Trying to catch up

Story of my life at the moment. Bah.

I know, I haven't posted for ages. I really did mean to, and I have quite a few things to post about. I think I'll have to condense them into this post - I just don't seem to have the energy recently.

So. Last weekend (3rd and 4th). The wedding I mentioned before. It was okay, I guess. I didn't think much of the church, but then I'm used to cathedrals and St John's in Ranmoor (link doesn't work right now, sorry) which is a very impressive church, and the pics of beautiful churches that Pete posts. The choir wasn't up to much, the two congregational hymns chosen were uninspiring (Morning Has Broken and All Things Bright and Beautiful, possibly the two most obvious hymns for a wedding). I had a music geek moment when I recognised both organ pieces at the end (Rutter's Gaelic Blessing (which we call "Garlic Dressing"), and God So Loved the World from Stainer's Crucifixion). Both bride and groom cried. And the groom wore a kilt, because his dad's Scottish. No excuse if you ask me.

A lot of fuss was made regarding money, and how much things cost. The groom pointed out several times that his kilt cost more than the bride's dress, his dad couldn't help but casually mention how they're having their already huge house extended (seems a bit silly just for the two of them) and how he complains when he's paid several thousand pounds for a night in a hotel and gets a plastic glass with his drink, and there was probably 5 times as much food and drink at the reception as could possibly be consumed. Seems like they're all obsessed, and have more money than they know what to do with - the worst is they think that it makes them better than everyone else. I couldn't help but be pissed off when the groom confided that he'd proposed because he couldn't think of anything else to get her for her birthday. As Michael said, that's what happens when you have so much money that you can just buy everything someone wants. It's not a problem we have, let me tell you! I wish they'd just donate to charity or something - either that or stop going on about the money thing. Anyway.

The reception turned out to be kind of fun, mostly because there were some people there who I know from my live roleplaying days, and I enjoyed catching up with them.

On the Sunday I'd agreed to sing at the aforementioned St John's, Fauré's Requiem which I've done before and really like. It wasn't until I got to the rehearsal that I realised it was a remembrance service, one they do every year (I sang at the one the year before last) for people who have died. Sort of, "God, these people have died. Let them into heaven please." Like God (I don't believe in a god at all, but hypothetically) needs us to make decisions for him!

Anyway, it made me think of Boo, because I always said I'd sing some of the Fauré for her one day, and I never had chance. She asked me to do all 4 parts simultaneously, in typical Boo style. It seemed a perfect opportunity to sing it for her, even though she's not here anymore, and I don't believe she could hear it. I lit a candle for her, and added her name to the list that was read out. Perhaps she'd forgive me for it being in a C of E church! I remember her saying that she had such a bad voice she never even sang in church - I like the image of her looking down and singing her heart out along with us, either with her new beautiful angel voice, or with her own voice just not caring who could hear her. Sometimes I envy religious/spiritual people because they can believe in something better when we die, so no-one's ever really dead. I comfort myself with the fact that she's still there in our hearts and memories. But of course I miss her.

The Fauré also made me realise how much I've improved these last two years musically. The whole thing went very well I thought.

Other things of note: Tuesday was my birthday, so Michael had the day off and we went to Fairburn Ings, which we've been meaning to visit for a while now since it's our second closest RSPB reserve. It's rather nice, nothing earth-shattering bird-wise (35 species in 4 hours) but a nice walk and well worth another visit. I particularly enjoyed walking through young woodland and being surrounded by a flock of 30 or so long-tailed tits, realising that some of the calls were too high-pitched to be LTTs and tracking down three goldcrests, which are lovely tiny birds. Lots of birds on the feeders too.

My grandma's birthday is the same day, so lots of us went out for a Chinese meal at Chef de Canton. I've been before, it's a sort of all-you-can-eat-for-£13 type deal. You order what you want and they bring it, and you continue to order as much as you like (although they do ask you not to waste food). I don't rate the place really. We were a group of 14 and we were seated on two tables which was not ideal. The food isn't great, it's a limited menu of rather bland sweet English-type Chinese food and very little for vegetarians (or people like me who want a little chicken, some rice and a lot of veggies) - I wouldn't go again. Wasn't my choice to go there in the first place, but it was nice to catch up with family again, as we don't see each other that often.

My brother wanted to go but he was working, so we've arranged for him to come up from Derby on Friday and we'll go out then. I've booked a different Chinese place which also does Thai and Malaysian (yum!) so my unadventurous parents can have Chinese stuff they know they like, we'll have something more interesting and Adam can have a decent choice of vegetarian meals.

Other than that, things are pretty boring, especially as Michael's now in Edinburgh again. Me and Emma took Summer out to Linacre Reservoirs today, which is one of Summer's favourite places as she has both woods to sniff round and not one but three lots of water to swim in! I enjoyed some cracking views of a kestrel and several jays (don't see them often so they're exciting) and a grey heron and a quite confiding little grebe. We had a pretty good walk too.

And that's about it.

Oh, and I have a concert on Saturday which I'm excited about. Wish me luck!