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Sunday 17 August 2008

Cherish Fundraiser at the Slug and Lettuce - Durham

On 31st July Sat Nav and I attended another Cherish fun charity night at the Slug and Lettuce in Durham. We were greeted at the door by Brian and guess what...a red carpet was rolled out! I just love to see a red carpet when I make my entrance ;-)

Miss Kitty Lit-teur gave a terrific performance, complete with dazzling costumes, and unique repartee. I was a little disappointed Miss Kitty that you didn't do your fabulous Shirley Bassey routine this time, apparently your dancers were away working on a cruise liner, next time eh!.
But hey...Miss Kitty's Cher was absolutely captivating.

The night raised £777.40 for The Butterwick Hospice. Nearly doubling the amount raised at the last event.

Well done Abigail and Hazel.

Sunday 10 August 2008

A match made in Pinewood Studios



HISTORY FLASHBACK loosely taken from Ruth's script.
Ruth and Pedro met over a bacon buttie in the canteen at Pinewood Studios in 2001 when they both worked on the hallmark mini series - Dinotopia. Ruth as a trainee supervisor and Pedro as a visual effects artist.

Now...Ruth is a much sort after script supervisor and has worked on Dalziel and Pascoe, Wire in the Blood, Silent Witness and Bad Girls etc.

Pedro has 3 Emmy awards under his belt; he has worked on Casino Royale, 2 of the Harry Potter films, and Die Another Day (with Ruth).
I could go on and on, but I want to tell you about their wedding, but first let me just say Beat;root! Pedro is the drummer with this brilliant band.

SCENE 1 EXT.
A1 NORTHBOUND. RAINING, DULL, AND CHOKED WITH TRAFFIC
Sat Nav and I set off to go up north for Ruth and Pedro's wedding. Plan A: I would take my wedding outfit with me and change at my niece's house when I collected her, then we would all go to the wedding together.
A1 traffic almost at a standstill - seriously delayed.
Plan B: Traffic delay too serious to go to niece's. Sat Nav called her on mobile and told her to make her own way to the wedding venue. We needed to find somewhere for me to change en route. Toronto Lodge Hotel open, swept into car park, grabbed bags, ran through rain into hotel, quickly explained our predicament, angel of mercy on reception offered me somewhere to change (thanks angel).

SCENE 2 EXT. WEDDING VENUE
A BIT LATER...STILL DULL, BUT STOPPED RAINING
Arrived at wedding venue with 5 minutes to spare before start of ceremony - or so we thought. Impressive marquees set out for event. Very original and personal. We wondered why the other guests weren't already seated. Brides aunt informs us that the wedding is actually at 2.30pm and not 2pm...so we are actually half an hour early. Should have checked the invite!

SCENE 3 EXT.
Stanhope Silver Band played a selection of tunes while guests were being seated. Very original seating - hay bales covered in Calico.
The bridal procession arrived, led by the vicar as the Portuguese Choir sang Here Comes The Bride.
The film and sound crew were unobtrusively dotted around the entire site in different vantage points.
Ruth shone and looked radiant on her fathers arm. She wore a beautiful fitted cream lace wedding dress, complete with sparkly bits. Her three bridesmaids wore dresses in deep purple. The service didn't actually follow the Order of Service that we were given, and there was lots of good natured laughing and applause throughout, like when it was discovered the rings hadn't been unfastened from the ring cushion, and when suddenly at the end of the service Anita (Ruth's mum and my best friend) stood up and shouted 'we haven't sang the last hymn'! Everybody laughed and cheered. We sang the last hymn, and the Portuguese Choir sang Alleluia' from The Sound of Music...again ;-)

SCENE 4 EXT. DULL BUT DRY
The ceremony over we followed the bride and groom down through the meadow towards the main marquee passing 'the chimney sweep' on the way (a good luck tradition and a great photo opportunity for wedding guests).

SCENE 5 INT. MAIN MARQUEE SET OUT IN WEDDING STYLE WITH DANCE FLOOR
With her special personal touch Ruth had gone as far as displaying photograph trees as unique table centerpieces showing photographs relevant to the guests sitting there. After congratulating our special bride and groom we were offered Pimms.
Food, touching wedding speeches, champagne toasts and fabulous entertainment.
We enjoyed a truly spectacular wedding, met some wonderful people, and made some great new friends.
We had the pleasure of music from Pedro and his band Beat;root. And we all enjoyed Pedro's surprise from his new wife when Ruth and some of her family and friends took to the dance floor with their fun interpretation of the Vote For Pedro dance complete with fab Vote For Pedro t-shirts (there is a video on my youtube sites).

SCENE 6 IT'S AFTER MIDNIGHT, A1 SOUTHBOUND TORRENTIAL RAIN
We are going home, but I am struggling to see because the rain is so heavy the wipers simply can't take it.
Bizarrely somebody switches the rain off and Sat Nav gazes up at the sky and asks me 'Did you see that blue flash of light?'
'No,' says I.
'There it is again!'
'How much champagne have you had?'

Thank you Ruth and Pedro...we were proud to be a part of your perfect day.
May the sun always shine on you both :-)