The Wedding and beyond

OK, OK, I haven't been here for a while, but I've been really, really busy, with lots of great stuff going on, including....Patrick and Maya's wedding in the UK.

First, we traveled to the London on the last day of July.

Here's a picture of my sister Joanne in London on the first of August. It was a pleasant day for walking around and seeing the sights. We stayed in Russell Square because we are familiar with the area and because we like it there. This is, in fact, Russell Square.

I think I may have made Jo look weird with this picture, but I'll try to fix it sometime. Anyway, we went to London for a couple of days, and then we took a train to Maidstone, where the wedding was to be held. Here is Alice in Victoria Station, where we all met to travel to Kent.

Oooh, I get it. It's the jpeg stuff...not so good.

Oh well...you get the picture (so to speak).
Alice traveled very lightly, with just a carryon, and she met up with us on the morning of August 2, so that we could all go to Maidstone together. It was such a thrill seeing her crossing the station floor, after her trip from the US. It was as though everything was coming together as planned. A good omen...

And then we had the prenuptual dinner that evening with the Dases at the White Horse Inn on Bearstead. We met Maya's entire family and ate and drank wine and just generally laughed it up. You might like to see the White Horse Inn. Very quaint on the outside, very sleek and modern on the inside...

OK, so then the next day, we went to Hollingbourne where Leeds Castle is actually located. That's very near Maidstone. Hollingbourne was the town where Maya had her first job, working in the notorious Windmill, notorious because it paid poor wages and just did not provide a nice work environment. Want to see it?

I think Maya has bad memories from this experience, so I probably should not post this picture, but then again, you can avoid the Windmill if ever you are in Hollingbourne. You know what it looks like now.

That very day, we got ourselves all dressed up and went to Leeds Castle. Now, that is a sight to see.

It was a gorgeous day, unlike the previous four or so weeks, which had been filled with rain and clouds and coolish temperatures. We had lots of bright sunlight and warm temperatures. Before the ceremony, before the guests arrived, before it all began, we waited in the library.

Here are Patrick and Alice, looking kind of jpeg funny in the library.

And then we had the ceremony, and it was magical. In fact, the entire day was magical. In fact, the entire experience was magical.

Here they are, the happy couple, Patrick Macgill and Maya Das-Macgill, right after the ceremony. We went on to have a lovely dinner, at which time, I spilled some red-current gravy on my pretty silk dress, making it a one-occasion dress, since the stain will not come out. Still, the entire trip was just wonderful.

Now Patrick and Maya are living in Birmingham. We hope to visit them when I am finished school and when the dollar is doing better. Meanwhile, we make calls and email and all that.
Ahhh...