The great plate search and other things

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We bought a Christmas tree yesterday. As I threaded loops for 27 baubles from M's mother (to replace the ones that were stolen from our previous flat by the mean burglars of 15 December 2006) and hung them on the branches I realised that this was my last single Christmas. Next year we shall be married. Next year the annual argument over which tree to buy and how to get it home (M carried it) will be a married argument although we are both hoping marriage means we won't argue over how best to carry and then stand a tree. I suspect this is not true but I will try my best.

Our tree might be beautiful but it does have rather a curve to it. The base of the trunk is flat and standing upright in the dish of water. The top of the tree leans back by almost a foot, giving it the amusing sensation that it is just about to fall over, when in fact it is perfectly 'upright' and as steady as anything... I shall post some photos later tonight when I have mustered the strength to tie thread loops for the rest of the baubles.

In other exciting news, we have decided to try and play the non-communicative supplier at her own game: purchase the crockery ourselves. Yes, instead of paying almost £800 to rent it, we have set ourselves a challenge. My mother, M's mother and I will attempt to collect 1/3 of the crockery each from charity shops and junk shops over the next few months. Given that the brief was "pretty, Grannie's tea party style floral crockery as opposed to something you would find in a church kitchen" I am unsure as to what we will get, but hopefully it will create the effect we desire. And afterwards, should we need to serve afternoon tea for 120, we will have all the crockery and napkins and tablecloths we need...

I also finally made an umbrella decision and ordered myself a peacock feathered one. We may be marrying in June but this is England. Although traditionally the rain only pours on the Glastonbury weekend (around about the 25th June) and the Wimbledon fortnight (last 2 weeks of June, usually), English summers are nothing if not unpredictable so I think it is best we are prepared for all weathers. Hence another recent purchase was a cashmere twinset with pearl fastenings (another bargain - £195 reduced to £25 at the Couture Gallery) just in case it is not only wet but freezing too.

I was thinking of ordering umbrellas for the bridesmaids too but having chosen bright dresses I think patterned umbrellas may well have been overkill. Also, we are attempting to do as much of the wedding as possible without buying things new or, if new, on sale. So far, aside from the umbrella, we have achieved it as my shoes were 75% off in the summer sale and the bridesmaids dresses were reduced by 50% that week too. Even our stationery was bought from Smythsons on a day when everything was reduced by 20%. Obviously somethings have to be new: I propose buying new underwear, for example, flowers really have to be 'new', and the stamp I commissioned for the invitations was also new, but in general, our ethical ethos is being applied across the whole wedding.

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