A Choir of Angels

Today is my Mum’s 75^th Birthday, not that you would know that was her age from looking at her!

My Mum had organised to celebrate her birthday morning with a gathering of her closest friends at a tearoom on Hadrian’s Wall called St Oswalds, near Heavenfield. http://www.roman-britain.org/places/heavenfield.htm

Lucy and I were invited too and thoroughly enjoyed the morning with all the ladies. 

At one point the ladies decided to all sing Happy Birthday, and the other unsuspecting Hadrian’s Wall trail walkers who were sheltering from the rain, enjoying refreshments – all joined in.

Several of the ladies “choir” are actually members of a real choir – and it was certainly a memorable rendition of Happy Birthday.

Long ago in the planning stages of Lucy and Mark’s wedding, Lucy told her Gran that she would love to have her Gran’s friends come to join us at the Abbey for the wedding service. And we have organised to send out a special invitation nearer the time.

Almost all of this delightful community of my Mum’s friends have know of me and Lucy for all our lives and have been through every stage of our lives– discussed over many cups of tea and coffee over the past approaching 50 years. There is a very special feeling when you realise you are part of this kind of fellowship. They have supported and loved us both through my Mum.

Here are a couple of photos from my Mum's birthdays, when Lucy was three and then when she was 15!

I  love all three of these photographs. They show such a connection between a Grandma and her Grand daughter. We have such special times together. And we do enjoy and appreciate them all.

So when we heard the choir of angels singing Happy Birthday (Very appropriate being near Heavenfield) Lucy and I went round the groups afterwards making sure they all know they are all welcome to come to the Abbey in November. Our “Auntie” Sylvia – (not our real Auntie but a lovely lady who lived on the estate where we grew up in Acomb) even commented when she left that they would have to get together for a few choir practices! Such fun..

Auriole B

I have been a bit troubled hence the lack of posts ... I have to admit I have been putting off looking for my MOTB outfit!

A wedding etiquette site helpfully advises,

“Although it’s your daughter’s special day, as mother of the bride you’ll also get lots of attention. Choosing an wedding outfit is a complex process – do you dress to stand out or to blend in? Which hat should you wear? What length should the dress be? So many questions, so here's a few answers for all your mothers of the bride:”

http://www.getwed.com/articles/10-top-tips-for-the-mother-of-the-bride-s-outfit-gb-en/

I am always rather hopeful that I will lose some weight, and one would have thought that with the wedding looming that would have motivated me. But I am what I am, I love food , and I do believe that we are not just our physical bodies, we are our soul and all that! So I have had to face up to the fact that I do need to sort out a MOTB outfit.

Copying my soon to be son in law – I multi task sometimes while sport is on the TV on an evening, and have looked at many MOTB outfits. It became very clear that I know what I don’t like better than what I do like! The one thing I do know is that I would like to wear the biggest, boldest hat I can, to almost fill the aisle in Hexham Abbey as walk Lucy down!!

 I actually hate shopping, and the thought of dragging round shops looking for a very special outfit really doesn’t inspire me!

So it was with great delight that I happened on a very interesting conversation recently with Debra at Hands On about a local dressmaker Auriole B. Auriole created Debra a stunning outfit for a society wedding at Hexham “Cathedral” which a certain Pippa Middleton attended.

So a week or so ago, on a glorious sunny day, now that I am back at the wheel ( carefully!)  “we” have our initial meeting. My Mum and Lucy came too – as “we” do...

We talked through styles, colours, fabric etc.

We left an hour later happy in a choice of a dress and jacket which Auriole will make a soft cotton mock up to see the style suits me. We left Auriole to work out how many whale bones she needs to order in – for the corsetry!! My friend Brenda has kindly offered to come with me next time as she operates a style company called Prasanna, her motto being "Dressing the inner woman".

I promise that as the project progresses; there will be further blog posts.