It turns out that RT had forewarned my parents two weeks previously that he was intending to propose around the time of moving into the house, but I still wanted to tell them before anyone else.
A couple of problems ‐ BT hadn’t been in yet to set up the phones, luckily we had our mobiles.
The other problem was that my parents were at the theatre, and the show had started. I rang the box office and managed to convince the receptionist that she needed to find my Mum in the interval and get her to ring me. (Poor thing I think she thought some‐thing dreadful had happened!)
When Mum eventually called 45 minutes later, I managed to get the words out “we’re getting married” ‐ I don’t remember much else about the conversation but I know the general feel was one of great happiness.
RT’s parents should have been next but as he is American and it was some weird time in the States this wasn’t feasible. We managed to get hold of them the next day, and they we’re thrilled ‐ mostly at the thought of an English wedding ‐ they are convinced it will be like something out of Four Weddings and a Funeral!
I don’t think that the fact we were engaged sunk in for a few days but I knew that I wanted to share my news with people; we called all family and close friends so we did this with lots of tears and gasps of “I can’t believe it” before the mobile phones finally ran out.
RT then declared he was hungry. I had booked us into a swanky restaurant to celebrate the new house, but neither of us wanted to be amongst people we didn’t know. I’m sorry to say we cemented our engagement with a madras and yet more champagne. (Well RT did, I was too excited to eat!)
Some friends of ours who live around the corner turned up armed with yet more champagne to toast us ‐ it was lovely and made being engaged seem slightly more real
When they left about an hour later we decided to stay at the house despite the fact that had no real furniture there, this was the start of our new life and we didn’t want to be parted from it, so what if it meant sleeping on the floor!
Two weeks on
I’m managing to control the urge to break into a massive smile every time I look down at the third finger on my left hand. But I still forget I’m engaged.
The Monday after RT proposed I was on my way to work and was so busy looking at the ring that I didn’t realise until two stops later I had got onto the wrong tube!
That week was a whirlwind of celebrating with friends and family. We even managed to practice our wedding walks, dances and of course the kiss. I feel proud that we have so many people wishing us the best and believing in what we are doing! I’m told by friends who are newly married that there will be lots of ups and downs during the planning phase of our wedding, but I’m determined not to loose sight of why we’re doing this.
Most of all I can’t wait to be “Mrs Russell Thornton”
Watch this space……
