I just tried to upload some pictures of the wedding. Maybe they are there somewhere. It all went well. I was a bridesmaid, and particularly enjoyed getting ready with a photographer taking 'natural' shots of us drinking tea and putting on make up. Also being in the big car was fun as other people smile and wave. Getting the train there was fun, as we met an old lady just back from a cruise, with her nephew, who is 60. It was his first cruise, she and her husband had treated him for his birthday. He read the FT and worked in a day centre for people with head injuries, for the shameful sum of £5 an hour. Still, clearly knew what he was doing with it if he got the FT. The train is small and very busy. A was very good considering she had to sit still for 3 hours, clearly the practice on the plane helped. Our car journey back was not so good, she was sick before we got to the Severn bridge. We stayed in a Travelodge, an interesting experience. Well, OK, not at all interesting actually. Today I got an email from them asking what I thought- you know - 'we'd love to hear your views'. I had none. I pressed delete.

H won another competition yesterday. We are off to Exbury Gardens just before Christmas for a ride on the Santa special train. The lady called and I could pick my dates, so went for the 23 December, don't want Santa getting a rest on his day before his busy day. I went through my present collection tonight. H and I made a great t shirt on Vistaprint for her teacher. It has a cartoon of a school and the inscription 'Bumble Bee Base - we are the best' I hope he wears it for PE for the rest of the year.

H has just got into Roald Dahl books, which is encouraging from an academic point of view but also personally as they were favourites of mine. We have started George's marvellous medicine- who can forget Rik Mayall's version on Jackanory? And don't the words 'Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker' make you quiver with anticipation and fear?

All this gadding about to Wales being a bridesmaid has left me far short of my quota of Bitterne visits this week. I did like the village of Whitchurch, where the wedding was held. It had a Peacocks, many varieties of charity shop and a butcher, a baker and a fishmonger all in a row, 2 greegrocers, 2 opticians, several pubs and cafes... I purchased a badge maker for one pound in a charity shop, as it is on H's list for Santa. Feeling very proud of myself, I secreted it in the boot.

On Sunday, R and H went to his headteacher's house to buy a cabin bed for H, and the teenage girl who was selling it gave H the most hi tec badge maker ever. So, my little charity shop bargain is sitting in the present cupboard. I expect A will appreciate having one of her own- or any offers? What are the chances, Matthew, of coming across 2 badge making kits in one weekend?