The Royal Wedding 29th April 2011

Anyone that didn't get excited and slightly emotional at some point yesterday due to the marriage of William and Catherine has a shrunken heart like a lump of old coal as far as I'm concerned. I don't really understand anyone that thinks the Royal Family are a waste of time particularly when you consider that almost 1 million people travelled to London yesterday to either line the route or watch the big screens, and 2 billion people around the world watched the ceremony on line or on TV. What other spectacle would draw such a crowd? I don't think there is one, and it was a great way to show the world what a great place London is. Anyway, we had a great day out and I'm so glad that we went into Town. We didn't wait at The Mall as we arrived too late for a juicy spot, so we spent 5 glorious hours in Green Park.

Obviously I have taken 5096 photos but here are just a small selection from the day.

Green Park, W1

The Fly Past

Rotten Row, Hyde Park

The Wheel erected in Hyde Park as part of the Wedding Celebrations

Kensington Palace

The Churchill, Notting Hill

The Windsor Castle, Notting Hill

Congratulations to the newly weds x

I shall not sleep a wink!

After a very stressful week at work, what I need is a Royal Wedding to take my mind off things. What's that you say? Someone's getting married tomorrow? Really? I had no idea . . . .

I AM SO EXCITED about Wills Wales + Commoner Kate's special day tomorrow I have no idea if I will sleep at all tonight! I had planned to go and sniff around The Mall tonight and hang out with other like minded Royalists but I'm so exhausted from the week that I think an early night and a sleeping tablet is a better idea. That way I shall be fresh as a daisy for tomorrow's plan:

7am - Team West  (Ellie + Nick) to recce The Mall / Buckingham Palace vicinity for a juicy spot. Ellie to wear pearls, fur coat and plastic tiara.

7:15am - Team West to report to Team East (March Hare + The Wig) regarding the situation at Buck Pal. If it's good, we shall watch the ceremony on an iPad and wait for the newlyweds to come back to the balcony at the palace for the royal smooch. If it's bad, we'll head over to Hyde Park and watch it on the big screen.

7:30am - Team East to have a Royal breakfast at home of Salmon + Scrambled Eggs with a Bucks Fizz chaser.

8:am - Team East to pack up hamper with Royal cups, plates and napkins then head off to meet Team West, whilst wearing new Royal Family Badges and picking up party supplies en route ie scotch eggs, mini sausage rolls, Cava etc etc. Team East shall also take along their new "Knit Your own Royal Wedding Book" which mysteriously turned up from Amazon this morning. This will be useful to read while killing time in the portaloo queue.

8:45am - Team East to decant Cava into plastic vestles as you can't take glass near the parks or palace.

9am - Team West + Team East to convene and have a super Royal day out. Hurrah!

God Save them all!

I love the Royal Family and I don't care who knows it, although anyone that knows me, knows this already and still wants to be my friend (I think) so maybe it's not such a bad thing. I am aware, however, that they aren't everyones cup of tea, but for this week, I don't care!  I am supremely excited about the forthcoming nuptials and have butterflies already. I said to The Wig that this week will most probably be the best week of my life due to all the royal programme's on telly. I simply can not get enough of all things/anything Royal. And anyone who doesn't agree is committing treason as far as I'm concerned.

I'm still not sure exactly where I shall be which is making me quite anxious but I'm going to have to make a decision soon. I had talked to my friend about camping out along The Mall the night before whilst dressed as a Pearly King but my concern for the lack of public toilets has since put me off this idea. I had also contemplated getting up early and getting a good spot near a big screen in one of the Royal Parks, but again, I'm concerned about toilet facilities. I shall be needing to toast the newly weds with a supermarket brand Cava from around 11am and subsequently regular  lavatory breaks will be essential. One of my happiest London memories ever was when my friends and I drank Rose in the sun whilst watching Brian May play guitar on top of Buckingham Palace for the Queens Golden Jubilee. However, I do also have memories of weeing behind a parked car in the street as the queue for the portaloo was too long.

But where ever I shall be, there is no question that I will be donning, with immense pride, my new Charles + Di necklace and one or even all of my new badges that I purchased today at Maiden on Shoreditch High Street. Not only do the sell a wide range of Royal Wedding related items, the also had a 'Wills + Catherine' exhibition in the basement! This is my kind of shop!

http://www.maidenshop.com/

Easter in London

HaPpY eAsTeR!

Regulation chocolate bunny.

The Rob Ryan plate has a new home, finally.

Pea shoots. Good to see the scarecrow did it's job.

Onion.

Berlotti Bean. Nature is amazing.

Ceanothus.

Pink Shrub, still don't know what its called.

Easter Sunday BBQ.

Wiggy burgers.

To make 10 Wiggy Burgers

Mix together by hand 2 x 550g packs of good quality beef mince, 2 x eggs, 2 x large crushed garlic, a bunch of lemon thyme, a handful of chopped sage leaves, sea salt and coarse black pepper. 

Once all the ingredients are combined, split the mixture into 10 equal pieces, roll into balls and flatten to about a 2cm thickness. 

Dust with flour, cover and leave in the fridge until ready to cook.

On a hot BBQ, they take about 8 minutes to cook.

Lemon Posset

To make 6 x Lemon Posset's

Pour 600ml of Double Cream and 150g Caster Sugar and into a saucepan. Bring to the boil slowly.

Once at boiling point, keep on the boil for 3 minutes.

Add the juice and zest from 2 lemons and whisk.

Take off the heat and pour into ramekins.

Leave to cool before putting in the fridge to set.