June 26, 2005
Interesting
Two images that have stuck with me. I absolutely can’t remember where I read it, but the idea of someone who “collects good days like other people collect postcards.” And from Budapest by Chico Buarque- the idea that when the character returns to his home country, his newly learned Hungarian will be about as useful as his pocket-full of forints. I also like the way that Japanese people used to say the word “other country’s people” for “foreigner”. And the former student who emailed to say the pictures of me dancing at my wedding were “interesting.” Indeed. And you know you’ve been reading too much of Heat magazine when, you read the following headline- “Church hits at Zimbabwe deportations”, and you assume they are talking about Charlotte.
June 26, 2005
Gleanings
We’ve been taken it easy after a rather crazy week. I’ve been indulging in the papers of course, and EastEnders, which has been particularly gripping of late. Friday’s episode made me cry. I have been racing through the short fiction in yesterday’s Guardian Weekend. It’s brilliant. Have become really interested in poet Alice Oswald after reading http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,12084,1513704,00.html”>this poem yesterday. Annie Proulx on how the mythic Old West outweighs the historical. Salman Rushdie and various interpretations of truth. After purchasing our tiger book this week, I found on how photographs used to shape a public persona. Jenni Russell writes on a subject near to my heart– what becomes of a society that just stands by and watches violence happen to other people. Lynne Crosbie tunes into popular culture to try to understand one of Canada’s most infamous killers. The racist children’s book that remains a Japanese favourite- quite enlightning about the state of that nation. On the pointfulness of books pages. A profile of Moorish Girl, whose blog I enjoy. Margaret Atwood on Science Fiction.
Brighton inspired me in a way I’ve not been for ages, and now tons of ideas and projects are on the go. This week we’ll be busy packing to go, assembling our wedding album (we chose the photos today!), and living up all things British. It’s hard to believe there’s so little time left.
June 26, 2005
4 for 0
There was ample fretting the other day, as I conceded that I am unemployed and therefore can no longer indulge in overpriced magazines and new books, even if they are on at 3 for 2 at Waterstones. I accepted this in my grown-up way, and went about the day. Which ended with the gift of £20 from Paul for my birthday from amazon, and therefore I will soon be the proud owner of Case Histories by Kate Atkinson, Snow by Orhan Pamuk, Small Island by Andrea Levy and We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver. Booklust satisfied.
June 24, 2005
The Official Happiest Day of the Year
How exciting! Today, which happens to be my birthday, is apparently the happiest day of the year. I knew that already, though we did forget about my birthday this morning for a good half hour, so caught up in the fact that it was our honeymoon. I really think everyone should go to Brighton for their honeymoon. We had the most amazing time. The weather was fantastic each day, I went swimming in the sea, there were all kinds of cafes and cool shops and I felt inspired by this vibrancy like I haven’t felt in ages. We wandered for hours. The find of the week was perhaps a book called “Tigers and other game”, published in 1928 and a how-to guide to tiger hunting in India. It’s priceless. I also found a used Drabble I hadn’t read yet, and we had cream tea today and yesterday at a place called The Mock Turtle, with delicious clotted cream etc. We drank far too much tea in general. On Wednesday by 4:00 we had drunk an entire bottle of champagne. We went on rides on the Palace Pier, and sat in deck chairs and had our photos taken in one of those scenes where you stick your head through a hole in a board (is there a name for that? probably). Our hotel overlooked the blue blue sea, and the pier. We sat in the garden at the Royal Pavillion and drank ice tea, we went to the movies, and sat on the beach last night when it was dark. And we had ice cream, and ate nearly all our meals at outdoor tables, and got slightly sunburnt noses and just had the most perfect amount of fun. And for my birthday, from my British family, I received red wellington boots and from my new husband, the book “EastEnders: 20 Years in the Square”. Tomorrow I will read the Saturday Guardian one more time, and next week back to The Globe.
The famous Margaret MacMillan is going back to Oxford. This article is an interesting profile. More interesting though is the fact that 2001/2 were her turnaround years that put her on the road to grand success. And that’s the year she taught Mike and I. Little known fact there.
June 21, 2005
Went to the chapel
Summer arrived in England on Saturday, just in time for our wedding. Photos are online here and we’re just thrilled with them. It was a wonderful day, more than we really allowed ourselves to wish for. We got up early, and the sky was grey. We were promised that the weather would clear when the tide turned, and it did. We were married at 11:15 am at the Blackpool Registry Office, and the ceremony was really nice. We wrote our own vows, and it was quite emotional. The only downside was the World’s Greatest Love Songs CD they kept putting on, and I kept turning off. They were blasting Percy Sledge, and then we were so close to “The Power of Love” by Jennifer Rush being the soundtrack of our marriage vows. Silence was preferable. After the ceremony, confetti was hurled, much to our amusement as the photos do attest. We went back to Stuart’s parents for lunch, the sun came out and five of our close friends joined us there with our families. We later went down to the Marine Hall here in Fleetwood to have photos taken in the park and on the beach. At five, we went to the reception venue to set up and guests began to arrive. It was a bit overwhelming to see people I hadn’t seen in ages, and really nice. The night went well- we were pleased with the buffet, everyone seemed to have a good time. After dinner, we had some beautiful speeches, and then we cut the cake. Following dessert, our first dance to “Flowers in the Window” by Travis and then onto the disco. Brian the DJ was amazing, and played all we wanted, including “Turn Me On” by Kevin Lyttle. Stuart also requested “Come Up and See Me (Make Me Smile)” by Cockney Rebel, which was well received. There was an appropriate amount of Europop and “Reach for the Stars” by S Club 7 went over a hit as usual. But then things did get out of control, and though I didn’t feel drunk at the time I must have been because I did do an interpretive dance to “Winds of Change” by Scorpions. The party ended at midnight, on a high note. There were anxious good byes. We stayed the night at the De Vere Hotel, which was quite un-Blackpudlian, which one really wants on their wedding night. It was really lovely. On Sunday, we were dead tired. Had coffee in Blackpool, while reading The Observer in the gorgeous sunshine. It was too early for the gross people to be out of bed and the town seemed quite pleasant. We met friends for lunch at Pizza Hut, which was the only eating establishment we knew of in Blackpool, and which I love. By mid-afternoon, we were barely conscious and the rest of that day was a blur. Yesterday, we went to Liverpool with my mom and sister, and my family went back to Canada this morning. Tomorrow we’re off to Brighton for three days for our honeymoon and we’re bringing the champagne we didn’t drink. We intend to get drunk on the train, and I am really looking forward to fun in the Sowf. On Monday, I am choosing my courses for university, next Thursday I am moving to Canada, and then in August I get to have a wedding reception again! Charmed life, lucky me.
June 16, 2005
Jitter bug
So we’re all a bit wound up. Why? I don’t know really. The weather forecast is good and so many friends are looking forward to it. But there is the matter of our rapidly dessimating guestlist. Every time the phone rings, I seize up in fear it will be another cancellation. So Stuart says now is the time we have to let go of the stress, and just enjoy ourselves no matter what happens. (I think he’s talking about me here). And so I will. Because my family is here and having a wonderful time, and because my in-laws have been so incredible to me, we’ve got peppermint tea on tap, and Blackpool Rock place settings and a gorgeous colour scheme, my dress is fantastic, I keep receiving cards and messages from friends and family that make me cry, and my groom is gorgeous. And I love him so immensely it swamps me. It’s when we’re about to go to sleep most nights that I feel it best, and I just hug him so tightly and remember how it feels with all of me because if I ever didn’t know any more, I just don’t know what I would do.
Two more days until Paul McCartney’s sixty fourth birthday.
June 14, 2005
See you soon…
My beloved Sara Cox is in The Guardian today, moaning quite wittily about men’s blindness to the wiles of women pushing prams. But beyond that, I have things to do and married to get. My parents arrive tomorrow and it will be a whirlwind from that point. Cross your fingers for smooth sailing.
June 13, 2005
An open letter to humanity
Dear Humanity,
When people lose weight, it is not polite to tell them that “quite frankly, you used to be quite plump before.” It’s just not, and there are no exceptions to this. In fact, when people have lost weight and you feel the need to comment on their appearence, which you needn’t necessarily, a simple “You look great” will suffice. And if you do say this to someone, they are completely justified in telling you that you look as much like a shrivelled up prune as you ever did.
Just a tip
