Stuff and Food Talk for Katie E and Uncle Bob
It was almost as much a reunion as a wedding. Hadn't seen my family all together like this since my parents' 50th anniversary in 2000. Including black sheep brother #2 who showed up looking very healthy, clean and sober, with very nice, pretty new girlfriend. Met nephew I'd never seen who is already walking.
Lovely young bride was resplendent in a strapless white gown, insisting that she was NOT cold when we stepped outside for some 40-degree air.
Young groom in tears as she walked down the aisle to meet him. Both wrote special vows to each other that were verrrry long.
This time my father did not wear out the young girls jitterbugging, although he did dance a bit. After all, the man will be 81 this year.
Because I was wearing my special dress-up torture shoes, I did not dance much. I was afraid I would not be able to get them back on. Also, was dressed for the weather and not for dancing. Hoever, I did manage to appear in the Tina Turner revue as one of the Ikettes during "Proud Mary." Younger and more limber sister took over the lead role.
It was old home week with the "girls" from next door who've been like more sisters for more than..yikes!..40 years. Also visited with an old pal from college - last time I saw her was 20+ years ago - she has two 20+ sons now. Ditto a former friend from my early Chicago days. She started in on telling me what a deal she got on the outfit she was wearing as if we'd just both been shopping the other day.
We've all gotten a little fatter and grayer (OK, OK - a lot, except Joanie, dang her), but otherwise it was as though no time had passed.
Wicked mother of the bride (my sister), wishing for drama, seated us at a table with an old college flame of mine from years ago. He and her husband were roommates back then. We had parted on uncomfortable terms. We had a few awkward snippets of conversation, mostly tried to look elsewhere, but hugged goodbye. It was kind of good to see him again, though. He has a beautiful daughter who was his date.
OK, food. In spite of the dreadful lack of catfish, we survived on antipasta, lovely bowtie pasta with Alfredo, penne with tomato sauce and cheese, and that grand Chicago dish of sausage and peppers. Your basic decent but not especially memorable wedding food. Open bar and two carafes of wine one every table, even on the kids' table (thrill #2 for daughter, thrill #1 being allowed to ride to the church in the long white limo with her cousin the bride).
Rode home with brother #3 and his wife, where we were staying. Upon arrival, we decided it was necessary to stay up until 3:30 a.m. and solve the world's problems. We failed in that, but succeeded in drinking beaucoup wine.
The next day, we had a hurried visit with remaining family members - definitely not long enough, but the train schedule beckoned, and we had to get that rental car all the way back downtown before 5. Slow train ride home, but fortunately the weekend storm that mostly hit parts north of us managed to clean some of the crud off my car while it was parked in the station.
Took all of us a couple of days to get over staying up until 3:30 that morning. I gotta start taking vitamins.
edited to add: almost forgot a memorable sight - all four brothers and several BILs pretending they were in Riverdance and trying to do the "feet of flames." Hope someone got pictures.
Bless your heart..I know you are glad to be back home.
