The Grace and Courage Weekend- Part 4.
After Saturday I woke up at 5am on day 4 ironed my outfits and was out of the door by 7am. Got on a train with a rude guard, who gets his own post. Got to Richmond at 9:30 waited around to get to an M&S for the roses that it turns out I’m not allowed then took a break in a Paul’s patisserie. Had tea and patisserie for breakfast and met some very cute beagles. They loved me. They’re owner was cute too. I was using it as an excuse to normalise talking to cute men. Not to shoot my shot, but to see if they’d shoot theirs.
Next I went to M&S bought my forbidden flowers and took the tube to Kew Gardens where I chatted to an American and her daughter because they complimented me on my dress (the orange vintage dress) then I walked to Kew gardens, did my makeup and turned off over a dozen taps (in the UK we’re in the middle of a heatwave and drought) and then met my friends at the gate. I was super grateful I have friends who would do this. Also really worried about timings because I’d booked afternoon tea in July for 3pm and it was 11:30am before we got started. (we completed the mission though so I’m glad)
Then we got into it. The majority of the “Work” was done in the temperate house. Because the UK is in the middle of a heatwave and therefore a “temperate” (read cool) glasshouse was beyond welcome. Its also really beautiful in there.
Next we have a Greek temple nearby, then the Botanical Brasserie, the Griffin statue outside the Palm house and the Palm house and surrounding lake. Loved it to pieces. The dresses were dramatic and beautiful, people stopped me on the street to tell me I’m beautiful. One guy took pictures of me I’m that stunning. The lighting was on point and I really got into posing. My props were my sword and Mjolnir and I loved them so much. I was going to give them away afterwards, but now they are part of happy memories and I love them. The sword even has gold roses on it so I got my gold roses for my dad in there anyway.
The pictures will be going on the “Grace and Courage” Instagram. Where I will try and show the world all about grace and courage. I love it.
I’m so grateful to my friend and her husband (who I consider a friend too, Lord knows he’s had to sit through our conversations) who took time out of their day to do the shoot, especially given my friend has had not great health recently, and I really did have to take time to think and appreciate that, because was super worried about getting to the Brasserie, because I didn’t know the way if there were several entrances like a lot of the gardens and if they’d be snooty about me bringing another person. I deliberately paced myself, and slowed down because my friend was walking in the sun, unwell. Otherwise I’d have run, I get so scared of being late.
The afternoon tea was the perfect break because really my friends worked hard for me and they deserved it. My appetite has gone completely because of health issues, which meant I ate very little, same with my friend, but after all they did for me, they deserved lunch in beautiful surroundings.
I’m also grateful to myself. I took the time, the vision the love and care to the details, so I want to thank me, because I gave myself this opportunity. To quote Snoop Dogg. “Last of all, I want to thank me, I want to thank me for doing all this hard work, I want to thank me for believing in me, I want to thank me for doing this hard work.” (it actually was hard work) I want to thank me. Genuinely. I wanted to do it, I wanted 7 outfits I got 8. I have always played small. I bought 4 outfits for this shoot, a white dress, a red Africana, an orange Africana and a orange dress. But ultimately I never do things I want to do because I’m usually scared. But I did. And I’m proud of myself. Technically, I even remained within budget. I had £500 to spend for this shoot and I did it. And the details were important. Earrings, brooches, necklaces, bags, swords, bracelets, Mjolnir. All of it had to be planned in exquisite detail to get the shots I wanted. I didn’t get all the shots, but I got the theme and the vibe so it was perfect.
Lastly there was my favourite part of the day. On my 7th outfit. We were close to the end of the day. My friend the photographer, had been calling Mjolnir, Thor’s hammer, a “Mallet” the whole day. So I lifted my eyes to the heavens and exclaimed “Oh mighty Thor, please instruct your servant!” To which she said, in complete seriousness, “The mighty Thor can kiss my backside” to which I burst out in laughter. So... if my friend gets struck by lightning… that’s Thor’s answer. (Joking, God forbid of course.)
I had a wonderful time, thanks so much to everyone who made my day, my friends, but oddly enough, thank you to Annetta who made her own way and her own destiny for once. I didn’t want it any other way. I went both feet in and I’m proud of myself. There will be more.
Grace and Courage,
Annetta Mother Smith.