Oh go on lets smile..........

I think I need to write a blog with a bit of a smile to it - and I'll absolutely try not to whinge once if I can??!! So after the trauma of the furniture there was actually a little bit of a silver lining - a large write up 2nd page in the Salcombe Gazette.......with me in front of a great photo of the Victoria Inn - might have lost £3.5k but there's very little 'bad' publicity! I can't begin to tell you how many people have stopped me in the street, church, local shops and more importantly come into the pub to say how sorry they were to here of our bad news with the furniture firm going bust!! That picture and the write up would have cost a fortune as an advertisement - lol! I think I might set up a paper signing date......

Our very good friend Lisa (www.lisabeaneyphotography.co.uk) who will be taking our wedding photo's sent me some copies of the very best 'pre-wedding' shots and I think they're lovely - here's a couple of them. I love the way that Lisa does business - she's really interested in making it the very best for you and your day - and although we're great mates, she was professional and went through the format of the day and what WE want and how we want it.... we've chosen very informal photo's, and as I absolutely HATE looking at cameras and smiling ( I never do it naturally...) I think there'll be very few of those!! Tim was p'ing himself laughing when he had to kiss my forehead and in another one he was pinching my bum - so I think the day itself will have a lot of laughter!!

Yesterday I went for my first fitting of the wedding dress - I was really nervous, as I was so scared that after all this time of waiting that I would have gone off it and not liked it - especially as I had to choose the colour from a square of material about 1 inch square!! But I absolutely loved it - I particularly loved the fact its got to be taken in 2 (yes folks TWO) dress sizes!!! So back for another fitting this Friday coming and then pick it up 2 weeks later.

The shop is La Bella Bridal (http://www.labellabridal.co.uk/) in Exeter and I just can't recommend them highly enough - especially Theresa who has looked after me all the way through the process and had to put up with regular calls when I was terrified the dress wasn't going to turn up, and Barbara the dress maker who practically has to re-make the dress to have it fit me and do all the touches to it to make it special. Both of them absolute gems!!

Made quite a day of it actually with my friend Theresa (my Salcombe Best Friend) even though she did have just a tiny accident in a multi storey car park - bless 'er.............. and a great two and a half hour lunch in Cafe Rouge!! She bought an amazing hat from La Bella - and we drove out of Exeter 2 very happy ladies.

James our Head Chef has baked the wedding cake - blooming massive it is as well - SOH and I had a stir and made a wish - and ever since then he keeps 'feeding ' it - Brandy I think!! I got to lick the spoon and put my finger in the (empty) mixing bowl - just like when I was a child and Mum used to make cakes..... a great memory!

This week coming is set to be quite a busy week - there's lots to do for the wedding - a meeting with the gorgeous Derrick our organist at Church to discuss music etc - we're both looking forward to that very much, then I'll be proof reading the Orders of Service and checking those over before placing the order, going back for the 2nd dress fitting, and then lastly the dreaded tooth extraction on Saturday - but that's a while away yet!

The re-furb continues - with carpet being laid this week and the blinds being put up at the windows. I'll be so pleased to get this finished now - I'm just sick of the upheaval (that's not a whinge - but a statement!) but everyone that's seen it so far even in its half finished state has said it look fabulous!! Took a provisional enquiry for a wedding in 2011 today as well..... so that's the way to go!!

Business has been pretty fair this week - a little down on last year, but quite a few holiday makers went home on Thursday as the weather has been appalling for them - but, overall trade hasn't been to bad at all. I just love meeting all our old friends as they pop in and out over the year.... this weekend in particular it was a couple called Gordon and Rosemary - a charming couple who I always love to see come through the doors!

Then of course last weekend we managed a couple of days aways for our friend Jo's 30th birthday bash; Dunster Manor. This is a fabulous huge country house that is hired out too corporate and private parties. The most amazing place with huge grounds, a pool, horses, and a great time was had by all - we even managed to be able to take Rosie with us, and it made for a very pleasant break.

Rosie in particular enjoyed charging round the grounds with some new doggy friends - my goodness she can run fast......I think it did her good socialising with dogs over a long period, she's been just a little calmer since we came home!! In fact I'm seriously thinking of getting a second cockapoo too give her some company - SOH is not so sure......??

Two very good friends Mark and Ben in this picture, looking pretty refined I think - but then it was quite early in the evening in this piccie!! Maybe at about 3 or 4 in the morning neither looked quite so suave.... in fact one little girl was heard to say to her Mother the next morning 'Mummy, there's a man asleep on the settee' ....... I'll leave you to guess which one of them it was?? The other picture is another friend (and my ex dentist) Robin, his beautiful wife Lucy and his adorable little baby Henry!

So there you go - a nice cheerful chatty post, with pictures...............Take care all of you X