What I did in my summer holidays

I was reading back yesterday over my old entries (and for someone who never updates, I almost have a respectable number) and I decided that, in the interests of any unknown readers I may one day have, I should actually provide a little up-to-date information.

So, we got married in July. We did not have a rehearsal dinner (unless you count the four of us - bride, groom, best man, bridesmaid - going for something to eat after the rehearsal; but nothing big and official and paid for by in-laws). I spent the evening before my wedding accompanying my Dad to pick up relations from various points of arrival, and then helping entertain said guests because they all felt they couldn't go to their allotted B&Bs until the last one, who was on standby from London, finally showed up. Around midnight, I think, Bridesmaid and I pled girly obligations and went to do our fake tan and stuff, and everyone took the hint and sodded off, much to my parents' relief. I slept lightly and was awake by about 6am, doing pilates on my bed and thinking I should really get some more sleep.

Anyway, the wedding was fab and I won't go into details. Everything went smoothly and even when the priest decided at the last minute that he'd love to come to dinner, that was easily dealt with at the hotel by the wonderful staff, who treated us like royalty. Our photographer was such a lovely man and such a nice addition to the day that I wouldn't have cared (much) if all the photos came out duds. (They didn't, though.) Dinner was yummy, there was lots of dancing, and everyone said I was beautiful. There's something about your wedding day that allows you to just take compliments that would otherwise feel ridiculous and accept them graciously as your right, just for that day.

It all went far too quickly, but I was perfectly sober all night and thus remember as much as I possibly could. We ended up in the residents' bar at 3am - just because we could - eating chicken sandwiches and finally taking my shoes off. (My shoes were great too. Pretty, and not at all uncomfortable.)
See, it was all lovely.

Anyway, after a bit of a honeymoon at home we went back to Pennsylvania, and two weeks later moved to Texas. We never managed to have the big moving-out party we'd been promising to have, but we did get rid of all the furniture and pack everything and manage to leave an empty and somewhat clean house behind us (not counting the basement, which wasn't part of the deal; and hey, we took away the ping-pong table). We forgot the bike, though, so it's still sitting down there.

So now we're Texans. We have the licence plate and the drivers' licences to prove it. We (nearly) have health insurance. We have a bank account and jobs and a beautiful new sofa and lots of lovely (and not so lovely) wedding presents on both sides of the Atlantic. We have our tickets to go home for Christmas too, when we can bring some of the several Waterford Crystal vases back to the shop and get something we actually like.

And that pretty much brings you up to date.