The NagWAG Diaries 13 September 2009

I am feeling seriously pampered at this moment in time. I am sitting in my hairdressers with my laptop, my foils in, chatting, drinking coffee and getting my hair coloured for tomorrow all whilst tapping out my blog. Multi-tasking!!

In the morning we leave for our honeymoon: after hours of indecision and internet browsing we have decided not to go to Ibiza with friends but to go to Dubai instead for a week on our own. Neither of us have been there before, the beaches look amazing and our hotel is located right on the edge of a particularly stunning one, leading out into the crystal clear sea. I promise to take lots and lots of photos for my next blog im so excited. And fingers crossed for a honeymoon upgrade on our flight hopefully!! 

Last year you may have seen the catalogue for the ‘Cheltenham Racecourse Shop’ at the races or in the Racing Post… in it Choc and Nina Carberry modelled various clothes and souvenirs for the track. This year I was asked to join Choc to do the shoot at the racecourse. It was so much fun and we really enjoyed ourselves. I love the photo of us both with the sunny empty course in the background. I think the booklet comes out in October at the first Cheltenham meeting. There are a few dodgy shots I promise you, including one with Choc riding a hobby horse so worth a sneaky peek!! If you want to take a look online visit 
cheltenhamcollection.co.uk

One of my friends from Yorkshire, Petra, came to visit us last weekend. I met her through both our nannying jobs years ago; she has a very sweet one-year-old son called Michael who came to stay too. We had a wonderful few days and a very overdue catch-up. So many of my girlfriends have babies now or are pregnant and starting their own families. It is so wonderful but I think we would like to wait a few years before we try for a baby, all those years of nannying and looking after babies has made me realise I am in no rush. And in the meantime I can borrow all my friends’ babies for cuddles.  

I have so much packing to do before tomorrow’s adventure so I had better go and start. I will be back in two weeks hopefully nice and brown, with a thoroughly relaxed and refreshed husband ready for him to start his busy winter season of riding.

Meally xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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The NagWAG Diaries 31 August 2009

As from the 21st September I am going back to school!! Although this time I am a mature student apparently! I am doing
a course in health and beauty which is something I have always wanted to do. Studying nails, hands and feet, make-up, waxing, skin analysis and of course business.

I am so excited and my ‘big plan’ once I have qualified (if I qualify?), is to start my own business as a mobile beautician around our area. I am quite nervous about going back to all the books, exams and homework, but I know it will be something worthwhile for me to do. I am really excited about this new adventure. 

But before all that studying we will be going on our honeymoon: the plan at the minute is to go to Ibiza with 6 or 8 friends and rent a lovely villa for a week in the sunshine although we have not booked anything yet – some girlies and I are meeting on Monday night to finalise the bookings.

Next year Choc and I want to go for a longer trip together to Thailand once I have had time to plan it properly and convince my husband(!) to go on a 15-hour flight! I have always wanted to go to that beautiful part of the world and one of my life-long dreams is to ride an elephant. It is such a beautiful place and it will be so amazing to see such a different culture. I did travel a little after school when I was younger but Choc has never travelled and I think it would be a holiday we would never forget. 

Our gift list arrived from John Lewis last week, I have never seen so many presents and boxes, It was like all our Christmases had come at once. All the things are so amazing and I would like to thank everyone for all our gorgeous pressies including the extremely lovely Eclipse Magazine team for our amazing horse sculpture made by very clever Karen Taylor.

This weekend has been fun-packed, starting off with a brilliant retirement party for Marcus Foley. He was a NH jockey who is now going to try his hand at breaking and pre-training based very near to Barbury Castle (Alan King’s). Being a very popular lad I know he will be sadly missed in the weighing room. Choc and I wish him lots of luck and success in his new adventure and we hope we still get to see him and his beautiful fiancée Katie regularly.

Today we attended the yearly event of Alan King’s Open Day; after a lovely night in a nearby hotel and with a huge fry up for breakfast I was ready to enjoy the day. It is so great to see all the horses and their owners. Every year the sun has shone for the yard but unfortunately not this year, and it did get quite chilly. Choc’s Mum and Godmother came down from Leicestershire and it was great to see them both.

After a long weekend I am very tired so going for early night now.

Enjoy your fortnight.

Meally xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The NagWAG Diaries is brought to you (almost) fortnightly by www.eclipsemagazine.co.uk

The NagWAG Diaries 18 August 2009

“WOW”. I know most people say their wedding day was fantastic but honestly, I promise you we had the most amazingly perfect day.

It seems only yesterday but we have already had our one-week anniversary as husband and wife! (That sounds so funny still!!)

Friday

The celebrations started the night before the wedding in The Plough, where both our families and friends met up; we took over the whole restaurant and had dinner. The nerves really started to get to me whilst I was there so I went home, went straight to bed and amazingly slept soundly all night. I wish I could say that for most of the Ushers, The Groom and the Bridesmaids who apparently were up ‘til the early hours!!! (Night 1.)

Saturday

The ceremony was not till 4.30pm. Choc and the boys were staying at The Plough so got ready there, and my cluster of bridesmaids, mummys and girls all got ready at home. I went off to the hairdressers first thing to get my rollers put in with my sister, and spent the rest of the day putting up signs and adding finishing touches to the marquee. 

The gorgeous sun shone all day long, it was a perfect summer’s day. We were unbelievably lucky with the weather, it rained nearly the whole week leading up to the wedding! And the week following it.

Once I was ready and had forced a sandwich down to keep me going, Daddy and I walked outside to get in the car which I thought was going to be my 4×4, But Choc had surprised us by arranging a Rolls Royce as the wedding car. I am so spoilt; it was the most beautiful car we had ever seen. The ceremony was perfect and we both said our vows correctly and clearly, I was so worried about getting them wrong. Our vicar was amazing and really did a beautiful and funny service. Laughter and tears were produced from most of our families. 

One of our poor guests passed out during the service because of the heat in the church, but Choc and I were at the front and didn’t know ‘til the end, although it was probably for the best because I think I would have stopped the whole thing to help her. She is now fully recovered though thankfully. 

Once back in the very smart car to go to the reception, (note: probably the most romantic moment in our life, we had just got married!) the door was closed, we waved to our friends outside the church and as we went to drive off, Choc leaned over as if to say something charming to is new wife and said: “This car is amazing mate, what size engine is it?” to the chauffeur!!! It was very funny and exactly why I love him like I do.

 

The party that followed our marriage was a night I will treasure forever, In a beautiful location with a gorgeous marquee decorated with fairy lights, flowers, small trees and a bar that glowed and flashed all different colours it really was so very very special and with all the people you love around you all night long it could only have been brilliant. (Night 2.)

 

Sunday

We woke up with no hangover, still on a high I think. We had lots of friends visiting our house, drinking tea and sitting in the sunny garden it was so lovely, all to say goodbye before they headed home. Then we all went to the pub to have a final lunch together in the garden. Craig (landlord of The Plough) put on a disco for us that evening so the celebrations continued again late into the night. (Night 3.)

Needless to say the following morning there was a hangover, and after three nights, quite a bad one!!

Here are a few pictures for you to look at, but we don’t get our professional pictures for another week so next time I will have more to put up hopefully.

Thank you to every single person who made our weekend so perfect. We cannot thank you all enough for all your help, for being so generous and for travelling from so far and wide and enjoying it all with us.

Choc went back to work on Thursday to Stratford evening races where his first ride as a married man was a winner! What a perfect end the best week of our lives.

Meally  xxx  (Mrs R Thornton)

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The NagWAG Diaries 6 August 2009

It’s only 3 more sleeps till our big day. For the first time today I dared look at the weather report for Saturday. The verdict is that it’s pretty miserable until Friday but looks really good for Saturday so I am delighted and very relieved and might dare to leave my wellies at home. I am so used to praying for rain during Cheltenham or important racing during the winter, hopefully it will be kind and stay away till Monday for us.

The marquee went up on Monday and the lads have been busy carpeting, lining and preparing it all. We can attack it with decorations and lighting on Friday and hopefully will be finished by Saturday. My cousins Simon and Steff Cromack who own ‘Eventuate’, an events and catering business based in Henley on Thames, have been our wedding planners for the last year and we can not thank them enough for all their amazing help and organising they have done for us, we seriously could not have even started to do it without them. Thank you both a million times over.   

The kind family, who have allowed us to use their field for our marquee, are the parents of very brave wounded solider called Guy Disney who you may have read about in the press recently. Fiona (Guy’s Mum) is hosting a Charity auction and drinks party for ‘Help the Heroes’ in our marquee on the Sunday after our wedding. This fantastic charity deserves all our support and with all the tickets sold out I imagine their evening will be a great success. 

Choc and I would like to wish Guy a speedy recovery and send him lots of love.

Both our families arrive in full tomorrow, my amazing Mummy has been here all week doing the cooking and being brilliant as always. It really is amazing when planning a wedding how many small little jobs jump out the woodwork at the last minute. Mum, Choc and I have been running around for the past 3 days like crazy getting things done. I asked my hairdresser if I could have my rollers put in on Friday night and sleep in them like a real Liverpudlian girl (as told on our hen do!), but she said no. I think she is right; I would get no sleep so I am having them put in first thing Saturday morning so my curls stay in all night long.

Our vicar Rev Godfrey Simpson did the blessing for Noel Edmunds and his new wife last week in a local village near us Lower Slaughter. Godfrey was delighted as he got a picture in ‘Hello’ and a mention in ‘OK’ magazine no less! We had our rehearsal today with our newly famous vicar and it went really well, hope it goes as smoothly on Saturday!!

I promise to write more consistently after the wedding. I will post lots of photos and tell you all about our special and (hopefully) sunny day.

3 MORE SLEEPS!!!

Meally xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The NagWAG Diaries is brought to you (almost) fortnightly by www.eclipsemagazine.co.uk

The NagWAG Diaries 28 July 2009

I am not exaggerating when I tell you it took me till Wednesday afternoon (that’s four whole days!) to recover
after the incredible/brilliant/fun/wicked/
fabulous weekend with my girls in Liverpool.

What a fantastic city and so exciting being there with every single girlfriend who has ever touched my life, thank you all so much for coming with me and making the hen do so special for me. I really loved every minute and will never
forget it.  

During our weekend of madness Sarah arranged for us all to go on a Duck Tour around the city which, in short, is an old rickety-looking bus (see pix below) that shows you the sights then suddenly turns into a boat and drops down into the
water to finish off the tour. It was very cool and got rid of a
few hangovers! 

I also got taken on a special visit to the shop ‘Cricket’, which I have always wanted to go to. I was very restrained and did not buy anything…

But now I know where it is for next time!!! Dangerous!!  

Choc’s stag do went really well too; a rumour was flying around the
Cotswolds before he left that the boys were going to shave his head and ruin our wedding photos. So much to my delight he came home with a full head
of hair and also a head rather full of aches I imagine!

This past week I have been in Portugal with my sisters for our final holiday together before we get married. When we arrived the girls hit the beach but
I had go into my dark hotel room for a few hours for my poor head to heal, I seriously have never felt so ill in my life. 

But by the end of the week I was much better and we attended our great
friends Helen and John Tankard’s wedding in a magical location deep in the hills of the Algarve. It was a glorious day and a really fun wedding with waiters that sang opera, which was really funny. Choc could not come with
us as he had to ride but I had a fantastic time with my sisters and it was just what I needed to recover.

So I am back now and the two-week countdown has begun. I’m madly organising bands, flowers and dresses and tractors!! (To mow the field!)

Choc has gone to Uttoxeter tonight and has had one winner but I had to work today so unfortunately could not go with him. 

I will write again before the wedding next weekend. I have
lots of planning to do now so I will leave you with some photos of the STAG /HEN to look at (more photos below). 

Meally xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx    

 

 

 

 

 

The ‘Tashes line up for Choc’s stag do…Top ‘Tashes below (starting with the Stag himself…):

William Kennedy	Nick Brown(Rusty)	Andrew Thornton
Sam Thomas	Wayne Hutchinson	Jody Mogford
Craig Brown (landlord of the Plough Inn @ Ford)	Charlie Huxley	Oliver Mcphail

The Duck Tour: First it was a bus…

 

…then a boat!

 

The NagWAG Diaries is brought to you (almost) fortnightly by www.eclipsemagazine.co.uk

The NagWAG Diaries, 6 July 2009

The Moustashee line-up in the Racing Post

We went to our church in the village last weekend to have our Bans read for the first time. Mum and Dad came down from Yorkshire to attend as well. The service was wonderful and our vicar Rev Godfree Simpson is such a great man and I can tell is going to give us both a wonderful marriage. I am so glad we chose this church, it is in the most stunning location with beautiful countryside all around.

Choc with his 'tashe

Choc and 49 of his friends are going to Germany this Wednesday for three days (to enjoy the culture and architecture no doubt!) for the stag do. You may have heard the rule of the mini-break: the boys have to grow a moustache or some kind of facial hair (despite complaints from many of the girlfriends!)  to raise money for ‘The Gloucestershire Air Ambulance’ and ‘The Alder Hey Hospital for Children’.  If you have read my earlier April blog I mentioned that the Jockeys visit these brave and amazing children in Liverpool suffering from cancer before riding in the Grand National every year. So if you see the lads at the races with the money buckets please donate all you can for this well deserving charity or otherwise donations can be made via:

The Professional Jockeys Association,
39b Kingfisher Court,
Hambridge Road,
Newbury,
RG14 5SJ.

Thank you.

We have been counting money all week and so far have raised over £2000 so let’s keep up the good work for the children until Sunday. On a funny note Tom Siddall’s passport ran out this week and he had to apply for a new one with his ever-so-slightly-ginger-coloured beard in the photo which has made us all giggle as he will have to look at this for the next 10 years, do you think he will ever forgive Choc?

Both of my big bridesmaid’s dresses are ready and Charlie had her first fitting on Saturday, her dress is so elegant and she looked stunning in it. Sarah’s fitting is tomorrow so I can’t wait to see her. But as Charlie was here for the weekend I asked her to put on my wedding dress which may sound a little strange but I kept worrying about it, so this way I could see it from everyone else’s point of view. I am so glad I did because the dress looked amazing and now I am not worried at all and ready to fully enjoy the day.

Puppy has her ribbons ready too for the wedding, she is not coming to the church but she will be attending the reception. Which will be heaven for her – two solid hours of begging for canapés from all our guests!

Poor Choc has just driven all the way to Market Rasen and found his horse does not run, so is now on the long two-and-a-half hour journey back. At least whilst he was there he got a chance to raise some money with the buckets for the charities.

I will write again in two weeks, the day I return from my Hen Do!!!! Wish me luck…

Meally xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The NagWAG Diaries is brought to you fortnightly by www.eclipsemagazine.co.uk

25 May 2009

Wow what amazing weather we had yesterday, we were due to go to Uttoxeter but Choc’s horse did not run in the end so we had an unexpected day together at home. I have to admit I spent most of the day sunbathing whilst Choc mowed, weeded, and strimmed the garden. It felt like the first day of summer we have experienced in our house since last year’s summer was so wet. Let’s hope the weather continues up to the 8^th August (wedding day)!

We have send all our invites out at long last, it took my Mummy and I all day long to write them, and the envelopes. I have not had writer’s cramp in my hand like that since the boring two-hour history lessons we used to have at school when we were made to write page after page after page of facts from the past…..

The children I look after are on half-term this week and between ponies, bike rides, cinema trips, cooking, ironing and dog walks it will be a busy week, but lovely to spend some time with them because usually they are at school all day.

The wedding plans are really coming into shape now. Choc surprised me this morning by telling me that he had an early wedding present for me: he is sending my sisters and I away on holiday to Portugal for a whole week, before our wedding. I can’t believe it, we are so lucky and so unbelievably excited and we can get a tan too. We are also going to our friends Helen and John’s wedding over there on the final weekend of our stay in a secret wedding location. Very exciting!

I have not been racing with my Fiancé for a few weeks, so on Saturday night I went with the girls to Stratford unbeknown to Choc and surprised him outside the Weighing Room on his way back from his first ride, which made him smile as he didn’t expect to see me. He had two rides with no wins but we all had a fantastic night we saw lots of friends we have not seen for a while and an added bonus, it was really warm and sunny.

Question of Sport was cancelled last week much to the annoyance of all of us, it will be filmed again in October now so hopefully we will get to go then, fingers crossed. Choc and some of the jockeys have gone to London today to watch ‘The World Championship Darts Final’ tonight, it’s not really my sort of thing so I am staying here but I hope they all have a fun night.

And last but by no means least I am going to London too on Thursday to the funeral of a very very special man, Mr Harvey Duncan who my family have known and loved for many years, he very sadly lost his amazingly brave fight to Cancer last week. He was the most wonderful man and we will all miss him dearly. I would just like to send all my love and thoughts to his gorgeous family and I will see you all later this week.

Meally xx

 

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Hello There!

Welcome to the NagWag Diaries, a blog all about what it’s really like to live with a Jockey. Written by Meally Greenwood, the soon-to-be wife of Jockey Choc Thornton.