Even when he was working at the Post office despite the occasional bad cold and stomach upset, he still got up in the morning and went in to work as he didn't want to let anyone down. The only time I remember him actually being signed off was when he decided to put a log in our wood burning stove and lost his balance. He stuck his hand out to steady himself and put it right on the stove top.
After a quick run to casualty, we realised that working was not going to be an option as all the skin had come away from the blisters. That took a few weeks to heal well enough so that the post in Macduff and Banff could be delivered again.
For the last two weeks he has been taking Lemsip, steaming his head and sooking a huge number of throat lozenges , hoping that his voice doesn't give up half way through a crucial service.
I, fortunately haven't got it so bad, only taking one bad coughing fit while answering the phone at work and having no-one else around to rescue me. All a bit embarrassing but the patient on the end of the phone was very understanding.
Yesterday was Robin's 46th Birthday though you wouldn't have known it for the first half of the morning. I had bought him a card, a few days before, that I thought summed up our relationship, hoping it might bring a smile to his face...
The kids started to get up and made him open his cards, a wonderful selection of humour and home made and Caleb even made him breakfast, so despite the sniffles things were starting to look a bit brighter.
Of course we had known for the last two years that his birthday fell on a Saturday this year and that David and Kahlia had asked him to do their wedding that day, so had been looking forward to a day of celebrations all round.
When Robin first met Khalia and David I knew from the way that he spoke about them that they had touched his heart and well, anyone who touches Robin's heart touches mine too, so a connection was made.
As time passed I started my blog and Kahlia was one of my first blogger followers, giving me that encouragement to continue, even though I wasn't sure at that early stage if anyone really wanted to read all my ramblings.
Since then we have met at a few weddings, along with their gorgeous little boy Parker who has transformed their lives, though they did admit yesterday that the only time they argue is over who is going to get up with Parker in the morning!
I had decided not to go to Tabaqua this week due to my cold so I took Jake, Caleb and Phoebe to Dave and Jeanette's, Robin's sister and bro-in-lo for a night and to see 'Inside out' at the cinema, leaving Robin to finish writing up the service for that day.I got back in time to finish my blog from the day before and we got our wedding gear on and called Jan for a lift to the Springs.
I had discovered another as yet unexposed to Blogland dress in the Narnia wardrobe and decided to give it a swirl, especially as I could combine it with my newly stretched shoes and still had red nail varnish on from Michael and Sheena's wedding the day before.
The first time I wore this dress was at Laura and Craig's wedding in 2011, Robin's 53rd. It was at the Norwood Hall hotel and I had decided to go to the bathroom during the evening dance. I noticed that the hand wash and hand cream were from Arran Apocothary, one of my favourites and decided to moisturise after washing my hands. Well, it obviously hadn't been used for a few days, so when I pushed the pump down with force, a plug of hand cream came shooting out, spraying all over my dress in little creamy dots!! I managed a bit of a clean up job and hoped that the lower lighting for the evening would disguise the rest! Anyway back to the Birthday wedding....
I used to walk the kids to school when they were at Macduff primary. It was a good excuse to take the dog for a walk and get moving first thing. Quite often I would see Aberdeen Council vans being driven past us as their base was just up the road and I would notice a very pretty young girl at the wheel on more than one occasion.
I didn't click till yesterday that the driver was Kahlia. Little be-known to me she had worked just up from our house for years as an apprentice joiner, who'd've thought?
As we walked in to the Springs ,there was a beautifully carved stone on display with their initials and the date. This had been carved by Kahlia's work mate, Mark, as a gift for their big day. What a special memoir to have in their home for generations to come.
The photographer asked us to pose for a photo and as usual Robin tried to get out of it by saying he needed to go in and get set up for the service...he was told in no uncertain terms, that the bride had insisted on getting a shot of the Minister as it was his birthday! So we happily posed for a quick snap.
Once in the foyer we had a catchup with Jillian who was waiting to greet the guests as they arrived. She also had a bit of a throat problem and was hoping that her voice would last for the day, what a pathetic bunch eh? Even Gemma, who is marrying Jason in two weeks time, told me, as she did her reception duties, that she has had the same problem, and is looking forward to a few days off before the wedding to get herself fighting fit.
Everything was in a simple white and Kahlia in her role as joiner had even made her own wishing well for any wedding cards. Kindly painted by her other work mate, Craig, she made a pretty amazing job. Even her mentor John told us later how proud he was of her.
The room was all set up as we walked in, simple silver ties on the back of the chairs and fabulous floral arrangements of white hydrangeas, chrysanthemums and roses at the front of the hall. I took a seat as the guests filtered in spotting many friendly faces, future wedding couples and past.
The bridesmaids walked in wearing strapless, full length, red satin with Hannah, the flower girl, looking equally beautiful in her white dress with embedded red flowers in her tulle skirt.
I need to tell you before you see a picture of the bride that she is the most dainty perfectly pretty girl, not at all someone you would imagine as a joiner but according to those who work with her, she can slip form having 'plasterboard' chat to baby talk quite seamlessly.
She walked in on the arm of her older sister Pravashini , known as Paddy, both looking wonderful. Kahlia's dress was pure white, strapless wrapped chiffon flaring out to the most amazing skirt with swathes and swathes of ruffled veil, all decorated with embroidered flowers and tiny glass beading, right to the tip of her expansive train. Her hair was pulled back tightly in a bun encircled with a diamonte headband, the veil pinned in, falling down her back. Breath taking!
We knew that David had had a stressful morning getting Parker ready but he walked in with his Granda looking incredibly smart in his kilt. Immediately he wanted in on the action, getting Kahlia to lift him up, putting everyone at ease as we watched this family start a new part of their journey together. Eventually Parker got bored and wandered off as Mum and Dad said their vows to each other and did a literal 'tying of the knot', to symbolise their joining together.
' At last', by Etta James was played as they signed the schedule and really, at last, they walked down the aisle as Mr and Mrs Seivwright for the first time.
Our afternoon was spent in great company with Laura turning up again looking beautiful in her 'not pink' dress, this time with David, her fiance, who seemed to be working every time there was a wedding this year. Not this time though and they had even managed to get Laura's Mum and Steve to babysit, for a couple of nights ,so they could enjoy a rare child free weekend.
We sat enjoying a drink with Jade and Kevin who's wedding is around the same time as Laura and David's in 2017 catching a quick hello with Katrina and Sandy, who Robin married earlier this year, looking as though married life is suiting them very well.
The table plan said that we were at the top table and who were we to argue, so we lined up for a kiss and a cuddle of the happy couple, just back from Duff House, where they had been having their photos taken.
When we got to our seats there was a birthday card and a gift for Robin and a gift bag for me, how very exciting, the birthday gets better and better. I had a quick peek and saw a beautiful pashmina and brooch for me to wear to future weddings. What a lovely gift, I will have to model them for you during next week's weddings!
Kahlia's family are spread far and wide and had travelled a great distance to be there. Awhole group came from South Africa and some from Ireland and they were all enjoying catching up with each other after years apart. Kahlia told me that the night before the wedding she allowed them a sneak peek of her dress and they insisted on standing around it ,on it's manequin, holding hands and praying over it...how lovely.
David's Dad spoke first and then David, apologising to Kahlia for taking so long to get to this point but very glad that he could now call her Mrs Seivwright. They gave a beautiful bouquet of flowers to David's Mum and thanked all the friends and family who had helped to look after Parker and had been such a wonderful support to them in the years before and I'm sure will be in the years to come.
I had a Yankee wedding candle as my favour and Robin, a scratch card, which Jake later scratched and to his disappointment hadn't won the £250,000... I hope someone did!
Our meal was delicious, as always. We had both gone veggie again and really enjoyed the stuffed green peppers with cous cous and french bean salad, even leaving a bit of space for our creme brulee.
We sat next to Fiona the bridesmaid and heard how Kahlia had been a part of their family, staying with them when she was younger almost every weekend and when her Mum left the area, eventually moving in with them till she found her own place.They were more like sisters than friends in reality.
After the meal I jumped up as I saw the bride and groom head for the cake, to get a perfect cake kissing shot and thankfully they obliged.
Off to do her bridal duties, she allowed me a quick pic of the back of her dress, so you can see how perfect she looked.
Well, Robin's cousin Scot turned up with his wife Lesleigh, then John and Brenda who worked with Kahlia, Kevin and Dawn, Robert and Stephen and soon we had a full on Birthday bash right in the middle of David and Kahlia's big day.
The first dance was The Lumineers' Hey Ho' combined with Passenger's 'Let it go' and I managed to elbow my way through to get a picture of the two lovebirds singing to each other.
The band got everyone up dancing a good mixture of Ceilidh and popular music. At one point they had people dancing to a traditional song and changed it in the middle to Robbie Williams' 'Let me entertain you. It was so strange watching everyone doing an eightsome reel to a modern song. Quite surreal, but fantastic!
We stayed till 11pm, enjoying a cup of tea and a bacon roll and especially all the company, so much so we didn't get a dance in the whole night.
We found David to say goodbye and then Kahlia who was sitting out in the foyer with Parker on her knee, him, surrounded by his posse of admiring young ladies! She looked so happy and content and it was such a pleasure to see her looking so happy.
Well the Birthday boy had a great day, not needing a single paracetamol the whole day. David and Kahlia will remain very special in our hearts and I hope they know they they and Parker will be very welcome in our chaotic home anytime they want.
I know that theirs is one anniversary that will stick in our minds and I doubt they will ever forget Robin's birthday either. Much love for all the 8th of Augusts to come x
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