Well, this time next week it will all be over..that's right, "the wedding," or as we say in the South, "tha-weddin." On Friday I drove a car load of gifts to Oxford--no exaggeration there; everyone has been so sweet and generous. I took my friend Alicia with me. Wow, I could not believe Russell's house! I did not know it until after the fact, but Callie had stayed there last weekend while Russell was at the bachelor party and put things to right. The house was clean and relatively uncluttered, but the biggest difference was the decorating. You can tell that it is no longer a place for a man and his dog. There are throw pillows, lamps, sofa covers, wedding gifts placed decoratively in the right places (Did I mention that I love the copper bowl? It's on the coffee table in the study; looks great!), old pieces of furniture painted bright white, empty spaces filled with attractive pieces of furniture, and even an attractive old spread to be turned into a bed for Wendell. This is what the house has needed--a woman's touch and a woman to tell Russell what to do. The screened porch had actually been pressure washed and the porch furniture hosed off and out in the sun to dry. The raised beds were producing wonderfully, and everything was so attractive.
It was good to see Russell. He had been to the barber shop and the dentist, and he's lost the little roll he was carrying around the middle. He looked so good. Russell had time to ride us around the camp on the golf cart. Alicia had not seen the new landscaping around the chapel, tree houses, or zip line. She seemed to really enjoy the tour and was most impressed with the tree houses.
We had a good visit and ended with lunch at Volta, always a good choice.
I faxed David's tux measurements in to House of Tux last week, and that was really the last thing on my to-do list until I start packing on Thursday. A friend from church who details cars to earn a little extra money is coming Thursday afternoon so that the car will be clean for the weekend since I have no idea who all we will be giving rides to. I'm sure that I will be driving the two grandmothers with me to the bridesmaid's luncheon, if nothing else.
Becky, the caterer, lost her mother a week ago Thursday and had to leave for Illinois the next day. She was gone almost a week, which put our final meeting about the last-minute details off until she got back. We met briefly Friday, Saturday, and today, and everything is squared away and I feel really good about it all. David and I have finished making the markers with the table numbers on them, and she will arrange them all decoratively at the dinner. People will come in and see what table they are sitting at, but they can sit anywhere at that table. I liked that idea a lot, and the table markers become part of a decorative centerpiece.
Becky had one glitch in the menu; she could not get the prime rib from the first source that we had requested. She did get it from the next guy, and we were very happy with that. She actually got it from the same place where we get our ribs, pork tenderloin, and turkey breast, so we know it will be great even though we have never actually had his beef.
Friday morning David and I will go for hair appts., then finish packing. When the bank opens, we will go cash a check; we are surprising Russell with some cash for the honeymoon. His birthday is Thursday, so we are giving it to him for his birthday. He thinks that we are going to give him about $200, and we are really excited that we have been saving and will give him about 4 times that much. It's been really hard to do with the expense of the rehearsal, but it's been something that David really wanted to do. He has never forgotten his dad giving him some cash right before we left for our honeymoon, and it's been important to him to do this for Russell.
I'll address the expense of being the groom's parents in another post. Don't want to do a "downer" right now.
So, a few more days.....
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
The Carter House Girls
I bought this series of books because, as regular blog readers know, I love Melody Carlson. This is another one of her great teen series. The premise is that Mrs. Carter, a retired fashion model, has six teen girls, one of them her grandaughter, live in her house and she prepares them for a life of modeling. The books deal with the girls getting to know each other, dating, school, sports, and the many, many other things in a teenagers' life. At the beginning of the series, only one girl is a Christian, but by the end of the sixth book, three of the six have turned their lives over to the Lord. Throughout the books, the girls are dealing with typical teenage problems such as alcoholism, anorexia, drugs, and so on. These books are far from preachy, which I like, but do make it clear that all of these things can be dealt with easier if they lean on God. I have read six of these books, and I am not sure how many more of them there are, but I am anxious to read the whole series and have them in the library. I believe that the girls will enjoy this series just like they have enjoyed Carlson's True Colors series.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Pre-wedding parties
This weekend was really good. Saturday night a few friends threw a "Lawn & Garden" party for Russell and Callie. We enjoyed finger foods, lemonade, and good conversation. They got some cute gifts, among them a stepping stone, bird feeder, decorative hose holder with hose, and BBQ things. It was a good idea and successful party.
Sunday afternoon was the reception at the church. It was really well attended and we had a good time. It was good for Russell to see some people that he had not seen in a long time. Of course, he really enjoyed introducing his tall, pretty bride to everyone. The food was really good, and I took a plate of cake home for David. Due to his colonoscopy on Monday, he was unable to eat at the party. Believe me, he made short work of the cake Monday afternoon after we got home, and his colonoscopy was a success--eat more fiber and come back in five years.
Saturday afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Flowers came a little early, and we visited a little while. The kids opened the gifts that had come in at the stores here, and we enjoyed watching them. They got some really nice things. Several of the casual glasses that they had picked out, a basket, pitchers, trivet, decorative fluted copper bowl (I personally loved that one), candle, and bunches of other stuff. It was so overwhelming to see how generous everyone was.
Mama gave Callie the set of dishes that she had for them on Sunday--an 8 place set with a few serving pieces of an old set inherited from my great aunt in Texas. Sunday afternoon when they left, they were in two cars and it's a good thing. Between all of the gifts, the three boxes of china, the luggage, and Wendell, they were loaded down. I'm not sure how they will fit it all in the house.
We had a good weekend and enjoyed both parties.
Sunday afternoon was the reception at the church. It was really well attended and we had a good time. It was good for Russell to see some people that he had not seen in a long time. Of course, he really enjoyed introducing his tall, pretty bride to everyone. The food was really good, and I took a plate of cake home for David. Due to his colonoscopy on Monday, he was unable to eat at the party. Believe me, he made short work of the cake Monday afternoon after we got home, and his colonoscopy was a success--eat more fiber and come back in five years.
Saturday afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Flowers came a little early, and we visited a little while. The kids opened the gifts that had come in at the stores here, and we enjoyed watching them. They got some really nice things. Several of the casual glasses that they had picked out, a basket, pitchers, trivet, decorative fluted copper bowl (I personally loved that one), candle, and bunches of other stuff. It was so overwhelming to see how generous everyone was.
Mama gave Callie the set of dishes that she had for them on Sunday--an 8 place set with a few serving pieces of an old set inherited from my great aunt in Texas. Sunday afternoon when they left, they were in two cars and it's a good thing. Between all of the gifts, the three boxes of china, the luggage, and Wendell, they were loaded down. I'm not sure how they will fit it all in the house.
We had a good weekend and enjoyed both parties.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
"The Wedding" continued
Rehearsal dinner--I almost had a heart attack when Russell and Callie wanted to change some of the names on the guest list AFTER I had started mailing out invitations. But we worked it all out, and the replies are coming in. About half have come in, and I'm worried that the other half won't make it by July 5. I may have to start calling folks.
My dress--I had my dress in the last post, and have since found shoes and a bag. Mama got a dress, and so did Mrs. Casteel. So we are all set.
Prenuptial parties--A casual party with the young people is planned for July 11. Apparently it has changed from cookout to finger foods, which is fine. The kids will just enjoy being together. The reception at the church is July 12. Russell is anxious for his church family to meet Callie.
Sickness--David and I have been in and out of the doctor. He has a colonoscopy scheduled for July 13. I've had a terrible ear infection and am only now feeling a little better. Hope we are healthy for the wedding! It's terrible to age....
Groomsmen--Matt cannot be in the wedding. His residency at Vanderbilt starts July 1, and he cannot get off. Russell is fine with it; he hates Matt won't be there, but is understanding. He won't replace him and will leave his name on the program.
More updates as they come!!!
My dress--I had my dress in the last post, and have since found shoes and a bag. Mama got a dress, and so did Mrs. Casteel. So we are all set.
Prenuptial parties--A casual party with the young people is planned for July 11. Apparently it has changed from cookout to finger foods, which is fine. The kids will just enjoy being together. The reception at the church is July 12. Russell is anxious for his church family to meet Callie.
Sickness--David and I have been in and out of the doctor. He has a colonoscopy scheduled for July 13. I've had a terrible ear infection and am only now feeling a little better. Hope we are healthy for the wedding! It's terrible to age....
Groomsmen--Matt cannot be in the wedding. His residency at Vanderbilt starts July 1, and he cannot get off. Russell is fine with it; he hates Matt won't be there, but is understanding. He won't replace him and will leave his name on the program.
More updates as they come!!!
An Abundance of Katherines
John Green is a young adult author who has written several novels. I read about him in a library magazine and ordered a couple of them. An Abundance of Katherines is about Colin, a child prodigy who has just finished high school and has a bright future ahead of him at college, and his friend Hassan, who, while intelligent, has no plans to go to college and is content to stay home and watch t.v. all day. Although he knows several languages and reads several hundred pages a day (remembering everything that he reads), Colin is not gifted in the girlfriend area. All of his girlfriends have been named Katherine, and all of them have dumped him. In order to get over his broken heart and have him ready to begin college in the fall, Colin's parents allow him and Hassan to take a road trip. They leave their urban Chicago home and end up in Gutshot, Tennessee--and so the adventure begins.
What ensues is Colin eventually finding himself and figuring out his Katherine theorem (yes, he his graphing his relationships), but he and Hassan manage to have some great adventures in the meantime. What I liked best about this story is the humor. I have been accused of having a dry wit myself, and this book is full of it. Putting two Chicago boys, one Jew and one Arab, into the deep South is funny in and of itself, without the addition of a pretty girl, her redneck boyfriend, a factory that only makes tampon strings, and a hog hunt. I'm not sure if the kids that I serve in my library will like this book as much as I did, but I thought that it was great, and I will recommend it to them.
What ensues is Colin eventually finding himself and figuring out his Katherine theorem (yes, he his graphing his relationships), but he and Hassan manage to have some great adventures in the meantime. What I liked best about this story is the humor. I have been accused of having a dry wit myself, and this book is full of it. Putting two Chicago boys, one Jew and one Arab, into the deep South is funny in and of itself, without the addition of a pretty girl, her redneck boyfriend, a factory that only makes tampon strings, and a hog hunt. I'm not sure if the kids that I serve in my library will like this book as much as I did, but I thought that it was great, and I will recommend it to them.
The Upstairs Room
In my quest to have more Holocaust survivor accounts in the library, I found The Upstairs Room by Johanna Reiss. Johanna and her sister Sini live in rural Holland and after the German invasion, their father finds a place for them to hide. They first stay with a couple, the Hannicks, who have been known to house Jews. After a few months, it is determined that they are no longer safe there, and Mr. Hannick finds them a new place. They go to a farmhouse where they live with a Johan and Dientje and Johan's mother Opoe. Johan is very nervous about taking the girls, and Mr Hannick promises to return for them in two weeks. The two weeks stretch into two years and seven months, when the war is finally over. The girls reunite with their sister Rachel and eventually their father, as well.
This book is not extremely well-written, but it is an interesting account of how they lived mainly confined to one room. The story of these girls is not as dramatic as some Holocaust survivor stories, but just as important, nonetheless. It shows the goodness of the Dutch people who risked their lives to house Jews. A number of the Dutch in the vicinity of Johanna's home were hiding illegal Jews. It also takes the reader back to a time when regular, ordinary people were in constant fear for their lives and had to watch every movement they made, no matter how small. Opening curtains, moving a chair, asking for a book to read--all could create suspicion. It is hard for us modern-day readers to relate to how these people, both the hiders and those hidden, had to live.
This is a good book for students and a way to show them how some Jews were hidden during the Holocaust.
This book is not extremely well-written, but it is an interesting account of how they lived mainly confined to one room. The story of these girls is not as dramatic as some Holocaust survivor stories, but just as important, nonetheless. It shows the goodness of the Dutch people who risked their lives to house Jews. A number of the Dutch in the vicinity of Johanna's home were hiding illegal Jews. It also takes the reader back to a time when regular, ordinary people were in constant fear for their lives and had to watch every movement they made, no matter how small. Opening curtains, moving a chair, asking for a book to read--all could create suspicion. It is hard for us modern-day readers to relate to how these people, both the hiders and those hidden, had to live.
This is a good book for students and a way to show them how some Jews were hidden during the Holocaust.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
