Friday morning found us up early and at the Sun Close Fruit Farm at Milton at 9
o'clock prompt. Stuffed into our tiny Micra were Rose, Sahananda, Miriam
& Tim as well as trays of strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries and
redcurrants.
Flowers, flowers, flowers...
The Flowers had arrived Wednesday morning and Rose set up a temporary outdoor
workshop round the side of the Abbey House with Miriam and Ruth to trim them,
build stands, soak oasis & generally do flowery things. Then on
Friday, she got untrammelled access to the rooms themselves...
Look what she did with some of them...
Sahananda and Fred make veggie sausage rolls.
Abhayakirti - Food Maestro
Sahananda writes: Abhayakirti has been our friend since the early eighties
when we all went to the Manchester Buddhist Centre. When I told him
we were getting married he was very pleased and supportive. I told him
that I thought it would be a small affair with just a few family members present
- I didn't really think anyone else would be that interested! He said to
me without a moments hesitation "You can't do that Sahananda, you must have
a big party and let all your friends celebrate." He took a
millisecond to think then added "And I will cater it for you."
Apart
from being the best friend anyone could hope for, he is also an exceptionally
busy man with a lot of responsibility and a job that keeps him haring all over
the country. Six months passed and in May Rose and I finally got to meet
with him to discuss details. There was a flurry of email exchanges, and he
got a team together, organised the use of the windhorse:evolution kitchen.
They worked long into the night on Friday & Abhayakirti wasn't even able to
make it to the ceremony on the Saturday morning. When we came to see the
buffet spread out in the Hall, I nearly cried, it all looked so beautiful
