I wondered if Jason could remember his time in England, having come up to Banff when he was only three years old. He commented that he thought he did but having seen quite a few videos of his time back then, he might be confusing the video footage with actual memories.
My earliest memories are hints of images, a white painted cot with transfers under the paint, the parquet flooring on our livingroom floor of our first home, where we would slide up and down..... my Gran's bungalow and the smell of toasted bread crusts.... not being able to get my arms round my Granda Brown's large girth, thinking he was the largest man in the world but looking back in photos and seeing that he wasn't that big after all.
My most vivid early memory is of my Dad running at full pelt down the field in front of our house with his yard coat flapping round him as I, at 4 or 5 years old, slowly sunk in to a boggy pool of septic tank over flow.
My sister Susan and I had been jumping in puddles in the fields next to our house and I had spotted a particularly large one and decided to jump in. I soon began to sink and as my wellies started to fill with effuse, I tried to extricate myself. I presume Susan tried to help and on failing sprinted up to the house to get Dad as I slowly went lower in the goo. Strangely I don't remember the smell, which must've been disgusting, panicking or wondering if my time was up, certainly not imagining what would happen if I sunk too far, I just waited.....And there came my Knight in shining armour, running as fast as his legs would carry him and hauling me out minus one wellie which would never be found.
I don't remember the journey home but being hosed down in the back yard stays with me as does my favourite cat suit being binned and the line of scum around the bath full of bubbles, finally removing the last traces of sewage form my little body.
Donald and Lorna had decided that their wedding day was to be very memorable indeed. Not only was it three years to the day (+1) since they had met,but also the day of Lorna's birthday, now what are the chances of them forgetting their anniversary?
Phoebe's room had been stripped this week as it had been transformed from purple to pale blue with a feature wall of flocks of geese....well, we think they are geese, comments over the week from various visitors have thrown, swans, cranes, pelicans and even dolphins into the mix! I decided to get Phoebe to take my picture of me in my wedding gear beside it so you can decide.
" Oh, new dress!"
I mean really!!
We were headed to Inverurie to the Kintore arms for wedding number 38. Donald and his Mum worked there years before, doing security and as they knew the owners so well, decided on it for their venue.
We arrived in plenty time to find Donald's family settled in the lounge area, catching up with each other.
Donald seemed exceptionally calm and introduced us to his best man Duncan who he's been friends with since school. They had spent the night before the wedding, in Lorna's absence, playing Xbox into the wee small hours but had managed to get up and scrubbed up quite well.
Donald ( on the right) showed us through to the function room and I could see by his tie and the flowers on the table that green was going to be a feature.
Just a small group of immediate family, everyone got to their seats and we waited as 'Photograph' by Ed Sheeran played and Lorna walked in on her Dad, Davie's arm. She had been extremely nervous on the run up to this big day but looked lovely with her amazing red hair pulled up in a grecian style and her dress draped with one pleated chiffon shoulder in a similar style. Her little sister Michelle wore a full length forest green dress which toned in beautifully with her equally gorgeous red locks.
Lorna seemed to relax as the ceremony went on as Robin asked her if she was willing to put up with Donald's snoring. They did a handfasting with Donald's Dad's tie and finally signed the schedule.
We followed the new Mr and Mrs Thomson out to 'Sugar' by Maroon 5 and gathered out by the front door for a group photo taken by Donald's sister Caz who has her own photography business.
We caught up with Gail and Davie, Lorna's Mum and Dad, who live just a few doors up from us and they told us how they had headed off to Inverurie this morning ,only realising when they were part way there that they had forgotten the flowers so had to head back home. I had been out in the morning and saw Gail getting in to the car and thought how laid back they were to be only leaving then, not realising that it was a return trip for them!
Here they are with Lorna, Donald and his folks, posing beside the lovely open fire in the dining room.
Soon we were asked to go through for our meal and we found our seats next to Jenny and Graeme, Lorna's Aunt and Uncle and Donald's sister Kelly with her friend Franny. The conversation was fascinating going from how they met a lady who had had a vampire wedding, even getting her teeth filed for the day to obscure pets, especially Franny's pet snakes that ate rats and mice, but only if you pierce their brains first!
The speeches were short and sweet with Duncan giving a congratulations to Robin as this was his 200th wedding, very special indeed!
Our meal was delicious and we all had a personalised bottle as a favour to take home, well unless you were Robin , who drank his!
We watched and clapped as Donald and Lorna cut their cake and we all got a piece to eat with our cup of tea at the end of the meal, it was really delicious, so glad I tried it.
As if one cake wasn't enough, Donald had a special surprise for Lorna and a birthday cake was brought out with heaps of candles for her to blow out and we all sang Happy Birthday!
They had chosen Aerosmith's 'I don't want to miss a thing' as their first dance and as the rest of the family were a bit reticent to join in, Donald ran round grabbing everyone and dragging them up on the floor which was eventually full.
Finally we said goodbye to everyone as the evening guests filled the tables and it looked like a good evening was ahead of them. Donald had a special arrangement with the nightclub down the road that any of the guests who wanted to party on after the disco had finished, could get in for free. It will be interesting to see how many went!
Well, I know that memories were made yesterday for a lot of people but especially for Lorna and Donald who will hopefully hold it all in their hearts and minds to see them through the good and bad of the years to come...because, that's what memories are for.
Shuddering at the cesspit memory- I do remember the smell and I'm not sure I tried to help, just ran! I'm more than a little glad you survived it.
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