Published: 19/07/2009 00:00 -
Updated: 29/01/2010 13:09
I COULD come up with at least a dozen excuses as to why there has been such a long drought of blogs over the last few weeks, but the real reason is remarkably simple. I'm rubbish.
I've neglected updating readers with stories of goings-on in my house nearly as much as I've neglected the weeding and a few of the other jobs I keep meaning to get done but still haven't touched.
When Lizzy spends her long weeks away working in York, my life goes on hold through term-time and so has, I regret to say, this blog. Sorry about that, it won't happen again.
It's not as if nothing's happened either, because lots has. Perhaps that's why I've been too busy to write my blog. Too busy? Hang on, that sounds like an excuse. I said I would avoid excuses. Damn.
So, where to start? Wel my brother got married for a kick off. He and his childhood sweetheart, Kirsty tied the knot at a gorgeous ceremony in a hotel near Derby.
You might remember in a previous blog I announced, out of frustration, that I hate weddings.
Well, sitting at the top table, doing a rather shoddy job of fulfilling my duties as best man, I suddenly realised that weddings can be absolutely amazing.
Ali and Kirsty's do was so lovely, such a perfect day that I begun to understand why we work so hard to preserve the formalities and the theatre, why the traditions are so titghtly adhered to - it all adds to the effect and I now believe a wedding would be worse off without it all.
Which leads me neatly to my next bit of news. I proposed to Lizzy and she said yes. We're engaged.
We've been together for more than two years and for a long time I've been planning the perfect way to surprise her with a ring and that moment came last week, while on holiday in the Lake District.
Skipping back a bit, for someone that's not a fan of traditions, I followed the rulebook to the absolute last letter on this one. I even asked Lizzy's father, Bill for his permission. Which presented something of a challenge.
Bizzarely, about the only time I found myself alone with Bill was at 5am. We had got up early to head from their house in Hertfordshire to Lizzy's brother's graduation in Reading.
It was one of those typical daily encounters while staying with them that sees us both filling the kettle and preparing coffee for our other halves. Except it usually happens much later on.
So as we stood there stirring the black soup, I stole what I feared would be the only opportunity and asked Bill's permission to propose to his only daughter.
His first repsonse was a tad worrying. "Well I'll have to talk it over with Carol", he said. Was it really so controversial that he and Lizzy's mother would sit in a quiet corner and weigh up the pros and cons? I was hoping for an enthusiastic "yes" and a manly handshake, not a "hmmm, we'll get back to you on that one".
I think, at least I hope, that I just caught him off guard and once I'd explained that I thought Lizzy might like to surprise her mother I got a firm yes and the all important handshake sealed the deal. Phew.
The ring was the next big hurdle. That wasn't going to be easy either. It had to be perfect, and something Lizzy would cherish.
Deep down I knew Lizzy would love anything I gave her, but I pulled out all the stops to give her the best possible incentive to say yes.
Her favourite colours are orange and green, which is fine, but imagine the reaction from the man in H Samuel when you ask to see his orange and green range of engagement rings.
It's not the sort of thing you can pop to Argos and buy alongside an extension lead and a child's paddling pool either.
So it had to be specially made, and that meant I got to design it, and choose the stones.
The finished article, which I have to thank Ashbourne jeweller Lionel Webster for, is on white gold with a single diamond, three emeralds and three citrines around it.
So it's green and orange, and it doesn't look as odd as you're probably thinking it does. Lizzy loves it and that's the most important thing.
Anyway. I'd had in my mind for some that I would propose to Lizzy on Lake Windermere, in Cumbria. It's one of my favourite places and whenever I'm on a boat, surrounded by the fells and beautiful villages I feel happy.
We were planning a camping trip to the Lakes this year, so the opportunity was there, I just needed a nice day and a picnic and the scene would be set.
And on Thursday, July 16 we hired a boat, headed up to the north end of Windermere, found a nice spot to drift and eat our picnic and I dropped to one knee with the ring in my hand, uttering the immortal words: "will you marry me"? Lizzy answered, very quickly, yes.
During the next half hour, everyone in the tourist haven of Waterhead, at the tip of Lake Windermere was informed, one way or another, that we were engaged. Lizzy was like a four year old at Christmas.
Then began the phone calls. Then the text messages, and as soon as the news was announced on Facebook we didn't get a minute's peace.
Lizzy was, it's fair to say, over the moon. She loved the ring and made sure everyone saw it and the novelty of being a fiancee instead of a girlfriend will take a long time to wear off I'm sure.
We've sort of set a date - summer 2011 is about as sure as we can be yet. July 16 in an ideal world but we've got a lot of saving and planning to do in that time so we'll see how it goes.
Of course, Lizzy is already planning a colour scheme, three guesses what that will be, she's been looking around at cakes and dresses and has even suggested who she wants her bridesmaids to be.
I, on the other hand, have had my nice affordable dream of toddling off to Gretna Green then coming back home for a quiet drink with a few friends shattered by an enthusiastic fiancee that wants the whole shaboodle.
I don't know how we're going to afford it, it'll further delay our hopes of double glazing and a new boiler, but if it makes Lizzy happy then we'll find a way of paying for a perfect white wedding.
Now, while I think about it, does anyone want a kidney? Slightly used, but still in showroom condition...
I've neglected updating readers with stories of goings-on in my house nearly as much as I've neglected the weeding and a few of the other jobs I keep meaning to get done but still haven't touched.
When Lizzy spends her long weeks away working in York, my life goes on hold through term-time and so has, I regret to say, this blog. Sorry about that, it won't happen again.
It's not as if nothing's happened either, because lots has. Perhaps that's why I've been too busy to write my blog. Too busy? Hang on, that sounds like an excuse. I said I would avoid excuses. Damn.
So, where to start? Wel my brother got married for a kick off. He and his childhood sweetheart, Kirsty tied the knot at a gorgeous ceremony in a hotel near Derby.
You might remember in a previous blog I announced, out of frustration, that I hate weddings.
Well, sitting at the top table, doing a rather shoddy job of fulfilling my duties as best man, I suddenly realised that weddings can be absolutely amazing.
Ali and Kirsty's do was so lovely, such a perfect day that I begun to understand why we work so hard to preserve the formalities and the theatre, why the traditions are so titghtly adhered to - it all adds to the effect and I now believe a wedding would be worse off without it all.
Which leads me neatly to my next bit of news. I proposed to Lizzy and she said yes. We're engaged.
We've been together for more than two years and for a long time I've been planning the perfect way to surprise her with a ring and that moment came last week, while on holiday in the Lake District.
Skipping back a bit, for someone that's not a fan of traditions, I followed the rulebook to the absolute last letter on this one. I even asked Lizzy's father, Bill for his permission. Which presented something of a challenge.
Bizzarely, about the only time I found myself alone with Bill was at 5am. We had got up early to head from their house in Hertfordshire to Lizzy's brother's graduation in Reading.
It was one of those typical daily encounters while staying with them that sees us both filling the kettle and preparing coffee for our other halves. Except it usually happens much later on.
So as we stood there stirring the black soup, I stole what I feared would be the only opportunity and asked Bill's permission to propose to his only daughter.
His first repsonse was a tad worrying. "Well I'll have to talk it over with Carol", he said. Was it really so controversial that he and Lizzy's mother would sit in a quiet corner and weigh up the pros and cons? I was hoping for an enthusiastic "yes" and a manly handshake, not a "hmmm, we'll get back to you on that one".
I think, at least I hope, that I just caught him off guard and once I'd explained that I thought Lizzy might like to surprise her mother I got a firm yes and the all important handshake sealed the deal. Phew.
The ring was the next big hurdle. That wasn't going to be easy either. It had to be perfect, and something Lizzy would cherish.
Deep down I knew Lizzy would love anything I gave her, but I pulled out all the stops to give her the best possible incentive to say yes.
Her favourite colours are orange and green, which is fine, but imagine the reaction from the man in H Samuel when you ask to see his orange and green range of engagement rings.
It's not the sort of thing you can pop to Argos and buy alongside an extension lead and a child's paddling pool either.
So it had to be specially made, and that meant I got to design it, and choose the stones.
The finished article, which I have to thank Ashbourne jeweller Lionel Webster for, is on white gold with a single diamond, three emeralds and three citrines around it.
So it's green and orange, and it doesn't look as odd as you're probably thinking it does. Lizzy loves it and that's the most important thing.
Anyway. I'd had in my mind for some that I would propose to Lizzy on Lake Windermere, in Cumbria. It's one of my favourite places and whenever I'm on a boat, surrounded by the fells and beautiful villages I feel happy.
We were planning a camping trip to the Lakes this year, so the opportunity was there, I just needed a nice day and a picnic and the scene would be set.
And on Thursday, July 16 we hired a boat, headed up to the north end of Windermere, found a nice spot to drift and eat our picnic and I dropped to one knee with the ring in my hand, uttering the immortal words: "will you marry me"? Lizzy answered, very quickly, yes.
During the next half hour, everyone in the tourist haven of Waterhead, at the tip of Lake Windermere was informed, one way or another, that we were engaged. Lizzy was like a four year old at Christmas.
Then began the phone calls. Then the text messages, and as soon as the news was announced on Facebook we didn't get a minute's peace.
Lizzy was, it's fair to say, over the moon. She loved the ring and made sure everyone saw it and the novelty of being a fiancee instead of a girlfriend will take a long time to wear off I'm sure.
We've sort of set a date - summer 2011 is about as sure as we can be yet. July 16 in an ideal world but we've got a lot of saving and planning to do in that time so we'll see how it goes.
Of course, Lizzy is already planning a colour scheme, three guesses what that will be, she's been looking around at cakes and dresses and has even suggested who she wants her bridesmaids to be.
I, on the other hand, have had my nice affordable dream of toddling off to Gretna Green then coming back home for a quiet drink with a few friends shattered by an enthusiastic fiancee that wants the whole shaboodle.
I don't know how we're going to afford it, it'll further delay our hopes of double glazing and a new boiler, but if it makes Lizzy happy then we'll find a way of paying for a perfect white wedding.
Now, while I think about it, does anyone want a kidney? Slightly used, but still in showroom condition...
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