Poor Oscar didn’t get to go to Bakewell on Friday with the rest of us. He was rejected in favour of a bright red E-type Jag which Lindsey and Ian had hired for The Builder to play with for the day.

The first thing The Builder did when he got into it was to try and kill us all! The car had no wing mirrors so he didn’t see the car which was innocently going past us as he pulled away to set off. I’m not sure who was the more alarmed - the driver of the other car, Freyja who was squished in the back of the jag with no seat belt, or Ian who had hired the car and was therefore responsible for it!

I was a tad curious how Ian had managed to insure The Builder to drive the car, given that he wasn’t with Ian hen it was collected. Turned out that Ian had surreptitiously stolen The Builder’s licence, photographed it on his phone and the hiring people (oddly enough, at The Nettle) had accepted that.

We went a nice winding and twisty way to Bakewell. Slowly!

And, unexpectedly, the sun shone!

We eventually managed to get everyone to the Bakewell Register Office. On time. This despite Jeanette and Matthew having had a puncture on their way up from Portsmouth, Lindsey having dropped her mobile phone outside our place and nobody except The Builder and me actually knowing where the Register Office was!

Bernard and Sleepy Hippo were the Ring Bearers - fortunately more hobbit than Gollum in their demeanour. Rebecca assisted them in their task. Lindsey and Ian were the witnesses. Everyone else took photographs. I don’t think I’ve ever seen quite so many cameras in one place before. There were 15 people in that room, including The Builder, the registrar and me. So how there came to be two thousand cameras is a complete mystery.

You could hear the collective sharp intake of breath when the registrar announced The Builder and me as Mr and Mrs James Ruddle. I didn’t hit her. Or even remonstrate with her. Tabitha tells me that before she and Gaz got married the registrar in Cambridge asked if she were changing her surname. I was not asked. But even if I were (and I’m not) I certainly wouldn’t also have changed my first name. Calling us both James would be far too confusing!!

Then we all went off for a picnic lunch in the park. And very yummy it was too. And still the sun shone.

Paul and Carol went back to Sheffield. Jeanette, Matthew, Rebecca and Evie also went to Sheffield to check into their hotel. Everyone else came back to our place and the E-Type went back to The Nettle. Then we all gathered later at the Three Horseshoes for a magnificent wedding feast.

So we had present: The Builder and me. Lindsey and Ian. Taffa and Gaz. Austin and Freyja. Jeanette, Matthew, Rebecca and Evie. Paul and Carol. It was a lovely gathering. And a lovely day.

On Saturday the sun continued to shine. Which was greatly convenient as we had about 30 people coming for afternoon tea. The sun also shone on Sunday when around 25 cousins and their attachments came for Sunday lunch. We were EXTREMELY lucky with the weather. It’s raining again today!!!

We have eaten a mountain of sandwiches and lots of cake. We have eaten roasted meats and new potatoes. We have eaten a mountain of vegetables, mostly from the garden. We have eaten frogs in ponds and fairy bread. We managed to feed the vegetarians and the coeliacs. We succeeded in not poisoning anyone. And we have drunk a veritable lake of wine, beer, cider, cola and other liquids.

We have tents in the orchard.

Lindsey says we have to eat and drink healthily this week. I’m not sure quite how she is expecting to achieve this. For at lunchtime she and Ian, The Builder and me, Taffa and Gaz, Austin and Freyja are all heading to to County Durham until Friday. I think it is highly likely we will take wine, beer, spirits and cake with us too.