OMG it's Wedding Season

On Friday morning I went off to Miss Junie's Hairdo Emporium for a quick colour to discover that there were already about a dozen bibis there getting their hair wedding-ised - a sort of bun on the side affair with dangly bits. Of course they were horrified when they heard someone with such short hair was off to a wedding in a few days! Anyway, got that done and even managed to fit in a swim that afternoon.
Saturday was taken up with a round of social visits around the valley before meeting up with an old mate and heading to a pub with no air and white vinyl seats - how delightful in the monsoon humidity!
So yesterday we had to be at the Party Palace by 8am. UP at 6.30 for a shower and a bite to eat before installing myself in the Christmas fairy outfit. By the time I got to the bottom of the stairs I was already hot, and felt like a right wally standing out the front of the hotel waiting for the car to arrive. Once inside the PP we were met with a ceremony that was mystifying to say the least. At one end, on the concrete floor, was constructed a large grassy canopy thing with tinsel all around it and a fire in the middle. The bride was sitting there with some priests getting what we figure was some sort of purification thingy. The groom eventually arrived and there was some more strange stuff, including something with twigs and an umbrella (folding). We ran into a whole bunch of people from the village of Jamrung, where the family originally hails from, and had a good old gossip. When the dal bhat buffet appeared we got a leave pass and headed to the British Club for lunch before going back for the rest of the fun. The place was a sea of sequins and georgette (so lovely in this weather) and it seemed like a good time was had by all.
And of course as the bride disappeared off into the Ring Road traffic jam in a flower bedecked car, mum lost it completely and had to be helped into the minibus sobbing her little head off. At 5pm we finally made it home where I managed to extricate myself from the sweaty sequinned affair and went out for several well earned drinks.
Here's some photos for you:

Me and the happy couple!

And here's Robin with the kids we've watched grow up for 15 or so years.


Happy Days!

The exciting news in India....

Well of course I have omitted to keep you up to date on the BIG news story of the last week or so in India - the impending marriage of Indian tennis star Sania Mirza to ‘disgraced’ Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik. It’s not the disgraced bit that is the problem. It’s a rather plump young lady in Hyderabad, who may be called Ayesha or Maha. It seems that this Ayesha person contacted him when he was playing in 2002 or so ( I think, it is all so confusing), saying she was a fan and worked as a teacher in Saudi Arabia. Anyway, she sent him photos of a girl she claimed was her, and then somehow arranged a telephone marriage without ever having met him. So she claims. Shoaib says the signature on the marriage papers is forged, and anyway the girl lied about who she was and what she looked like, and he has never met her. I have just been enjoying the first interview with Sania and Shoaib after they emerged from the Hyderabad police station, as the other woman’s parents have filed an FIR (something complaint I guess). Oh and the Ayesha woman claims he got her pregnant and she miscarried and he didn’t care. She may well have medical evidence that she had a miscarriage, but I wonder how she will prove who the father was… Anyway.....
The press are shouting about 100 questions at once, in various languages, and the poor sods can’t get a word in edgeways. It is all very gripping.
It now transpires that Shoaib is saying the woman in the photos he was sent is a decent married woman so he will not reveal them to the press, in deference to her position, as he says she may not even know that the Ayesha woman sent them to him. Gawd, this is better than the Bold and the Beautiful! The days until their wedding on 15 April will be fun filled or viewers I am sure!
The very very right wing Hindu fundamentalist Shiv Sena party have said that Sania is a DISGRACE for marrying a Pakistani, who of course they see as their sworn enemy, when there are 150 million decent eligible Indian men. Who of course are Hindu not Muslim. Strewth!
Did a spot of shopping this afternoon – cheese, chicken sausages, lemon cordial. Tried to get my blasted Suunto watchband fixed – why do I bother with this brand? - of course it is impossible so just like last year I am watchless again. If anyone from Suunto is reading this – make your watchbands better! For the money the watch cost it’s a disgrace that a watchband only lasts 6 months. I’d get better value at Kmart. Oh have a whinge!!!
I am now in the 'drawing room' with Hydra the cat and a rum and coke, and all is well with my world anyway. Still can't get hold of Robin but that isn't surprising.
I hear dinner cooking (I think) but have no idea what is on the menu....
Bye for now