and ‘s wedding on Friday was great fun. The first registry office wedding we’ve been to in Ireland, though we’ve done them in England and Germany, and this was by far the nicest of the three. No actual readings – the ceremony was very short – but very heartening affirmations of the couple’s love and devotion for each other. As with all these occasions, it reminded us very strongly and happily of our own wedding in 1993. We had time after the registry office bit to go to Hodges Figgis and spend €€€ on books, and then headed in to the Ashling Hotel for the reception. We were at the same table as and , and there may well have been other lj’ers around who I didn’t identify. Also very glad to see Gerry Doyle again, and good chats with Eimear Ni Mhealoid. The speeches were also great – funny and the right sort of length. I shall be on the lookout for a good context to use ‘s closing toast, “Live Long and Prosper!”

Unfortunately I’d been kicked out of bed by our small people, delightful though they are, before six a.m., and then spent the next few hours of the morning worrying intensely about the brewing trouble in South Ossetia and other matters, so simply wasn’t in shape to stick around for the dancing and later celebrations, which was a real shame as it looked like it was going to be excellent. and both looked radiantly happy, though has, startlingly, grown his hair to almost a whole centimetre in length and is a bit thinner after her recent health travails though she otherwise looks in pretty good form. (Bumped into on the way out, though I don’t think he recognised me.) We went back to my mother’s house and were asleep not long after nine.