August 13: Getting It All 'Sorted'
To let you know right from the start, this travelogue entry will not be nearly as exciting or dramatic as my last. Frankly, I'd rather not have a tale to tell like Scafell Pike for quite some time. The rain continues with brief patches of sun. I've been working and accompanying Rachel on various errands. Today we went back to Tom Little in Maryport to deliver updated measurments for some of the gents in the wedding party. On our way back, Rachel drove me along the ocean. I hadn't realized how close Oughterside is to the water. If you look at a map of the UK, up in northern England/southern Scotland you see a cut in of blue. That is referred to as the Solway, and is the bit of ocean I saw today. It was even clear enough to see Scotland on the other side.
Things are happening and the mood in the house is changing from late-summer relaxing to pre-wedding buzzing. Rachel's sister Cassie, her husband Charlie and 11 week-old baby Isaac arrived on Tuesday. Adam, the groom, arrived Wednesday. I spent part of the evening finishing reception favors - stuffing "book tokens" into envelops. The UK has such a sensible program to encourage literacy. You can buy 1 pound National Book Tokens (like gift certificates) usable to buy books in most bookstores across the nation. Rachel and Adam are giving every guest 3 pounds of tokens. The wedding doesn't really have a theme per say (themed weddings are always risky - too much of a good, or not so good, thing), but it does have a literary "flavor" to it. One of the two cakes looks like a stack of books I'm told!
There is so much to get sorted (the English term for "figured out") for a wedding. Having witnessed more than a dozen nuptials, some up close as a member of the wedding party, the Taylor-Worrall event is under control. I'm looking forward to the English wedding traditions that are a-typical in the States, namely, hats! The groomsmen are wearing top hats and women, universally, will wear fancy hats. "Fascinators" are an alternative to a full-on hat. I've seen these in many women's clothing stores. Essentially it looks like a hair comb with feathers and/or sparkly bits attached. I picked up my hat from "Mad as a Hatter" in Provincetown, MA this past June and can't wait to wear it! Sadly, unless I go to another English wedding, I may never have the occasion to do so again. I promise to take pictures and post them as soon as possible. The wedding is Saturday and we leave for the Merewood Country House Hotel on Friday.
The sun made a brief appearance Tuesday, so I took advantage of it to snap more pictures of the Taylor family garden. It wraps around the entire house, so I can't get it all in one shot.
The greenhouse, which is growing 4 foot tall
tomato plants, and one of the garden benches.
More of the garden from the side
of the
house facing a horse farm.
A butterfly also enjoying the sun and flowers.