The girls were off on half term for Easter from Friday 8th April. They had a sleepy morning, so I got on with my run and shower and then tried out my outfit for the following week - my graduation day.
It seemed hard to believe it had finally come around. Tbh, I wasn't thinking much about the celebration part or enjoying it, I was getting caught up in all the organisation and frankly feeling pretty stressed out. I had been trying to arrange a gathering for friends in the evening at a local pub, but they didn't respond to my e-mails and then it all ended up being a bit late for 20 people, so I decided to risk having it at the house. This meant that I had lists and lists of things to be arranging and frankly driving myself slightly bonkers over.
The girls were up eventually, just in time for lunch. We went over to the café and then came back for a trying on session for them. Bunnykins tried lots of stuff on, but she herself settled on this red tea dress, layered with some shirts. It was from a charity shop and I thought it was a lovely choice for her. She had already decided to wear it with her DMs, which I thought was a great idea and reminded me very much of what Stella and I would have worn back in the 90s!
On Saturday morning I went into town with Hannah. She has a family wedding to go to in the summer and was looking for shoes to wear. It also gave me a chance to pick up a few things we needed for Tuesday such as black tights for Bunnykins. I also wanted some tights for myself, but was dismayed to find that the M&S in town had closed! What is a town center without an M&S? It feels like a sign of the times, how things have changed post covid. Everywhere still felt fairly busy, but M&S has been such a mainstay of my shopping experience since I was a child. Anyway, I digress.
It was lovely to be out with Hannah and take a break from worrying about Tuesday.
I didn't do much else. Woo and Mark went surfing early in the morning on Sunday - they left about 5am and got there for sunrise. They didn't take any pictures, but they had a brilliant time.
I had jobs to do in the garden. Bunnykins made a cake. She is a very competent and independent baker.
In the afternoon, the Sainsbury order arrived. It included a plain iced Madera cake, which the girls set about decorating.
On Tuesday morning we were up very early - earlier than a work day. I felt there was a lot to sort and I wanted us to be heading into town by 7:30am. I was rather dismayed at the weather. I had been awake at 5:10am (my alarm was 6am) but all I could hear was the rain on the window.
Mark and I were working on Monday. Woo had some revision to do for her mocks after Easter, but had also arranged to go out for her friend's birthday.
Tim and Deidre were over at Marian's, they were taking the opportunity to house-hunt while up for the graduation. On Monday they picked up Bunnykins, along with C&J and took all 3 out for the day which was really nice.
John arrived in the evening. He was staying at a local hotel but came over for tea and we had a good chat in the parlour into the evening.
We parked up and splashed up the hill to the Richmond Building. This is the student's union, but in contrast to the first time of being at University I had never been to this place.
We tried to pick up an extra ticket for Mark, but no good. We just had the 2 tickets so the girls were going in alone. I then went in to pick up my robes. I had a panic when I saw them as they were folded inside out so only the red was showing. My ticket said PhD robes, and I was expecting some purple. So for a moment I was convinced that I had the wrong robes, that these weren't right for an EngD. I did get in a bit of a tizz. A nice man came over and checked it on his computer, reassured me all was fine. It was only when the dresser shook them out that I saw they were right and calmed down feeling a bit silly.
We then had to queue up for getting our photo taken...this was not the background.... we went for full on cheesy library. I can't wait to see them!
We waited a little while before walking over to the Wills Memorial Building.
I had to go in before the girls, so Mark waited with them until it was time for them to go. Then he walked back to the Richmond building to meet John, Tim & Deirdre. They got a spot with a good view of the live screen.
I sat down to wait. After a while a familiar face arrived. It was David who had been in my cohort. He and I had undertaken a project together. We were the only two who were graduating in person, the rest were in absentia.
The girls were up on the balcony. The Engineering undergrads were sat in the back rows (with the white hood linings). Then David and I and another PhD recipient were next in our red and purple robes. Then it was medical undergrads (lots of them) and the medical PhDs to the front.
It didn't feel like long until it was our turn. We got to the top of the stage and then had to wait while the EngD section was introduced. It was emotional. David gave me a little cheer just before my name was called, it was really nice to have some connection there to the wider cohort and who I had studied with. As my name was called, I wanted to concentrate on that moment. I walked steadily to my spot, made sure that I stopped, and then bowed.
We started with some housekeeping, and then had a speech from the Vice Chancellor. It was really quite a moment. These were the first graduation ceremonies since covid. Many of the students in the hall had studied during covid. The engineers were in with medical students, who would have worked throughout the pandemic, experiencing such an introduction to their career. 
When I got my undergrad, it was all handshakes, but that is another covid thing.
Towards the end of the service, one degree was awarded posthumously to a medical student. The applause rang out for minutes, I couldn't help but cry. I thought of his parents and wondered about him and them.
An Honoree Doctorate was awarded to a lady who had done great work in Afghanistan. She was impressive and a warm speaker, though she did go on about how many tickets she had for her family, which made me feel a bit peeved! 😄
Tim, Deirdre, and John had waited at the Richmond Building, so we walked back over there to take a few more pictures.
Some Wes Anderson style...😄
We had a private dining room that was pretty swanky.
The lunch was delicious, and the service very attentive. They brought out a little treat for me, but I was already stuffed. It was so nice.
We wandered back to the car and met Woo's friend M. We got back to the house about 4pm I guess. I was running around putting out cushions and lights and such. Mark nipped out to get ice. Our guests started arriving from 5pm.
As I went down the stairs, they called David's name and I tried to clap while going down the stairs - wasn't so easy! 😄
An Honoree Doctorate was awarded to a lady who had done great work in Afghanistan. She was impressive and a warm speaker, though she did go on about how many tickets she had for her family, which made me feel a bit peeved! 😄
The section clapping away for all the medical students did seem to go on for a long time - there were a lot of them! But by 11:45 the dignitaries started processing out. I met the girls out in the lobby and we went outside to meet Mark.
I handed in the robes and then we walked up to Clifton. I had booked us in for lunch at the Ivy.
We had been lucky with the weather. It was overcast and we got a brief, light shower at one point. But it was very mild and still. Really lovely to be out in the garden.
Deirdre, Marian and Andy sat in the pergola with Nancy & Peter from next door.
All the kids managed to find games to occupy themselves.
Mark had got the fire pit going which was a lovely place to sit.
Mark nipped out to pick up the chips. My plan was to order chips for everyone and we had put a chilli in the slow cooker earlier and grated some cheese. That way, everyone got their own portion - no buffet style sharing and contamination risk. Problem was, I hadn't counted on the chip portions being quite so massive. We had a lot of chips left over! But people did tuck in.
We handed around some cake, including the cake decorated for me.
And then there was some smore making around the fire.
I had a wonderful day in the end despite all my worrying. It was so nice and relaxed to be out in the garden, chatting with all my closest people.
Sheena and Eamon had arrived with baby M. It was lovely to see them.
It had been difficult not to have my Mum there. She wont even know that it had happened, and that both her children are now doctors. But I was so grateful for all the people who did want to share the event with me and support me. Even Stella was considering coming down for it, which meant a lot as I know that would have meant taking leave and re-arranging work. I understand any one missing it, but it meant a lot to me that there were people who would make that effort for me, helped make up for the Mum shaped hole in the attendees.
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