24/08/2013 - Two weeks to go!

Ah the joy of being close to the wedding! I have a given Saturday title for my blog! I'm going to be screwed in a few weeks time, aren't I?! It's already difficult to be original!

Yes - two weeks today I will be getting married and all this hard work will be out there for all to see (and then a few weeks later for you blog followers who are there in spirit)!

I woke up feeling crappy. My fiancé got me drunk last night. It's all his fault. He force fed me gin. Had I not known there was gin I wouldn't have wanted it. Yes Paul, my small hangover was YOUR FAULT. I still had my cold as well, so instead of strong painkillers, I took Day Nurse and hoped that would help.

It did!

We had a hot date in town to keep today, as we needed to get wedding stuff done. You know, because it's two weeks to go and all that?!

To keep Paul sweet (even though he got me drunk last night) I took him for breakfast. We usually go to the same cafe just in the business district of town. We like it because it's cheap and quirky. They have murals on the walls and since last time we went, they've made it even bigger!

 A cafe with painted cats on the walls?! How could I not love it?!

I had a lighter meal, what with feeling a little delicate (did I mention Paul got me drunk last night?!) but Paul had a full English breakfast.

Does that make you feel hungry?!

From there, once we were fed and watered, we headed to town to look for wedding ties for Paul and the boys. We also needed to get a few other bits for Paul's outfit and something to keep me warm in the evening of our wedding, as once the sun goes in, it's a bit nippy  up there!

We found Paul's tie in the first shop we looked in. We looked around a little more just in case, but in the end, as is always the way, we went back and got it. We were so lucky because it's in a REALLY expensive shop, and when Paul had seen this particular tie in the week, there was a sale on. When we got there today, the sale was nowhere to be seen. It had finished, and all the sale goods were packed up to be sent back to wherever these things go. Lucky for us, they hadn't sent them back when they were supposed to, so sold us the tie for the sale price, and even put it in a posh box for us! :)

We got ties for the two ushers as well, and all the other bits and bobs that we needed to get.

Success was ours, and we headed home feeling smug!

We had a few hours to chill at home and then we had to head out to one of Paul's friend's 50th birthday party! Not our usual kind of Saturday night, but hey - it gets us out of the house, and she's coming to our wedding so we should go to her party too?!

The sky was gorgeous tonight. Really nice pink tones. The picture doesn't do it justice.

The party was in, basically, a working mens club. It was nothing fancy. But it was fun. The DJ was very good and she had put on a good spread.

Our wedding photographer was there (hi Lesley!) as were another couple who had their pictures taken by the same photographer so that was nice!

We had a couple of drinks (yes - I was well behaved for once!) but it would be rude to leave without having a dance with the birthday girl!

I think Paul enjoyed himself. They were the only two out there for a while. Until we joined them!

We got our train home (an hour later than planned) and headed straight for bed. So rock n roll!

23/08/22013 - Friday, for the WIN!

We've FINALLY made it to Friday! This makes me so happy! I do enjoy a good Friday. Especially when it's before a nice bank holiday weekend! Extra day off is extra reason to be happy!

Of course, when you're me and you make up feeling lousy again (mostly the cold's fault but an argument could be made for the prosecco not helping matters!) you realise that you've taken a week off from the gym, a mere few weeks before the wedding. Well done, us. Slow clap.

Into work and more hole punching all day! I'm nearly done with that so hopefully my repetitive strain injury can start to heal. Along with my lurgy. And my liver. I'm really damaging myself at the moment, aren't I?!

I do try to help myself:

Look! I ate a tangerine! And I managed to get the skin off in one piece! This is a winning achievement!

Yes, small victories like this make me happy. At least it's a victory!

Work happened, was done and was over. I was lucky enough to be allowed to leave 15 minutes early because we had worked so hard that day! Go team! Another winning moment.

I forgot to mention that yesterday we had scoured all our local shops for a bottle of the wine that we are going to be serving at our wedding! My parents have been kind enough to get it for us, and since they told me what it was, I've been looking for it everywhere! Could we find it? Could we heck!

However, when Paul went to the shop today, he stumbled across it with no problem whatsoever!

 There's a little teaser for you, guests! We're having the above Sauvignon Blanc as our wedding white wine.

It's nice! Inoffensive and light! Well done Mum and Dad! I bet it was so hard for them to have to taste all those wines. It's a dirty rotten job!

We had a nice turkey and bacon salad for dinner, stayed up watching some tv probably longer than we should have, and drank some gin. Bad Caroline and Paul. Well, we've had a naughty week. May as well end it still being naughty!

22/08/2013 - We semi-celebrate!

Thursday came. I woke up with the strangest feeling that I have the lurgy. Not content with getting over the lack of sleep from the beginning of the week, now a cold has set in. Fan-flipping-tastic.

So, naturally, no gym. I wanted to go. Paul forbade me. If I'm ill, the last thing my body wants is to be working hard recovering from the gym as well as from a cold. Party pooper. Plus, the average age in our gym first thing in the morning is about 65, so I shouldn't infect them as well.

I went to work though. Because they're allowed to be infected! Although I am very nice and use anti-bac spray like it's going out of fashion to try to keep the germs at bay.

I did some wedding work at lunchtime and filled the rest of my day with normal work. Still palling up with my hole punch because that's how I roll!

I got home to this.

There is no way on this planet that coming home to a gorgeous giant furry belly is not a natural anti-depressant! After feeling sorry for myself all day I felt instantly better! Well...not physically. But mentally!

Barney had made a friend today. We had a ladybird on our front door. Naturally Barney wanted to say hi!

(Please excuse the mess. Wedding is getting in the way of all our chores. Stupid expensive party).

Barney was jumping up the door to see the ladybird! He must have knocked her down many times but she flew right back up there again! It's like she wanted him to get a work out or something?!

While I was in work today we received some good news. In fact, some bloody marvellous news. Sadly I am not in a position to divulge what said news is, but I certainly will when I can. I don't want to jinx it, you see!

We have been waiting for this news for quite some time, so even though it's a Thursday and I feel lousy, we had to celebrate, as we had always promised we would when we got this news.

 Paul's back and a glass of prosecco. Perfect Thursday evening. Apart from the sneezles.

21/08/2013 - Wednesday. Yep - I can't be more original than that!

It's Wednesday so we get a lie in today! Whoop! Not that we haven't had a lie in every morning this week so far. Aherm.

Anyway, nothing exciting of any note happened today. I carried on filing and sorting files and punching holes in pieces of paper!

Nope. I got nothing!

After work I went home and tidied up a bit as Chris was coming over, as always, for some #Whedonsday action! Always a high point to Wednesday!

We watched some Dollhouse and drank some beer! I decided to complete a wedding task and made some more decoration for the venue whilst watching tv. Talk about multi-tasking!

I'm not 100% finished with them yet I think. They need something else, which is why I haven't got a picture of them to show you.

Instead, here's Barney. Looking rather chunky.

Please excuse the mess. This is before we tidied up!

20/08/2013 - Wedding PAIN!

After a disappointing amount of sleep last night, and a brief discussion at 5:40am, we decided that the gym wasn't such a great idea. Neither of us knew what we would do once we got there and were not particularly inclined to go.

BAD CAGGA.

So we spent this morning sorting bits and bobs out. You know the kind of bits and bobs I mean. The writing stupidly long cheques to people to pay for your wedding kind.

Urgh.

Writing this word on a cheque is not my idea of a party. It PAINED me to do it.

We had a few things to pay for this week so figured it was best to get them off today so we knew that the payment would be made on time.

I dislike writing cheques. Especially when they're big cheques. I also dislike seeing the money go spiralling out of my account. Waaa. Stupid expensive wedding.

Paul was going off to our wedding venue with our photographers today to have a look around and scope out the best places to have pictures done.

I was going to work. I think I got a bad deal in this, didn't I?!

I have nothing really to show you from my day, as it was the same as most other days. Want to see some sneaky pics of our venue? Oh, go on then!

This is the Coach House (which I've never seen with all the door closed before!) where the reception drinks will be enjoyed, plus teas and coffees after the meal. Cute, huh?

This is a bridge over a little stream which is behind the big manor house which owns the barn.

Said manor house! So English, no? I love it!

This is the side of the barn where our wedding will be held, looking out towards the car park.

That's all the spoilers I'm giving you! You'll have to wait until I post some wedding pics to see the rest! Rest assured, the barn is GORGEOUS! :)

I came home from work to a very excitable Paul, who, after spending the morning at the venue was really looking forward to the wedding! The photographers loved it, and so I'm excited for the day now too!

To celebrate we made healthy (ish) pizza!

Instead of using a pizza base, it uses a tortilla wrap, so there's less carby-bread to bloat you! Plus only a teeny sprinkling of cheese (which we might have added a bit more than we should) and it was pretty good! Once you got used to there not being a stodgy bread base, it was a good eat!

After the pizza (and a stupidly long conversation with my parents) we chilled out watching telly for a bit then tried for another night to get a decent night's sleep.

19/08/2013 - Uuuuuunnnnnngggghhhhh

**I apologise for the sporadic nature of my posting recently. Wedding chores are taking up most of my time at the moment. I'm sure you understand. I can't say that after the wedding I'll be any better behaved. But I promise I'll try!**

I knew we wouldn't get up for the gym this morning. To be honest, I think I was still pretty merry when I woke up. And most of the way through work, actually!

I had warned work that I would be a bit of a mess today. They were fairly nice to me and gave me mundane tasks (like using my pal the hole-punch again!) and let me get on with it! I had a few obnoxious callers which I really didn't need but I came through it all. I think.

I was fading by the time I finished work though.

Paul was tired too, as it must have been hard for him to come home to go to sleep after driving for 40 minutes or so. Bless him.

We had a quick dinner and chilled out in front of the tv. Both of us like Zombies.

I didn't really take pictures of anything today. Except this:

I came home with this rose from the wedding. Isn't it pretty? I think my Instagram of it is prettier though, so check me out on there!

Sadly for us, the neighbours decided they wanted to be the loudest that they have ever been. Their music was loooouuuud. To the extent that we both needed earplugs to sleep.

Thanks, neighbours.

18/08/2013 - Dum dum de dum!

It's Sunday. An odd day for what's in store for now, but we're going with it!

We're off to a wedding! Yes - a wedding on a Sunday! A mere 20 days before our wedding day! EEKS!

Many of the people at this wedding will also be at ours! This adds extra pressure. I have the fire dancers on standby, just in case.

Anyway, I had to get up at a fairly reasonable hour to start the preparations for the day. It's not just a regular Sunday, after all! There's work to be done here!

So, I had to get my scouse on.

What's this? Well...it resulted in me looking like this for an hour...

Excuse make-up free me.

People from Liverpool are called scousers, and it's a Scouse stereotype to wear rollers with your pajamas. Outside of the house. Seriously. To the shops with you hair in rollers. I don't have that much in the way of guts I'm afraid!

I don't have any pictures of the after. The rollers didn't really work. Except to give my hair volume, which is something that my hair does not need at all!

So we suited up (which is why Paul needed shoes yesterday) and headed to Chester where the wedding was being held!

This is as we are driving over the Runcorn bridge. The Runcorn bridge is a big icon in the North West. And it also happens to be very similar to the Sydney Harbour Bridge! So if we close our eyes, we can pretend we're on the other side of the world!

TO THE WEDDING!

The venue was a lovely hotel just outside of Chester. We were there reasonably early and met up with a few of Paul's school friends. Then we headed to the ceremony.

It was a very quick ceremony but very nice. They had a string quartet who were playing some very quick music which was making us all tense. But it's all good because the wedding happened and the happy couple were married!

Congratulations, Mr & Mrs Taylor!

We were then shown out onto the lawn for pink fizz and canapes. The weather was lovely so we didn't mind.

After what seemed like a very long time we went into the Shooting Suite where the reception was to take place.

We quickly found our seat, along with other friends, and settled in for our scran.

My place card. Very nice. I personally can't wait to see people's reactions to their place cards at our wedding! I hope people don't just think 'nice', they think 'wow' or 'how much effort did they put into these?!'.

Anyway, the food was nice. We had a chicken and ham terrine for starter, followed by Chicken satimbocca with rice, veg  and potatoes. Very nice again. Pudding was a glazed lemon tart. Which was DIVINE. Perfect pudding for me. It was like a lemon tart crossed with creme brulee. OH EM GEE I am salivating just thinking about it!

We were kicked out of the room again so they could set up for the evening do. So we headed outside to have some pictures taken. Here's one of the boys.

How handsome is my lovely Paul on the far right there?! Like his suit? That's the one he bought last Wednesday while I was at my fitting!

This is also a tradition amongst that lot...

Next up is Paul's turn. Mwahahahahaa!

Then the party carried on!

Here are the lovely couple cutting their cake.

And during their first dance.

For any of you that are interested, their first dance was Goo Goo Dolls - Iris. Which is nice!

Then the party got silly! I was cuddling a gorgeous baby and Paul was catching up with his pals.

Such handsome boys!

I managed to catch up with the Bride as well.

Sadly, she can't make it to our wedding, as she lives in Doha and can't make it over so soon after their wedding. It's a shame as she's lovely.

She doesn't like having her picture taken though...or, more likely, she probably was fed up of smiling at people taking pictures. Mental note: face will ache after all the pictures taken!

Paul was driving and we left a little early, but not too bad. I was slightly merry...which would make work tomorrow very interesting!