr S are going to a wedding today. I have a feeling it is going to be quite a fancy one! I have never quite understood why the preparations can get to such a fever pitch, and how they can get so expensive. I have been to a few weddings that have been so carefully, and so beautifully, organised it left me dizzy. Apparently, some women plan their weddings from their girlhood! This to me is astonishing! I knew that I would like to get married, but I never really gave it a second thought. I knew I wanted certain things, but the idea that someone could spend years trawling through wedding magazines planning, designing, and searching for the perfect dress/ invitations/table centrepieces etc is just plain bonkers!

We have been married for nearly 4 years now. I only had one request and that was that we marry in June. The reason for marrying in June came from one of my favourite movies - Seven Brides For Seven Brothers. I have adored this film since I was a girl. I just loved the idea of "...if you marry in June, you're a bride all your life". A girlish romantic me?!


Our wedding was very us, very relaxed, very smiley, very simple. Of course we planned it, but on thinking about it, it didn't feel stressed and fussy. From our first meeting we talked about getting married in Las Vegas. But all things considered, including a young daughter and my Dad being heartbroken if he couldn't walk me down the aisle, we decided on getting married here. I'm so glad we did. It was the best day! The weather was glorious. Our wedding car was delicious, I could just about get my petticoat in there. We even had a surprise Elvis! A fabulous day.

A Pirate's Life for Me!

What is it about pirates that is so fascinating? Why do they call to me in such a strong way? I have wanted to be a pirate ever since I was a girl. I remember being completely absorbed by the adventure, the romance, the language, the swashbuckling and attire in pirate movies (yes, films with pirates in them, not something dodgy bought from a carboot sale....) This will explain the stripes and skulls in my wardrobe.



Yesterday we went to the Brixham Pirate Festival. It was like coming home! The harbourside was filled with all things pirate! This included pirate babies, pirate dogs, pirate grannies in electric wheelchairs, pirate policemen, pirate music, pirate parrots, pirates on stilts, juggling pirates and more tattoos, cutlasses, flintlocks, tankards, eye patchs, bandanas and scurvy knaves than you could shake a stick at! Most excellent!



There were some fabulously authentic looking pirates. The 'costumes' were phenomenal. I could almost hear rigging creaking and smell the salty tang of the sea just looking at them. Actually, I could hear rigging creaking etc, and as we were by the harbour....but you get my meaning!



I had a very interesting chat with a ship's surgeon. He had a rather gruesome assortment of surgical equiptment used on board for repairing the crew. The biggest medical problem faced in a battle was splinter shrapnel from bits of ship blasted to smithereens by cannon fire.



I mean, what's not to like about Captain Jack buying his whelks?



Or pirate lunch?



Arrrrrrrrr!