I. A new mum again … at 48!

Following the fortunes of our heroic mother of five

Saturday 4 December 2010

I am sitting in the hairdressers, struggling to keep baby Flora on my knee while

5Going to the Chapel is playing loudly in the background. "We're playing it for you to get
in the mood," says my hairdresser, who is piling my hair high on my head.
"My hair's a bit high," I say anxiously.
"You're the bride," she says firmly. "You're meant to have big hair."
My mobile phone rings. It's my 22-year-old son, Sam, who has to shout to be
10heard over the hairdryer. "Mum, Mum," he says. "I couldn't get hold of Philip last night. I
haven't been able to borrow his suit. I've got nothing to wear."
There are two hours to go before the wedding. So I don't bother to negotiate my
hair down but dash to pick up Sam and drive him to the nearest Moss Bros. "I knew this
would happen," I tell him in the car. "What goes around comes around. One day
15you'll have a big event and someone you love will behave selfishly."
"That's a mean thing to say," says Sam.
"Well, you've done a mean thing. It's my wedding day and I've got to get ready,
and I've been asking you for weeks to come with me to buy a suit," I say, although my
heart's not really in a fight today.
20 And we really didn't need to buy it weeks ago because in 10 minutes we leave the
shop, arms linked, row forgotten, both smiling, with the perfect suit.
Meanwhile, Maddy, my 19-year-old, has managed to get the younger girls ready.
They line up, unselfconscious and excited, hugging their bridesmaid's bouquets. We're
already 10 minutes late as Maddy helps me wriggle into my wedding dress (gold, £100
25from Debenhams) and together we jog up the road to the church. Tilly, who's 12, tries to
stop my dress trailing on the pavement. Out of vanity, I hold the bouquet over my
stomach. And just before we enter the church, I get it. If you're the bride, you not only
have to have big hair but also you have to smile. And as soon as I start smiling, I can't
stop.
30 It's a perfect service. J tells me quite convincingly I look lovely; my brother, who's
giving me away, looks moved; our priest is relaxed and reassuring; the organ is rousing;
the choir is sublime; my son looks handsome; the girls stand beside me smiling shyly;
and J's mother and mine look misty eyed. Flora squawks when the question "Does
anyone object to this union?" is asked, and I have to whisper to J to push harder as he
35puts the ring on my finger ("It's a fat finger with a small knuckle – they're always a
problem," said the lady in the shop).
An hour in, I'm still smiling and loving our wedding and everyone who's come to
it. I wonder why anyone would get married before they have children and are middle
aged – our reception is a perfect mixture of wedding (food, alcohol and swing band) and
40children's party (magician and chocolate fountain). But unlike a children's party I don't
count the minutes before it's over. My brother makes a lovely speech that mentions our
father (who died a few years ago) and I make one in which I forget to thank half the
people I wanted to, but do tell J I love him. Somehow our wedding retains the tradition of
a first dance, which J and I haven't practised.
45 We pile home in the people-carrier and start our married life, which is pretty much
like our unmarried life, except I'm still smiling. Within a few minutes of getting into bed,
we have Flora spread out, snoring, lying firmly between us.

II. Vocabulary

50To pile – собирать

To dash – бросаться, мчаться, нестись

What goes around comes around - proverb - the consequences of one's actions will have
to be dealt with eventually

Row – ссора, перебранка

55To hug - крепко обнимать, сжимать в объятиях

To wriggle into – втиснуться

To give away - вести невесту к жениху

Sublime - безупречный; безукоризненный

Misty - полный слёз, затуманенный слезами

60Squawk - громкий, пронзительный крик; вопль

III. Comprehension Questions

1. Who is the main hero of the article? How old is she?

2. What event is described in the article?

653. Was the woman married before? How many times, do you think?

4. How many children does the woman have?

5. What does a usual wedding ceremony consist of?

6. Do you agree that it’s better to get married when you already have children?

7. Dwell on the problem of marriages in modern life. What tendencies do we have today?
70 Resume

The article tells us about a 48-year-old woman who is going to get married again.
She already has 5 children. Despite this fact she is still nervous and excited about
her wedding day. She has some troubles but she manages to get over them and
remains in high spirits. Everybody supports her and tries to make her comfortable
75and calm. She loves her new husband and she already has a little daughter by him.

The message of the article, I guess, is that it’s never too late to be happy, and even
if you have children and you are in your late forties, you still have an opportunity
to find happiness and create a new family. Nobody should give up.