| lesley153
|
| Thanks. Mark. I think it's going to be wonderful. |
Reply #3941. Oct 17 11, 5:22 PM
|
wyambezi 
|
Congratulations to Johnathan, a happy day! And to you too, Lesley, for supporting him along the way. :)
Reply #3942. Oct 17 11, 7:26 PM
|
wyambezi
|
Jonathan, sorry. I knew it looked wrong when I typed it.
Reply #3943. Oct 17 11, 7:27 PM
|
satguru
|
The Albert Hall noch, very impressive! That's the only major venue I haven't been to in London I can think of (not including things like the Dome of course) but never heard of a morning graduation before- either there are thousands of people going through (an all day job?) or maybe they need it for something in the evening?
I had a major venue for mine as well, the Barbican, I'd been there twice but never to the hall, just to the building, and was an evening event so no need to worry about keeping awake. Because it was a polytechnic there were so many certificates although the do wasn't for months after graduation the certificates still weren't printed and we all got a blank roll of paper we returned after we'd used it for the photos. I hope we get a picture somewhere as well. It'll certainly be a day to remember, it brings back happy memories for me as well.
Reply #3944. Oct 17 11, 7:32 PM
|
MarchHare007
|
Oooo How lovely Lesley. Always so nice when the sprogs reach a mile stone. What a great venue!
Congratulations and best wishes to Jonathan.
Congratulations Mum for a Great Job. :D
Reply #3945. Oct 17 11, 8:00 PM
|
Jazmee27
|
Congrats to you both :)
Reply #3946. Oct 17 11, 8:28 PM
|
| lesley153
|
Thanks you lot!
They always use the Albert Hall - perhaps because it's across the road from the college. Everyone else seems to do theirs in the summer, so there are loads of nice pics on lawns with Pimms and sunshine. Perhaps they have to wait till the Proms are finished!
I think the biggest milestone till now was He's 18 and we're Still Alive and Still Speaking to Each Other - that was pretty good. This is a great one because it's a springboard: a beginning rather than an end. *sigh* |
Reply #3947. Oct 18 11, 3:44 AM
|
Professer
|
Haver a good day at the Graduation Lesley, You can be so proud of Jonathan.
What a magnifcent building for his graduation ceremony.
Reply #3948. Oct 18 11, 5:24 AM
|
flopsymopsy
|
Have a great day! And take a tissue - my father cried at my graduation so I expect you will at Jonathan's. You're allowed a maternal moment after all. :)
Graduation ceremonies are often held in the morning, Satguru - and sometimes there are two or three on one day. One university I worked in did that - back to back robing, disrobing, robing...
Reply #3949. Oct 18 11, 5:30 AM
|
| lesley153
|
| Thank you. Tissues are packed. :) |
Reply #3950. Oct 18 11, 8:28 AM
|
| trojan11
|
Enjoy the day, Lesley. You both deserve it.
Reply #3951. Oct 18 11, 9:06 AM
|
bloodandsand
|
Have a wonderful time, Lesley, hope I can feel as proud of my own in years to come :)
Reply #3952. Oct 18 11, 12:03 PM
|
honeybee4
|
Proud of you both. Enjoy.
Reply #3953. Oct 18 11, 12:08 PM
|
| lesley153
|
Thanks you lot, I did enjoy it, and I didn't need the tissues - sorry. Bev, you will.
I got to Jonathan's flat, ate, and went to bed before eleven, which is many hours earlier than my normal bedtime, and I was surprised by how tired I was, and how easy it was to sleep.
He could order his gown online in advance, or collect it on the day, from 8.30 am. So the first thing we did was get to college painfully early (I don't want to talk about it, it's too terribly awful) to collect his gown, and then we got a very good cooked breakfast in college.
There were formal photographs starting at 10.30. At ten, we joined a queue of hundreds, and had two photographs taken: one of Jonathan clutching a dummy diploma as though his life depended on it, and one of him flanked by Girlfriend and Mummy. (At £15 a print, we thought two was enough!)
We sat in the Albert Hall for a couple of hours for the privilege of watching our little darlings walk across the stage to shake hands with two or three people - two standing up, three counting the Rector who was sitting down and mostly got ignored. We were in a box in the Grand Tier, which was rather nice. Better than being in the ashtrays.
The Rector welcomed us and talked about their work and our support, and then asked the "graduands" to show their appreciation for our support. There was a nice burst of applause from a sea of black gowns.
Afterwards we went to a departmental reception, with champagne (I had a whole glass - oooh!) and canapés. I got to meet a few people he'd worked with, and some of his tutors. When one of the tutors congratulated him and then me, because I might have had something to do with his success, we suggested that I hadn't taught him anything: that I hadn't known anything till he came along, and now he's taught me all I know. He hasn't taught me all he knows - just all I know. He's growing up, but we still have the potential to be a pretty good, silly, double act. Or perhaps that glass of champagne wasn't such a good idea after all!
After that, we went out and took more pictures here and there, including on the steps in front of the Albert Memorial, he took the gown back, we had some more food and then we went home.
Back in nice warm house and seriously contemplating an early night! |
Reply #3954. Oct 19 11, 2:31 PM
|
| lesley153
|
| Bev, I meant you will be proud: not you will need tissues. You might, but that wasn't what I meant. Think I need to go to bed. |
Reply #3955. Oct 19 11, 2:44 PM
|
Professer
|
So glad it went well Lesley. Is nice to hear it went well
Reply #3956. Oct 19 11, 3:03 PM
|
bloodandsand
|
It's ok, Lesley, I knew what you meant :) I am delighted you have had what sounds like a wonderful day.
Reply #3957. Oct 19 11, 3:32 PM
|
| trojan11
|
Only the one glass? Phtt! There goes another image right out of the window. Thought the very least you'd have settled for would have been a magnum. :)
Reply #3958. Oct 19 11, 7:16 PM
|
| lesley153
|
Thank you and thank you and it did.
"Only" one glass is one more than I usually manage. Normally, it's one sniff of the barmaid's apron and I'm away. I did have another drink after that but it was orange juice. I disappoint myself sometimes.
I slept from two till ten, which is better than my normal four till eleven.
There will be photos online within the next day or three, and then we can think about what it's worth to have them printed without the word "PROOF" all over them.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Back to real world today.
I have loads of things that can go to charity shops, and need to decide which ones. I looked in on the Cancer Research shop last week, and walked out again because they were playing, very loudly, bad covers of 60s pop. I told the manager I wasn't staying, because music distracts me, even if it's music I like. I want to think about what I'm doing.
They have to play it, she told me, because head office says they must, and it needs to be loud to compete with the traffic noise, which is louder in some parts of the shop than others, and they can't afford speakers.
I don't want music when I'm shopping, I said. If I want to listen to some music, I put music on or go to a concert. I don't think "I fancy a bit of music - I think I'll go shopping."
They've had some very favourable feedback from customers, she said.
Well that's good, because it means they won't mind losing one.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
May I be forgiven for suggesting that the Dustbinmen of Bedford are as thick as two short planks, and even lazier. I rang the council last week because the dustbinmen had left my bin lid open for four consecutive weeks. They always start doing it in the rainy season.
When I got back yesterday, the lid was closed. They've solved the problem by not emptying the bin. Resourceful or what? |
Reply #3959. Oct 20 11, 9:19 AM
|
Professer
|
You should ring the local councillor and tell him or her! explain whats happened and say this week the bin men have retaliated by not emptying bin.
Will sort the problem Lesley and ifthey dare to do something they should not ring the counillor again and say you have decided to ring the local press.
Reply #3960. Oct 20 11, 11:00 AM
|
Legal / Conditions of Use
|
Play Now! 
: