An announcement, or two

Announcement #1

I'm back! And in one piece no less, having braved rope bridges, sheer drops, sharks and scary carpenter ants over the last few weeks. I'll be writing it all up as soon as I can, promise! Thank deity-of-choice that it's a bank holiday here in the UK on Monday, so I might just be able to process some of the literally hundreds and hundreds of photos I have.

Announcement #2, even more exciting

On my travels, I managed to pick up this little sparkler:

Courtesy of my darling boyfriend, or, as he is now, my fiancé! Yes, the Galapagos Islands were that inspiring to his biologist-ness, that he was moved to propose in the cathedral of evolution. Awww. And of course I said yes.

The ring is a beauty, a big mandarin garnet (aka spessartite), because I'd said before that I didn't fancy a diamond like everyone else, and to go with my hair. Isn't he a sweetheart? Big hugs to Lotta and Anna for helping him with the ring creation, you are stars (but as I said, secretive little minxes). Oh, the stone, if anyone's interested, is from AJS Gems in Thailand, who I've used before and who are really, really good. The ring itself was set by Van Den Berg in Soho.

Am now in a whirl of planning - we will hopefully be getting hitched in September 2009. My dear mother is already in overdrive, suggesting venues, putting notices in The Times and the like. I will try my best not to turn into either a raving lunatic or a bore.

Finally, congratulations to Hels, who is expecting! Baby knitting time!