Our wedding presents were going to be here 6-8 weeks after we closed the list. tomorrow is 12 weeks since we closed the list. they organised a delivery today between 9-1. I rearranged my knee appointment at 9.30. I was back from dropping B at nursery at 8.20. Citilink had been already! they said they couldn't deliver before 9. Now I have a postcard and have to go out to the depot between 7-8 tonight. I ask you!
I have spent this morning instead trying to talk to stupid people in HMRC. mostly it's only computers, and when you do get through to a person they do try to help. it's not the people but the system that is so stupid. I wrote in April, when we'd just come home from Italy, to inform all the relevant authorities about all my relevant changes - name, marital status, work hours, adults in the house, childcare fees, income etc... my review form that came in June hadn't taken any of these into account. When I rang to correct it they said they had had the letter in April but that it hadn't been processed or put in the computer til the 2nd week of June, so the changes hadn't taken effect by the time they wrote. The helpful person I spoke to said she would send a new form so i could put all the real details in, including the husband parts etc (that was last wednesday). This morning a new envelope from HMRC came. Oh good, I thought, new claim form. How wrong I was. Reminder review form with all old details! Gah.
Shed clear out meant I found bike; lovely husband cleaned, mended and pumped it up; today I biked to work for the first time this year! (oops. it has been summery and I could have done sooner, but it was buried in the shed with flat tyres since last october so...) 20 minutes on the way - 45 coming home. can you tell I live up a hill?!? It would be the time I bump into (not quite literally) 3 separate sets of friends I haven't seen for a while, all in their glad rags, when I'm out of breath, in shorts, puffing up the last stretch of hill... hmm, lovely.
Actually I'm enjoying being a bit fitter at the moment - I've been out on the old roller blades for the first time since before I had BigBlondeBoy, and running in the evenings so as not to die too badly next Tuesday (Husband entered me for a series of 5K races "to encourage me" so I sort of have to make the effort). www.swanseabay5k.com - BB was 4th in the under 5s race (which isn't quite that distance!) and I didn't completely embarrass myself in the main one, at least for someone who "doesn't run."
When I'm running or biking, especially down along the Front, I look out at so much sky and sea and find myself finding real prayer time for the first time in ages. the space, I suppose. I'm so little and all of creation so huge, that my little everyday niggle worries are put in perspective. A lot of the people I pass in proper training gear etc listen to walkmans (or the ipod equivalent - sorry, technophone blonde, me); I find myself listening to Him instead, and it helps with the journey.
Has it been so long?! Lots has been happening but not all of it remotely bloggable.
Summary:
Good things: Doctor Who, Sun, Family and friends
Difficult things: Debt, discord, Escape into the park.
I am in the process of jumping through hoops and doing my best to Co-Operate. Lots.
We are all doing ok in the circumstances. It is difficult for my linguist brain to accept that most of these "Professionals" can't use English to mean what it does; to understand that here ... in CP issues, in Wales, in the lower classes ... words and meanings are so different from my understanding of them. it is very difficult for my Aspergers brain to process that lying is "normal", and I can't express my frustration at their stupidity without jeopardising our chances of getting out of the System and back to some kind of Normal.
Last weekend I was away with the PCC and had a productive time; it is good to be Involved again, and there were positive, useful comments. D encouraged me back into it, and took B to the leisure centre and his mum's for the duration. Church is going well - despite all the CP stuff meaning I can no longer help with Creche and Sunday School, I am getting something out of spending some grown up time in church for the preaching and teaching time. the First Sunday initiative has so far (after 6 months' trial) been Hugely Successful and encouraging. I'm even leading a housegroup on Prayer for the next few weeks. Mad! you wouldn't have believed I was anywhere in touch with Him Upstairs from some of my comments recently but He has plans etc nonetheless.
I am feeling for friends associated with the Paras. I am watching highlights of the Trooping the Colour for the Queen's birthday, and remembering my Daddy taking me when I was very young and he was recently retired. the footage from Afghanistan is moving. A great friend of mine has just moved back out there, and his wife of only a year is in touch. another v close friend is daughter of a para. the army is a family, and whether or not they are known personally, their association is personal and important and close. Difficult all round. the lead regiment at this year's Trooping is the Welsh Guards. Now that I live in Wales all of this "four countries in the union" stuff has a lot more resonance. They've just played Sospan fach! and my dad's regimental march which is what he and I came down the aisle to, 3 short months ago.
This afternoon Benjamin and I went to the Gower folk festival and there are some lovely pictures of the acts, the dancing, the friends, the drinking, the sunny relaxed lovely afternoon, but I can't straight away lay my hand to the card reader that would allow me to share it with you now. D is out with the cycle boys. I should be ironing or sorting paperwork but instead am browsing lots and getting back in touch with online people... which is *just* as important as housework, I feel!
Next weekend is Benjamin's Half Birthday, the following week a friend from London visiting, and a fortnight later my parents are down for the first time since the wedding so lots to look forward to. Life goes on.
Married is good - lots more cooking and ironing but all the companionship and sharing the load works too :)
I can't go into lots of detail here ... but believe me, if my life at the moment were written down or on the stage, it'd be a farce.
I'm back on PCC after a 3 year break - straight in at the deep end with a controversial opinion on everything - well they didn't elect me to sit there saying yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir, did they?! whether it's token "youth", token mummy or general stuff, if I have a tupp'orth I'll jolly well add it - with the added bonus that I'm not secretary this time round :)
In other news: I'm an aunt again :D
Liberty Rhoda, after nearly a week of trying to induce, and a CS being booked, finally decided to join us naturally at 00.58 on Monday morning; both she and my sister in law are fine, though very very tired, and my brother and nephew are chuffed but shattered, and my son wants a baby sister too to catch up with his cousin - not sure how to explain they don't quite come to order, like from the "mr tesco man's van" (his phrase)!
thank you for all associated prayers and thoughts x
Temporarily taking recent entries down from blog on good advice until situation slightly resolved. Sorry - prayers and comments still v much appreciated but perhaps not quite so publicly. Many thanks for the support.
Does anyone who was at Sketty Hall towards the end of 15th March remember what happened to the book??
I was so sad after more than half the people at Benjamin's Christening didn't even realise there had been a book, that this time my bridesmaids and I spent time saying "have you written in the book?" and pointing it out to people.
Given the weather and the forced abandonment of about half our photograph wishlist, we have very few pictures of friendship groups. I know there's nothing we could do about the weather, and I'm not complaining about the pics we *do* have - but because I have no pictures of lots of people that were there, I'm looking forward to reading the book instead.
However, instead of enjoying it and reliving the day through the reading of comments etc, it is now a new source of anxiety, another chore on the to do list, more things gone missing and worrying me. Neither my mother, nor any of the bridesmaids or the one usher I've spoken to, nor Sketty Hall, has seen it. Do any other ushers, guests, random lovely people out there happen to have seen it?
It's white, with red petals in one corner, and "Alice and David 15th March 2008" in silver writing on the front. Inside, I don't know what it's like. Yet. If you saw it or know where it is now, please please contact me! thank you.
Oh, and for the rest of wibworld - yes I know you want the day and the pics etc and I keep nearly getting round to telling you all about it .... - sorry! back soon :)
Quick entry to say we did it, we're still here to tell the tale, and there is SO much I want to get round to blogging, but I have to come back to earth first! Mainly - very wet, but very happy, and over far too soon - and that goes for wedding, reception and honeymoon equally.
some marvellous friends (and family) have put facebook pics up already, the disposables from the tables sent off last week and should be online sometime in the next couple of weeks, the official ones are due back next week. CAN'T WAIT! Hope they're lovely and sunny despite the very gray damp outside.
Mum and Benjamin met us at Heathrow last night - emotional, chatty, shattered, long but fine journey home. Tried to be busy and organised but really really really tired. Today I have been to the cleaners to collect my wedding dress (twice!), the land registry, the registrar and the bank, and written to the council about my "change in circumstances."
Ooh, yes, and opened all the rest of the lovely cards and some presents (the list ones come in a few more weeks) - feeling very lucky and spoiled - and tired - and happy - and married :D
Back to work tomorrow - can't believe how real life kicks straight back in!
Legally Blonde 
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