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.
Queen Elizabeth died during the summer of 2022. She is known for being the longest living monarch, a true leader of her people, one of the most famous known faces known and for loving corgis. Corgis are Pembroke Welsh dogs.
There is a full and complete write-up about her dogs on the well-known Wikipedia site describing the Queen’s love for that type of dogs and even noting that she has has as many as 30 corgis during her reign as queen from 1952 until her death in 2022.
This photograph was supposedly taken by the royal family with Queen Elizabeth II and two of her royal dogs. If this is not photoshopped it shows the queen’s humor.
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…
See you tomorrow,
Category: Faith, Random Posts, Travel | Comments Off on Queen Elizabeth II, Grandmother to Many
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, the longest reigning monarch died September 8, 2022. Millions from around the world loved her and had fond memories of her reign. There are many who only knew her as the head of the British Commonwealth. Many wish to share their thoughts.
You can have a message held in the Royal Archives for posterity. Visit the Royal . UK and scroll down to take time and offer a brief message to the royal family. This message will be forward to them and will be held in the Royal Archives for posterity.
When living life, its important to say “Lord willing” because we never know so, I say “Lord willing and the Flights go right”, Jacksonville Blogger will be in London to see the Queen’s events regarding her passing.
PA graphic
For so long, many even in Jacksonville such as myself have known only Queen Elizabeth as the “Her Majesty, the Queen of England”. With fondness, we have followed her life and the lives of her husband, children and children’s children.
Jacksonville Blogger will be there to celebrate her life the week of her funeral and events before and after. Stay tuned….
For over seventy years, Queen Elizabeth II has had the hearts of so many. She has endeared herself to the masses over the years of her long reign. In her own right, she surpassed Queen Victoria for the longest living monarch and all over the world has been an icon and living Christian in her walk. On September 8, 2022, she is said to have died peacefully in her home.
Q E II-Resale Photo
Over the years she has stood strong in “defending the faith”, standing for what is right and in her own personal life and having had no scandal to tarnish her personal self. While her children and grandchildren have had concerns in their lives, she has been strong and projected a life “lived well”, as her son, the new King Charles III said in his first speech as King. Let’s just hope he is a defender of the Christian faith as was his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. Honors to the Queen for her service.
