Yesterday it was my pleasure to be a supporting character in one of the best films I’ve seen in a long while -“Rachel’s Graduation”. Despite recent events everyone was happy and on form. Brian and Elaine came over from Oldham stayed the night to be up bright and early for the 8:30 start of the production. Got a Taxi to the Uni which was a smart move, seeing the huge cues for parking when we got there. Photos and gowning up was done in a breeze, since Rach had cunningly timed it so we arrived just after the last people from the previous 9:15 ceremony , but before the hordes from her ceremony. After gowning up we went over to the Refectory for a cuppa. Then we were joined by Rach’s best mate of her course Sara (or Evil shopping Sara as I call her) and her mum. Sara and Rach really supported each other during the course, and continue to do so now they are both working, so it was nice to see them both together during the day. We then moved onto the bigger pre-ceremony tea and cake do, and then finally at about 10 stood outside the great hall in the bright winter daylight. After a long delay and much shuffleing on seats the ceremony started. After seeing Harry Potter graduation ceremonies will never be seen in the same light, with all the colourful gowns and ceremonial staves that the academic procession brought into the room. After we all extracted our self from the hall, off for a swift pint over at the union before going home.
Rachel slept the rest of the afternoon, as would you if you had just come off five night shifts in a row, and I went over to Morrisons to do the weekly shop. In the evening Rach woke up and we watched the first couple of episodes of Desperate Housewives which was dead good. It was lovely to see my wife and snuggle up, after missing her for the last two weeks.