Writing this post on 11th November, a few days after we got engaged in Baden-Baden in Germany on holiday.

We’re keeping it secret for now - because there’s not much time to be thinking about actually getting married due to lots of career-related nonsense going on plus we’re both a bit squeamish about announcing it very publically with all the pressure which comes with it.

We’ve discussed a “community wedding” where we announce our engagement and then suggest that our friends help us organise a wedding in just 2 weeks time and at short notice. thinking being that it would be well remembered as well as being with people who really care. Another alternative is a very small affair with just a few witnesses.

We’re both a bit jaded from the millions of weddings we’ve been to over the last 10 years - and don’t want ours to be the last in a long line of similar also-rans… Plus we’re honestly more interested in the 50 years which follow the wedding day than the day itself.

Anyway, as to the engagement: we had a lovely walk (in the rain) kicking autumn leaves in the hills surrounding Baden Baden. Then returning to the view, as we made our way downwards, I popped the question. “Will you marry me?”.

“Are you asking?” was the immediate response. Followed by “Can I have a fisherman’s friend? I’m a bit anxious…”. “Do you really want to? And why do you want to change our happy drifting situation?” featured in the conversation before I finally got a “Oh, that’s a yes, by the way”. Nothing else would have surprised me from the Powellster.

The ring fitted and was liked. So mission accomplished. Now we have to decide how to do the deed.

With the best summer weather any of us can remember this year, instead of relaxing and enjoying it, we’re in full construction mode in the garden.

Earlier in the year the new shed was a major project. Last weekend we re-fenced the chicken pen - in a new configuration which makes our garden look less like a rambling farm.

And this weekend we started on the next big thing: a new deck at the bottom of the garden.

The result should be a 2.5m x 2.5m area which catches the last rays of the sun in the garden and gives a good view back to proudly gaze at the house with a glass of wine.

That’s the theory anyway.

At the moment, it’s all dig, dig, dig, concreting posts into the ground and screwing big bits of heavy wood together with massive bolts. Hard work.

Hope it’s worth it. Photos to follow

Posted via email

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email