Morna and me ...........

The weather in Skye has been VERY variable in the past three weeks since the wedding,  but we will not complain (let it rain!) because of the miracle of all-day sunshine on Friday 3rd June.  Though there have been sunny days for the bride and groom, who have returned from a fabulous honeymoon on the island of St Lucia in the Caribbean but now even they are back at work.  

opening wedding gifts

Lest you or any of us forget June 3rd,  there is the opportunity to browse the wonderful collection of photographs (a mere 400!) taken by Iain Smith of Skye Photo Centre.

http://iainsmith.e-printphoto.co.uk/c/170311/morna%20_%20john

     

    

With the Impett family flying off home to Australia tomorrow, I think about how pleased Granny would have been to see all the members of the Martin family gathered together once again, the last time being at Calum and Sandra's wedding almost three years ago.



 Granny requested this family photograph on 3rd October 2008 



    John Murdo, our former minister and family friend who was originally going to perform the marriage ceremony,  is much in our thoughts, with the loss of his son.  David was born on Morna's second birthday and passed away on her wedding morning.   I considered as we attended the funeral, that the grief and sorrow felt at the loss of a son aged only 24, goes very much against the natural circle of life.   

In memory of David       -      05.10.86 - 03.06.11

Therefore there is a realisation of much to be happy about today - my children, a baby grandson .......... and the joys of all the years we have had with a mother and granny and latterly great granny.   We will cherish Granny's memory and let it live on in her family where we all recognise what we have gained from her yesterdays - her humour and her laughter and her love and a strong sense of family life.

And so we go on, moving into tomorrow and looking ahead to the future .... Morna and me.

Me ........ and Mrs Butcher 



PS.....  Anyone need a hat?



Oh happy day!

The day surpassed all expectations -

• the sun shone
• the bride was radiant
• the groom was happy and relaxed
• the minister was delightful
• the organist played an Ode to Joy  
• the cake did not collapse
• the band was declared the best ever
• the day was filled with family and friends and laughter and love 
• and the mother-of-the-bride did not cry ........

• Order of Service

confetti

Kilmore Church

                                                                                                 

on the terrace at Fàs

                           

Symbolic of hope and a happy future!

.........................................................................

Laughter with Granny at Calum's wedding
 October 2008

              3rd June 2011 -
        
              Her smile was in the summer sky

              Her grace was in the breeze
              Her memories whispered in the grass    

              Her laughter in the trees  .....

              (based on a poem by David Harkins)

Angela's Ashes

Reminiscing with my Australian sister after the wedding, we speak of our early memories of Granny washing dishes in the little scullery while she sang to amuse us, her children, a particular favourite being:-



Granny pictured, years later, with one of her daughters' dolls



"I once had a doll that was all dressed in white
I called her my baby and I'd hold her tight .......

.........

Mama, Mama,

One little word she knew
Mama, Mama,

To me it meant I love you."

She also had a fondness for Irish ballads and would sing  "A Mother's Love's a Blessing" by Bridie Gallagher.  Now fast forward several years, and I foolishly share this verse with my (then) teenage children who are amused by the emotion evoked by this memory!  

But in her late teenage years, Morna and I watch the film Angela's Ashes (a memoir of Frank McCourt's impoverished early years in New York and Limerick, Ireland) at Aros cinema in Portree which ended with a grand rendering of that verse.......

              "A mother's love's a blessing
            No matter where you roam
            Keep her while she's living
            You'll miss her when she's gone
            Love her as in childhood
           Though feeble, old and grey

           For you'll never miss a mother's love
           Till she's buried beneath the clay".

.......... and we look at one another and know that this film has got to be shared with Granny. 

When it became available on Skymovies, Granny was duly brought to Sleat for an overnight stay, other friends invited and the men in the household dispensed drinks to the many ladies resplendent in front of the main TV, where they were normally accustomed to be sitting watching Saturday Night sportscene!   Granny enjoyed the film and no doubt shed a tear or two, along with the other emotional ladies attending the viewing.


Mother of the bride kept her emotions under control on 3rd June,
seeing Morna looking so lovely and wearing Granny's pearls.


  

Iain beag's perspective on Friday 3rd June

" Don't know what all the fuss is about - but it's not me.


First of all,  it's my Mummy's birthday but they don't let me near the candles on her cake. 

Mind you I enjoy sitting outside in the sunshine for breakfast though I don't get any Buck's Fizz.

Then they dress me up in this skirt though you must admit I look very good in the MacLeod tartan which was the same as Dad's and Seanair's and dare I say that having youth on my side, I even look better than them in the family tartan!. 

I then pose for lots of photos with the family including one where my Daddy makes me hand over a lovely teddy horseshoe to  my newly-acquired Uncle John and his bride, my Auntie Morna (she who shares my birthday and normally gives ME the presents).  I wanted to keep it myself.   

Quite honestly, I'm happiest when I get my kit (oops kilt!) off and am ready for a bath!    I am really looking forward though to my own christening next month when Auntie Morna and Uncle John are going to be my godparents and I will once AGAIN be the star of the show!"



I was the youngest person at the wedding and possibly the best-looking!







I did think that the oldest person (my great GreatAuntie Katie, aged 91) wasn't bad either! 



and all too soon, we come to 3rd of June!


 


Sleat sunshine meant family had a champagne breakfast outdoors
to celebrate Sandra's birthday!

  Oh what a perfect day! Despite days of unseasonal weather including rain and hail and an early morning forecast for drizzle, the day proved to be one of the sunniest this summer. 








states ........... of dressing, dresses and undress




















There was so much activity, including hairdresser, make-up artist and photographer, not to mention Karen from Aird kennels coming to collect Sorcha after her photoshoot with the bride, that no wonder Morna was 23 minutes late in arriving at the church!

Sorcha, a reluctant bridesmaid, hides in her basket!

here come the girls!

so much to do in the last few days ....

cupcakes, church decorating and table decorations

It was great fun to have so much help from bridesmaids, from friends of the bride, not forgetting sister-in-law and mother-of-bride and also the bride herself!

Gloriously imperfect!



My first and last attempt at making a wedding cake!



 Don't look too closely at either the cake or the mother-of-bride



 Got out of bed at 5 am this morning as stressing about getting the wedding cake assembled.  Father of bride called upon to cut the dowels to appropriate size (I cannot cut in a straight line).   He can also lay claim to having made the stand for the cake.   My only comment is that I do not recommend this task for mothers-of-bride who are novice cake-makers as the stress levels are very high and as the title suggests I have settled for glorious imperfection! 

  I now need to get changed out of my pyjamas as it's  10am and other tasks need to be done - 3 days to go till the big day .........................

PS The sun is shining is Skye ..............