Off to Old Blighty!

Starman and I fly to England tonight. We've got ten days in which to register for the privilege of getting married there in April. I can almost see their point (if I squint really hard) -- they don't really want people showing up to get married in a lay-over at Heathrow. But we're just going to stay with Starman's brother & sister-in-law for a week, then tell the nice people that we've been resident for the requisite 7 days, then fly back home. We could have done this in April, but I think Starman was (properly) concerned that we not leave this to chance. Also, the registrar's office in Harrogate might have balked at an assurance, "No, really, guv, we'll be there a week ahead ..."

So off we go. Also on this trip: a visit with the lovely woman doing our flowers, a visit (I sincerely hope) with the harpist that Starman wants to play before and after the ceremony, a stop at the up-market Waitrose pastry chefs who'll make the cake (I'm trying to make this sound fancy-schmancy, but it is a supermarket when all's said and done), and a shopping trip with two not-so-metrosexual men to buy suits. And then there's the tasting.

Yes, people, we decided to have the astronomically priced tasting. I can say no more about it -- I will report in with the results when it's over.

In non-wedding-planning news, we hope to see all of Starman's siblings and their progeny, including Lily who's at Sheffield University. We are registering our residency there. Lily's busy, but we hope she'll have lunch with us. We start, though, with a visit to Starman's mother, who's been increasingly unwell. She's a lovely woman; I know this even though I first met her just weeks after the fall that precipitated the hospital stay that led to having full time carers in the home . . . it's been a rough two years for the whole family. I'm pleased that my sweet man gets at least one more chance to be with her.

No sightseeing, no shows, no fancy meals out (other than the tasting -- but I said I wouldn't say more about that so I won't), and the only shopping is for wedding suits. Hardly the classic holiday. Still, I love my in-laws. We have lots of gifts for the kids. And it will be wonderful to see how happy Starman's family is about the wedding.

I'll blog as I can, but if you don't hear from me, don't panic. I'll be back.