After my aforementioned night of no sleep I spent Saturday rushing through a to do list in preparation for The Baby Brother's Christening on Sunday, cake, flowers, tablecloths to iron. Thank goodness for the energy rush provided by the wonderful Mr Cadbury!
I covered jam jars with pretty fabric from a recycled pillowcase, held in place with raffia. The asters gave each table a cheerful touch and I used my collection of hand embroidered cloths, the ones that are too nice to chop up!
Sunday was an early start as the Christenings are during the 9.30 family service and first I had to set up the hall in the Cricket Club. The Big Sister and I sat in the car park at 8am as arranged and waited.....waited....waited, eventually I barked a message into their answer machine and dashed home to put on my glad rags. With visions of our family and friends arriving at the gloomy hall going round in my head I rang again just before 9, phew the cleaner was there and The Big Sister and I dashed back, dragged tables and chairs into place, whizzed the tablecloth and flowers around and screeched back home on two wheels.
Naturally my purple face set off my outfit to a 't' ! The Baby Brother looked a picture in our antique family gown and, as I hoped he didn't drool on it too much, worked out it must be about 100 years old. It is a lovingly made confection of silk, embroidery and lace worn by my children, myself and my siblings, my Mum and her brother and Grandma and her brothers. A connection with the past, with other Mothers before me and those dearly loved who are no longer here.