Peak summer season means weddings, swimming, cycling, music and tennis! Dear sweet Moses, I LOVE it! Lovely dinners out, rooftop shenanigans, plus some coffees and yoga’s!
First up, the divers cove in godstone. A 60 mile round trip cycle sandwiches an hour or two of swimming and sauna at a stunning wild swimming oasis. Having meant to join a cycle trip to Amsterdam, but not having been able to secure the right ferry, I ended up on a fun little solo trip up a gorgeous beach in Ruislip (London). Thereafter I made it to the kids fest that was Holly Stirk’s birthday party - obviously cycled to the wrong address first. Onwards to the divers' cove on shaky tired legs, brisk swim then straight back home. Next time it was an absolutely wondrous route organised by Blakey, serious cycling chops here. Grace joined us for a swim, sauna, coffee, cake. We hooked her up with Louise, then I sorted the route back to keep things fresh. It felt flat all the way to Crystal Palace - serious speed!
Boom Henry Unwin and Melissa Negretti wedding in Oxford, what a blessing to have Thornton and Kitty as my literal spiritual guides. Easy car journey up, sorted Ed a new shirt, had pre-booked a really central hotel right next to theirs. First night was quite boozy, Keels and Jess joined us for dinner then pub, followed by an appearance by Julien Beynon who is loved up. Big next day, little practice at the church in the morning after a glorious run (left hotel key in guitar case and had to leg it back). Met Lucy Kerr from melissa side who seemed fun, and her mother who was sweeping the church (so sweet) and invited me to breakfast with the family. Really convenient town hall nearby for water. The big moment was fun singing for everyone, we got stuck into a ferocious boogie after a series of incredibly touching and funny speeches (specially the grooms! And Charlie Dessain to be fair).
Boom Webb and Wiz wedding, the big one, had much greater responsibilities here as an usher. Regretted not taking webb’s advice to wear super traditional wear a little bit, though I feel I made up for it by taking the day off work on Friday to head up early and help set up. Had hoped to cycle but ended up getting the train with my suit, having sent guy up already with the guitar. Fun first day of moving wine boxes, cleaning up and mainly getting the big bosses head on straight. The whole usher crew joined us to clean the dragon (rake a field) for a couple of hours, which is apparently a family tradition. We then carted off to have a BBQ with the groom side of the family, great to see millie and piers with their other halves. Just me and the G-dogg left up standing, slept in his mothers caravan which was memorable (and comfortable!). Little run in the morning, breakfast call with mum and aunty mary on a surprise trip to kenya, ushers lunch (missed the photo), off to the church and sang moderately well (the night before didn’t help!). Gorgeous ceremony in their family church. Off to the family home for party times with aspinall, fahad, and some assorted crew. Cycled on to Norwich the next day (stayed at Sprowston Manor and had delicious steak to refuel the legs). Half hearted cycle back the next day, the full on steam and sauna in the morning may have massively taken the sting out of this old scorpion’s tail. Within 20 miles I was on the train back home. I left my sunglasses in the taxi in Colchester (premier inn with fahad), then left my helmet on the train going to pick up the sunglasses. Memory loss is real.
Ok quick fire: went to fierce grace yoga with dre a few times, had a lovely catch up coffee with tania who has been back to latvia and hiking solo lots, curry with red + henry worssam, puddle and morgan; ed lane birthday dinner and tennis game with louis and ed, squash with billy (got rumbled sneaking in), open mic at leakey’s (comedy not live music) plus cool rootop bar in elephant and castle with tash, and jim jams played Fork to Fork festival!! Plump smashed it, primrose won the chilli eating competition, plus blakey and I cycled there - got lost - arrived late - smashed it. Great food + invited to another festival soon thereafter + met matt page who is going to do a music video for us + miriam, maxine and kirsty are now officially our first groupies ha. Kenya elections happened peacefully, woop, and Tribly hosted a couple of twitter spaces to prep for the launch of my first Web3 music song.
