Exchanging Bows

I was up around 720am. And instead of the sunny skies they forecasted, it was cloudy and 50 degrees. Bummer! I enjoyed coffee and internet and work for the next hour or two before heading out on a run. I really wasn’t anticipating having to work, but received a number of emails overnight all centered around one problem. As much as I hated to, I dug in.

During my run I contemplated how I might further address that pesky work related issue. By my run’s end the sky had cleared giving way to oodles of sunshine. Mindy was walking the pug out front as I wrapped up my run. I spent another hour or so with work before declaring it time to get on some yard work. Jacob had an early AM soccer game that Jimaken was taking him to. Mindy and Bella needed to be at the union hall to prep for the wedding by 1pm. Mindy tasked me with getting Jacob there by 230pm and also seeing that he got into his tux without incident.

My plan was to rake more dead ivy leaves from the flower beds, having gotten the two large front beds the weekend prior, we still had the sides and back. In other words, lots still to go. Tough sledding, especially at first. I used the metal tined rake which tears and catches more so that the plastic tined rake. I got the entire east side done in about an hour. That included raking all the debris onto the tarp and then blowing any remaining loose impediments out from the beds and into the lawn. Still only about noon, I went ahead and started around back. There we don’t have that much ivy save for one bed on the west side of the deck. However, there was a lot of fall foliage needing raked out from under the shrubs and first deck tier. Clearing out under the shrubs and then under the deck is a job I disdain. Needs done, though, and the only things that produces the end result is persistence. And I can’t bare to employ the out of site out of mind card. I know they’re there. I can’t simply leave them.

Remembered that the slacks I wanted to wear were needing laundered. Before Mindy & Bella left, I asked that she put a couple of my dress slacks in the washer. She did that as well as getting them into the dryer. Thanks dear!

Mindy & Bella left around 1230pm. Wished her well. Mindy was already made up for the wedding wearing a purple dress she recently purchased. She looked nice. Only me at the house, I woofed down a small snack then returned to working in the yard, knowing that the more I got done on Saturday the easier Sunday would got. Turned out, I got all the way around to the SW corner of the house, which was further than I imagined getting to. That’s always a good feeling. I needed to keep an eye on the time and left myself plenty of time to drag and dump the tarp full of debris as well as to put all of my tools away. By then it was 115pm. I figured I better head inside.

Jacob was home from his soccer game, which his team lost. He wasn’t too thrilled. He double checked to make sure that I planned to help him get into his tuxedo. Sure! He had already showered. While he got started, I took a quick shower and then preheated the iron so I could press my slacks and shirt. Got Jacob and I both dressed over the next 30 minutes. We left the house at 210pm. By then it was a gorgeous afternoon, clear skies and 70 some degrees.

Arrived at the wedding venue at 230pm, which was the time our presence was requested. I called Mindy, who was already inside to confirm parking arrangements. I ended up parking in the Spaghetti Warehouse lot. I headed inside to the groom’s room with my camera gear. As expected, Josh’s uncle was still in the hospital and as a result unable to shoot the wedding. However, he sent his gear. And along with his camera gear, his wife and daughter agreed to shoot the wedding. Larry asked that I shoot some photos too. At some point I introduced myself to Alyssa and her mom and discussed how we might best utilize the fact that we had 4 cameras to shoot the wedding. I recommended that I set up my small Canon on a tripod on the balcony and use it to video the wedding while Alyssa and he mom would shoot photos from the front of the wedding. That’s where some of the best photo ops would come from.

I shot from the balcony as all the guest arrived. I did manage a decent shot of bride and father (Larry & Lindey) exiting the bride’s room which was located off the same balcony. The wedding started about 15 minutes late, which I think is fairly standard. Didn’t last more than 8 minutes. Done!

After the formal ceremony Lindey & Josh moved to the outdoor patio area to greet all the guests as they exited the wedding venue. With the sun shining, I knew I could get some nice shots out there. And because the reception was being held in the same venue, the catering staff began serving drinks right away. For the time being, I opted only for a Coke.

After an hour or so outside, the reception finally moved into the more formal reception hall, which was done up real nice. And because it’s the CFD union hall, the DJ stage is a replica fire engine grill. Neato! The DJ – didn’t get his name – was a very big man. In fact, he was even bigger than Terry W., Larry’s older brother. I kidded the fella about spinnin’ some tunes to which he quickly corrected me that he’s all point and click! 

Mindy, Jacob, and I were seated at table 5 along with her college pal, Chris, his wife Tamara and their two boys, Jack and Nathan. Earlier, I asked Mindy to fetch a handful of my mini bottle of Jack. I had three in my pocket and she stashed another in her mini purse. I then enjoyed a couple Jack and Cokes.

The reception was nice and very traditional. There was the father’s welcome and toast, the best man’s toast, (Josh’s younger though bigger brother) and the bride’s maid speech (Brittany). Oh boy! That part was a bit of a train wreck but still sweet/cute. Then there was the father/daughter dance, which was also nice. Dinner was served about an hour in. The meal consisted of pasta and chicken. It was good, but I ate relatively little. Just wasn’t that hungry.

Dancing ensued for the next half hour until the big DJ declared it time to cut the cake. He came to me asking for the maid of honor and the best man. I did my due diligence to locate both but with little success. I passed word along to others to help locate them. Soon enough, they were found and organized. I positioned myself upfront to capture some of the cake cutting with my camera. Cute!

After cake and cupcakes, more dancing ensued. I danced with Mindy for three or four slow songs but that’s it. The time went pretty fast, and soon it was 8-830pm. By then about half the guests had departed. The reception was slated to run until 10pm. We convinced Mindy that it made sense to pack up for home around 830pm. Jacob said he was riding with Mindy. He’s such a momma’s boy. Once we were all set, I headed for home ahead of Mindy and the kids arriving 5-10 minute before them. Eiknarf was beside herself and really wanted/needed to go out. I quickly obliged her request and walked her out front. Mindy and the kids got home while we were still in front of the house. At Mindy’s requested, I waited for her to join me.

We walked into Pat’s court and then back home. Pat, along with his friends Joe & Peggy were just heading out and stopped the car to chat with us briefly. Said Lisa was at some work even downtown. They, in turn, were headed for the Trabue Tavern. Trabue Tavern? OK.

Kenny and company were out on their deck, too. It was a lovely spring evening. Why not? Mindy suggested we walk down and say hello, and she wanted to do so in our dress-up clothes. Jacob made only the briefest of an appearance before running back home to change. Funny, he’s the one that was so gungho about showing off his tux.

Chatted with Kenny, Ivan, Mike & Teri for a few minutes before headin back to the house to change into clothes more suited for hanging out. Promised to rejoin the neighbors in a few minutes. It was the end of the 2nd period of the Blue Jackets playoff game. At the time, the score was tied 1-1.

After getting into to our comfy clothes, I poured a Jack & Coke and we walked back to the neighbors. Haven’t hung out with all of them for a really long time. Ended up doing a shot – a red hot, which is aptly named. Tastes exactly like red hot candy, but with a slightly different outcome. 

Finished my drink fairly quick and slipped off back home for another. We hung with the neighbors for a little more than an hour before heading home. It had to be near 1030pm when we headed for bed.