Ding Dong. Ding Dong

 

The only real problem about my London trip (apart from the expense) was my inability walk far or at a reasonable pace before having to let the blood vessels in my legs recover!

There was a minor scare with the place I stayed as I'd got the wrong house number, but the room was clean and I only really wanted somewhere to dump my bags and kip so it suited fine.

It took me ages to work out how to buy a ticket and use the underground so I ended up being late to meet my lecturer friend at a pub near Goldsmith's. We had some dinner and then I went to see a couple of friends from 'Basement' days.

Ubered back.

The day of the wedding i somehow walked all the way down Oxford St on the way to the Actors Centre*/ I met Leon in St Martin's Lane and we had a long chinwag. The Actors Centre is now 'The Seven Dials Playhouse'. I spoke to a (frankly comical) 'Receptionist' when I got to the space. He told me that they had "Rebranded" with such a distinctive faux American drawl I couldn't help but imitate him "Oh, you"rebranded"! I said. i didn't get that much out of him- at one point it seemed like the Actors' Centre was bankrupt and shut down, but the Board is the same. I couldn't help but mention my surprise that the Tristan Bates had been paid for by Alan Bates and it seemed more than a little cavalier to just change it like that. I suppose they were hit hard by COVID. I am sure that had Mr Bucket** still been Chair, nothing so radical would have occured.

I got to the church about twenty minutes early. My friend (The Bride) turned up thirty minutes after we'd been asked to be there and, by the looks of things, that was when she was always going to have turned up. I haven't been to a church wedding in thirty or more years but it was interesting to notice quite a few changes to what is said. My friend wore a white dress with a train and a veil and her daughter was bridesmaid. She was getting married, she wanted all the trimmings and she got them.

It was a LOVELY day. I met friend's sons and grandchildren! I did tussle with some envy about my lack of that kind of family. It was also great to speak with my friend's dad who I've not seen in about forty years.

Back to the Toon on Sunday morning, got home around 2pm. House/cat sitting friend had enjoyed the break. My young'un was delivered back around 4pm.

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