New Idea

Since there has been such a gap about the wedding itself, I've decided that I am going to continue the story mixed with wedding pictures. So, expect them to come soon. I am not at home to start that right now but I know peeps want photos and I thought that this would be a good way to break them up a little without putting them on Facebook directly. So, more on that soon.

We Interrupt the Story. . .

Sorry for the long gap and now an interruption but I wanted to point out a change to the right side lists. We obviously no longer need the wedding info stuff so I have made some modifications to what is there.

The Favorite stores list is kind of in preferential order. I say kind of because Marriott is not technically a store but they are the hotel chain that we are using for rewards. Since we go back and forth between book buying and geek tech buying, either Best Buy or BAM would be first depending upon our moods. See why I say "kind of"? Anyway, should people want to give us gift certificates then these are our favorite places.

I'm going to get Michael to make up an amazon wish list. I did a few years ago and it's been useful when people whine that they don't know what to buy me and think that gift cards are too "impersonal".

The restaurant section is not a complete list because some local places are just not on the web yet. I put that one in alpha order because where we go is pretty much determined by mood (and sometimes coupons). Miyo's is my favorite of the bunch and Michael pretty much goes along with that one though he really doesn't have a single favorite.

And lastly, I changed the wedding places to where I would recommend people go for some of their party stuff. We were really impressed with them and will definitely do business again if we can. Chocolate Nirvana is going to be the easiest for future business since they make yummy cakes and Rosewood Florist does, well, flowers. lol Dessert and flowers are two every day faves.

Wedding Week Part 2

So, I had everything planned out for how things should flow. Yeah, we all know how the best laid plans of mice and men go. If I don't plan, things get screwy. So I decided to be good and organize. lol Maybe it would have been smoother if I hadn't.

I taught on Monday and Tuesday. That was as close up to the wedding day as I wanted to go. Michael worked right up until the day before. Fortunately, he was mostly on in town jobs so that helped.

I spent Wednesday running around doing errands and stuff. Plus getting the house finished off on cleaning. Jami and Cynthia got in early evening. They had some problems with the hotel they booked. Jami had a bad feeling about the place and I can't say I blamed her. so, they ended up at the Wingate after all. Wednesday night Natalie and Laurent flew in from Switzerland. Michael and I went to pick them up and then grab some dinner. We met up with Jami and Cynthia at the one Mexican restaurant. I was tired but I think everyone else was too.

I was waiting for northern Kyle to call and say he was here. I wasn't sure what time he'd left from PA. That was an exciting drive for him. He discovered that books on tape are not his thing. As he put it, "Being read to makes me want to bang my head against a wall." Or gouge out his ears. He actually got to our house while we were out but I somehow missed the call. He pulled up in front and actually had a run in with the cops about it. What a nice southern greeting he had. lol

There was no specific plan for Thursday morning because I figured we would all need some sleep. We did go out for breakfast anyway. Jami and Kyle opted to sleep in so I just picked up Cynthia. Jami later went to one of the local Chili's (not the one by the hotel but another) and ended up sick from the place. Well, gee, you'd be sick too if a cockroach ran out from under your plate and you're told nonchalantly that yeah, they know and have just been sprayed for them. So, we didn't see her all afternoon and almost didn't see her for dinner. I hope I didn't seem too unconcerned but I was so distracted by everything that my attention for one point or problem just didn't have much punch. So, sorry if I did.

Andi flew in early afternoon and I picked her up myself. Figured dragging ten million people around would suck. She just went with the flow of everything. Actually, everyone pretty much did but Andi always has the most laid back attitude. I can't remember if I had bought the alcohol the day before or that afternoon but I know we all went and took the stuff plus the decorations over to Wintergreen on Thursday afternoon. We did a quick run through and stuff.

Matt, Maya, and Cole got in late afternoon. Val and Dale soon followed a little later. It was a cluster trying to get everyone together at the hotel for dinner but we somehow managed it. We ended up with two tables at our favorite Japanese hibachi place, Miyabi's. We didn't plan the seats though I was feeling irked at Michael so I put Andi between us and then Val separated him even more. lol I think it's a prerequisite that the bride and groom get annoyed before the wedding. Dinner was fun. Jami managed to make it which was good.

Then the real "fun" began back at the house. See, what I mentioned before was referring to the wings. Michael had been putting them off forever. I even went and bought (thanks Val) the material two weeks before (I'm not even getting into why it wasn't sooner) so he could do them. So, needless to say, the relaxed evening turned into a mad scramble to get the wings done. And I was trying to put stuff together and "lost" my shoes briefly. That was my meltdown point. I was so tired and frustrated that I just OCD'd the whole thing and just about spazzed. I barely contained my temper. Fortunately, Andi and Val helped. In the end, though, it was Solaris who helped me "find" them after Val told him too. See, I'd had them in my office closet for months but had moved them to a lower shelf when I was organizing and forgotten. Keep in mind, two other people had looked in there as well and missed the box in plain sight. So, while I felt like an idiot, it wasn't too bad and I felt better later.

We also worked on a solution for my dress bustle since I hadn't gone to a seamstress. I didn't need to get it fitted so that was on the list. In the end, Dale finalized the solution of how I could attach it to my wrist à la Disney's Sleeping Beauty. That was kind of funny actually. Half of us were crowded in the living room figuring that out while the rest were helping Michael in the kitchen.

You know, if everyone hadn't been willing to help with the wings, I would have given up on them at that point. So, I appreciate that everyone tried so hard to see that happen. It always seems that such times around me tend to be frantic or manic. But I guess that makes sense given my personality.

I have no idea how late everyone stayed. I went to the hotel at one point to attempt sleep and to get some other things done. No, I didn't get much sleep. Overly tired and hyper. No surprise there. I figured Michael would do better sleeping in our bed at home and I think he did. But we were both tired the next day anyway. Another requirement, I think, of the bride and groom.

Wedding Week Part 1

Ok, so let's see how much I can remember. lol

You know, no matter how low key you try and keep things, it never happens that way. Some women are just natural Bridezillas who behave that way all of the time. Actually, in other forms they are simply known as The Spoiled Brat. Some women are pushed into the Bridezilla mode by other people trying to push them a gazillion ways at once. And then there the women who may succumb to a Bridezilla moment or two but who are overall fairly calm. This last state is either through medication (liquid or prescribed) or just a simple state of being overwhelmed by it all.

The latter was me, I think.

The whole thing seemed surreal from the very start and it didn't get any more real once THE TIME was upon us. I'd had my dress for months. Hadn't looked at it in all of that time or any of the other pieces I had to go with it. True, there were last minute details to go over, but it still didn't seem to be happening. Maybe I was just too damn tired. lol

Anyway. . .

The week was slammed packed with things to do. There are simply some things that cannot be done early no matter how much you wish they could be. We did fairly well in getting everything done on time. Everyone who needed to be paid ahead of time was. The final menu was settled. The plan was laid out for the big day as well as the scheduling for everyone coming in from out of town. I was up to date with my students so it was all good.

But you know. . .there's always something that should have been done sooner. And our something was pretty big. Sorry, sweetheart. I am so not taking the blame on this one. Yes, it was something I wanted. But it was something you had plenty of time to do. lol And what was that, you may ask? Well, I will tell you later even though you may be able to guess now. Suffice it to say for the moment that the night before was not as laid back as I had planned.