There’s a fantastic quote from Benjamin Franklin: “You may delay but time will not!’ and by crikey that’s true! Last time I wrote to you, we were two days away from the second of our big family weddings and now it’s just a memory, but WHAT a memory! How lucky are we to have witnessed both our sons marrying their loves in the same year 😊 More on that in just a moment.
So how are you? I do hope you’ve had every opportunity to enjoy the wonderfully warm weather we were blessed with over the last three weeks and that life is good? Thanks so much for your kind comments regarding my thinning hair and my insecurities associated with the fear of losing it. Since Elise cut it and I’ve been keeping up with the scalp treatments from Philip Kingsley, Tweak’d and Hairfix it has definitely improved. I’ve also temporarily reverted to using Velcro rollers rather than my hot brush and I think that’s helped too.
I loved hearing about your lives and a few of the building projects although Sue, the thought of eating my Christmas Dinner with my coat on has given me the horrors! 😊 Things continue to inch forwards and I’ve commandeered as many of the children as I can to help us on Saturday 4th November when we plan to completely unload our life from the container that is currently on the drive and sort through it to make space for all the tools that will have to be shifted from our bedroom before work can start there… I’m hoping the boys will do most of the heavy stuff and I’ll get the girls to help me decide on what to keep and what to get rid of – mind you, that’s not an easy task either! BUT… I know it’ll all be worth it in the end, and the huge amount of effort Colin has put into it over the last two years has saved us a fortune. I’ll keep you up to date here on the blog and social!
The build couldn’t have been further from our thoughts on Friday the 22nd of September as we headed into the City of London for Colin’s son Richard’s marriage to Jordana. We met with most of her family the night before for drinks at The Intercontinental Hotel at Greenwich. What a fabulous do that was! I’ve only ever been to one other of the Intercontinental Hotels and that was on Kowloon Harbour in Hong Kong when I was away on business for QVC. In London, the views were incredible right across the O2, the City and beyond and all bathed in soft evening sunlight and we had a great time getting to know most of the other guests. Our hotel was just four minutes from The Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich where the wedding was taking place and so we were literally able to walk there the next day with the rest of our family who arrived on Saturday morning. However, for the wedding party, the cars that had been ordered were unable to get over to the hotel as the Blackwall Tunnel was closed! Dressed in their finery, everyone including the bride, had to leg it down to the river and board the Uber Ferry that took them one stop to the College where the rest of us were. Bless her, Jordana was completely unphased – I know it was a day she’d been waiting for all her life, and I truly believe she wasn’t going to let anything spoil it.
And what a day it was. I have honestly never been to a venue quite like The Painted Room and as you’ll see from the photos it was absolutely stunning. There was a string quartet playing us all in and then serenading each of the bridesmaids and groomsmen as they entered individually and took their places on the steps. They all looked incredible, and Lily, Richard’s twin sister particularly beautiful in a soft shade of coral. Colin looked very dapper in a black Tuxedo as was Richard and all the guys, and I had managed to find an incredible ‘hatinator’, just days before, that was the perfect match for my dress and new hairstyle! Very last minute, but I visited a recommended milliner in Farnham called Beverley Edmonson, and I’d never seen so many beautiful hats, fascinators and hatinators in one place! Beverley makes them all herself and her workshop is set up there too. After trying on several options she found this one for me and I was thrilled. Because I now had a pale blue hat I was able to wear my fab Moda in Pella silver court shoes to finish the outfit, and felt sufficiently well dressed for the surroundings. However, I had asked lovely Rachael Avent, one of QVC’s makeup artists if she would do my make up on the day and so bless her she’d travelled all the way into the City luckily avoiding the Blackwall Tunnel! She is an absolute expert when it comes to working with older complexions, and I felt a million dollars once she’d worked her magic. In fact all the family looked fabulous, as they had done for Sam’s wedding and I was hugely proud to be with them all.
As Richard arrived and stood centre stage we were all asked to stand for Jordana and her father, and as she moved into view the tears poured down Richard’s face and Jordana’s too! It was wonderful to witness so much love and emotion between them and completely made the day for me. Jordana’s dress had been made to her own specifications and I think you’ll agree, it was breathtaking, and with Richard by her side they made the perfect couple. After the ceremony we stepped outside and had some fizz with rest of the guests while the caterers came in and totally transformed The Painted Room with stunningly set tables and flower arrangements. Conversation flowed along with the champagne, and the speeches had us all in stitches! Afterwards we vacated downstairs to a huge room where there was a busy bar and a six-piece live band – manna from heaven for a family do! 😊 To be honest, I think the photos will tell the rest of the story for me, but suffice to say yet again, we felt truly blessed to witness another of our children marrying their true love on a day that was filled with happiness and joy. Big thank you to Katie Rogers Photography for allowing me to share her official photographs with you too.
More celebrations but on a smaller scale when Colin and I revisited The Fox pub in Harpenden for lunch on Saturday 7thOctober. It was there we’d met 17 years ago for our first date and we actually got to sit at the same table – it was lovely. Not a lot of people know that we met through an online dating agency and Colin was one of three men I’d arranged to have lunch with – he was the keeper obviously! 😊 It hasn’t been all plain sailing and life has definitely thrown us some curve balls, but I know it’s rarely straightforward for any of us, although I believe it’s the tough bits that make you stronger.
It was party central that day as after we returned home, we had a cup of tea and then got changed into our feathers and sequins – and that was just Colin – ready to attend the party of the year! Jemma Forte – QVC’s Molton Brown guest and popular political pundit – was turning 50 and I have some cracking photos that I promise to share with you next time.
Before I sign off I do want to recommend a particularly clever trilogy of books – the Rachel Hart mysteries – written by another one of my QVC colleagues -Julia Roberts writing as JG Roberts. Little Girl Missing, What He Did and Why She Died feature the enigmatic DCI Hart who unravels three completely unrelated yet fascinating murders. Incorporating cleverly drawn characters and a great many false clues, these are real ‘on the edge of your seat’ reads. Rachel’s own story it’s also investigated as we uncover, over the three books, the abuse she and her sister suffered when they were children. I’m not going to say anything more other than I would highly recommend you read them and you’ll find them on Amazon in either Kindle or paperback. I’m just starting the fourth Richard Osman book in the Thursday Murder Club – The Last Devil to Die which I know is going to be a corker, but do let me know what you recommend and we can compare notes! Oh, and on the telly box, the return on Channel 5 of All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot, which is just fabulous! I remember working for the publisher Michael Joseph who brought the book out in the late 1970’s to huge acclaim. 😊 You may have watched the original series on the BBC, but honestly, I think this is better.
Well that’s it from me for another week, but I’ll look forward to hearing from you if you have a minute and will of course get back to you. Do follow me on Instagram and Facebook if you’d like to keep up with the day to day too!
With my love, Ali xxx
Loraine plumb says
Hi Alison what a long blog and wow wow wow the wedding looks beautiful. You have certainly been to some lovely events lately. We have been visiting people for weekends and planning future breaks away ie Italy in January I think I might have told you. Still miss seeing you on the Q and hope you had a nice day when you met with Kathy. Best wishes love Loraine. Xxx
Alison Keenan says
Hi Lorraine, you’re right! I hadn’t realised I’d written so much 🙂 I’m glad you liked the photos, and I hope that you will have enjoyed visiting your friends and family over the last few weeks, and will enjoy your time in Italy in January. Richard and Jordana went to Capri and then the Amalfi Coast for their honeymoon and had a wonderful time. I had a lovely day with Kathy thank you and am looking forward to seeing more of her once she returns from Corfu for the winter. Missing the folk at the Q too! Thanks for writing to me, love Ali xx
beverley young says
Hi Ali,
What a beautiful wedding ! You all looked amazing – and your hatinator absolutely made the outfit !
I’ve just finished the last devil to die – it’s brilliant- this is not a spoiler alert but something I did feel quite strongly after I had read it . The book reduced me to tears a couple of times as I think it gives one of the most touching portrayals of dementia from the person suffering that I’ve read . So thought provoking- but I almost felt it needed a trigger warning as for anyone living through a similar situation it could bring up many deep felt emotions – such empathy and very powerful .
I hope you enjoy it – love your blogs
Hugs Bev
Alison Keenan says
Dear Bev, thanks so much for the compliments, and I agree totally with you. How lucky was I to have found that hatinator just days before the wedding?! I am almost halfway through Richard Osmon’s book The Last Devil to Die, and completely understand why you have felt the need to mention Stephen’s dementia storyline… Having lost my mum to vascular dementia (four years ago today..) it has been quite difficult to have the illness described from the patient’s side. I think Richard writes so beautifully but it is incredibly moving and not an easy read if this is something you might have personal experience of. I don’t think knowing this will spoil the story at all, but it was kind of you to mention it. So glad you’re enjoying the blogs and I hope all is well with you and yours. Love Ali xx
Mary Morphy says
Happy sunny Sunday morning (15/10) Ali, what a wonderful blog and those wedding photos were just stunning. What a magnificent wedding venue which obviously made a perfect wedding spectacular. Everyone looked beautiful, just as they should and your outfit was just exquisite, the colour was gorgeous. Did you dance in heels all night??? Certainly memorable for the bride having to run to her venue..and she still looked drop dead gorgeous! I loved the bridesmaid dress colour, very autumnal and classic.
It’s chilly today, Hooray! This prolonged heat spell is not something I’ve enjoyed and we seem to have had a second summer since we went back to school! I wish we had the proper boundaries of the seasons like I knew as a child, a proper definition of seasonal change but that seems sadly, a thing of the past. My garden, like me, is confused! I did some cutting back a couple of weeks ago as half term is in a week and I have bulbs to plant and winter bedding plants to replace the summer ones which, to be fair, are doing their best to keep their place But everything has grown back, my dinner plate dahlias have come back for seconds and are astonishing.
It sounds like you’ve got a mammoth task of moving and sorting stuff; I hope it goes well and my determination to go through the stuff on the top shelves of my wardrobe seem very incidental BUT, since Jack has moved back home and my storage is full of Arthur’s toys, pushchair etc, I need to be creative and find space where I can. I’ve got handbags that I’ve not used in 2 years so I will sell those, my motto is of I’ve not used it in 2 years it’s out! I’d love to keep everything but I cannot, and thankfully I am very decisive with what stays and what goes!
Gemma’s party sounds like it was a blast, she’s hilarious on TV and I can imagine an absolute scream off it! I bet there were a few sore heads and good to catch up with your QVC friends.
I’ve added to my Christmas decorations this week with the Sara Davies small light up stars x 2 and a large light up wreath. I bought the greenery pics too and yesterday added them to the stars and wreath and finished off with cream velvet ribbon..oh my gosh they’re good!
Anyway, I’m off to walk the dog, have a wonderful Sunday
Love Mary
Alison Keenan says
Dear Mary, lovely to hear from you and I’m glad that you enjoyed the wedding photographs – Jordana looked stunning I agree, infact everyone looked their best I felt – a fabulous day 🙂 Hard to believe that next Saturday we will officially move out of British summertime, as in spite of the rain it’s still incredibly warm here! My garden plants have definitely been confused with berries on my holly since August and roses into their third blooming phase. I feel spoilt!
I think we will definitely have our work cut out for us with sorting everything on the 4th November, but no more than you with Jack now home with you and little Arthur’s toys needing a home. I should probably take a leaf out of your book with the two year rule, but I’m not very good at getting rid of things! That said I did take two bags of clothes to the charity shop on Thursday so that’s a start! Jemma’s party was such fun although we all felt a bit ‘dusty’ the next day 🙂 Loving the sound of your Christmas decorations although I dare not even think about that at the moment… not sure if we’ll have a place for the tree! Take care, and thanks for keeping in touch here, love Ali xx
Karen Brooker says
Hello lovely Ali what a great blog. Wow the wedding looked amazing. Loved what you were wearing, especially the colour. The brides dress really was stunning. What a great day for you all. Jemma Forte’s party sounded great too. I love her doing her Molton Brown shows, shes so funny! Still miss your lovely smiling face on QVC. Also i have to say i have started to read your book finally (its a standing joke that i am a very slow reader and always have loads of books piled up ready to read)! Oh Ali what can i say i am about half way through and have no words. You write so honestly and so heartfelt. I promise i will get to the end and let you know. Bless your heart. You are amazing. Is especially touching as i had my own scare earlier this year and was referred to my local one stop clinic. Thankfully i was given the all clear but your book really brought home to me just how fortunate i am. Sending you love xx
Alison Keenan says
Dear Karen, thank you for taking the time to write to me, and how relieved I am to know that your ‘scare’ earlier this year was nothing to be concerned about. I’m so glad that you are enjoying my book – I can’t quite believe it’s five years since it was published but I have been so humbled to hear from so many women who have found it helpful or a comfort. It pleases me that it has done the same for you. And at least you know it has a happy ending 🙂 Jemma’s party was a hoot, and she and I have been firm friends ever since she started working at the Q – we definitely have the same sense of humour! Thanks for your kind words about the wedding too, and it’s good to know you’re enjoying the blog. Do keep in touch if you have time, love Ali xx
Loraine Plumb says
Hi Alison saw you were in Burley that’s where Les works and we live 3 miles from there in Ringwood as I have probably mentioned before. Hope you enjoyed it what did you do there? Love Loraine. Xx
Alison Keenan says
Hi Loraine, I had a funny feeling someone I knew pretty well lived there, but forgive me, I couldn’t remember exactly who! Yes, we had a wonderful week in Burley and thought it was a lovely village. We also visited Lymington, Milford on Sea and Ringwood itself. We made a special trip to the Owl and Reptile centre just outside Ringwood as Edna had been there many years before with her late husband and so it was a special memory. I do hope all is well with you and Les? Love Ali xx
Karen Brooker says
Hi Ali just had to update you following my earlier comment. I have now finished your book. Your bravery and strength when you were going through it all – I truly have no words. You are an amazing woman inside and out. Loved your happy ending with your amazing wedding. I remember seeing some of your pictures online but honestly didnt fully appreciate all you had been through to get there. The most touching book i have ever read. Lots of love and a big hug from Karen xx
Alison Keenan says
Oh Karen, what wonderful words to find here on the blog, and I want you to know just how much they mean to me. It all seems like a lifetime ago now, but then every know and then when I have to wait for results or am feeling under the weather, it comes back to me… I will be forever grateful for the care I received and the love and support too. Thank you for yours. Much love, Ali xx