Memory box

I thought you might like to see the memory/treasure box I have mentioned

This time we decided to use plywood rather than the stiff mount board that I used for Daniel and Shine´s box

Chris cut the 4mm ply to size and I proceeded to cover them

I wanted the box to be bigger as knowing Rebecca as I do she loves to keep trinkets and keep sakes, little notes or cards etc so knew she would keep practically everything she could, so the box measured 12" square, it´s also quite heavy but very sturdy. Every side was embroidered with a different design with the horse shoe having a beaded flower motif and the inside was lined with purple satin

Unfortunately as I have been searching for the close up photos of the box, it appears that none were taken so I shall have to remedy that and put them up another time

Rebecca had fresh flowers for her hair and also a glitter tattoo

Leocia

Taken after the wedding so a bit bedraggled but you get the gist

Unbeknown to us, Donna who painted the banners had the same design idea that we used on the confetti boxes!

We also had baskets in the restrooms, these contained everything from hair spray and deodorant to safety pins, and they were certainly used.

Along with the fans Rebecca had a basket with flip flops in, just in case the ladies couldn´t bear their heels any more

Rebecca wanted to surprise Antoni with a song that had special meaning to them.  She had been practicing for months, with us as backing and as she had never sung before in public was understandably nervous (aka petrified) but she gave a marvellous performance and every one enjoyed it

Amongst all the prep we welcomed a new member of the household

but I think that should wait for another day

take care

xcx

The wedding

We designed, printed and assembled the confetti boxes.  We used the initials from the wedding invitation to coordinate everything

We then filled them with a mix of rose petals and bougainvillea petals that I have been drying for months.

A shower of confetti, see the video

https://vimeo.com/184694145

Here is the link for the bridal party entrance

https://vimeo.com/183927203

During the ceremony the tradition of Hand fasting was performed

It was hot so the fans were very useful, and the tissues!

This table held the bird cage for the cards along with the album we created from their wedding in Gibraltar and the memory box. There is also a large jar of money, lots of change and some notes. At the beginning of the year I saw a good idea of a way of saving money, your put one cent in a jar for every day of the year, ie 1 cent for Jan 1st building up so 10 cents for day 10 etc etc, by doing this you don´t really notice but it soon mounts up, obviously by the end of the year it gets a bit more expensive.  I had the idea for a little bit of fun by inviting everyone to guess the amount in the jar for the honeymoon fund and there was a little gift for the winner. Two guests were really close within a few euros of the correct amount

 The back drop was hand painted by a friend

I made these two special toasting glasses for them

The tables were very pretty, some had vases with gyp and beaded flowers, others lanterns, candles and a bird cage 

Amethyst guest favours

 Beautiful cake, scrummy too, the butterflies and lace were all edible

A finger print tree for all the guests

Time to stop now, more another day

take care

xcx

Stunning day

The wedding day dawned and what an absolutely stunningly beautiful day

We had family arriving since the previous Sunday with more Wednesday, the same for Rebecca

there were a few last minute challenges

A trip to the florist with all our decorations, beaded flowers, bird cages and table decorations

I arrived at Rebecca´s for 8.30 ready for the hairdressers

There were two of them and they very skillfully attended to all 6 of us.

We did have a little wind up as we were waiting to dress and get Rebecca ready when we had a phone call saying the venue wasn´t ready, Chris hadn´t been able to set the gear up and the florist had not been allowed in on time...................

So although we were all ready and waiting to go we had to wait for the call which meant we were an hour late! If that didn´t do anything for the butterflies then nothing would

We were greeted at the venue and served tiny purple vodka shots

maybe for dutch courage but it was a surprise.

The bridesmaids were delighted with their jewellry sets and even more with their wands especially when they realised they were for keepsakes

The two younger ones sat down but these four stood waiting to contribute to the ceremony and say a poem

The happy couple with their special glasses for the toasts

We have so many photos and videos in various different places that I am finding it difficult to locate them, so bear with me and there will be more to come

just thought you might like a tiny taster

take care

xcx

Speech

I´ve written my speech..........about 6 minutes long, not too bad, just got to get through it without choking up lol

Finished the toast glasses too, rather pleased with them (piccies later)

Daniel, Shine, Leocia and Maia arrived late yesterday afternoon

Whoa......Leocia was a huge ball of bouncy energy

Into everything

oohing at the furries, who all kept their distance except Thomas

who just carried on as normal

Half her dinner on the dining room floor

But she did settle a bit when I set the playmat out and produced some toys

Maia, well she has grown in the last month since I last saw her, but she is very sweet natured

We did have a little flurry on Sunday as they suddenly requested a bottle sterilizer

after web searches and asking around I managed to hire one for a reasonable price

and they delivered up here and will collect so I was more than impressed

I suddenly decided that after all the flower making I was going to have some too

so I have selected a gardinia and two roses to make into a little corsage

that still leaves 57 flowers for the table decorations so that´s enough

Must remember to take lots of pics

take care

xcx

Wedding wand

The main fires have more or less been put out now, but some hot spots are flaring up.  Another one suddenly happened in Gata De Gorgos at a waste dispoal site, then in forest land near Lliber, all random and probably suspicious!.

Other places have had fires too, but it seems to have gone quiet now, thank goodness, no more!

They are threatening storms for mid next week, one half of me says great we need it desperately especially to fill the reserviours, but the other part says Noooo, guests start to arrive Sunday and through the week, and of course the wedding...................

On a much nicer note, thought you might like to see close ups of Rebecca´s wedding wand she had for Gibraltar

Have completed two smaller ones for the flower girls and 1 of the bridesmaids, 5 to go....

Not really panicking, honest..................

take care

xcx

Update

Just a little update on yesterdays post.

The horrendous fire in Javea and surrounding areas appears to have been all but put out or under control, although flare ups keep happening due to the ground being so hot, the weather and winds

Unfortunately the second fire over Tarbana way behind our Bernia mountain has spread

The water planes have been flying since first thing this morning, but the wind keeps changing

It has crept up the Bernia and we have seen flames at the top

It also spread along heading towards Jalon, but we are told the army has been deployed to help

The ash is falling again and we are keeping our fingers crossed they get it under control, of course another problem is some of  the terrain being inaccessable, so when the planes can no longer fly that´s when it can get a hold again.

So want this to be over

take care

xcx

Nightmare

Just about 20k away on the Cumbre del Sol, a large urbanisation, a fire started yesterday afternoon, this was controlled and extinguished. Then suddenly everything hit the fan as the whole mountain seemed to be on fire with huge plumes of black smoke engulfing everything.

More fires started, raging and tearing a great speeds all along the forest areas and into the urbanisations. The water planes were called and continued until it was to dark and unsafe to fly, this meant it was only ground crews. It spread, it was wild, frightening and unbelievable.

The fires were also in the densely populated areas of Javea and Benitachel, gas containers were blowing up, urgent requests for help evacuating 20 horses and other animals and so many areas evacuated sometimes at great speed as the fires roared onwards.

We have local weather and fire groups on facebook, people so scared, displaced, others living back in the UK but with property friends and relatives here, frantic trying to find out what was happening, but it is

a brilliant site giving second by second info from people on the ground along with official news.

Daylight was prayed for and immediately the planes and helicoptors were back up, collecting water from the sea or peoples pools which ever was the nearest, more evacuations, more flare ups, at one stage there were over 420 personnel on the ground including the army and 20 aircraft dropping water, in what seemed a never ending struggle, torn between which area to cover first, its that huge. Now loss of electricity is complicating matters along with the ash and red hot embers falling

Some of the fires have been controlled, but we have just heard that another area, the Montgo now has a fire and others are springing back up again threatening all over again. Soon they will have to stand the aircraft down, then what?

There was another fire in the valley yesterday behind our bernia range, but that was controlled and put out, but then today it seems it has reignited itself and we have plumes of smoke being blown towards us with ash falling from the sky, they have fire crews and 4 planes helping, I can hear them flying around now.

Now its getting close and scary

We are having very hot dry winds coming up from Morroco and the temp in our shady courtyard has reach 38C

The devestation is hard to believe, people are not allowed to return to property as its too risky, pets have gone missing, it´s just too awful for words, but the community spirit is there with people offering any help they can, including accommodation and pulling together .

We are advised to have our evac-packs ready just in case as notice to go could be very fast

But you know the worst of all this is, it is being reported that this is arson with two teenages being arrested but as more of these fires are springing up they think there are more of them. I have no words polite or otherwise, that can convey all our feelings if this is the case.

I also have not put up any photos because I find it all just too upsetting

where ever you are take care

xcx

Flying furries

Our friends popped in the other day bringing their two labradors with them, there was a flurry of flying cats and they all decided to make themselves disappear.  Thomas decided to sprint up the almond tree in the courtyard where he sat watching and waiting - very regal

A few more ticks on the page with Chris designing, printing and assembling the confetti boxes and I have decorated the bird cage for the cards

Rebecca is collecting her dress today, so exciting

We have just had the engineer here to try to improve our network connection, its still up and down but as least we can get on again.

Better get going, after a morning of household chores there are pom poms to make

take care

xcx