THE ROYAL WEEDING

I spent the extra day off weeding my veggie patch with a cold one close to hand, but apparently something nearly as important was going on at Westminster...

I'm not a massive fan of weddings, so last month's shindig didn't exactly have me dancing a merry jig. In fairness, I'm little more than ambivalent when close friends of mine tie the knot. I was recently asked by Ed (one of my oldest friends) to be his best man this summer and all I could muster was a half-hearted "go on then". He really should've known better.

And I'm not alone in my apathy... Sean compared it to the Black Death, i.e. the plague was easier to avoid than the saturation TV coverage! He decided instead to take advantage of the city's
temporarily empty streets to wander about like Jim from 28 Days Later.

Neil remained totally underwhelmed by the whole event too. His favourite bit being when his three-year-old daughter asked if Queen Marigold was there! To the uninitiated Queen Marigold is a character in the kids TV show Ben & Holly. However, he does concede that Westminster Abbey looked incredible.

Of course the flipside to the coin is that someone might have actually revelled in the festivities and had a ruddy nice time about it too! That was Hannah's intention at least...

Plans of posh sandwiches, a Victoria sponge and lashings of finest twinings were somewhat scuppered by ill preparation it has to be said. Having polished off the last two Earl Grey teabags, Han and boyfriend Jacko quickly found themselves delving into the Asda own brand tea, followed by cucumber and basil sandwiches (could they really be as awful as they sound?), and a sponge that looked the part for all of 5 minutes before deflating to reveal raw cake mix!

So after trimming off the vaguely edible parts and smearing them with jam, Han and Jacko settled into their deck chairs to watch a flypast that never came... Magic.

Pete doesn't mind the royals either, but was more impressed by the scale of the event rather than all the associated hype. He confesses to "dipping into" the BBC coverage, which I think we all know means he watched it from beginning to end with a little tear in his eye and commemorative tea towel on standby.

Roj summed up his experience thus... "The pageantry. The spectacle. The stunning architecture. That kiss. I am of course referring to Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman in Thor." Yes, he spent the occasion at the local multiplex catching Marvel's latest action flick. Not so much Horse Guards, more Norse Gods!

Veronica tried to resist, but found herself succumbing to the joy and excitement of being in London on such a historic day. Apparently, her mates back home in Australia would never have forgiven her if she'd stuck to her plan of a quiet day at home when there was such an epic celebration going on just down the road. I'm not one to perpetuate a stereotype, but I can't help wondering if it was the wedding itself or the prospect of an all-day street party that might have piqued their interest!

So venturing out at the crack of dawn, Veronica and her mate managed to lay claim to a spot right next to the Abbey and were rewarded with a great view of Kate, Harry, Charles, Camilla and the Queen. She somehow missed the groom's arrival, but nonetheless it was a moment in time she'll never forget!

I'm no master statistician, but I can see a definite trend emerging here... The gents could take it or leave it, while the ladies loved every minute. Help us redress the balance by sharing your experience - drop us a line or post a comment on our facebook page. It's always good to hear from you!