The Day Before the Wedding

I wanted to get up to Peebles in the morning on Thursday.  My eldest son and his wife had flown in from Chicago the day before and I was desperate to see them.  I still had to finish icing the wedding cake, get the dog to the kennel and pack a suitcase.  I wanted to have it iced on Wednesday but then . . . I found I was baking a whole new tier instead of icing it.

I also want to mention that it is pouring down with rain too.  The weather forecast for the entire week was rain rain rain.  By noon I was starting to feel wound up.  The groom had called The Man of the Place at work asking where everybody was.  He seemed to be surprised that my husband was at work and that I was still at home. . . . .This call had increased my anxiety levels.  I wanted to be on the road!

So - in the end.  The lovely lovely woman who runs the kennel in the village took mercy on me and actually collected Polly for me.  I finished the cake and got it into boxes in the car.  I got a suitcase packed and all of the junk you need for a wedding, got George and his bags into the car and I was on the road at 1 in the afternoon - with wet hair.

Peebles is only an hour and 20 minutes from our place.  I dropped George off on Peebles High Street.  He was meeting his brothers at the kilt hire place to collect his kilt and jacket.  Though I wanted to come in I had to get the cake to the hotel so I couldn't stop and say hello . . .  That was VERY frustrating.  I wanted to see my eldest son . . . I was so near him, but had no time.

Off to The Barony Castle Hotel.  I was greeted in the car park by my eldest son's wife and the bride to be.  What happy timing!  They helped me get the cake into the hotel and that task was then out of my hands.  I was still in jeans and an old shirt smeared with cream cheese frosting.   

I joined them at the hotel bar.  They had proper drinks and I had coffee (still had driving to do).  We had a rare bit of actual sun for a few minutes.

I went from the hotel back into Peebles and finally saw my boy!  I will tell you now that I wept.  I haven't seen Ian in far too long.  I almost didn't let him out of my sight for the rest of the evening.  My nose stings a little thinking about it.

Because he lives in Chicago now, having all three of my sons together is a rare and treasured thing.  I didn't let them out of my sight for the rest of the evening.

We all had dinner together.  Then I left them to go and do their last minute preparations and have some "brother time" and I went off to find a bed.