Gotta go!



We're off to a volcanic island to see if we can spot some jellyfish and get our skins coloured in autumn shades. Back in eight hopefully long days. Love ya.

The ABC of a wedding story
Six came over to Mum's house and the three of us spent my last night as a singleton together. Pablo stayed back at the appartment in Madrid with a couple of friends. We didn't exchange sms or calls. Too nervous, i'm guessing.



On the morning of the SWP Day i was relaxed and still feeling a few of the cold symptoms. Six and Mum were trying to behave calm but it was easy to tell mummy was getting emotional. I slipped into the gorgeous Marc Jacobs dress after doing my own make up and attaching two feather butterflies to my hair. I felt like i was about to receive first communion but everyone assured me i looked adult enough...

Part A

Sizter and the M&m's picked us up and we went to the city council, where most of the guests were already having aperitivos at the plaza. It was strange to walk up from the parking lot with nothing in my hands, knowing a lot of eyes were on me. I smiled and did my own little red carpet pretending.

Everyone looked fabulous. Oscar time fabulous. Six was a killer in a black dress and red stilettos, Trix went for an A list romantic look, Sizter simply took our breath away. Kurt was sharp and delicious in Lang wear, Carlos was monochrome in blacks, Alaitz was coffee-caramel, the boys were smart in their suits. A big wow.

Then i saw the groom, looking sexy and pale. I ran to him and tried hard not to cry. Boy, is it hard not to get all sobby when you're in a white dress. I wonder if it has some chromatic philosophy behind it.

The ceremony was a lot better than i imagined. Fear number one was the size of the room and it vanished when i saw they had placed us at the main room, which not only was big enough to contain our guests but was also kind of cute. Pablo still looked pale and dead serious throughout most of the ceremony but i couldn't stop smiling, so i looked like a complete lunatic.

Part B

A decadent café that belongs to the Coliseum Carlos III Theatre was the location chosen for our lunch. No protocol was involved: just trays with food that passed around everchanging groups.



The air conditioning could have been better, but it was good and relaxed. There was also a terrace open, thanks to the fantastic weather of September 16th, where mum's pals and the Irish family lingered under the sun.

Pablo and i did our toasts in Spanish, English and Argentinean, while the M&m's used the girls accesories to disguise. I'm pretty sure everyone had a lot of fun at part B of the wedding. Several cakes (fruit, tiramisú, chocolate and mint...) were offered and none were left over. We support sugar.

Part C

It was around five when we all jumped on cars, luxury vehicles and vans to get to La Cañada Real, an animal reserve where we were having our very particular party. Our guests traded high heels for low cut sandals and straw hats to take a walk on the wild side.

Then we headed to the huge hut where a band played for us all the good 80s hits you can think of. There was food, a waiter who served cocktails with a smile, an audience that roared and danced, and a brilliant atmosphere all around, considering we were literally surrounded by wolves.



A small part of the guest list stayed over for the night, sleeping together in bunk beds, while the recently married Mr. and Mrs. G went to a little hut prepared for the occasion and spent our very royal wedding night there. I was awoken by the sound of birds. And by Alaitz, knocking on our door with a videocammera in her hand.

Married gal shows first pix
Everything went beautifully. I have the flu plus a runny nose now, but it was worth it. It was happy and sunny and hectic and quiet and crazy and lovely and very emotional.


Wedding consisted in parts A (actual marriage), B (lunch cocktail at café) and C (party at animal reserve). This was taken upon arrival at part C.


Six and Trix were strong rivals for the Best Looking Guest of the Millenium Award. Up to you, really.


Right after the knot was officially and legally tied.


Flamenco exploring.


Hands say it all.


The M&m's soon discovered true fun disguising in guests' accesories.


Cracking up at the café.


And she sang to the top of her lungs.

A slice of tradition
And then Pablo mentioned the rings. I said we didn't actually have to exchange wedding bands, since it's not a religious ceremony. But Mum jumped from the couch and disappeared into her dressing room. She came back with a little brown box and a massive smile.

"I thought you might want to have this", she said, handing over the box to me. Inside was my Irish grandmother's wedding band, beautiful and old and smelling of tradition. I tried Nanna's ring and my engagement one together and it looked perfect.

Then i took the golden one off and took a look inside. "There's an inscription here", i said. "What?", gasped Mum. Three letters glistened back at me. Initials, probably.

After triple checking them, after having Mum mutter a lot in surprise and after examining the whole thing with a magnifying glass, we discovered the initials belonged to my great grandmother, mother of my mother's father, who is actually named after her. And Nanna never told Mum about this.

I'll be wearing a little slice of tradition on our wedding day. And on the days after that. It feels good and comforting. And i feel like a good ol' Celtic gal following my traditions.

Time for self
There's nothing like a good night's sleep. And i haven't had one for five days in a row. Uma is not here and an insomniac monster has taken her place. I am weak, tense, nervous and, of course, frighteningly pale.

It's the wedding tickle, you'll say. It's only natural for a bride to feel nervous, you'll tell me. Hmmm. The truth is i am a little scared about the SWP details, but there's so much more going on i just don't have the energy (plus i don't even recharge the existing batteries at night) to take it all in.

The book i'm correcting/editing/whatever is coming all wrong and my deadline is almost a deathline now. So this morning i had to build up the courage of calling in sick, taking a siesta and a few days hiatus from work. I guess i'm entitled to have some organizing time on the days before i get married, right?

Right?

Uma, the friendly ghost
Gone are the days when people looked at me in wonder in the middle of the summer. Long gone is the time when my skin tone actually changed after mid July. My tan is something of the past, just like getting carded at the door of a club, like locking yourself up when you discover a pimple, like longing for your very own telephone line. I am now Casper Uma, the friendly ghost.

Except for the couple of days at the beach in the beginning of July, i haven't sunbathed at all this year. Now the September weather is here, and Madrid is on alert for a little heavy rain. Hmmm. This wouldn't be such a drama if my wedding dress wasn't the exact tone of my face right now. I'm going to look like an 18th Century zombie at my wedding, boys and girls, isn't that something.

Mum, as usual, told me not to worry about this 'minor matter'. She said: "I'll treat you to the latest cosmetic mania, the sunless spray". So she wants me to walk naked into some sort of cabin, where they will spray me with autobronzing lotion until my entire body looks even.

I might feel like a car being repainted.

Scream II

I think i'll scream to the top of my lungs if:

- I am forced to close the windows of the apartment because the Village People Neighbours have decided to play their Jackson Five compilation full volume again.

- I receive another "what-do-you-want-for-your-wedding-present" calls. Honestly, we don't need anything, we are too embarrassed to even ask for anything, and anything you like, we'll like, 'cause we love you.

- I hold the door open for someone and don't even get a muttered 'thanks'. I wonder where manners went in this city/country/planet.

- I have to 'dive' into one more recipe for the book i'm researching. Welcome to the freelancing world of olive pies and muddy looking sauces. Yummy.