Derrick wanted to make the proposal special so he called Katie the sister of Kristie to see what could be done to make that happen. He chose to allow the family to be a part of this momentous occasion and we all were thrilled. Love was in the air and through a turn of events, it was scheduled that we would all get aboard a horse and buggy in St. Augustine and Derrick would do the honors, even getting on one knee.(Not pictured here but he did).
We all were a part of it in the Nation’s oldest city, St. Augustine in December of 2021 and afterwords ate at a luxurious restaurant to seal the deal. Great fun was had by all.
They were married last week in November at the family Homestead in Jacksonville, Kristie’s hometown. It was wonderful. They will live happily ever after.
After the wedding was over, we had a team of people willing to help. Chairs had to be stacked, food had to be covered and refrigerated, trash had to be gathered and all of the small details had to be put in place in order to leave the venue.
One of the last things to come down was the flower display which had been place over white painted antique doors. Now what to do with them. They still are resting over wooden benches in the chapel. We don’t know how to store or even wrap for possible future use.
Kristie wanted a barn wedding. We had an old barn on my Father and Mother’s property but it was small, old and rickety. We decided to start fresh and so we did. We began in January of 2022 and set out the clear the land, demolish the barn and build a new one. We also determined that we would take the current camper barn and add onto it creating a chapel and we did.
The wedding began at 5:30 p.m. and by 6:30 p.m. everyone was rocking and rolling with the band. Great fun was had by all.
It took us some ten months to prepare for this wedding. It was over in about 35 minutes, we had a party and then the clean up. Wow and wow! We had everything from tables, chairs, food, and bags of garbage, incidentals and more to dispose of or store. The morning after began for Katie and her team at 8 am and they kept at it long into the afternoon.
We left it as neat and clean as possible and removed anything that the rodents might be interested in….To be sure the didn’t get into anything, we stored all trash bags inside the bathrooms until the next day when we could take it out to the trash pick up. Good thing too. We forgot one bag in the tent and the racoons had a hay day…( No pun intended).
In December of 2021, Derrick, my daughter’s boyfriend proposed to her in St. Augustine on the mount of a horse and carriage. It was sweet and heart-felt. Fast forward to November 5th and they married among friends and family members. Congrats to the happy couple.
While they both live in Alabama, Kristie wanted to marry in her own hometown so she did. She was born and raised in Jacksonville and she came home to seal the deal. More to come….
The night before the wedding, everything was set. The entrance was ready for the gates to open wide in the morning. The chapel was set and all benches in place. The barn was ready for a party.
The chapel was actually our Dad and Mom’s barn for the camper. It was parked under a covering and they could pack it and get it ready for their next campout without worrying about weather. When we decided to remodel it for a chapel, we added a second side, painted it and put in 20 benches for seating; 10 on each side. It’s called Vaughan’s Chapel.
After the wedding, we would need a barn for the party so we set up a barn the size of the swimming pool. The swimming pool was 20 x 40. The barn was extended to a 24 x 40 and was set up for the party.
Having been in the crowds this week in London where people actually and genuinely seemed to love Her Majesty, the Queen of England, Elizabeth II. It was heartwarming. Because of the circumstances of the massive crowds, we spent great amounts of time with groups of people having met them for the first time. In our case we spent as many as 7 hours together. In seven hours you learn a lot about people.
QEII first Christmas broadcast
I don’t know if this story was repeated or if it was true for this man but he told how Queen Elizabeth was the only Queen he knew. She was like his grandmother, he said. He said they would be in their own homes cooking on Christmas Day and they would hear a familiar voice from the television. It would be like their grandmother speaking to them, and telling them everything would be alright. She would tell them about the birth of Christ and His importance encouraging them to follow their dreams and do good. He confirmed that he would miss that from her. What a great influence to the masses far and wide, not just in England.
We don’t have to be Queen Elizabeth to make that same difference. We can be that person to someone in our lives. Go forth friends…
You probably think I fell off of the earth having not written a word for more than a week. Well, I feel as if I did! That’s for sure. Traveling such a great distance in such a short time causes a body to reel! I’m back though, safe and life is finally getting back to normal.
As you well know if you follow Jacksonville Blogger, that my sister, Kathy and I traveled “across the pond” to England to see Queen Elizabeth II, Her Majesty the Queen for the last time. She passed away September 8, 2022 and we went to say our last and final farewell to Her Majesty, the Queen of England.
QEII Official, 1959
It was my sister’s 2nd time visiting her, and my 3rd occasion to see her and we’re richer for it. On two other occasions, I traveled to see her; at Williamsburg, Virginia here in America when she visited the original colonies area and my family traveled to England when William and Kate married in 2009.
The thing about this Queen was her steadfast, continuous and determined actions to truly live for the people. It was hers to do. She didn’t ask for this job and would not even had been Queen had her Father’s brother not abdicated. As you probably know, Edward VIII created a stir when in 1936 he abdicated the throne to marry a divorcee, and American actress, Wallis Simpson. Upon his abdication of the throne, his brother, became King George VI. Elizabeth was not even a teen when her father became king but was groomed to take his place and in June of 1953 did just that vowing to “strive to be worthy of your (the people’s)trust”.
“I have in sincerity pledged myself to your service, as so many of you are pledged to mine. Throughout all my life and with all my heart I shall strive to be worthy of your trust. In this resolve I have my husband to support me. He shares all my ideals and all my affection for you.” Queen Elizabeth II, 1953
It was hers to do. What is it that you and I are to do? Let’s get on with it!
Today we literally wrestled throngs of crowds. The beloved Her Majesty’ Queen Elizabeth II lay in state in Westminister Hall and thousands and thousands came to pay their respects. While many were able to pass her coffin, droves and droves could only pine for the loss to never see her again.
We were able a glimpse of William and Harry in the late afternoon as it was said the grandchildren were there to pay respects .
There will be many stories coming when the internet situation works better.
Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom has died. Her son, Charles III is now king. Here is his statement:
“The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family.
Royal Photo of King Charles and QEII
We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.
During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held.”
Many in the United Kingdom have only known a woman as the “Defender of the Faith” and now comes King Charles III, her son as King.
We, in Jacksonville mourn Her Majesty the Queen’s loss too.
