I decided to call up the nice people in Working Tax land and query why we were now going to be £140 worse off a week. The very pleasant lady explained that I had incorrectly stated that James had been in non-advanced education last year, whereas even though he had been living at home with us and studying his HNC in music at college, this was classed as Advanced education. Now they wanted to stop his tax credit element and take back what they gave us last year...nice!
I have to state here that in a mahoosive way I believe that God has provided for me as an individual and for us as a family, through thick and thin, good times and bad times and we've never been let down yet, so once I got over the initial 'What on earth are we going to do' stage, I had a chat with The Man that knows it all and realised that it would all work out. Part of life's big adventure.
Some of the most amazing times in our lives have happened when our backs have been up against the wall financially, showing us that God knows exactly what we need and when to meet that need, time and time again.
I remember having an empty freezer and not much in the cupboards and a friend turning up with half a cow that they had just had butchered on their farm. She had just thought of us and decided to give us a freezer full.
Of course I have to be sensible and creative in dealing with our finances, so my brain starts to think of how I can cut a few corners and save a bit. I think I'll be putting the e-baying on hold for a little while. Well Phoebe's wardrobe is almost fit to bursting and there are so many lovely dresses in there that need a second or third airing.
I gave myself a challenge a few years back, after reading about a girl who decided not to buy herself anything that wasn't essential, for a whole year. I thought I would give it a go and although I felt like I'd failed to a certain extent, as I still had to buy stuff for the kids or Robin would buy stuff for 'us', it was a great learning curve.
To this day I make my own laundry detergent and dishwasher powder and I use Aqueous cream as my styling product of choice, on my wonderful lustrous locks. I haven't actually shampooed my hair for about a year now after reading about an amazing new product called, 'Non-foaming-conditioning-shampoo'. I decided that this was probably just conditioner in another guise, so instead of shampooing I just rinse and condition and considering I go to the pool three times a week at least, it seems to be doing the job.
So is there anything else I could be doing to make up for our new deficit? No more mid week bottle's of wine and probably driving to a few more weddings will save on Taxi fares, but then I wouldn't get to see Jan from JJs so often and that would be a blow!
So what's the answer? Well as Lena Martell once sang, 'One day at a time, sweet Jesus...that's all I'm asking of you'. Life is for the living so we're going to keep on living it, embracing every experience that comes our way and the direction that it takes us in...watch this space!
Weddings are definitely a wonderful reason to celebrate, but also a great opportunity to be creative. Not only for the bride and groom, but for talented friends and family that want to contribute and help out in making the day extra special.
Ellie and Conor's wedding was completely home grown and those who attended noted the wonderful feeling of community around the whole day. Our friends appeared from no-where with plates of lasagne, curry, salads, drinks and meringues after helping to decorate the hall the day before. The invites were made from tomato puree tubes, collected over months of bolognese and chilli making, into tiny brass coloured plates with suns carved in to the back. We had great fun making everything, collecting fairy lights from charity shops and most of all being continually amazed by the offers of help from everyone who wanted to help out and leave their mark on our most special of special days.
When Michael and Sheena's invitation came a few months back I noticed how beautifully rustic it was but it wasn't till yesterday that I realised how much of their day was a hands on, home made affair.
Delgaty Castle, between macduff and Turriff was the setting and as we drew upto the castle through the tree lined drive, we could see why they had chosen it for their ceremony.
The cobbled court yard outside the magnificent castle front was home to a wonderful gateway with two cannons oneither side and as we walked through the front doors there were more amazing artifacts of family history to take in.
We were directed to the left where the old chapel was and all the seating had been laid out for the guests.
The seats on the aisle were adorned with gauze and tiny flowers and as I reached the front jars wrapped in twine and lace, to match the wedding invites and stationary, were filled with garden flowers. These had been collected by family throughout the months before and had been lovingly decorated by Sheena's little sister.
Now as you know, I am a bit of a back seat driver when it comes to weddings but on this occasion Sheena had decided to place us all by putting our named order of service on each chair. After working my way down from the back, I was getting a bit nervous that i had been missed out, only to find that I was third from the front!! Gulp! I sat on my seat and enjoyed looking around the room with it's family portraits and shields of arms, especially the original stone clad walls that could definitely have told a story or two if allowed.
I decided to wear my 'Onnada' dress again as,well I just love it and it was a totally different guest list this week and a different venue.
My shoes that I got off e-bay ( ah, those were the days!) a few weeks ago, were a bit tight over the top of my foot, but I loved them. So I decided to invest in a pair of shoe stretchers and now my life has been transformed!! They are amazing, after one stretch I was able to slip my BNWT, £4 shoes on and now they are my favourite reds. Everyone should have a pair of red shoes, there is no outfit they won't go with as long as you wear a little red accessory to match.
After only a twenty minute wait the ceremony got under way. Sheena's bridesmaid's, two who had flown in from Norway and Germany, wore pale grey chiffon with a lace bodice, holding beautiful bouquets of wild roses.
Sheena wore a champagne, full length dress, with antique lace on the fitted bodice and layers of gauze held by a delicate waist band of diamonte and pearl flowers. her veil had tiny sparkling jewels at the edges.Just beautiful.
We sang, we prayed, we laughed and we celebrated as their vows were spoken and rings exchanged, making special mention of Colin, Sheena's brother, who passed away ten years ago. His memory was very much entwined in everything that took place.
Michael and Sheena's daughter Orla took pride of place, at one year old as ribbon chief with Michael's son, Finlay and the two ribbons were passed through Sheena and Michael's hands tying in a knot together as they drew apart, symbolising the sealing of their lives together.
We gathered outside on the cobble stones for a glass of prosecco or summer punch, my tipple of the day as I was driving and watched as Hazel Irvine took snapped away with her camera. Anne, Sheena's Mum is a photographer and had a very definite idea of who she wanted to do the photos but she still couldn't help herself from running about with a list of groups to be captured and shifting things about a bit for a better shot.
The rain stayed off giving the most perfect 'photography day ever' with slight cloud but no wind and we enjoyed catching pictures of Michael and Sheena with Orla and of the gorgeous bridesmaids with the main ladies of the day.
Anne told us of all the work that had gone in to the making of the invites and order of services, staying up till 2am one night to get them finished, only to find the next day that they hadn't put the date on! Another two hours of inserts later and they finally finished!
Soon heart shaped balloons were handed out with tags attached, for us all to write a promise to Michael and Sheena and send off on the count of five up in to the sky. Their address had been printed on the back so that anyone finding them could post them back.
After a few loose cannons and everyone finding access to a pen and a good promise to write, we let go and off they flew...
We headed off back to Banff to the Fife Lodge, set on the outskirts of the town and owned by South African couple Ron and Linda. It really is the most beautiful setting for a wedding with gorgeous gardens and well, what can I say about the staff? Perfect!
Anne had planned a surprise for Michael and Sheena and had hired the Portsoy pipe band to play for them coming in to the hotel grounds. We lined the driveway that had been adorned with bunting by the family and armed with confetti, handed out by the bridesmaids and little sticks to shake with white ribbon and lace.
The happy couple arrived expecting to be driven right up to the hotel door, but the jeep, kindly driven by a family friend, was stopped at the top of the road and the band began to play. Michael and Sheena walked down through the pipers as we all threw our confetti and cheered.
The theme foe the day was 'journeys' as Sheena had first met Michael at Huntly train station and after hitting it off their romance bloomed.
The seating plan was beautifully made with all of us being allocated a seat at a certain train station, ours being 'Huntly' the top table.
The final destination was Rose cottage, the home that Michael and Sheena now live in with little Orla and Finlay when he's not at Mum's. This was the name of the beautiful cake that had been made by a family friend and decorated by Anne, yet another string to her bow!
The speeches came first with Sheena's Dad, Ian speaking touchingly of his love for Sheena-Kay ( Full name) and also of his memories of Colin and her together and even more so how much Orla meant to them all changing their whole worlds for ever now she was around.
Trine ,who had come over from Norway especially for the day, gave a speech on behalf of the bridesmaids with some great advice for Mr and Mrs Sharp.
Michael thanked everyone , and I mean everyone, giving out a large pot of summer flowers to all who had contributed to their day.
John, the best man, known to all as Coull, gave us all a laugh, primarily by accidentally calling his own daughter Orla giving everyone a heart stopping moment but then by giving folically challenged Michael a wig to put on, so he could " relive his youth for a day", now there was a photo I was definitely going to get.
Our meal was delicious, pea and ham soup followed by pork with apple sauce and sticky toffee pudding.
As it had been John's birthday and Anne's neighbour, Alison's, there were two birthday cakes to be shared out with the teas and coffees, what a spread!
We found a quiet spot to let our food settle in one of the drawing room's of the hotelafter the meal and watched as more photographs were taken in the beautifully maintained grounds.
Since I've last been in there has been a huge amount of decorating done with a new toilet blocka nd the dining room looking very smart. Linda told me that it has been a busy year for them but they haven't finished yet, planning more refurbishment, can't wait.
Michael came through to get us as the first dance was about to start and boy am I glad he did. They started off with the usual gentle sway as John from Starlite disco played a romantic ballad, throwing in a few twirls and we thought that was it...but no...the music changed in to a medley of popular songs with a dance routine that was out of this world!! They shimmy-ed and jived and were definitely 'sexy and they knew it'!
We gave them rapturous applause, I mean any woman who can do that in her wedding dress deserves a medal!
We managed to catch them before they passed out, both replenishing lost fluids. Apparently there was to be another dance routine with a whole host of wedding guests later on in the evening!
Michael told us that he really didn't realise how much he loved Sheena until this very day and he knew he didn't say it very well, but she was his world, her Orla and Finlay. And I thought I'd got away without crying!
I'm exhausted just thinking about the amount of work that went in to their special day but I know, from having done it myself how rewarding it is and worth every bit of glue left lying about and every needle prick.
Wishing the new Mr and Mrs Sharp blessings now they have reached their final destination but even more for the years ahead filled with love and laughter...now that really makes a home x
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