Wedding Bells 🔔

Hi Readers,

Once again I open by confessing to being slack and not posting for a while, but please trust me when I say I've had a bit on lately.

I'm currently sitting in my accommodation in Qld enjoying having quality time with my family. More about that later.

As many of you would know from previous posts, I have been getting a bit of work done on my body due to various injuries. Three weeks ago I had to take a day off and get some treatment on my shoulder and part of this involved getting a cortisone shot. We all look forward to these like we need a hole in the head, but the temporary relief that they offer is usually worth the discomfort (I'm using that word lightly!) that comes with having it done.

Anyway, there was a bit of a delay in getting it done due to some problems being experienced by the patient in the room I was due to go in for my needle. One of the nurses came and sat with me and was making small talk to pass the time. Among many things, it came up that I was going to attend our son's wedding in a week or two and that I was so looking forward to it. It also came up that my wife Jen wouldn't be there as she passed away last year. I usually avoid talking about this, but she kept asking who was in the family, where they lived etc and then she asked how we as parents were feeling seeing the first of our sons getting married. That's how it came up that Jen had died.

After a lengthy wait I was taken in, the doctor came in and splashed so much disinfectant liquid on my arm and shoulder that I thought he was going to put needles in the entire length of my arm!

Now the moment comes and just before he starts he says "This is going to hurt". 

Thanks!! I'd rather wait and see for myself rather than being told, but as I've had so many cortisone shots over the past 4 years I knew what to expect.

When that needle went in I experienced the usual deep set throbbing pain as the needle goes in and around trying to find the right spot. I'll confess that it brought tears to my eyes, but I knew this would only last a minute or so. Unfortunately, the needle on this day took a little longer. Even though it went in my shoulder, it felt like it was coming out my backside, such was the depth of how deep I thought he was going.

During this time there was a nurse in front of me and one behind me steadying me while I sat on the table. At one stage when it was at its most painful, one of them decided to distract me with more small talk, but what she decided to talk about brought more tears to my eyes, but for. different reason!

The opening questions were something like:

"It must be so hard knowing that your wife won't be at the wedding

"How will you cope without her being there?" and so on.

I could barely engage in discussion while the needle was being done, but then to try and respond to questions like this made it even more difficult.

As they began to realise that I was finding it too emotional to discuss, they then continued the discussion between themselves, with me in the middle hearing every bit of it.

I'm sure they meant well, but for me it just didn't work on the day. I wasn't angry at them, just a bit surprised that they thought this was okay to talk about.

Anyway, needle finally is done, I put on my shirt, dry my eyes and head home to spend the rest of the day on the couch. I'll also mention that I was unwell at the time too with crook throat and cold (not covid, I tested!!)

The next day at school the kids asked about the needle and one of them asked if I had a tear. I told them the story of how I had tears at the start due to the pain, then finished with tears of sorrow as I was quizzed so much about Jen.

They knew that I was also unwell as my voice was so croaky, I was still on crutches due to my leg and I was still recovering from recent hand surgery.

Then one of the kids comes out with "So you had a Triple S day"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You know, three S's. You were Sick, Sad and Sore"

I couldn't agree more and the simplicity of this description just put everything in place and made me feel so much better.

Sometimes kids can just help us get our perspective back so quickly.

Be patient Readers, I'm getting to the wedding, but first some further digressions as I build up to it.

As I drove down to the airport last Sunday I was constantly overthinking everything. Have I got this, done that, organised this etc.

As I drove into the airport I got got confused and must have missed a turn somewhere and ended up in the long term carpark where I had booked my car in for the time I was away.

As I unpacked and headed towards the terminal I just had this nagging feeling "Have you parked in the correct carpark?"

By the time I struggled on crutches with my luggage and walked a very long distance to the terminal I needed, I very quickly realised that I had parked in the wrong carpark. My flight was in 2 hours and it took me 30 mins to walk from the car to the check in desk. I asked the lady at the desk if it would matter that I'd parked in the wrong terminal and she said that while I could leave the car there, I'd be charged at a much higher rate. Check in was still 30 mins away and I knew that I couldn't get back to the car, shift it and make it back in time for my flight. She realised this and straight away took my luggage and checked me in 30 mins before it was open. I was off in a flash (not that one can be flash on crutches) got back to my car, shifted it to the correct carpark and made it back with 20 mins to spare. And was I knackered!!

I thought that was the end of my troubles until it came to going through security.

I put all my stuff in the trays and sent it through. Then the attendant said I couldn't take my crutches through and that they needed to be taken away to be checked. I somehow hobbled through the scanner, collected my belongings, then looked for my crutches. I saw another attendant with them and he went and placed them on a table about 40 meters away. 

Great.

I managed to get his attention and signalled that they were my crutches. With an over exaggerated roll of the eyes he picked them up and brought them over to me, then sat down in a chair nearby just watching everyone. Boy did he make me feel that I'd been a severe burden on him!!!

Now I was ready, nothing else could go wrong.

Until boarding time.

I'd paid extra for my seat selection so that I had extra legroom and a window seat so that my leg would't get bumped. As I handed over my boarding pass I was quickly told "Sir, you cannot sit in an exit row if you are on crutches". My look of exasperation must have been obvious, and she quickly responded with "Sir, we will make sure you still get a seat with extra legroom"

Sounded okay until I found where this seat was.

An aisle seat, where I was told I could leave my foot in the aisle. There was no way I wanted it kicked, bumped, tripped over or run over so I just put it under the seat in front of me, made it as comfortable as I could and was asleep before the plane even started taxiing. 

After all of that I finally hit the Gold Coast and have been spending quality time with family and friends as we prepared for the wedding.

The Wedding

Friday was very cloudy, hot and humid with lots of rain predicted. Luckily it held off until later in the evening.

The church quickly filled, many were still a little shabby after a great night the night before where we all met at a local club.

I could see that Sam was pretty edgy as the photo shows, he just wanted to get everything started.

Everything started beautifully, their son Henry was entertaining the crowd playing with his cousin Adelaide all over the front of the church. Their biggest worry was hoping that he didn't lose the rings that he was carrying!!

When it came to the vows, the priest said "Phoebe and Simon..."

There were furtive glances around the church as everyone had looks of disbelief at what they just heard.

A moment later he said it again, referring to Sam as "Simon", but this time a lot of people called out "SAM".

The priest looked quizically at us all then proceeded onwards.

Only to do it a THIRD time!!! However this time the whole congregation called out "SAM" and the place was filled with laughter.

The priest apologised and then ducked over to the certificates that he had prepared earlier. He then turned and faced us all and said "Yes, I do have Sam written down here", to which everyone laughed and clapped. He apologised, and totally owned it. No-one was offended or thought less of him. A simple mistake that he owned and moved on from. He did such a great job.

They couldn't have been more happier

A quick change out of the suit and to the Surf Club for a fantastic night

The happy couple during the speeches.

Not often the four of us are together, so we make the most of every opportunity.

So privileged and proud of them all today.

My turn to say a few words.

The whole day was just a joy to be part of. When it came to my turn to say a few words I found it so easy to speak about the joy of first meeting Phoebe in Venice many years ago, and then how she just embraced our family so lovingly. It then became incredibly hard as I needed to acknowledge Jen's absence, something which I was dreading as I knew I'd struggle with it. Sam and Phoebe became engaged well before Jen got sick, and then Covid caused postponements, then her illness resulted in more.

She would have been so proud to have been standing there beside me yesterday watching this beautiful celebration, and to not have her there was glaringly obvious. We are all sure that she was there in some special way and would have just loved everything about the day.

The support given to me and the boys last night by so many people was just so touching, and it speaks volumes about the quality of the people that Sam and Phoebe are surrounded by. They are very lucky people who we love dearly.

The day we first met in Venice

Well Readers,

Nothing prophetic about this post, just a ramble about some of the happiest days I've been able to experience in such a long time, days that I will cherish forever.

Now I'm off to participate in some more celebrating with the people I love more than anything.

It has been a great few days.

Until my next post,

Cheers 😀