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lizziecRar!
I think I've figured out why it is people generally only write angst in livejournal - it's cos when you're happy you have too much other stuff to fill your life with ;)
Anyway, lets start at the beginning...sort of.
For a while we'd been planning a surprise for her, namely that Giles would come over to the UK and bring her a ticket for the Lion King. Managed to arrange for Bethan to also come from Brum. for it, that foo and rah would also come and pete was going to come but he couldn't cos of a funeral. Anyway, she'd been suspecting that something was up for a while but once we gave her the first surprise (a birfdae pressie that many people had contributed to) she assumed it was over. We presuaded her that a day in london would be nice so we had lunch in an odd little deli, run by an even odder man, then spent a few hours wandering around covent garden. It was a lovely day and extremely pleasant to just wander. A string quartet that was busking played mum happy birthday and while we wandered around vash and giles called mum and wished her happy birthday.
Having had a thoroughly pleasant day just wandering we managed to coax her to the rendesvous, a pizza express. They seated us at a table for 9 and she didn't bat an eyelid. Then foo and rah arrived and crept up behind her and she screamed. A little after they arrived Bethan turned up with Jonathon (Atuin) which was the only shock to me...apparently he made the desicion to come eat with us sometimes during the day. Mum was shocked at this and sat with her jaw hanging down...then...
The Piece-de-resistance...
Giles came up behind her. That was amazing. She was utterly flabbergasted.
Even more so when Giles produced her present - the ticket to Lion King.
After a wonderful meal all of us except atuin went off to the lyceum to see the show. It was truly amazing. What a spectacle. For me the beginning number was best, certainly the biggest spectacle. "Animals" came in through all the doors and in the aisle next to mum there walked a gigantic elephant which involved 4 people at least - one in each leg. Her jaw dropped...and stayed there till well into the next day ;)
Got back from london very late and had everyone and his uncle sleeping in our house, or at least it felt like it. Rah and I went out early the next day for breakkie supplies. All in all I think we can count it a success. Piccies here and here.
I had many many panics in the run up to said successful celebrations, for a number of reasons. Looking back I'd say it was worth all of them.
Yes...I had many panics ;)
I appreciate ben more than I can say for putting up with them :o)
Came back to Canterbury with Bethan and ben on Sunday night and spent the rest of the week doing various random things. Was working Monday->Wednesday, when I finished. Incidentally, next year will involve less of this probably cos Sue got a job closer to home, in Whistable, so later starts in the mornings and earlier finishes in the afternoons probably. Got some Diss work done, picked up some more books. Entertained bethan ;) Monday night had wonderful cuisine ;) Mince nad Potatoes. Had foo and Rah over and watched CSI and it all got a bit risque ;D
Thursday ben and I sorted out out bits and pieces so we could spend Friday->Monday with mum at home. Mum came down and spent the afternoon supping Zinfandel and talking to rah and bethan. Had hot cross buns with foo and rah and bethan and ben and mum at foo^rahs, then went off to curry meet at Ancient Raj in Town. 20 or so of us at the same table, was rather chaotic and waited ages for food cos they were trying to get it ready all at teh same time. Still, great time was had. Much later headed home and collapsed into bed at 44l :)
After two very lazy very relaxing days doing nothing we made it up and dressed intime to walk to church at St Peters. Mum wasn't well and couldn't stay for all of it, but ben adn I did and chatted to the vicar. He said to come see him in september but that there shouldn't be a problem as they'donly had 8 weddings total this year. Only problem is the classes he runs are over 3 friday evenings in Jan, but we can cross that bridge when we come to it. Chatted a bit more and found out he was from Canterbury originally. Was really nice talking. Ben and I walked back and whiled away the afternoon lazilly. Had foodage (*gorgeous* roast lamb by mummy, lamb-a-la-vash I believe) and then ben and I walked back to woodmansterne for the 6:30 communion service.
This was more beautiful and peaceful than i could have imagined. There were so few of us we sat in the choir stalls. The sermon was brilliant and I went up for a blessing at communion time cos my Mormon baptism and confirmation don't hold in CofE churches. Came back feeling really peaceful. Service, all in all was wonderful.
Afterwards we chatted to the verger and the vicar and then wandered back over the fields, taking our time. *so* nice.
Best Easter ever. Really.
So on monday, after another day of laziness, having found my Baptism book from my mormon life (a long time ago when I was a different person) and been shocked by my statement that I heard the voice of God at my baptism and confirmation (you think you'd rememeber a thing like that), we went back to canterbury, via box hill. The view, as always, was magnificent. Got back and spent evening of laziness eating pizza and suchlike. Mum got back and found she still had my purse so came back last night (THANK YOU!!) and broght it back. Took her to dinner to thank her for that and to celebrate princes trust secondment that she got.
Had doctor's appointment today, and I'm doing quite well ATM. :o)
Last night I called Mormon church records in Salt Lake City to check my name had been removed. I didn't anticipate that the call would be as amusing as it turned out to be.
Having wrestled with international dialing (UK->US) I then got through to the church offices. The recorded voice has a quality to it that i can only describe as "wishy washy" and just how I think I'd describe a molly mormon if I had to. Very soft spoken and sweet, sorta scary ;)
Then I battle my way through the telephone menus.
I was greatly amused by the one for personal records which ran roughly thus:
press 1 if you're a priesthood holder and want to know about A, press 2 if you're a priesthood holder and want to know about B, press 3 if you're a priesthood holder and want to know about C, press 4 if you're a priesthood holder and want to know about D and press 5 if you're a priesthood holder and want to know about something else, or are not a preisthood holder.
In exactly that order - a real testament to how the church views non preisthood holders I believe :o)
Next I got through to the man in member records who had what I can only describe as a smokers cough and didn't seem to really listen to me...either that or I speak very badly. To begin with he was searching for an elizabeth ober who was born on the 11th july and lived in the US. Eventually he got my details right.
And confirmed that my name has been removed.
\o/ I'm free :D
And greatly amused by my transatlantic phone call ;)
And so to food...
And to work :D
I think I've figured out why it is people generally only write angst in livejournal - it's cos when you're happy you have too much other stuff to fill your life with ;)
Anyway, lets start at the beginning...sort of.
For a while we'd been planning a surprise for her, namely that Giles would come over to the UK and bring her a ticket for the Lion King. Managed to arrange for Bethan to also come from Brum. for it, that foo and rah would also come and pete was going to come but he couldn't cos of a funeral. Anyway, she'd been suspecting that something was up for a while but once we gave her the first surprise (a birfdae pressie that many people had contributed to) she assumed it was over. We presuaded her that a day in london would be nice so we had lunch in an odd little deli, run by an even odder man, then spent a few hours wandering around covent garden. It was a lovely day and extremely pleasant to just wander. A string quartet that was busking played mum happy birthday and while we wandered around vash and giles called mum and wished her happy birthday.
Having had a thoroughly pleasant day just wandering we managed to coax her to the rendesvous, a pizza express. They seated us at a table for 9 and she didn't bat an eyelid. Then foo and rah arrived and crept up behind her and she screamed. A little after they arrived Bethan turned up with Jonathon (Atuin) which was the only shock to me...apparently he made the desicion to come eat with us sometimes during the day. Mum was shocked at this and sat with her jaw hanging down...then...
The Piece-de-resistance...
Giles came up behind her. That was amazing. She was utterly flabbergasted.
Even more so when Giles produced her present - the ticket to Lion King.
After a wonderful meal all of us except atuin went off to the lyceum to see the show. It was truly amazing. What a spectacle. For me the beginning number was best, certainly the biggest spectacle. "Animals" came in through all the doors and in the aisle next to mum there walked a gigantic elephant which involved 4 people at least - one in each leg. Her jaw dropped...and stayed there till well into the next day ;)
Got back from london very late and had everyone and his uncle sleeping in our house, or at least it felt like it. Rah and I went out early the next day for breakkie supplies. All in all I think we can count it a success. Piccies here and here.
I had many many panics in the run up to said successful celebrations, for a number of reasons. Looking back I'd say it was worth all of them.
- Mum stated that she didn't want her birthday or any form of celebration
- Pete had to drop out because of a funeral
- There was a good chance of a baggage handler's strike upsetting things at moof's end
- There was an even better chance of easyjet screwing it all up
- Rah sprained her ankle the day before and could barely walk. In the event she not only did all the walking she needed in London but walked a mile from where their car was parked at the top of the hill to the train station at the bottom
- Mum stated she felt like Mr Perks in the railway children, and she ment it in a negative way.
Yes...I had many panics ;)
I appreciate ben more than I can say for putting up with them :o)
Came back to Canterbury with Bethan and ben on Sunday night and spent the rest of the week doing various random things. Was working Monday->Wednesday, when I finished. Incidentally, next year will involve less of this probably cos Sue got a job closer to home, in Whistable, so later starts in the mornings and earlier finishes in the afternoons probably. Got some Diss work done, picked up some more books. Entertained bethan ;) Monday night had wonderful cuisine ;) Mince nad Potatoes. Had foo and Rah over and watched CSI and it all got a bit risque ;D
Thursday ben and I sorted out out bits and pieces so we could spend Friday->Monday with mum at home. Mum came down and spent the afternoon supping Zinfandel and talking to rah and bethan. Had hot cross buns with foo and rah and bethan and ben and mum at foo^rahs, then went off to curry meet at Ancient Raj in Town. 20 or so of us at the same table, was rather chaotic and waited ages for food cos they were trying to get it ready all at teh same time. Still, great time was had. Much later headed home and collapsed into bed at 44l :)
After two very lazy very relaxing days doing nothing we made it up and dressed intime to walk to church at St Peters. Mum wasn't well and couldn't stay for all of it, but ben adn I did and chatted to the vicar. He said to come see him in september but that there shouldn't be a problem as they'donly had 8 weddings total this year. Only problem is the classes he runs are over 3 friday evenings in Jan, but we can cross that bridge when we come to it. Chatted a bit more and found out he was from Canterbury originally. Was really nice talking. Ben and I walked back and whiled away the afternoon lazilly. Had foodage (*gorgeous* roast lamb by mummy, lamb-a-la-vash I believe) and then ben and I walked back to woodmansterne for the 6:30 communion service.
This was more beautiful and peaceful than i could have imagined. There were so few of us we sat in the choir stalls. The sermon was brilliant and I went up for a blessing at communion time cos my Mormon baptism and confirmation don't hold in CofE churches. Came back feeling really peaceful. Service, all in all was wonderful.
Afterwards we chatted to the verger and the vicar and then wandered back over the fields, taking our time. *so* nice.
Best Easter ever. Really.
So on monday, after another day of laziness, having found my Baptism book from my mormon life (a long time ago when I was a different person) and been shocked by my statement that I heard the voice of God at my baptism and confirmation (you think you'd rememeber a thing like that), we went back to canterbury, via box hill. The view, as always, was magnificent. Got back and spent evening of laziness eating pizza and suchlike. Mum got back and found she still had my purse so came back last night (THANK YOU!!) and broght it back. Took her to dinner to thank her for that and to celebrate princes trust secondment that she got.
Had doctor's appointment today, and I'm doing quite well ATM. :o)
Last night I called Mormon church records in Salt Lake City to check my name had been removed. I didn't anticipate that the call would be as amusing as it turned out to be.
Having wrestled with international dialing (UK->US) I then got through to the church offices. The recorded voice has a quality to it that i can only describe as "wishy washy" and just how I think I'd describe a molly mormon if I had to. Very soft spoken and sweet, sorta scary ;)
Then I battle my way through the telephone menus.
I was greatly amused by the one for personal records which ran roughly thus:
press 1 if you're a priesthood holder and want to know about A, press 2 if you're a priesthood holder and want to know about B, press 3 if you're a priesthood holder and want to know about C, press 4 if you're a priesthood holder and want to know about D and press 5 if you're a priesthood holder and want to know about something else, or are not a preisthood holder.
In exactly that order - a real testament to how the church views non preisthood holders I believe :o)
Next I got through to the man in member records who had what I can only describe as a smokers cough and didn't seem to really listen to me...either that or I speak very badly. To begin with he was searching for an elizabeth ober who was born on the 11th july and lived in the US. Eventually he got my details right.
And confirmed that my name has been removed.
\o/ I'm free :D
And greatly amused by my transatlantic phone call ;)
And so to food...
And to work :D
