Reports of Zombie's demise...

[IamtheZombie]

have been greatly exaggerated. She may be a wee bit battered and bruised, but she bends and doesn't break.

Most of you probably know her back story but, for those who don't, here's a very brief recap:

The last 2 1/2 years have been absolutely horrendous: family crises, a breast cancer diagnosis and 20 months of treatment for that, bereavements and sorting out her late MIL's estate. As you can imagine, she found it a struggle at times.

Just under a year ago, DZOH began an "inappropriate" on-line relationship with a woman he "met" playing scrabble on Facebook. At the time he was spending most of his time at his mum's house in Nottingham sorting things out and putting it on the market. The on-line relationship fairly quickly progressed to a full blown physical affair. The woman lives in Wales and he would pay her train fare to come to Nottingham to see him. Zombie was fully aware of everything that was going on and tried to do everything she could to save her marriage. He left Zombie in mid-February, first staying in Nottingham before moving in with her in mid-March. He continued to come back to DDS to take Zombie to her hospital treatments. In mid-May he started making reference to coming back to her. He finally did so in mid-August. Two weeks after he came back they went to Kos for a fortnight. Halfway through the holiday he told her that he was leaving as soon as they returned to the UK. Which he duly did on Friday, 13th September.

Zombie went through all the trauma, drama and devastation between October and August. That is behind her. She's relieved that that it is finally over. A few nights ago she realised that she was sitting here completely relaxed and smiling for no reason. It's as though an enormous weight has been lifted from her.

She's currently packing up his belongings, deciding what she needs to replace, etc. He will come with a man and a van in a few weeks time to remove everything. There are obviously other pracicalities to be sorted out but they are doing so in as amicable a manner as possible.

Can Zombie please ask those of you who are Facebook friends with her NOT to say anything publicly on there about any of this.

Onwards and upwards.

Nice mother-of-the-bride kit though ...

Hmm, how to convince the bride to cut her budget

Mixin'it up sista!

La Dolce Vita

Mea Maxima Culpa!

a toi aussi!

Last sip, bonne nuit

OK if you want me to go all style and beauty on you-I got it from TK maxxxxx at stupid price

Was well chuffed when I saw an actress in Italian film

Buonanotte e sogni d'oro!

I have to share this with Zombie!

I have just heard from DD1 that the date of the wedding will have to change!

This year she was appointed to run the UK branch of an equine association. The world association had told her that the European Championships would be in August. They just announced the date and it's the w/e of the wedding.

She's not heartbroken but angry, and it is very awkward for them. It will get sorted and be fine.

Zombie may remember that a few people had already steamed ahead and booked flights and hotels before the invitations were even printed.
She and I took a rather dim view of that. I'm not sniggering, no no no

Bewitched, Zombie is sorry the wedding needs to be rearranged. However...

She's howling with laughter about the presumptuous people.

She's sure they'll still enjoy their break in Portugal.

It gets worse

They've booked, and paid for, a holiday the following week in another part of the country. With a bunch of friends.

And they're giving DD a hard time about "what a nightmare it's going to be for everyone" !

I've sworn her to secrecy about the new date until we've booked what we want for our nearest and dearest

If they are carrying on like that, please tell Zombie that they will NOT be receiving invitations to the re-scheduled nuptials.

Privately, I would agree with Zombie. I will be leaving that decision to DD.
One of them has been her friend since they were 5 years old, that's why she's a bridesmaid.

She also doesn't want to taint her wedding with bad feeling

OK. The bridesmaid will obviously be attending the wedding. So, are the presumptuous people related to the bridesmaid?

IZHO, it's the behaviour of the pps that is already tainting the wedding.

When she and ZOH were planning their wedding, they quickly realised that the guest list had the potential to mushroom out of control. They took the decision that it would be limited to immediate family only. No extended family, no friends. On his side that meant his mum, his 2 daughters and their partners and his brother + wife and step-daughter. On my side it meant my uncle from Virginia, my SIL (sister of my late husband) and her husband, my niece, my godson, his partner and his mum. Although disappointed to miss the wedding & reception, their extended family and friends understood.

I know nothing about wedding drama apart from trashy tv

But I am with you in spirit BBB

Potentially there are six soleil fillettes but hoping they all live 'in sin'

You must be proud of DD being so emminent in equine world though

The presumptuous person is the bridesmaid!

I/we wanted something small and reminiscent of a Renoir painting for our wedding. Long table, under a tree, immediate family, 34 people, sophisticated, no children

We ended up with 120 in a marquee to please my dad.
Sod it, we got married, that's what mattered, I'm an only daughter. And I was old

This bride has huge family on both sides and wants children and babies to be there and it'll be lovely.

your last sentence reminded me of a lovely Italian film

So, the bridesmaid made bookings for her family?

Evening, soleil. Hope all is well with you. xx

Hey Zombie

We keep missing each other!

Bonsoir soleil

I am, as you say, bowled over by her. She has a passion and she's pursued it, since she was 3! Although she wouldn't like to hear me say it, she has borne out my theory that they will be what they will be.

I lived "in sin". Several times. Which is why it was important to marry this one. To indicate, to everyone but mostly to him, that this was different.

Mais ambassadeur, tu ma fait trés serieux, ou est le chocolat?

ici

Et Vive le difference

The bridesmaid rang the bride to ask if her mother was invited, was told mother was on probable list. And off they all went

Allons-y

Not helpful

DD deserves a lovely wedding and not derailed

I never married because I knew I could never reconcile the various cultural sensitivities

Your DD sounds lovely to want to be so inclusive

When Zombie and her late DH got married, it was a 'secret' registry office job on 29th February 1984. There were only 5 guests.

Their honeymoon was a week on a canal barge on the Shropshire Union Canal in April. MIL & SIL + 2.10yo niece were joining us for a day. Zombie insisted that by the time DH and they got back to the barge from the bridge where he met them he would have told them we were married. He did.

SIL was then put in charge of organising a church blessing and reception. For 200 people...

So, on 3rd August 1984, soon to be blessed DH and his best man arrived at the pre-wedding dinner by helicoptor. On 4th August I travelled to the church in a pony and trap and was given away by my former boss. The reception was held in Shrewsbury Castle. Ours was the last function held there before it became the KSLI museum.

Then there was the guest who didn't follow the advice to walk with us back to the helicoptor and took out the front brick walls of 3 houses while trying to drive to the chopper...

Thinking about it, Zombie's life has been anything but dull.

Gosh.

Massive x-post...

I so miss all the drama now my life is so unremittingly dull

I seemed to have done everything before I was 19

Zombie I have seen some amazing exhibitions at Witley Park

Zombie doesn't know Witley Park, soleil.

Zombie was a late bloomer...