I am going to stop at the gym on the way home and do some bouldering, and then it's an evening of tv: FNL and Fringe, woot. And maybe some writing.

The steroid munchies led me straight to a big cheeseburger (which feels less big since I can't eat the bun) and a red velvet cupcake from the GF bakery across the river. And now I'm watching the CBS special on the wedding. (Tim is out helping a buddy run some wiring, or some electrical something. So I'm living on the edge while he's gone. Oh, yeah.)

Watching the Wedding coverage now: I have to say that Beatrice's dress does look like a pinky beige on my tv.

Now I'm loving Pippa (Disco Balls or Death!) and Queen Margrethe (My coats are awesome *and* I drew Gandalf's beard).

For Certain Buffistas:

It fits her like a glove. Love the neckline and the little sleeves. Sleeves, ladies! Today's wedding was all about sleeves! We didn't know this until we started writing about them, but apparently the brides of today are all crying for sleeves in the face of the constant onslaught of strapless wedding gowns thrown at them by the bridal industry. If there's one thing the Middleton gals might manage to pull off in terms of influence, it's that we'll likely be seeing way more sleeve options in next year's bridal collections.

Sleeves!

Bev, happy to oblige with the lacery. I saw those paragraphs and knew it was my sworn duty to relay them to you.

I love that there is a Royal School of Needlework.

SLEEEEEEVES. Thank goodness I haven't gotten married yet.

My 10 year employment anniversary gift arrived today. Yes, from the place that just laid me off.

Oh, good lord, Gud. Is it something nice, at least?

So I was fashion forward with my sleeved wedding dress? I'm gonna say I was. Because I never get to say that.

Was it a brick of gold, Gud?

When I saw those loopy hats, I thought, well, this is England today and The Holy Trinity of English Fashion is Phillip Treacy, Alexander McQueen and Isabella Blow. So Treacy/Blow equals crazy hats and there you go.

bon, if you read the Tom and Lorenzo analysis they think that Kate's dress was a very canny and specific choice.

Dag! The bouquet was Full of Symbolism and History.

********

The Bride’s Bouquet

The bouquet is a shield-shaped wired bouquet of myrtle, lily-of-the-valley, sweet William and hyacinth. The bouquet was designed by Shane Connolly and draws on the traditions of flowers of significance for the Royal Family, the Middleton family and on the Language of Flowers.

The flowers’ meanings in the bouquet are:

Lily-of-the-valley – Return of happiness

Sweet William – Gallantry

Hyacinth – Constancy of love

Ivy: Fidelity; marriage; wedded love; friendship; affection

Myrtle: the emblem of marriage; love.

The bouquet contains stems from a myrtle planted at Osborne House, Isle of Wight, by Queen Victoria in 1845, and a sprig from a plant grown from the myrtle used in The Queen’s wedding bouquet of 1947.

The tradition of carrying myrtle begun after Queen Victoria was given a nosegay containing myrtle by Prince Albert’s grandmother during a visit to Gotha in Germany. In the same year, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert bought Osborne House as a family retreat, and a sprig from the posy was planted against the terrace walls, where it continues to thrive today.

The myrtle was first carried by Queen Victoria eldest daughter, Princess Victoria, when she married in 1858, and was used to signify the traditional innocence of a bride.

The practical part was a MP3 player, which my daughter is getting. The less practical part is a bracelet charm with the company logo. No golden bricks, just a brick of irony.

I don't hold any ill-will to anyone there, it wasn't a personal thing. But my mental state didn't really need to get hit by a 2x4 of irony at the moment.