Do I stand out??

"Shona will give us both a hard time if our speeches aren't good!!!"

Group Shot of the boyz!

Theme was white T-shirt and jeans.........

Well what a morning - up at 3.30am ,
 and off to the airport to meet the Sydney - Abu Dhabi - Muscat plane with Ken and Pam, and Bronwyn and Glenn.....got to the airport at 4.16am - and they were waiting outside - plane landed early, and they were taken through customs on a fast track, bags arrived and all safe and sound.  Great to see them all after a 20 hour journey. They will have a wonderful rest today and I've cooked a WONDERFUL beef casserole for dinner tonight, so will see them after work.  Glenn and Bronwyn (Bronnie) are off to Dubai tomorrow night to see Brett for a few days, and Ken, Pam and I will chill out in Muscat.

Things are getting exciting now!  A week tomorrow is the big day at the Embassy and Brett and I are both getting excited.  Getting lots of e-mails from friends and family all over the place - really lovely.  

Still no photo's of the stag do - Buzz - please send them!!!!!!

Joanne did a great job of my hair the other night - so real pleased with that. Joanne and Zoe are all organised to come over to the Villa on Wednesday morning to do all our hairs, and on the Friday as well.

Brett and Stevie did a dry run of their speeches last night - and sounds like there is going to be a few laughs and funny moments - most of the humour aimed at Brett!

Julie has all the bridesmaids dresses sorted now, and Kayleigh's is nearly finished being altered - shoes bought, and boys all sorted as well.  Alick, Claire, Bruce and Romanie are all togged up too (Oh - it's Romanie's 1st birthday tomorrow!) Margerat and Alf, Pauline and Don and the kids, Baz and Sue etc are all packing bags and getting organised. Folks in Dubai are booking their flights, Azerbaijan folks flights are all sorted as well....so going to be really strange walking up the aisle at the Embassy and at the Hyatt and seeing all these wonderful faces  - it is going to be one hell of a moment for me - cos I have to concentrate on getting married!!!!!!!!!

Later,

S xx

Just realised yesterday it is next Wednesday the Legal Ceremony - wow has time flow past.  Just a few tweaks here and there for the last minute preparations.  Spent the weekend organising the Villa for the arrival of Ken, Pam, Bronnie and Glenn early Tuesday morning.  Just got an e-mail from them and everyone is getting so excited. Once they arrive we have a weekend of relaxation and then the run up to the big day.

Brett's stag brunch was a hit in Dubai - 15 of the lads turned up for it, so awaiting the photo's which will be posted as soon as I get them.  They met up with Frankie Dettori - so Brett called me and I had a chat with him as well.

Joelle is organising the lady's hen night for the 28th Jan.....it will be great having a few of the folks from the UK there too....trying to organise logistics to get some of the other arrivals on the night of the 28th to be able to pop in too.  A big thank-you to Joelle - I am looking forward to a night off, and to have some fun and a good laugh.  The theme is "biker chick" - so that will be a laugh!  It is a bit cold here these days - so will be wrapped up warm!

Work is busy for both of us...but we are both so looking forward to next week.

Baz has been a real star - he has been preparing all the wedding music - and boys has he done a fantastic job - his playlist is excellent.  Well done Baz! 

Susan is helping out with some other things too - there is a surprise in store - so she is getting the keys to the Villa and we will have to wait and see what happens on the day!  She is organising some decorations for the BBQ after the Legal Ceremony......!  Thanks Susan - your a star.

Best go - plenty to do this week to clear the decks at work,

Shona and Brett.....xxxx

Finally, and a sign of relief - we received notice today that the British Embassy in London and the Foreign Office have authorised our wedding!  PHEW!!!!

Lots of e-mails coming in from guests - their excitement in coming is getting me excited too, and Brett as well.  We have had some great chats with people over the last week about the wedding - we have chatted to people in Australia, Dubai and Oman of course, USA, Norway, Qatar, Azerabaijan, UK including Bonnie Scotland, Tunisia and plenty of other places too.  Had a touching and fun e-mail from Eastern Siberia as well and it IS cold there!!!  It is great to hear from you all - and thank-you for taking the time to contact us.  Please keep the notes coming in......

So where are we now - 18 days left of being a single woman!  Still have a lot of things to sort out at home and tweaks here and there to do - but need to wind down after the end of this week to pamper myself and relax a bit!!!

Brett is having his Batchelor's Party (Stag do) on Friday in Dubai - sounds like there is going to be mayhem and lots of fun and laughter!  Brett is really excited about having an "all boys" get together - so the conversation will most likely be - football, cars and motorbikes and stuff like that! Yawn!

Best go for now as need to pick up desses!

S xx

Interesting e-mail received today........remember the stress cartoon from my previous blog....well a very pleasant e-mail from Mike Moore, the originator of the cartoon in Canada (and somehow, his own website has registered the stats from our website) from his cartoon!

"Hi to you both. I just noticed your blog and site on my stats page. When I visited your blog I saw my cartoon on stress. Terrific!!. Glad you liked it. Congratulations on your engagement. Hope you have a wonderful life together." Mike Moore

www.motivationalplus.com 

Hows that for being a small world on the internet!  Oh - at least now if people search for Brett and Shona - it appears on Google!  Weird looking up my name and it is my website!  Guess that is better than nothing!!

Final acceptance from the British Embassy today after another hiccup with Brett's letter - they changed the laws of Oman to the laws of the UK!!  Simple mistake I guess.

Need to start preparing the vows now - Clare the British Consulate is going to do a pre-read on them to make sure they are ok, and no moments for teary eyes!  Meeting her and Paul for a wee drinkie this week which will be good.

Had a great chat with Bronnie (Brett's sister yesterday) - she has her outfit and is SOOOO excited about coming over, as is Glenn and Ken and Pam. 

Alick, Claire, Romanie and Bruce are all coming over too - so exciting to have them all here.


A few more tweaks here and there and things will be even more organised.

Ach aye the noo,

S xx

Well - it has been real busy.....Christine and Mark arrived on the 22nd Dec safe and well.  Wonderful to have them with us.  We had a few folks over for a wee drinkie at the new bar another night - (wonderful piece of furniture by Jeff and Julie from Raj Relics).....we met Clare the British Consulate who is going to marry us, she came with her husband Paul, a Muscat Harley Davidson chap. Really exciting meeting Clare before the wedding.  She told me not to cry otherwise it will set her off!  

We had our interview with the British Embassy on the 24th.....all went well there with Phyllis who helped us with all the documentation.  So the banns are now posted.....wooooo hooooo!

Xmas was wonderful - Santa came and was great to us all.  Big stockings, lovely pressies and Christine and Mark to share it with us! We joined Steve and Tonia for Xmas lunch at the Hyatt which was a great spread and warm too sitting in the sunshine!  Brett had the kilt on and looked great.  The guys with their kilts at the wedding will look wonderful.  Great having a bit of Scottish tradition.

The next week we all relaxed - well as it was overcast - we got in the car and explored Oman.  Went to Sur and seen the turtles at night on the beach.  A wonderful experience.  Drove up mountains and held our breath coming down them....then through the desert (wow!) and spent 2 nights at camps.  Was a bit cold during the night though - and the cold showers were something else too! We managed a few wrong turns on the road - but ventured upon wonderful scenery and wadis for swimming.

Back to work now and will go to Dubai next weekend before Brett is back to work.  Wonderful to get so many e-mails from folks all over the place to say hi and viewing the web site.  Has been a success for the international viewers!

Right best go - plenty to do today, and more dress fittings etc this weekend.

S & B xx

hmmm - lots of e-mails coming in from all sorts of places, Norway, Oz, UK, US, Russia, Qatar etc about the wedding COOL!  Guess this is what being an Expat is all about!

Brett is having fun at home - doing domestic stuff!!  Has met all the neighbours - so will be having an eventful house warming just after New Year!  

OH - Joelle and the girls here are organising a Hen Night.  Didn't think I was going to have one - no time, but planned for the weekend before the wedding.  Hmmm - will be interesting.  Susan is being very secretive too about it!  It will be good fun though.

Brett is having his Stag night in Dubai - Stevie is organising that, so it will be loads of fun. Stevie is staying with us for a few nights in Muscat, and the house is an uproar with Brett and Stevie together - what a laugh! Two Cowdenbeath Supporters!  Chris is probably nervous as they are both staying with him before the wedding. 

Plans are falling into place - the list gets shorter one moment, then grows again after I remember something else to do! 

Brett spoke to Bronnie his sister earlier today - Ryan (nephew) and Nicki have just go engaged - great news.  Bronnie is SOOOOOO excited about coming to Muscat - really great. 

Work is finishing for the Eid holiday here tonight, and then a lot of the Expats are away on leave, so things are quietening down now on the work front for a few days!  Will be nice to chill out when Christine and Mark arrive on Saturday.  Will be great having them here for Xmas.