My Love...

...to quote Lionel, just thinking about you, just blows my mind.

Paul Bilal Twinomucunguzi Bitakaramire yesterday did me the very great honour of becoming my husband. For the second time. Yesterday we were married in St Joseph's RC church, my parish, and the preceding Thursday and Friday our Muslim marriage was also solemnised when my darling Bilal stood in front of a packed Central Rochdale Mosque, Castlemere Street, and accepted me as his wife.

To all those who came to either or both occasion, we are very grateful and feel blessed to have had so many of those we care about beside us on this wedding weekend. To those who were unable to get there, we know you were with us in your hearts and thank you for continuing to be part of our lives.

I am hopeless at public speaking. I had a microphone yesterday at our reception in Britain's Best Park 2011, Queens Park, Heywood, but all I could muster was "thanks for coming; party on." Cringe.... However, writing I can do, hence the blog.

As with everything I do, it all seemed to be going pear-shaped until the last minute - with dress and hair catastrophes shaving a year or two off the end of my life, I should imagine - but we did it! We got married! And we couldn't have done it without the help and support of several fantabulous people. Mum, Uncle Zack, Aunt Matilda, Aunt Gladys, Jon, Corinna, Ellis, Annie, Patrick, Katt, Rory, Leo, Jessica, Jenny, Kevin, Richard,  Maria, Faith, Alan, Liz, Una, Steve, Yasmine at the park, Mo, Javed, Kate, Maryam, Kaz and Tony. Anybody I've forgotten to name: I'm very sorry but thank you as well. But the biggest thank you goes to my husband Paul. They may refer to marriage as the ball and chain, but today I am flying.

St Cuthbert's Gospel

Recently the British Library paid £9 million to the Society of Jesus for the earliest bound book in history: St Cuthbert's Gospel. The volume is a barely decorated copy of the Gospel of John, scribed on vellum and bound in leather to be placed in the coffin of the Northumbrian saint when his remains were moved in 698, some years after Cuthbert's death. The British library plan to display the book both in London and Durham alternately.

The British faction of the Society of Jesus (or Jesuits) will use the money in their educational programmes and building work.

Privacy or History???

Though many may disagree, I believe Falcoln Scott ought to have burnt the love letters found on his explorer grandfather Robert's body, rather than auctioning them. Though no doubt worth some exorbitant sum and valuable to historians, Mrs Scott meant her words for none other than her husband, and a respectful grandson would have kept it that way. With celebrities admitting all sorts in published diaries it is easy to forget that some people value privacy. Unless the author of such documents was explicit about their desire to publish, I believe their guardians have a moral duty to keep them from the public eye.

What do other people think?