Hello again,

I just read Sylvia’s message and had to go and find my photos of the night when Charlotte won the prize for the best worst-dressed bridesmaid at Amanda’s hen do. As soon as I saw them I started laughing and thought it only right that I share those happy memories.

I’m sure most of us wanted to throttle Amanda Ogden (as she then was) when she announced her hen night in summer 2007 was going to consist of dinner and a ‘male dance show’ (Seb and Liv, we’ll talk about it when you’re older), and the best bit – we had to be dressed as bad bridesmaids. It was quite a walk from the restaurant to the club and it was the height of summer, so we were faced with the prospect of walking around the centre of Birmingham dressed like drag queens, without even darkness to hide under. Luckily there was quite a group of us so there was safety in numbers.

Most of us had dug out something old or begged, borrowed or stolen a dress and thrown it together with some mismatched accessories. Not Charlotte though- thorough as ever, she had gone out and rented the foulest looking bridesmaid dress she could find. I went and picked her and Sylvia up and I knew there was no chance I was going to be winning the best costume prize that night (see the 1st photo, the ‘before’ shot, and yes, I know we look awful but we were supposed to).

We managed to get dropped off as close to the restaurant as possible and hurried in where we met the group. It wasn’t long before Amanda had awarded her prize for the best costume and Charlotte had been crowned the best bad bridesmaid (see 2nd photo of how pleased she looks with herself).

Halfway through the meal Charlotte had a bad headache coming on and started asking around to see if anyone had any painkillers. Of course nobody did so she said she was going to have to pop and buy some to try and see off the headache before it set in and ruined her evening. The Tesco Express in the middle of New Street in Birmingham was the only place we could think of that would be open at that time on a Saturday night. Again Charlotte asked around, this time for a partner in crime to go with her to the shop – she obviously hadn’t had enough wine at that point to not care how she looked. It seemed nobody else had either as nobody was taking her up on her offer. Eventually, as I could see she was getting desperate I agreed to go with her (she was going to owe me for this one), and as we didn’t have a sign to hold up saying ‘we are on a hen night, this is a costume, we don’t usually look like this’ we decided the next best approach was to strut through the middle of town and act nonchalant, if people stared at our interesting fashion statement, so what? I think in the end we probably scurried and giggled rather than strutted, but mission accomplished, we got the painkillers in record time and returned to the party.

After the meal we walked down to the club. By this point in the evening we didn’t care and anyway, as we were in a big group with Amanda all done up in her bride-to-be gear, I think the passers-by got the joke. We even stopped and posed for photos on the way, following the Mailbox Floral Trail (see 3rd photo).

We finally made it to the club, which was an experience to say the least. Charlotte had never been to such a performance before and neither had I and none of us knew where to look. We laughed so much, the poor dancers must have found it a bit disconcerting. However, they did manage to get our attention eventually (see 4th photo).

All in all a completely hilarious night. Well done Charlotte, you were a worthy winner of the prize that evening.

Love you xxx

In Michigan, they Celebrate Charlotte.
Not ours, on Saunton Sands.
Not ours, the friend,
the mother, the partner,
the sister and all.

I read the posts, I smile.
Sometimes I even laugh,
as it’s good to see
the way they write
of memories.

And the overwhelming feeling is,
that behind it all,
a heartfelt celebration
is being had
and being planned.

And the promises are made here,
to keep those memories alive.
To see with your eyes,
to hear with your ears,
to fly on your wings.

To Charlotte, Chris, Seb and Olivia,

I am so grateful to have a friend in Charlotte. Before she was my friend she was my boss. Thinking she was way too cool to be my friend , I was more concerned with thinking she might sack me for being a drunken student bum!  She called me into the office one day  and asked me if I liked working at the gallery. I thought “that’s it, I am finished” but not so, from there we actually ended up working together for a number of years. Charlotte always pushed me to progress and guided me forward. We became good friends that day and it remains a pivotal day in my life. I am thankful I have Charlotte in my life – everyone needs a Charlotte!

The best way i remember our fun times is by random memories: scooby do costumes, negotiating our way around a mountain goat in Wales, pissing off the neighbours in reddings road with our good friends Kirsty and Oli, being flashed in Paris, seeing scary performance artists do wierd things to themselves at the custard factory, eating cake whilst working late at the gallery, chatting and drinking tea whilst you stretched your canvases and a murder mystery night where we all got too drunk to be bothered who done it! The day Charlotte and Chris got engaged, the day they were married, Charlotte always lamenting the fact that she struggles to get Chris’s jeans off to wash them, the way she is so madly in love with her Chris and always has been (an example to all), me always nagging her to switch sport mode on the BMW (sorry Chris), our trip to Bristol Zoo with little Seb, Rhythm is a Dancer by Snap, Eminem – I still don’t get that Charlotte!! Wriggling out of your dares on your hen do and getting your gullible mates Lucie and Sylvia to literally bare all (still never been back to that place)! So many hilarious moments, I am sure more will come to mind….

But seriously, we have shared some of the  brightest and darkest moments together and i am so glad we are friends to each other. Charlotte, you always cut through the crap and give the bare and honest truth. Thats a rare and brave thing and  i love you for that.

All my love, always…Sylvia xxxxxxxxx

Charlotte is classiest girl I know but she has also been known to win awards for the worst dressed, trouncing everyone on Amanda’s hen night.

Barcelona – fab girlie weekend – friends art and culture – wonderful times.

Its taken a little while to find but this snowman picture immediately comes to mind when I think of all our fun times in Moseley.

The big snow that brought Birmingham to gridlock was stressful but all was forgotten once we got out into the snow and had a Reddings Road Snowball fight just for the fun of it! We are never too old to go out and play like fools and I particularly love the snow so the opportunity to build a proper snowman in England must be seized upon! One of my favourite times in the snow where we all got soaked and frozen. xx

I cant remember which pub this picture was taken in, was it in the country after a canal walk with baby Seb?… but its a fab picture anyway!!

Love to everyone, Phil x

The Beautiful Bride

Jennifer and Charlotte

Charlotte & Sylvia Jaimeson

Girlie Trip to Paris

Evening out at the Moulin Rouge

My beautiful Sister-in-Law,

I remember the first time I saw you, a cheeky little face looking out of the upstairs bedroom window and waving to me, I was dating your big brother at the time, each time I came to pick him up for a night out you would be at the window peeping out of the curtains, supposed to be in bed but would be waiting at the window for me to come and get Chris.
I would wave to you from the car and that would make you smile, you had braces then but still had a beautiful smile. Then the first time I met you, you had come round to Chris’s house and I had moved in with him, you were throwing stones up at the window to wake us, the look on your face of total surprise when I looked out and not Chris and then a big grin from you.
I remember you in your school uniform that day with that long skirt that seemed to be waiting to grow into! That was the first time you met Emma, I remember your surprise when you saw her and the look of love in your eyes when you said to me she is adorable. I also remember when I took you to the dentist, you had to have two teeth out and were so brave, I passed out and had to lay in the chair until I was ok – and there was you just fine, sat worried whether I was going to be ok despite having had your braces removed and two teeth out! There were many times we were together in your early teenage years and you were so strong. 
Charlotte, carry on being as strong now as you were then, you have so much too look forward to and so much that you will celebrate as each year passes. Chris and myself will always be there for you and all your gorgeous little family, I want you to know just how much we love and care for you. We might not be together much but in our hearts you are never away from us.
Love you Charlotte.

Your Sister-In-Law Sharon

CHARLOTTE

Throughout the years the miles have sometimes kept us apart, but I hope you know you have always been deep in my heart!

What a woman you have become, such a talent, such a Mum.

Wonderful memories of our girlie trips away, with so much laughter to fill our day.

Charlotte you are an inspiration to us all, and to have you as a Sister has been the best of all.

I love you with all my heart and promise you Seb and Liv will always have Auntie Sue to open their heart.

All my love to you from your big Sis xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

My Dearest Charlotte

Must admit I have been sneaky, reading through the lovely letters on this website. Lucie you are gem of a friend to do this for Charly. This note isn’t the most impressive or elegantly written, but it is from the heart and filled with love.
I have noticed that you Charly have so many wonderful people in your life. People of family, people of time, and people of your present life. It doesn’t matter how or why these people have come into your life. Each story told here is one of love, laughter and memories. You are very blessed to have such amazing people in your circle. I am slightly envious.
I suppose this is where I should begin talking about our story. I am blessed to know and love you. We may not have the history of those I have read about. But we have Wendy! We met late in life, well that may not be true. I think it’s possible we met when I was 14, just been dropped off at Gran’s house, a girl from Los Angeles, California. Had no idea what I was in for! Anyway if we had met it was very brief and not one of the most memorable moments in Torrington I had.. Ummm ask Martin and Darren, lol.

Ok back to us.
Wendy, your Aunt, my Mum. No one could ever possibly understand her dynamics without knowing her, As you said to Chris in March. “You had to know Wendy to understand Wendy” (Pia if you are reading this than you get it).
I’m not really sure what the year was we met. All I remember is when we had eye contact…. That was it. We knew from the moment we looked at each other we were done. Connected soulfully and emotionally. I knew that we were connected. I found in you a long lost sister, my sister from a past life. It’s unfortunate that we became so close during her illness. I will forever be grateful that we did become close.
Visiting you in March was so wonderful! Being part of your family was priceless. Thank you for allowing me to be selfish and spend that time with you and the family. The love you show to Chris, Seb and Liv is beautiful. Even though we didn’t stay in touch over the years, as life passes us buy so quickly. You were right it did feel like yesterday when we hugged hello. That’s what makes us special, time never created a gap for us. I am both honored and blessed to have the conversations we had while Chris was putting the kids to bed. I am both honored and blessed to have you in my life and to be able to call you family. The loving person you are shows not only through your soul but also in your artwork.
You are in my heart, light and thoughts everyday. I am sorry that it has taken your illness for me to say it. I know that you embraced every moment of your life. The tears and the joy that came with it. You have touched so many people with your spirit, smile, laughter and love. Something that will live on forever in all of us.
I will forever be grateful for you falling into my life and I will always think of and smile when I look at our dragon fly on my arm and those that fly across my path of life.
Xx
Sam

P.S  Chris, Seb & Liv – See you at Disneyland in America! xx