How do you sum up that day?

Three and a half hours of uninterrupted television ... by which stage Eliot decided that he'd seen enough and took himself off for a walk while the party of ladies moved to the dining area to enjoy a wonderful feast which included (almost inevitably) Coronation Chicken!

 The lunch gathering lasted for just about as long as the wedding programme!  It was hard to believe that we'd been at the table for well over three hours!
But I rush ahead too quickly.  The morning started with arriving at our friend's house where festive bunting greeted us both inside and out!  Morning scones were served on "commemorative disposable" plates with matching napkins!  What fun!  And all the more so because the eldest son of the home had saved up coupons in a newspaper so that he could get a party pack for his mum and her friends!

 I think the tea towel was part of that as well!!!

 We certainly had a great time watching, commenting and enjoying the whole experience of our own "Street Party" in the comfort of a house!

 The paper (from which the wedding plates had come) was available for us to catch up on any gossip that we'd missed ... but between us we'd not missed much!
The same paper is offering a genuine 100% plastic replica engagement ring ... maybe a collector's item of the future!

 There was inevitably discussion over "The Kiss" and whether it would happen ... and of course it did ... twice!  The more weepy members of the party found this an emotional experience!

 Number One son came back from his work in time to join us at the meal table.  He then unveiled a further surprise!  The aforementioned paper had also printed party masks ... and he'd cut them out as well!

 The one of Catharine was even mounted on card to give it more durability!  What a lad!

 It was a great event ... both the wedding itself and our gathering!  For many people, not just in the UK, there's a "feel good" factor that comes with such pageantry and celebration.   Any wedding has the hope and joy that this one had ... and then this had the added extra of a royal occasion that went smoothly and with great dignity.

 I did feel very sorry for Ralph ... Eliot was inside the house and yet the owner of the house, Ralph, had to stay outside.  Some day Eliot will be as well behaved and obedient as Ralph?  No, maybe not!

 Actually he wasn't too badly behaved (I think) and he did stay by my side for most of the wedding.  Towards the end when the food was being prepared he wandered around a bit ... but at least he didn't jump up on the furniture where, incidentally, he is right now, in his own house!

For some odd reason I'm now tired!  Apart from a couple of half hour drives I really didn't do anything all day ... but could quite happily go to bed.  The trouble with doing that is that I'd be awake hours before dawn ...

Prince William and Catherine Middleton have written their own prayer:

God our Father, we thank you for our families; for the love that we share and for the joy of our marriage.

In the busyness of each day keep our eyes fixed on what is real and important in life and help us to be generous with our time and love and energy.

Strengthened by our union help us to serve and comfort those who suffer. We ask this in the Spirit of Jesus Christ.  Amen.