losing money ....

Appointing a Wedding coordinator is probably a great idea not so when when she is your daughter and threatens to resign after just a few days!!! But with persuasive charm, fatherly advice and with a calming disposition I managed to keep my appointee on track ( and in line!!!!). I must admit she is good but dangerously expensive when left to her own devises! With guidance she will go far!!

Our travel plans continue - financially unabated and with no testraints!! We may have finally got the appropraite 'outfit's' sorted. Three days trudging the Malls helps the waist line. I am now down two suit sizes! The Tux fits perfectly. In short I am losing money, weight and a daughter!
We have not booked flights as we are waiting to hear when we have appointments with the US Embassy in London for our visa's.

My friends 'D' and T 's wedding anniversary today. He remembered house rules and did not forget this year. Unlike some he will be getting a 'bonus'!

Until the next time always letting the sun shine on my big florida blog....

Friends...you can't beat

Counting down to our trip to the UK to attend the weddings. Did I mention that I installed a dedicated paid Wedding Hotline for the family in the UK to call us and keep us up to date with wedding plans etc. In fact just to keep in contact. This line has been working over time and I am exhausted. I have blisters on my ears! There have been 'panic stations' , tantrums and despite the dedicated Wedding Hotline there has been crossed lines. It was "Two Weddings and a Migraine" now its "Two weddings and a Suicide"!! What was to be a Bollywood style movie might end up a 'Horror Movie'.....there agaain how's about Bolly goes Horror?

Being the eternal optimist ...it will all work out in the the end. While they embarrass me to no end I still love them. My bark is worse than my bite and I think I have finally realised that they know this too. To bring calm and peace over the London horizon eldest daughter has taken up the role of Headmistress and we been told to put all comments, requests, observations etc in writing and email it to her. She is the appointed 'Go Between" before murder and mayhem sets it. Being a teacher this role comes easy to Ms Bossyboots. I need to get her married if not she's off to St Tinians!

My exercise regime continues and I happy to report there is also weight loss. My other half is quickly becoming my significant quarter as she also loses weight rapidly. We both hope to keep this up long term.

Again despite the gloomy economic virus which seems to be affecting us all and is unfortunately becoming more evident amongst our friends and thereby a reality on our doorstep I might take up Golf... seriously. Hopefully the cost of round of golf might go down. !!

I tried to avoid discussing the Economic Virus that is hitting us all but it is in the air and directly overhead. Brainstorming ...is the order of the day even before the morning coffee. The subject ...how to earn a dollar a day! Thanks to the email and the internet we hope to pass the message. I tell all my friends and family that when you receive an email from me please ...please forward it on....

Tomoorow I have to buy a suit for the weddings. Unfortunately it has to be a dark suit...not my style but I play to the house rules!

That last sentence reminds me of how many of my dear male friends have to follow the House Rules. By comparison I think I am getting away with murder. At the moment the winner and top of the league is 'J' ..he is expected to live as if "SHE' is there all the time. They are still newly married so at this rate they are going to be long term winners. An absolutely great couple and it is always fun to have them around. we are their surrogate parents so there is time to offer advise...More on 'J' as times go on. I am still sure about his sunglasses, Wham and pyjamas!!!!

Number 2 on the list is my best mate Dave...he is always in it...so much so that after more than twenty years he feels more comfortable being in it. Occasionaly ,as "Dave" puts it ..."sometimes you slide in and sometimes you slide out...you know don't you.?"
They are the best couple to have around.
When I find myself on a beach with little or nothing to do I will tell you more about them and the wonderful times we have shared.

Friends ..you can't beat. So despite the Economic Virus with friends like mine you can see why the sun still shines out of my big Florida blog.

More great days ....

Once again apologies to followers of this blog - I have been playing catchup.
To followers of this blog ...follow only if you have a sense of humour. Just remember if you think you recognise anyone just know that its 'all ficticious'.......

As I said it's catch up time.... also trying to plan for "The Visit'. We may get there so late that we may just be looking at the back of peoples heads! Both son and daughter are off to exotic locations for their honeymoon...Fiji and South Africa respectively. Offered them a bit of Florida sunshine but it fell onto deaf ears! Can't wait when the grand children come along and want to visit Mickey ....but by then we may just have gone deaf naturally!

Age must be catching up because all my friends and family are at grand parent stage and only talk about how wonderful their grand children are etc etc....Sometimes I think the grandmothers have turned into 'grannies' overnight.

I have started my speech for the wedding No.2 .....just need to know how long I have and if I am subject to censorship. I may have to put feelers out.

I love my children so I would never embarrass them...in this public forum I will say to them openly while I may disagree with you, lecture you, get angry I/we will always care for you , stand by you and love you. This a permanent full time job for life. The job description changes on a daily basis ...great one day and sucks the next . But you got to go to work every day and try your best every day! On a day when there have been terrible killings in Germany and USA and bombings in Baghdad you know its been a bad day for all parents and their children. God give us more great days!

So in anticipation of more great days...the sun shines on my big Florida blog

teachers...how to stop getting colds

Spoke to my daughter the teacher today. After a week back at school she's coughing and spluttering from a cold caught from one of the kids. This is a regular occurrence with her.... I suggest that all teachers go round wearing a mask! My daughter ...wearing a mask in a church of England school!!! If only she had listened and worn a hijab when she started getting these colds! A hijab is not just for modesty! Are you listening Jack Straw...she didn't want to catch your cold!!

Haven't heard back from 'wedding No.2 couple and my email. But it seems its all on track. 'It's only a Wedding innit' is the working title for the movie. I know I want Meera Syal to to play the Aunt! She could in fact play ALL the Aunts. Dev Patel is a bit too young for the grooms role. The only good thing is that he is from Harrow , has the same surname as the groom, could be family, maybe at the wedding ....... he will do and we might get a discount!
since its family. The bride and brides mother are tricky ....it will be safer if I don't comment just yet! Did I mention that I have to make a speech at this wedding....! More to follow! My poor teacher daughter will be in stitches... at least her sinuses will clear and she will call home to thank me!!

Wedding N0.1 in Suffolk is also on track. The title for this one is "'Back of your Head".. ..mother titled this one as she see's her son walk of into the Suffolk sunset with his love. Since he hates surprises I am sure his siblings will plan something! Since I am on the main table there is no way I am getting involved on the day!! I might throw out a few suggestions - like cling wrap ...kippers...!

Plans to visit London are also in progress. We have to attend an interview at the US embassy regarding our Visa ..... I might just go direct and write to Barack! I have never been a fan Bureaucracy!

Grandson is here today to stay the night. Grandmama is in her glory. Dada has been relegated once again.... but I do have a secret weapon ...CHOCOLATE and thats for Gradmama!!! She is off tomorrow to a Presidents Teaparty. The host is from St Lucia, the other guests are American and she will be the only English person there and not a cucumber sandwich or clotted cream in sight despite subtle hints!!!It should be fun!
Men have not been invited so you see.... the sun still shines out of my big florida blog!

Still an optimist...on the edge

It's been a few days since my last blog......I sound like I am stranded on a desert island and am only able to entries into my diary when the 'natives' are asleep.
I have only one follower on my blog...my daughter and she doesn't read this often. So until I circulate this more and adopt followers it's a diary I suppose.
Whats been going on...well I made peace with one of the children... via email after they did a wobbly over the wedding. My reply was tempered with some good advise... as always. The most important for me was that I would not tolerate rudeness or bad behaviour from my children. So plans for wedding No.2 are back on track. For wedding No.1.... I have been told that I am on the top table. This is a surprise, an honour that I do appreciate. It has made my wife very happy. On track also is that if all goes to plan we will at least have the five chilren, their spouses and grandchild all in one happy family photo.
On a personal note I am trying to lose weight, get fit and look good for the weddings.
A sign of the econmic down turn is that we were informed that our Health Insurance cover will cease at the end of the year and we will now have to find new insurers. Should be a 'breeze' with our health history!! I am an optimist by nature but this kind of news niggle .... atleast I am in a boat with lots of others for company. Obama might get it right ....man plans but God is the bigger planner! So by his will ....the sun still shines out of my big Florida blog.

Today was a family day out ...to the dentists! Teeth were pulled , filled , scrubbed and polished. The credit card maxed. The dentist quipped as we left " if there is any pain take some Ibuprofen". Back next week with my son for more of the same!

The idea of turning the weddings into a movie is getting serious! I have started to write the 'father of the bride speech' .....in my head. I have done this a couple of times before , so third time lucky I might get it right! The problem is that with this one I am waking up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat! I keep saying to myself " don't worry , it will work out, she will get married". Amidst all the hullaboo I will look for inspiration...better still a hut by a lake!!

Musn't worry..what with my new 'teeth' I can say the' sun shines out of my big g(l)ob!

There is a new movie in the works...

My blog got the thumbs up from one of my daughter today...she can't believe that her dad has a blog.
Wedding plans for "two weddings and a massive headache" are in full progress. The extended famililies have all thrown in their fifty cents worth of ideas and opinions. Transatlantic phone calls start at dawn and go on...thank God for Skype. With the different religions and cultures involved there is a movie in this somewhere ....a Bollywood comes to London style will be a winner. So I am now on to a working title... The one that comes to mind immediately is ' A Family in crisis' but that sounds to serious. Then there is 'Its only a Wedding innit!!'
There is always the chance to revive the Carry on tradition also ... we have two months so there is time to even work on a script and raise the finance!! Anyone interested?
I'll be someones favourite dad or get disowned!
Received an email with good news that our friends Cheryl and the Doc won a a radio competition for Cheryls photo on love ...taken in Uganda. Congratulations , they deserve the win. Despite the cold and wind the sun is shining in Peoria,Ill.