How can one little word do SO much damage

This is my 222nd blog post! A pretty number, I think............ if you can have pretty numbers! LOL

I saw the bride and groom over the weekend. It was good to see them again, as the last time was on their actual wedding day. Two years ago. My wedding present to them at that time, was a painting. *Any* painting of their choice. Erotic or non erotic. Landscape, portrait, watercolours oils, fantasy fanny and willie, anything! Up until this weekend they had not made a decision, and I was beginning to think they never would. Everytime I saw the brides parents, which is very often as they are good friends of mine, I would ask if they had made a decision, and the answer was always "No, not yet!". Ok. I'll just quietly forget about it then, although I was looking forward to painting whatever they wanted...............

But now, they have made the decision! Fanfare of trumpets in the background, and bring on the dancing girls!, YAY! And they were able to tell me and show me at the weekend. Lovely. They want a landscape of a place that is very special to them, and which I have also been to and love almost as much as they do. Its a small quiet village in rural France and they want a view of it, done in traditional watercolours. Ok, no problem. The scene is taken from a high vantage point, there will be the tiny village in the valley below with the mountains behind, and some sky. Nice picture. And as we discussed sizes, styles, colours etc I asked nonchalantly if they wanted any secret messages put within the painting - an erotic couple, or something that was special to them, to make it especially their painting. They thought for a bit, and decided that the best thing to put in would be their initials. Good idea. Ah, but here lies the problem....................... They had the same problem with their wedding invites. Their initials are "M" and "S" and the bride said to her mother at the time of sorting out the wedding invites "Well, we CAN'T have "M and S" entwined on the front of the invites. "No", agreed her mother, as anyone in England would think of the shop"Marks and Spencer". "And we CERTAINLY can't have "S and M!!!!!!!" said the bride to be. "Why ever not?" asked her mother. Pause from the daughter...........who then found herself explaining to her mother what "S and M" stood for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Her mother listened in disbelief, and said "I'm going to ask your father if he's heard of it........." and went off in search of her husband! As the bride told me this tale on Sunday (whilst her mother was out of the room!) I was laughing my socks off!!!! Ok, then, we'll make it an "S" and we'll have an "M" somewhere else in the painting and no "&"..........................ANYWHERE!!!!!! LMAO