Ring a ding ding

I collected my proper engagement ring the other day, and it is as lovely as I'd remembered. It is a half carat princess solitaire, set diagonally in 18k white gold and its dimensions are simply perfect. The stone is large enough that I can watch the light bounce around its pavillion facets, yet not so large that it becomes burdensome. It is a half bezel setting, so the corners are protected. The stone sits fairly high above the band, to allow for light to enter at all sides, but there are two graceful arcs linking the stone to the band, unifying and softening the otherwise very geometric design.

Something that reinforced why we went to an enagement ring specialist, instead of a regular jeweller, was the fantastic service. I gushed a bit about it in my proposal recap, but they were wonderful again on Friday... the girl who helped us initially, Hannah, was there again, and rushed to the door to greet me, paid me some lovely compliments, and was just generally warm and friendly. They also sent me on my merry way with a cute bag of gifts - chocolates, CD, candle, vouchers for photography, and more sparkling wine... I think it's the little things that make the difference.

We wanted to have the ring independently valued, as the Australian Diamond Company issues its own certificates, so we wanted a little extra peace of mind. At first the idea of having my diamond appraised seemed a bit impersonal, but we decided on this ring based on its purported characteristics, and wanted to make sure that was what we got. As much as you can research diamond qualities and ask for exactly what you want, you cannot be sure you actually received them without microscopes and expert eyes, and thus I journeyed off around the corner to the Australian Gem Testing Lab, where I had an appointment booked. Once again I had the pleasure of spending time with some genuinely warm and knowledgable people, and Toby, their resident Labrador. I'm normally more of a cat person, but this golden boy was just adorable, and so well trained! Stephan, head expert at AGTL, kept me entertained with wit and wisdom while I waited. He also gave me a lovely surprise in the end - as I am a slight pessimist, I worried inwardly that we would have purchased a stone not worth its reported value - it turns out that it is actually valued at more than the ADC ever intended to charge! So I can rest easy in the knowledge that if ever anything awful should happen to my precious gem, it will be replaced, without compromise.

This must make us seem completely financially motivated, but it couldn't be further from the truth, in this instance, at least. My mantra recently has become 'quality over quantity', and sometimes the completely indulgent 'form over function'... most of the decisions that Stu and I have made together are based on how something makes us feel, rather than how much it costs. Certainly one has to set boundaries, but you will be forever replacing things later if you settle for second best immediately. And it doesn't hurt to feel spoilt every once in a while!

A weighty issue

The main personal feature that I would like to address would be general curviness. Now, I think every single bride the world over has considered her weight to be a challenge in the lead up to her wedding, no matter how perfect her shape may be. But I’m one of those strange creatures you hear about who, no matter how strict her diet, or how much she exercises, will always be voluptuous. In some ways, that’s a blessing, as feminine curves are always beguiling, but you can sometimes have too much of a good thing. Stuart is so supportive, and only wants for my happiness. I know that he would marry me as I am at this moment, and that helps immensely, but I need to take care of myself, and boost my confidence.

Once upon a time, I worked for Weight Watchers. Without ranting about their rhetoric, I must say that it all makes perfect sense. If you are a certain size, you should eat a certain amount to either maintain or lose weight. It would be best if you avoided certain foods, but if not, you should probably eat less of other things to compensate. Drink a lot of water, exercise sufficiently, and consume the right nutrients to sustain you through your fabulous life.
They also address emotions in their meetings and documentation, as they acknowledge that often people try to soothe painful feelings with comfort foods, like a subconscious rewards system.
At the moment, I incorporate most of these theories into my life, but I could be more vigilant, and get great results.
So I’m going to maintain my intake at 22 points per day, which is small enough to elicit some results, but still allows enough to be realistic, in the event of engagement parties, and such. This amount of points also allows for me to reduce my intake as my body reduces, and requires less energy.

I’ve also taken up running in recent weeks. Just a couple of nights a week, run down to the church district, walk back up the hill, and then jog down our street, back to the love nest. Eventually, as I become fitter and stronger, I will run the entire distance, and then increase it, until I am a super human running machine! Once home, I do some push ups, sit ups, and such, to make sure that the rest of my muscles are engaged as well.
I must admit that I was quite surprised how well I’ve adapted to running, but once I’ve got my iPod going, it’s as simple as going through the motions, until my body cries for a rest. Without the music, I concentrate too much on the action, and it seems like a lot more work! Another thing that makes running hard is the wrong shoes. A few weeks ago I invested in a good pair of runners, and it has made all the difference. No more blisters or irritations, things that I once thought were a given when I wanted to exercise.
I used to go for a morning run, for a year or so, back in high school, and since then I’ve always tried to incorporate a lot of walking, combat classes, and such, so I guess my muscles haven’t completely frozen over. It feels great to get them working hard, and I’m proud of myself for making the effort.

Of course, it’s important to set attainable goals, so that you can congratulate yourself when they’ve been achieved.
I’m going to be a typical woman here, and be very vague about my weight, but I’ll elude to it enough that you will get the picture.
Last weekend I took my weight and measurements, and I was ‘z’ kilograms. By our engagement party (5th November, 2005), I would like to be ‘y’ kilograms, which is about 13.3kgs away. I feel that this is realistic, as it allows for approximately 0.8kgs to be lost each week. Some weeks I will lose more, some less, but this is within the healthy range of 0.5 and 1kgs per week.
I would love to say that ‘y’ would be my ideal weight, but there will still be work to be done after that, so I will have to set goals for ‘x’, and possibly even ‘w’. But we will worry about those bridges when we cross them!
In the meantime, please pray for me to have the strength and willpower to tackle this huge but ultimately rewarding task!

The regime

I think most girls feel that when their time comes to walk up the aisle, they need to review their current level of beauty, and perhaps improve it.
Nothing crazy, but this is the one day that putting your hand up in front of your face and protesting 'please don't take photos of me!', just won't suffice. This stage of your life will be the most documented and remembered, so you feel like you have to look the part.

I have not been spared from the feeling that this might be the time for a little 'spring clean'. Stuart is most generous with compliments, and I am aware of the features that make me who I am, which I will not change for all the diamonds in Africa. I may sound immodest here, but I am grateful for clear blue eyes with long lashes, Cupid's bow pout, gracefully arched brows, straight teeth and long, thick, chestnut tresses.

That said, however, I am realistic, and can also name a few features that could do with a polish. In time, I'll write about the things I'd like to target, how I'll do it, and of course, the results!

The Hunt Begins...

It may be still 2 years away, but we've already been looking for venues, bands, printers etc.. for our wedding. We have found a wonderful venue for the whole wedding. It is an hours drive away, but includes a beautiful chapel, a small charming garden and an elegant reception hall. We have spoken at length about our desires for the venue, and one that caters for the whole thing seems to be the best. This removes the worries of timing, travelling from one venue to the other, and people can watch the photos if they wish, or move inside for drinks.

I don't think it is polite to invite someone to your wedding, but not the reception. Some people may pessimistically think of the reception as a free feed, but why would you want someone like that at any part of the wedding? Trust me, I know how much it costs to feed 60 guests, but if I was invited to the ceremony but not the reception, I would be insulted. Food is food - I don't wait for weddings to eat, but to be left out of the reception is like being told that I'm not quite important. Just don't bother!

What is the point of my rant? I'm just adding another reason for why one venue suits us, because Janet and I want the same people to share the ceremony and reception. I may be bright eyed, but people who are important to Janet and I should be there and no one else.

- Stu