wedding

Whirlwind

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This past weekend was a whirlwind! We got up and went to my brother’s to have a short visit for his birthday.  Then on to the party place to give the older Duchess a birthday present and get hugs.  The younger Duchess was at both parties.  Double blessings.  Next, we rode out to Montgomery to a spectacular venue for a fairy tale wedding.  Our life long friends’ son wed his beloved.  Everything was lovely. The men all looked handsome in their suits.  My girlfriend looked spectacular in her navy evening gown and made a wonderful showing dancing with her son.  We all teared up watching.  It was more touching than the bride and her father dancing. 

Rock and I had an adventure riding home.  Following the google map in the dark along unfamiliar back roads.  We stopped to eat at Whataburger in Livingston in our evening attire.  He had shed his coat and tie, but was still gorgeous in his red shirt.  We enjoyed our time to visit with each other while riding all over the place capturing moments with very important people.

Sunday, I cooked turkey and dressing, dumplings and all for a belated Thanksgiving meal.  We ended up only having all the girls.  The Duchesses and their mothers.  Their daddies couldn’t attend.  The girls play well together for the most part.  They are very loud when they get going at times.  Running and screaming through the house. 

I have a set of china that was a gift to my parents from my maternal grandmother.  I don’t know how she afforded it, but there are twelve place settings and some side pieces.  I always use it for Thanksgiving.  I want the children to have memories of it when I am gone and they are old. 

We serve ourselves buffet style.  I’ve never really tried boarding house style.  Think the Walton’s or the Picket House.  All the food in serving bowls on the table being passed around.  I think I would like it and I certainly have the bowls for it.  Maybe we can give it a trial run in the spring.

Christmas is usually a casual arrangement of hors d’oeuvres and sandwich trays.  Platters of cookies and a few pies make dessert.  Throwaway plates are the usual for that day.  Shooting and opening gifts are the main events for Christmas Eve.  Though I would be in serious trouble if I didn’t serve Cheese Torte and Ham Rolls. 

I have waited till this week to start on Christmas decorating.  I got the tree out of the closet. It’s still in the box.  I should have everything done up by Friday.  I hope I have enough working lights to go around.  I want to have it done by then because I should have a Duchess over to spend some time with me.  One this weekend and one another.  I like the private times I have with each of them.  Time to give each my undivided attention.  And to get some undivided attention.  Grannies need to feel loved by their grands.  So do Paw Paws.

In this season of festivities, I will make time to be quiet with as many of the ones I hold dearest as possible.  Yes, we will play and feast and have a ball.  But we will connect more deeply, too.  If we make it a point to do so.  Intention is the word currently in fashion.  It is an idea that should never be out of fashion. 

Christmastime, here we come!!

Last year’s arrangement.

Her Wedding

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Our beautiful daughter has married her true love in a wonderful event this past Saturday. She combined the old and the new throughout.

The ceremony was held at the more than a century old farmhouse of our friends. We used Skype to connect to Oahu. Our son and our daughter-in-law were able to be with us through the latest satellite technology. Antique chairs combined with iPhones and iPads to have us all together to see them wed. My office mate first mentioned the satellite link up to me. I hadn’t considered it until then.  Her father gave her away while I held the camera for her brother and sister-in-law to watch.

Afterwards, we blended the current idea of cupcakes for the bride’s cake with her grandmother’s cake plate. The table also held her grandmother’s punch bowl set and was laid with the Battenberg lace tablecloth belonging to the same grandmother, my mother.

We indulged in sirloin steak at a table set with even more of her grandmother’s treasures. The tea cups are a collection of my mother’s. We use them every chance we get to have a special event. No two are alike. There are a few dozen in the collection. They always elevate things to something more with their delicate loveliness.

She used the flowers she had arranged for his and my vow renewal last year. She carried the bouquet she had made for me as well.

Her dear friend acted as official photographer for the day. If that wasn’t gift enough, she presented the bride with a handmade quilt sewn by herself and her grandmother.

Old and new. Tradition and modern. Very much like the bride. Understanding and honoring the old ways while expressing her own imagination and creativity in modern ways.

The local restaurant we used for the reception is owned and operated by a wonderful couple. He makes trademark cinnamon rolls as lagniappe occasionally for diners. We were generously provided more than we could possibly eat! The guests were thrilled with the take out boxes of cinnamon rolls, cupcakes, mints, and chocolate cake.

We wished the bride and groom away with traditional rice. They flew out to Maui the next afternoon. They are there now and will join her brother and sister-in-law on Oahu in a few days. Yes, there is a tropical system headed toward them. Prayerfully, it will pass far enough north to not interfere with the honeymooners’ plans!