This is my second go at posting this, I was within seconds of posting last
week and the power went off............. bugger!!

First of all many thanks to all who posted congratulations and best wishes
on this ng.
Also thank you Bev, as chief social reporter for this group for your posting
of the wedding, and yes I did see out the corner of my eye that woman who
fell to the ground, and I thought "Oh sh*t"

THE WEDDING
We woke to a  wonderful fine day (the only fine Saturday in February!) it
was all go in the morning, many things to do, the house was a hive of
activity.
My hairdresser arrived and she set to work creating wonderful hairdo's on my
hair and that of my matron of honour, my daughter and grand-daughter, we
were all very pleased with the results.

Time to get dressed, much laughter and giggling, it was all pretty stress
free, the vintage car arrived for us at 3pm, slow drive to the gardens where
the ceremony was to take place.
I arrived the mandatary couple of minutes late! I walked up the grass carpet
with my Daughter and M-O-H, Ken was waiting, he looked a bit agitated,
what's wrong, I whispered, tell you later he replied - turned out he and the
bestman had left their buttonholes back home in the frig!!! someone was sent
back for them, it was going to be a photo finish who arrived first, me or
the buttonholes........... the buttonholes won by a few seconds!!
The service was beautiful, we had written our own vows (I had to include the
cats and kittens in mine!) I think it is fair to say there was hardly a dry
eye!!

As the guests drove out to the reception we left to have some photo's taken,
first in the gardens and then out at a vine yard and an old church.
We arrived back to be greeted by our family and friends, we had decided to
get all the speeches over and done with first so that everybody could then
relax and enjoy themselves.
My daughter, her partner and my grandson did a marvellous job of decorating
up the garage, sheets covered the walls, balloons and streamers hung form
the ceiling, it looked magical, the garden too had a makeover, gazebo's,
umbrella's and outdoor furniture, made the grounds look park like.

My cousin (male) started calling me Barbie when I first started going out
with Ken two years ago, he was our Toastmaster, during his speech he
presented me a Ken groom doll and Ken with a Barbie bride doll!!!
After the speeches the food arrived!! if anyone went hungry it was their
fault, the food just kept coming and coming, the tables groaned under the
weight of the food, much supplied by family and friends.

People filled their plates and went and sat outside.

Freya (B&C Mum) was lead singer for the Meow Katz band, she trilled away
into the night (in fact she NEVER let up!!)

I floated through most of the day and night, it was truly a most wonderful,
beautiful day and one I will remember for the rest of my life.

THE HONEYMOON
We left for Norfolk Island a couple of days after the wedding, I can only
describe it as a tropical paradise, great weather, lovely golden beaches.
The Island is not all that big but is full of history, we visited the site
of the old penal colony (those days were very hard and some prisoners
described that place as hell in paradise) much is also made of the Mutiny on
the Bounty, many descendants still live there, went for a stroll around the
old cemetery, went through a couple of museums, really fascinating stuff if
you are interested in history! Spent some time lounging on the beach.
Our accommodation was first class, a free hire car came with the deal so we
were able to get around the Island (there is no public transport, and only
one taxi!!)
Groceries were expensive, but then everything has to be freighted in.
We had been there 5 days before I saw my first cat and that was from a
distance!!
After a week of absolute heaven it was time to return to the real world.
The holiday was over but............... the honeymoon continues!

THE MORE
Merging two households, as any of you who have done this knows it is not an
easy task! what to keep, what to give away, what to throw out! But first we
had to settle in Ken's elderly cat, Cleo, a week before the wedding we
bought her out here hoping she would be settled by the time we left for our
honeymoon, we need not have worried, it is almost like she has always been
here, my cats did a few hisses when she first arrived but they have got used
to her being around, Ken got her from the SPCA in 1991 at that time his vet
estimated that she was between 2 and 3 years old, so that makes her around
14/15 years old now, she is not as active as she used to be and as she is
past jumping over the fences she is allowed to roam the yard during the day
(if we go out she is locked up)

While we were away Ken's house was sold, so instead of coming home to relax
and take things easy it was still all go as we set about cleaning out his
place (finished this on the weekend)

And so life goes on, we have just celebrated our one month
anniversary..........we look forward to the rest of our lives together.

Purrs
Lois and Ken

PS Phoebe is due to have kittens in 10 days time.