Saturday, June 25, 2011

All you need is love - a very Darling wedding

All you need is Love


One week ago today my lovely sister and her lovely man got married.

Here are some photos I took.

Bandage??

Banners

Sewn doilies

Hanging pouffs

Ceramic Ring Bearer
Gareth's ringCharlotte's ring

Pirate pinata surrounded by pouffs

Manly man carrying puffs

IMG_3522

Mama's pretty curlsprepping moustaches

Moi et Moustache

Teasing MadnessTeasing Madness
Carrie Bun?

Jayne and Mascara

Kelly & Charlotte - eyelashes

Jayne awaiting eyelashesJack is a pretty pretty princess

Charlotte getting bronzed
(CUTEST!!!)

Makeup


Then I stopped taking photos to watch the ceremony.

Gareth's sister Bethan read from Plato's symposium and baby Jayne read Wild Daisies by Bub Bridger

If you love me
Bring me flowers
Wild daisies
Clutched in your fist
Like a torch
No orchids or roses
Or carnations
No florist's bow
Just daisies
Steal them
Risk your life for them
Up the sharp hills
In the teeth of the wind
If you love me
Bring me daisies
That I will cram
In a bright vase
And marvel at


Then they vowed to fight beside each other in the event of the zombie apocalypse and they were married.
They signed the register and got on skype to talk to the members of Gareth's family who couldn't make it to New Zealand for the ceremony.

Signing the register

Skyping with Gareth's Family

Skyping with the inlawsThe Thompsons

After photos in the rain (taken by the amazing Kathryn Wilson) we headed to the venue where we had speeches and food and wine and danced the night away. Gareth's band played and from time to time he joined them to show off his skills on the trombone. It was impressive to say the least.

Oh and their first dance? was to Shimmy Shimmy Ya by ODB.
I love my sister.

Shimmy shimmy ya

Gareth on the Trombone

Waiting for his part

Handsome husbandHandsome husband

Jayne

For the rest of the photos click here.


And, for posterity, the speech I gave:

Charlotte is a copycat. She always has been and it's time I called her on it.
I have brown hair and brown eyes, she has brown hair and brown eyes. I stopped growing shortly after 5 foot 1, she stopped growing slightly less than that. She got a tattoo, I got a tattoo - okay, okay, she can have that one.
I got a beardy husband, now she has one too.

I'm kidding of course. Anyone who knows or has even just met Charlotte knows that she's an individual. I love that. I love that she has found someone as unique and as devoted to facial hair as she is.
Without G, I think I would have gone my entire life without knowing what Klezmer music is.
I've never liked any of Charlotte's boyfriends. I always gave them horrible nicknames. They were ratface or the gangly one or ... you get the point. I don't have a nickname for G. I think, I think I actually like him!
Our whole family does. We've even played Trivial Pursuits with him. I think it took years before Craig and Jack were allowed to play. Trivial Pursuits is our initiation ritual.

So yes. We like G. Despite his disappointing lack of a Welsh accent. Welcome to the family. You're stuck with us now.

I asked a coworker what I should say in this toast. He said I should tell embarrassing stories about Charlotte. But I know that any story I have on her will be countered by one of my own. So I shall refrain.
Then he suggested advice. Because I'm so old and wise and all.

So, Charlotte, here is some advice from your old, married sister.

1. It won't feel any different tomorrow but people will ask you if it does and will look disappointed when you say "nah, not really". So lie.
2. Marriage is about compromise. They are not lying about that one. It's really really annoying.
3. People will ask when you're going to start having babies or buying a house. Give it 5 and a half years and ... yep, they'll still be asking.
4. The first time a complete stranger calls you, completely seriously, as MRS Thompson Darling? you will feel a little faint. Old and young at the same time. It's creepy and took me about 4 years to get used to.
5. The first time you are talking to a stranger and call G your husband? That's one of the moments you'll remember.
6. I liked a bit with number 1. It does feel different. Not tomorrow or next week or next month, but soon, eventually, when you realise that yea, this probably will stick. And that's the best feeling. But that's not marriage, that's not a piece of paper, not a dress or a suit, not rings or a cake. That's you two. And that's the best.

On Ash Clouds and Oleanna

Oleanna Poster


I am two performances through our six performance season of Oleanna. I still have not performed with my co-star.
It's a little ridiculous. By which I mean, of course, that it is COMPLETELY ridiculous.

We are a cast of two. Two people on the stage. One person is missing? and half the goddamn cast is gone.

On Monday CoStar flew to Australia for work. Of course he managed to get there just fine. The Ash Cloud only wanted to fuck my shit up, obviously. He was due back at midnight Tuesday. We organised to have a run through on Wednesday night, the night before we opened, so that we could erase the shambles that was last Sunday's rehearsal from our minds.

Mid-afternoon Wednesday we heard he would not be back for that night's rehearsal. The ash cloud was cancelling flights left right and centre. Our esteemed director took up the mantle, and a script, and read the lines for me.

CoStar thought he would be back mid-morning Thursday. So I arranged to take half the afternoon off work, to meet up at the performance site, to run the play before that evening's opening night.

I think you can see where this is going. Mid-morning Thursday we heard he would NOT be back for that evening's performance.
Still, we met in the afternoon, and it was decided that we couldn't just cancel. The director, thankfully a very skilled actor in his own right, would do as he had done and read the lines. We would have to offer refunds or rainchecks to another night. But it was the best we could do.

The performance ran without a hitch. Despite the moment when I skipped half a page of script. Oops. But most importantly, noone asked for their money back, or to attend on another night. The director is really just that good. It didn't matter that he had a small paperback in his hand 90% of the time.

Last night was the second performance. Again, CoStar was a no-show.
I'm being uncharitable. I'm sure he would have been there if he could. But the ash cloud ...

I woke this morning to news that he is in the country. He is IN THE COUNTRY. He has only missed 1/3 of the performances.

Now I'm just hanging out to hear what time we are meeting for a run through before tonight ...

Sunday, June 19, 2011

365 in 2011

Oh Darling 365

This week's 365 will be one day short. Not because I forgot a day! But because it was my darling Sister's wedding day and I took ... about 3000 photos. Then today, I had about 17 minutes free.
Next week. Next week will have an extra day.

Sunday: driving home from rehearsal
Sunday
Sun breaking through the clouds as I head home from yet another rehearsal.

Monday: teeny heartshaped leaves
Monday
I love the teeny little heart shaped leaves on this bush.

Tuesday: Dinosaurs &a teddybear in Eastbourne
Tuesday
Dinosaurs and a teddy bear caught my eye from a window in Eastbourne.

Wednesday: full moon!
Wednesday
It was crisp and the moon was full on Wednesday. And I was home before dark.

Thursday: ash cloud from Chile = beautiful dawn
Thursday
The ash cloud from Chile made for some beautiful dawn skies.

Friday: Beehive Test
Friday
Charlotte, the Bride-to-Be wearing her trial wedding hair (a beehive a la Sarah-Rose) and stringing lace as decoration for the ceremony. It was getting late.


&


My wedding Hair.