More Than a Busy Month - Part 3

10th of June and return home day. Most of the journey was without hassle, but just south of Worcester things began to change. There were the odd heavy shower and the traffic suddenly ground to a halt. Just to rub it a passing car threw stone at us making a large chip on the windscreen. (Later in the week it was repaired by an 'Autoglass' man. He found the stone chip lying in the shelf in front of the windscreen.) We eventually arrived at service station, had refreshments and changed drivers. The delay meant that we were in rush hour traffic from the Birmingham section and along the M42/A42.

Shortly after arriving home we were treated to thunder and hail.

I was able to put in a couple of hours marking in the evening and get my camera kit ready for the Saturday11th wedding.

More marking during the morning interspersed by fixing a white ribbon on the car bonnet. While Irene was helping get the hall ready for the Bexton wedding I was taking David, the groom, to the registry office and waiting to take the first photographs. In fact we all waited and waited. The bride was late and was not allowed to park near the office and her mother was even later. But the ceremony got underway.

The cake was pretty special.

The next task was to meet the 15th June deadline of marking 1280 items. Since it looked doable I got my head down and had achieved this by Tuesday; hitting the bonus. However, this was not the full number of items contracted to mark. There was some leeway for this, but at midnight on Saturday more items would be available for any marker who had completed their allocation.

Working on the marking and preparing the photos and DVD slide show for Alan I completed this by Friday and also the photo task.

Sturday 18th was going to be a busy day. In the morning we visited Nan at High Clere. In the afternoon we went to give Izzie her birthday present and Iona a shared present. We are told that the girls think 'Labyrinth' is the best game in the world. I think they told us.

This is the large 'Scrabble' set that Margaret gave Nan for her birthday.

Izzie asked for a few pencils

The game was well received

The evening was spent helping my brother and Veronica to celebrate their Ruby Wedding. It was good to meet up with them, their children, Anne, Sid and George and Aunty Mary, cousin Rita and her husband John. It was a 60's do, so we were able to join in some of the dancing. The food was too good.

Names withheld for obvious reasons

This was the long weekend of the long month. From 2.00 pm. to 8.00 pm. I was carrying out the Castle Donnington wedding assignment.

The Hand Fasting ceremony - Hands tied and drinking punch - Hands tied and jumping a broomstick

The wonderful cake

By Wednesday the exam work was over. The wedding work was to begin, bringing to end the long month.

Craft Fair

Well - I thought that I would try it.

After a week of preparation my kit was loaded into the car and at 8 o'clock on Saturday morning I set off. As I entered Ilkeston a rainbow appeared for me to pass under (A good sign?). But, the rain started. I was among the first to off load my goods into the 'Ebenezer Methodist Church'. I had a good corner pitch - set up my back board, covered the table and laid out my wares, and waited. The morning was 'busy'. I sold five cards. I could have sold more. Lunch time came. My bill for the pitch came, but not the crowds. All the stall holders sat and tried cheer one another up. The down turn is real.

Everyone thought that my pictures were lovely. I had great conversations. Nothing was sold.

About half an hour before the end one stall holder after another cleared up.

Twenty four people took my wedding literature. A number took my business cards. It might turn out to have been a valuable advertsing exercise. Who knows?

This flower was the most popular image

Irene had much better luck with the bonfire. Which despite the rain blazed furiously.

I found a card order from Francis. The front had to be the Holy Spirit as wind and fire. And it had to be done by morning.

I ended up with this:

I left the work to have our Saturday night drink, music, game and chocolate. It was finished and delivered by 8:30 on Sunday morning.

Ruby Wedding

The celebration of our Ruby Wedding took place on Sunday 31st August 2008. We were able to use the New Stapleford Community Centre for the 'do'. The hall was divided in two. Half for eating and half for dancing. The hall is magnificently set up and we are particularly grateful to Alan and Irene Bexton for giving so much of their time to the hall's quality and for helping at the party. Thank you Alan for MCing it. It was appreciated. We are also very grateful to Joe, Joni and Fiona and Tim and Isla for all they did by way of preparation, speeches, the cake by Isla and the amazing clear up.

Irene started the evening by a speech which sums up what 40 years of married life means. "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God." and sooner or later we will have to face "Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried."

Francis used a can to describe us. I asked him for speeches not peaches.


Lawrence used facial expression. I lost the plot, but appreciated the humour.


Martin added spiritual dignity

I lost everybody. But expressed thanks for friends who have helped us along our journey.

Tim spoke about following us on our Journey . . .


and then gave us this magnifient cake.

Food, dancing and games followed.

We thank all our friends and relatives for all their thoughts, gifts and prayers. We thank those who were able to be with us on Sunday and hope that the event was sufficiently enjoyable. [Comments are not required.]

Anniversary - BBQ - Dine in Style

Sunday 24th August see the 40th wedding anniversary of Irene and myself. We started the day calmly with tea (ginger drink) in bed. Cards were exchanged. Irene now has a ruby (a small one). Would you believe that a morning on the allotment followed. Then the rush to preserve the pickings accompanied by a phone call from Jan to find out were we where.We did get to the Dales for our church BBQ. Would you credit the rain? The sun came out and we crept out of the shelter.Bob did a great job on the barbie.

It was a pity that we had to leave, but we had two hours to get home, do jobs and return to nearby Jan and Lawrence's.

While at home Jenny and Francis called in with a card and present. It was a great present for allotment holders with a greenhouse; an automatic window open and closer. It will be better than the old bent wire we currently use.

Back to Jan and Lawrence. They were taking us to Morley Hayes (posh golf club) for a meal (no expense spared). Lawrence was keen that I dressed smartly. I did and so did Irene. It was a great meal in a great atmosphere.

Flowers from Florida

On Saturday Irene and I made our usual visit to Nan. While we were there a basket of flowers had arrived. Margaret, her daughter was over in Florida to see her daughter Belinda get married. Margaret, thoughtfully emailed a delivery to her mum on this special day.

Nan and the flowers from Florida

I was only mrginally disturbed from the Scrabble game. It was only the first time that I had the right letters to make a seven letter word. I was not able to get out my first seven letter word of the game, but I did get out my second seven letter word; gaining a bonus of 50 points.

Nan enjoyed the morning, particulary the flowers.

Wedding and Trophy

Two week ago I received a lovely text. It read, "Hi Jim i am gettin married on the 19th july just wondered if u was available? Thanks eve" Eve turned out to be a lovely young lady who wanted me to photograph her wedding. Having met her and her husband to be, Gary, it was agreed that I would do the deed.

On Saturday 19th at 4:00 pm I turned up at St Michael's Church, Bramcote. It turned out to be a dry, sunny, but windy day. Photos were taken there and then at the 'Chequers' inn, Stapleford. Since then I have done the light-room work and created the proofs book. I have three systems available to produce the proofs book. One prints the data, but randomises the pictures. Another keeps them in order, but does not print the data. The one that I use prints the pictures and the data, but creates a right hand margin which is not helpful in book production. Does anyone know of software which will do exactly what I want; efficiently?

Eve and Gary - Married

On Monday, in the thick of wedding work along came another assignment. This came through my most regular customer, Francis. He needed a greeting card with a photograph of the trophy given by the 'Allotment Holder's Association' to the winning school gardeners. This was a chance to us my off camera flash and reflector. I set up my mini studio and did the shoot. The result was acceptable.

Pre-wedding Research

On Thursday Joni and I went out to St Michael's Church, Bramcote to check the wedding shoot location. We were there at the approximate hour of the wedding on Saturday. It was a drizzly day, but dry when we turned up. We did our usual walk around the church - checking the possibilities. I used my Nikon D50 for the test shots. This was a useful trip - note the clutter to the right of the entrance. I thought that the steps might make for a different shot. However, they could look too railway stationey

Main entrance

Bride on the steps?

The new Nikon D80 did not arrive until Friday lunch time. It has a lot of refinements to the D50 with more megapixels. Fortunately, it is not too disimilar to the D50 and after some practice shots I am confident that I shall be able to use it at the wedding on Saturday. I will be packing the D50 just in case.

Joni using D80 and off the camera flash

Available light