Elli, whose story I wrote about in an earlier blog (I Have Lived a Thousand Years), is now a grown woman with a husband, family, and Ph.D. living in the U.S. In 1980, her mom calls her from Jerusalem to tell her that there will soon be a dam built on a part of the Danube and, as a result, the old Jewish cemetery will be flooded. She cannot stand the thought of her parents' bodies washing out into the Danube and tells Elli that she must go to Czechoslovakia and bring the bodies to Jerusalem for reburial. Elli agrees, despite the fact that she is listed as an enemy of the state, and if caught in a communist country, could go to prison for 20 or more years.
What ensues is a story that is unbelievably fascinating. I never dreamed that I would get into this book as much as I did. Elli and her husband Len begin making the proper arrangements to go to Czechoslovakia, which include certain passports, which could give her identity away to the wrong people. Going behind the Iron Curtain in and of itself is quite frightening, and I found myself holding my breath until they got to Bratislava without raising any suspicion. Then the red tape begins. Permits are acquired with some difficulty, but with the warning that they can be revoked at any time. After getting the permits, they find out that the laws require that exhumed bodies be sealed in zinc containers. This revelation leads them to hunt for zinc to purchase that will seal the inexpensive child size coffins that they have ready. They find out that zinc is virtually impossible to purchase in a Communist country, and they settle for tin painted to look like zinc.
They also start the almost impossible search for the Jewish cemetery, now grown up into a jungle. Once they find it, they then have the extremely difficult task of finding the correct graves. Once found, they still have to employ grave diggers, a hearse with driver, and get more permits. During the days and weeks that they are there, Elli also continually runs into people that she knew as a child, goes to her old family home, and even, almost impossibly, tries to keep a kosher diet for Len and herself. The places and people often bring up both bad memories of the Holocaust as well as good memories of pre-war times.
This book is a multi-layered tale of Elli coming to grips with her past and preserving her Jewish heritage. The danger and intrigue involved in what should be an almost simple task was very involving, and, believe it or not, kept me reading as much as I would a good detective novel.
Although I can't see the teenagers who use my library "getting" this book, I liked it very much and recommend it to adult readers who find this period interesting.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
wedding gifts, Wendell, and Paris
Russell and his wife (love the sound of that) came yesterday for a while. They went up to the two stores here and took care of gift cards, returns, and credits. They ended up with six each of the two sizes of casual glasses and will have about 6 place settings of their flatware. I will probably get them a couple of more place settings for Christmas if they don't have 8 by then. They did end up getting the accessory set that has the serving pieces, so I was glad about that. Those she will use all the time. I know that some gifts will still be trickling in for awhile. She ended up getting a good bit of the Peter's Pottery accessory pieces that she liked as well as some of the extra glasses that he wanted, some pilsners (I think that's right) and some red wine glasses. They seemed pleased and now have to go to Columbus to do the same. She has something like 17 gift cards for her formal crystal there, and she said that she will use some of those for credit for other things. Callie had only wanted the goblets and the champagne flutes in that, so she said that she will do 8 each and use the rest as credit. She did end up getting all of her formal china in Columbus, so she was glad about that.
Wendell had surgery almost 2 weeks ago for an intestinal blockage. What did he eat, you ask? A super ball! The vet thinks that it slid down when he ate something else, and he could not throw it up. So it sat in his stomach long enough to get kind of smooth, then it ended up blocking the passage from the stomach to the intestine. He was in the hospital for a couple of days, and has been home now for a while, but highly restricted. He was on one can of prescription dog food a day and limited water. He was also house bound, and still is a little bit. Yesterday was his first day to eat his regular food, and Callie said that he just gobbled it down without stopping to breathe practically. Russell even gave him a bite of steak yesterday after lunch. I didn't think that was wise, but it did not seem to bother him. He has a lot of energy and you can tell that he is ready to go outside and play. Monday will be his first unrestricted day after they visit the vet.
Then we went over to Mama and Daddy's and Carol Anne and David drove up just as we were getting there. So we all got to see the Paris pictures. He had them on the laptop, and they told about them as they went through the slide show. They were really beautiful, and I am just so happy that it all went well and they had such a good time. Russell said that they liked Notre Dame the best, and they even attended mass there. They had a beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower from their rooftop garden, and they loved watching it light up at night. But as for actually going to the Eiffel Tower, they said that it wasn't really worth it. It took about half the day and it was extremely crowded with tourists. Callie said that it was so high up that you couldn't really tell anything. They were also impressed with the bridges over the Seinne; they were all different and very impressive. Napoleon had built most of them. They also had photographs of the Arches de Triumph and Versailles. They said that the palace of Versailles was not that impressive until they went outside. The grounds were absolutely gorgeous. They had taken several pictures of the gardens, the orange trees, and so forth. They liked the Louvre, but not as much as they had thought they would, mainly because it was just too big. There was just no way to see it all, so they hit the highlights, like the Mona Lisa and the Wedding at Cana, and so on. The Mona Lisa was not impressive, but the Wedding at Cana was. They had also talked to us a lot during lunch about the wonderful food and markets. We loved hearing it all, and I'm sure there will be more to hear in the future.
For now, we are glad they are home and beginning their lives together.
Wendell had surgery almost 2 weeks ago for an intestinal blockage. What did he eat, you ask? A super ball! The vet thinks that it slid down when he ate something else, and he could not throw it up. So it sat in his stomach long enough to get kind of smooth, then it ended up blocking the passage from the stomach to the intestine. He was in the hospital for a couple of days, and has been home now for a while, but highly restricted. He was on one can of prescription dog food a day and limited water. He was also house bound, and still is a little bit. Yesterday was his first day to eat his regular food, and Callie said that he just gobbled it down without stopping to breathe practically. Russell even gave him a bite of steak yesterday after lunch. I didn't think that was wise, but it did not seem to bother him. He has a lot of energy and you can tell that he is ready to go outside and play. Monday will be his first unrestricted day after they visit the vet.
Then we went over to Mama and Daddy's and Carol Anne and David drove up just as we were getting there. So we all got to see the Paris pictures. He had them on the laptop, and they told about them as they went through the slide show. They were really beautiful, and I am just so happy that it all went well and they had such a good time. Russell said that they liked Notre Dame the best, and they even attended mass there. They had a beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower from their rooftop garden, and they loved watching it light up at night. But as for actually going to the Eiffel Tower, they said that it wasn't really worth it. It took about half the day and it was extremely crowded with tourists. Callie said that it was so high up that you couldn't really tell anything. They were also impressed with the bridges over the Seinne; they were all different and very impressive. Napoleon had built most of them. They also had photographs of the Arches de Triumph and Versailles. They said that the palace of Versailles was not that impressive until they went outside. The grounds were absolutely gorgeous. They had taken several pictures of the gardens, the orange trees, and so forth. They liked the Louvre, but not as much as they had thought they would, mainly because it was just too big. There was just no way to see it all, so they hit the highlights, like the Mona Lisa and the Wedding at Cana, and so on. The Mona Lisa was not impressive, but the Wedding at Cana was. They had also talked to us a lot during lunch about the wonderful food and markets. We loved hearing it all, and I'm sure there will be more to hear in the future.
For now, we are glad they are home and beginning their lives together.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Paper Towns and Looking for Alaska
I read about John Green, a young adult author, and decided to try some of his books. I wrote about An Abundance of Katherines earlier this summer. I just finished Paper Towns, and although I read Looking for Alaska a while back, just realized that I did not write about it.
Quentin is about to graduate from high school when his old friend and neighbor, Margo Roth Spiegelman, shows up at his window in the middle of the night. She has a long list of pranks that need to be done before daylight and needs his help. From shaving off one eyebrow of his arch nemesis to breaking into Sea World, "Q" helps Margo execute her perfectly planned schemes, ending up on the top of a building looking out over the lighted city. Margo comments that she is tired of "paper towns."
When Margo does not show up for school the next day, no one is surprised due to the fact that she has been know to take off for several days at a time. But as graduation looms nearer, Margo does not return, and the FBI talks to Q, he gets more and more concerned. Determined to try to find her, he searches her room for clues and begins with a much-highlighted copy of Leaves of Grass. Afraid that she has committed suicide or maybe even met a worse fate, Q and his friends start deciphering the clues that they believe Margo has left for them. What follows is a delightful, yet tension-filled search for Margo, including breaking into abandoned buildings, following trails to failed subdivisions, and finally a road trip to New York, searching for a "Paper Town."
Miles has moved to Birmingham, AL, to a boarding school, where he is promptly hazed, taped with duct tape, dropped in a pond, and left to drown. When Miles gets himself out of this predicament, his new friends Chip, his roommate, and Alaska, the girl that everyone falls in love with, immediately swear revenge. What follows is a delightful story of boarding school pranks and continual "getting even." Over the course of the semester, Miles and Chip get closer to Alaska and gradually learn the depths of her unhappiness. In a surprise twist in the plot, Miles and Chip are left on their own looking for Alaska.
I am now a John Green fan, and I highly recommend Paper Towns and Looking for Alaska for both adults and older teens.
Quentin is about to graduate from high school when his old friend and neighbor, Margo Roth Spiegelman, shows up at his window in the middle of the night. She has a long list of pranks that need to be done before daylight and needs his help. From shaving off one eyebrow of his arch nemesis to breaking into Sea World, "Q" helps Margo execute her perfectly planned schemes, ending up on the top of a building looking out over the lighted city. Margo comments that she is tired of "paper towns."
When Margo does not show up for school the next day, no one is surprised due to the fact that she has been know to take off for several days at a time. But as graduation looms nearer, Margo does not return, and the FBI talks to Q, he gets more and more concerned. Determined to try to find her, he searches her room for clues and begins with a much-highlighted copy of Leaves of Grass. Afraid that she has committed suicide or maybe even met a worse fate, Q and his friends start deciphering the clues that they believe Margo has left for them. What follows is a delightful, yet tension-filled search for Margo, including breaking into abandoned buildings, following trails to failed subdivisions, and finally a road trip to New York, searching for a "Paper Town."
Miles has moved to Birmingham, AL, to a boarding school, where he is promptly hazed, taped with duct tape, dropped in a pond, and left to drown. When Miles gets himself out of this predicament, his new friends Chip, his roommate, and Alaska, the girl that everyone falls in love with, immediately swear revenge. What follows is a delightful story of boarding school pranks and continual "getting even." Over the course of the semester, Miles and Chip get closer to Alaska and gradually learn the depths of her unhappiness. In a surprise twist in the plot, Miles and Chip are left on their own looking for Alaska.
I am now a John Green fan, and I highly recommend Paper Towns and Looking for Alaska for both adults and older teens.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
The Fairlawn series
How does a single mom cope with divorce, depression, and looming destitution? Run a funeral home, of course!
Jen has been job hunting endlessly since her divorce and is gradually watching her bank balance go down and her bills go up with no luck on the job front. When she gets an unexpected windfall from a long-forgotten dead relative, she packs up the kids and her mother and goes to Florida to check out her inheritance. Hoping to find a lovely historical home that she can convert into a profitable bed and breakfast, Jen instead finds a dilapidated money pit which operates a struggling funeral home out of the first floor.
True to Angela Hunt's style, the Fairlawn books are sprinkled with humor (a customer who wants to be alive at her own funeral, for example), but bring about good messages about family, funerals, and faith. Jen's journey from single mother who desperately wants to win back her ex-husband into the confident Christian businesswoman who realizes that the man she loves has been right under her nose all along will keep you reading these wonderful books.
Jen takes a faith journey not only in operating Fairlawn, but also in taking in long-lost family members, tackling a new career, and dealing with deaths that are far too close to home. I highly recommend this series for any fan of Angela Hunt or other similar Christian fiction authors.
Jen has been job hunting endlessly since her divorce and is gradually watching her bank balance go down and her bills go up with no luck on the job front. When she gets an unexpected windfall from a long-forgotten dead relative, she packs up the kids and her mother and goes to Florida to check out her inheritance. Hoping to find a lovely historical home that she can convert into a profitable bed and breakfast, Jen instead finds a dilapidated money pit which operates a struggling funeral home out of the first floor.
True to Angela Hunt's style, the Fairlawn books are sprinkled with humor (a customer who wants to be alive at her own funeral, for example), but bring about good messages about family, funerals, and faith. Jen's journey from single mother who desperately wants to win back her ex-husband into the confident Christian businesswoman who realizes that the man she loves has been right under her nose all along will keep you reading these wonderful books.
Jen takes a faith journey not only in operating Fairlawn, but also in taking in long-lost family members, tackling a new career, and dealing with deaths that are far too close to home. I highly recommend this series for any fan of Angela Hunt or other similar Christian fiction authors.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
The Reception
We were among the last to arrive at the reception because of pictures, and we also had to take the bride and groom in our car. I was really glad that we got to do that.
We dropped the kids off at the bottom of the hill, and they took a golf cart up to the house. Then we went and parked, walked to the driveway, and took a golf cart up to the reception. Their driveway is on a steep, twisty hill, so they had drivers in golf carts taking the guests up to the reception. I thought that was a good idea.
The band was playing when we arrived, and people had already started eating. The wedding cake was in the dining room, and it was absolutely gorgeous. The icing looked like flower petals, and the bridesmaids' bouquets surrounded it. The groom's cake was on a sideboard in the living room, and it was decorated with things from the forest--ferns, mushrooms, squirrels, and so on--to symbolize camping in the woods, I guess. It was Italian cream, which Russell had requested. The bride and groom cut both cakes, and I tried to get some good pictures, but I don't think they turned out so well.
Then everyone just ate and visited and listened to music. Callie threw the bouquet, and Kaci caught it. Callie and I jokingly told Kaci that was cheating since she already knew that she was the one getting married next.
Later in the evening, the band took a break. Of course, Timothy and Trey being who they are, they were up on stage in a second. Tyler and Jay joined them. Then they all started chanting "Russell, Russell," until he joined them as well. So with Timothy and Tyler on guitar, Trey on keyboards, Jay on drums, and Russell and Timothy singing lead, they sang several numbers. It was priceless, and I will always treasure that in my heart. I have informally christened the group "Russell and the Groomsmen." After about three numbers, Russell had to leave to change, but Timothy and the others kept on playing.
The couple ran from the house to the golf cart in a wave of sparklers. It was really nice. A car drove them back to Oxford to Russell's house--now Russell and Callie's house. The next day Russell called to say that they were in Atlanta, and they spent the night at a bed and breakfast there. They planned to leave Atlanta on Monday afternoon so that they could fly at night. They wanted to fly at night not only to sleep, but also to arrive in Paris in the daylight and be a little easier to find their apartment.
They called Tuesday morning--it was afternoon there--to say that they were there safely and in their apartment in Paris with a rooftop garden view of the Eiffel Tower. Except for one email, we did not hear from them again until they were back in Atlanta Wednesday afternoon. They drove on in to Oxford Wednesday night and were absolutely exhausted. We are anxious to sit down and visit with them as soon as we can.
So now I have a daughter-in-law. I really like the sound of that.
We dropped the kids off at the bottom of the hill, and they took a golf cart up to the house. Then we went and parked, walked to the driveway, and took a golf cart up to the reception. Their driveway is on a steep, twisty hill, so they had drivers in golf carts taking the guests up to the reception. I thought that was a good idea.
The band was playing when we arrived, and people had already started eating. The wedding cake was in the dining room, and it was absolutely gorgeous. The icing looked like flower petals, and the bridesmaids' bouquets surrounded it. The groom's cake was on a sideboard in the living room, and it was decorated with things from the forest--ferns, mushrooms, squirrels, and so on--to symbolize camping in the woods, I guess. It was Italian cream, which Russell had requested. The bride and groom cut both cakes, and I tried to get some good pictures, but I don't think they turned out so well.
Then everyone just ate and visited and listened to music. Callie threw the bouquet, and Kaci caught it. Callie and I jokingly told Kaci that was cheating since she already knew that she was the one getting married next.
Later in the evening, the band took a break. Of course, Timothy and Trey being who they are, they were up on stage in a second. Tyler and Jay joined them. Then they all started chanting "Russell, Russell," until he joined them as well. So with Timothy and Tyler on guitar, Trey on keyboards, Jay on drums, and Russell and Timothy singing lead, they sang several numbers. It was priceless, and I will always treasure that in my heart. I have informally christened the group "Russell and the Groomsmen." After about three numbers, Russell had to leave to change, but Timothy and the others kept on playing.
The couple ran from the house to the golf cart in a wave of sparklers. It was really nice. A car drove them back to Oxford to Russell's house--now Russell and Callie's house. The next day Russell called to say that they were in Atlanta, and they spent the night at a bed and breakfast there. They planned to leave Atlanta on Monday afternoon so that they could fly at night. They wanted to fly at night not only to sleep, but also to arrive in Paris in the daylight and be a little easier to find their apartment.
They called Tuesday morning--it was afternoon there--to say that they were there safely and in their apartment in Paris with a rooftop garden view of the Eiffel Tower. Except for one email, we did not hear from them again until they were back in Atlanta Wednesday afternoon. They drove on in to Oxford Wednesday night and were absolutely exhausted. We are anxious to sit down and visit with them as soon as we can.
So now I have a daughter-in-law. I really like the sound of that.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
30 years--who knew?
We thought that it was very fitting that we would celebrate 30 years of marriage soon after our son got married. He married on Aug. 1, and our anniversary was on Aug. 11. Of course, we had no money because of the wedding expenses, so gifts were not an option. This fact bothered David a whole lot more than it bothered me.
David took our change jar and cashed it in. We had enough to buy gas and a nice meal, with a little left over. We chose Macaroni Grill. We had been there before, but it had been quite a few years.
David got pork chops with a balsamic glaze, broccoli, and risotto, and I got the trio--a sample of chicken Parmesan (THE BEST), lasagna, and chicken cannelloni. It was all delicious. We did not tell our waiter until the end of the meal that it was our 30th anniversary. He brought me a flower (I think it was a gladiola or something like it) and David a chocolate cake dessert. We had it the next day, and it was really rich and delicious.
Overall, it was a wonderful 30th anniversary, and I love David more than I did way back then.
David took our change jar and cashed it in. We had enough to buy gas and a nice meal, with a little left over. We chose Macaroni Grill. We had been there before, but it had been quite a few years.
David got pork chops with a balsamic glaze, broccoli, and risotto, and I got the trio--a sample of chicken Parmesan (THE BEST), lasagna, and chicken cannelloni. It was all delicious. We did not tell our waiter until the end of the meal that it was our 30th anniversary. He brought me a flower (I think it was a gladiola or something like it) and David a chocolate cake dessert. We had it the next day, and it was really rich and delicious.
Overall, it was a wonderful 30th anniversary, and I love David more than I did way back then.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
The Wedding -continued-
Jamie came to our hotel room at 3:00 to do my make up. David had showered and put on the basic parts of his tux before she got there, since we had to be at the church at 4:00. She did a really good job with my makeup, and she wanted me to go with her to Alicia's room after. Jamie was hanging out with Alicia until time to go to the wedding. Anyway, I did, and Alicia approved, and I met most of my family out in the hall. It was good to see them, but I did not have time to visit. All of my aunts and uncles came, which I knew, but I did not know that my cousin Pam and her husband Tally and that my cousin Chris and his wife Lisa and their two boys were coming. It was such a nice surprise.
David and I finished dressing, and when we stepped onto the elevator, we saw Dana who said that it was pouring out. Because of that, I went out front so that David could pick me up under the covered drive instead of exiting out the back to the car like we had been doing. We ended up right behind the shuttle as it was leaving the hotel with the grooms persons.
When we got to the church, the rain had let up considerably. The rest of the time until the service, I just sort of hung out. I got a few pictures before the service, and I especially enjoyed being with the grooms persons as they were waiting to be called for pictures. There was a piano in the room in which they were waiting, and they sang everything from "Blessed Assurance" to "Freebird."
Then I got to my appointed place (the back pew) at 6:50, just as Ron had instructed me to. I had requested that Russell escort me to my seat, and he did. That meant more to me than I can express. The ceremony was really nice. I liked the fact that it was not long and drawn out with a lot of extra music, readers, and so on. Kevin and Juli were scheduled to sing "Make me a Channel of Thy Peace," but Kevin had just finished the first week of band camp and had lost his voice, like he usually does. So Warren filled in, and all three of them ended up singing, Kevin chiming in when he could. It really meant a lot me that Warren sang, since David and I really feel like we had a hand in raising him. I can't believe he is a junior this year!
Callie looked absolutely beautiful, and Russell was so happy and in love. David beamed throughout the ceremony; you could tell that he loved being best man. I guess one of the best parts of the service was little Martha. She came down the aisle with her little flower ring in her hair and carrying her flower ball with her pretty smocked dress on, and she was barefoot. You could hear a ripple go through the congregation as people realized it when she walked by. She pretty much stole the show. I hate that I did not get a picture of that.
The string quartet played "The Ashokan Farewell," and then it was over! David escorted me out, and then we had to stick around for some pictures. Russell and Callie rode over with us to the reception, with a brief stop at the hotel for something Russell needed for going away; I think it was some luggage or something.
I really can't name one thing above any of the rest that I liked; the whole service was really moving and special. I liked that Chris charged all of the families to support the couple. I liked the fact that the music was lovely and moving without being too much of it. I liked Martha the bare-footed flower girl. I liked the fact that my son escorted me to my seat and that my husband escorted me out. I'll always treasure that memory.
I'll pick up with the reception later.
David and I finished dressing, and when we stepped onto the elevator, we saw Dana who said that it was pouring out. Because of that, I went out front so that David could pick me up under the covered drive instead of exiting out the back to the car like we had been doing. We ended up right behind the shuttle as it was leaving the hotel with the grooms persons.
When we got to the church, the rain had let up considerably. The rest of the time until the service, I just sort of hung out. I got a few pictures before the service, and I especially enjoyed being with the grooms persons as they were waiting to be called for pictures. There was a piano in the room in which they were waiting, and they sang everything from "Blessed Assurance" to "Freebird."
Then I got to my appointed place (the back pew) at 6:50, just as Ron had instructed me to. I had requested that Russell escort me to my seat, and he did. That meant more to me than I can express. The ceremony was really nice. I liked the fact that it was not long and drawn out with a lot of extra music, readers, and so on. Kevin and Juli were scheduled to sing "Make me a Channel of Thy Peace," but Kevin had just finished the first week of band camp and had lost his voice, like he usually does. So Warren filled in, and all three of them ended up singing, Kevin chiming in when he could. It really meant a lot me that Warren sang, since David and I really feel like we had a hand in raising him. I can't believe he is a junior this year!
Callie looked absolutely beautiful, and Russell was so happy and in love. David beamed throughout the ceremony; you could tell that he loved being best man. I guess one of the best parts of the service was little Martha. She came down the aisle with her little flower ring in her hair and carrying her flower ball with her pretty smocked dress on, and she was barefoot. You could hear a ripple go through the congregation as people realized it when she walked by. She pretty much stole the show. I hate that I did not get a picture of that.
The string quartet played "The Ashokan Farewell," and then it was over! David escorted me out, and then we had to stick around for some pictures. Russell and Callie rode over with us to the reception, with a brief stop at the hotel for something Russell needed for going away; I think it was some luggage or something.
I really can't name one thing above any of the rest that I liked; the whole service was really moving and special. I liked that Chris charged all of the families to support the couple. I liked the fact that the music was lovely and moving without being too much of it. I liked Martha the bare-footed flower girl. I liked the fact that my son escorted me to my seat and that my husband escorted me out. I'll always treasure that memory.
I'll pick up with the reception later.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
The Wedding -again-
On Saturday, Mama and I went to the bridesmaids' luncheon, while David, Daddy, and Russell attended the groom's brunch. The luncheon was at the home of one of the bridesmaids on College Street, near the W. We were offered mimosas or champagne, but Mama and I both took just plain orange juice. I was driving, but my real reason for not drinking was that I did not want to have anything at all fuzzy about the day. Then we had cold tomato bisque in the living room in demitasse cups; it was o.k., but I was not that crazy about it.
We all went into the dining room, and one of the hostesses said the blessing. It came from the Book of Common Prayer, and it talked about getting married and having a common life. It was really sweet. Then we went through the buffet line and had chicken pie, a cold rice salad, snow peas, rolls, and sweet rolls. It was all delicious. Later we were served rainbow sherbet in silver compotes with a sugar cookie. It was all just wonderful. Being the dish nut that I am, I loved all the old china that was used, as well as the silver and crystal.
The bride and her attendants were seated in the dining room, and the rest of us were seated in the sun room. There was plenty of room, and it was all very nice. My mother and I really did not know anyone and did not have a lot to say to participate in the conversation, especially when they all started talking Ole Miss football. Who cares about that?
While we were there, the groom and his attendants were at Wesley UMC at the brunch. Alicia, Juli, Jamie, and Mary Al were the hostesses. They had borrowed old photos from me of Russell and used them in the table settings. Mary Al had taken snapshots and made place mats. It was really a cute idea. Of course, with Mary Al, Alicia, and Juli cooking, there was lots of good food. I know that they had breakfast casserole, cheese grits, fresh fruit, and mini muffins; I'm not sure what else. Of course, everyone ate and ate.
In addition to the groom's attendants, those attending were both grandfathers, Uncle Steve, Chris, Kevin, and Warren. Darrell had been invited, and he came in late and brought the whole family. So it was a really big event.
Juli was in charge of games. They played a wild game of fruit basket turnover. The Whitakers arrived late during the game, and you can tell from the pictures when they came in because little Martha is added to the circle. David said that she had a good time and basically just went from one chair to the one right next to it the whole time.
At one point in the pictures you can see Timothy in the circle on the phone. Matt started his residency at Vanderbilt and ended up not being able to be in the wedding. Timothy called him and Matt told a story which Timothy relayed to everyone. He told about the time when they were in high school and went to Dare to Lead at Camp Lake Stephens. Russell got stung by some yellow jackets and broke out in hives. They all enjoyed that story and it meant a lot to Russell to hear from Matt on that day.
Later, Russell told the group what each of the hostesses meant to him. He went around and talked about each one of them a little bit. When he got to Mary Al, he started crying and could not finish. David said that it was really sweet.
Overall, the groom's brunch was a huge success, and I think that they all really enjoyed it. Juli said that the church was the perfect place to have it because they are all so familiar with cooking in the church kitchen and there was so much room for all the guests to spread out. After the brunch, Chris went back with Mr. Casteel to their house and visited most of the afternoon. Some of the other church members dropped by, and David's mom said that Chris really enjoyed it.
By the time that we all got back to the hotel after all of these get-togethers, we did not have a lot of time until we had to be at the church at 4:00. Jamie and I talked on the phone, and she set up 3:00 as the time to come by the hotel and do my make up. David need to put his feet up, and we did get a little bit of rest in before we started preparing for the evening festivities.
I really will blog about the wedding next!
We all went into the dining room, and one of the hostesses said the blessing. It came from the Book of Common Prayer, and it talked about getting married and having a common life. It was really sweet. Then we went through the buffet line and had chicken pie, a cold rice salad, snow peas, rolls, and sweet rolls. It was all delicious. Later we were served rainbow sherbet in silver compotes with a sugar cookie. It was all just wonderful. Being the dish nut that I am, I loved all the old china that was used, as well as the silver and crystal.
The bride and her attendants were seated in the dining room, and the rest of us were seated in the sun room. There was plenty of room, and it was all very nice. My mother and I really did not know anyone and did not have a lot to say to participate in the conversation, especially when they all started talking Ole Miss football. Who cares about that?
While we were there, the groom and his attendants were at Wesley UMC at the brunch. Alicia, Juli, Jamie, and Mary Al were the hostesses. They had borrowed old photos from me of Russell and used them in the table settings. Mary Al had taken snapshots and made place mats. It was really a cute idea. Of course, with Mary Al, Alicia, and Juli cooking, there was lots of good food. I know that they had breakfast casserole, cheese grits, fresh fruit, and mini muffins; I'm not sure what else. Of course, everyone ate and ate.
In addition to the groom's attendants, those attending were both grandfathers, Uncle Steve, Chris, Kevin, and Warren. Darrell had been invited, and he came in late and brought the whole family. So it was a really big event.
Juli was in charge of games. They played a wild game of fruit basket turnover. The Whitakers arrived late during the game, and you can tell from the pictures when they came in because little Martha is added to the circle. David said that she had a good time and basically just went from one chair to the one right next to it the whole time.
At one point in the pictures you can see Timothy in the circle on the phone. Matt started his residency at Vanderbilt and ended up not being able to be in the wedding. Timothy called him and Matt told a story which Timothy relayed to everyone. He told about the time when they were in high school and went to Dare to Lead at Camp Lake Stephens. Russell got stung by some yellow jackets and broke out in hives. They all enjoyed that story and it meant a lot to Russell to hear from Matt on that day.
Later, Russell told the group what each of the hostesses meant to him. He went around and talked about each one of them a little bit. When he got to Mary Al, he started crying and could not finish. David said that it was really sweet.
Overall, the groom's brunch was a huge success, and I think that they all really enjoyed it. Juli said that the church was the perfect place to have it because they are all so familiar with cooking in the church kitchen and there was so much room for all the guests to spread out. After the brunch, Chris went back with Mr. Casteel to their house and visited most of the afternoon. Some of the other church members dropped by, and David's mom said that Chris really enjoyed it.
By the time that we all got back to the hotel after all of these get-togethers, we did not have a lot of time until we had to be at the church at 4:00. Jamie and I talked on the phone, and she set up 3:00 as the time to come by the hotel and do my make up. David need to put his feet up, and we did get a little bit of rest in before we started preparing for the evening festivities.
I really will blog about the wedding next!
Friday, August 7, 2009
The Wedding
I really don't know where to start blogging about the wedding. It all went wonderfully, and I enjoyed it, but I'm so glad that it is over. I'll start with Friday. We got up early and went to the beauty shop. After Judy put my color on, she cut David's hair. He trimmed his beard when he got home, so we both had a new "do." Then we packed the car, which took a little while, even though we had packed most of the bags the night before. We had a couple of errands to run in town, then on to Columbus.
In Columbus, we stopped at The House of Tux first. David and Russell both had to try on their tuxes, and David needed a slightly different coat. After the House of Tux, we went on to David's parents' while Russell and Callie went to run a couple of errands for her mom. After that, they were to go to the Ultimate Frisbee game they had organized for whichever friends were already in town. David and I stopped briefly at Dirt Cheap, and found nice gift bags for wine for 23 cents. We bought several since Russell said that he had gotten the groomsmen wine as gifts. When we told Russell later that we had bought them, he was really glad. We visited with Mr. and Mrs. Casteel briefly, then I called the Holiday Inn to see if we could check in early. They said that it was no problem, so we called Russell to tell him. He was glad that he could check in early, but still had some errands to run. Our original plan had been to spend some time with him after the game, but we ended up riding around with him doing errands so that we could spend some time with just him. We did not mind, and we did find a few minutes after checking in to give him some cash for his birthday to use for the honeymoon.
During the errand-running, Russell told me that Callie did want me to come to the rehearsal, contrary to our previous plan for me to go straight to the dinner location, so that I could be there as soon as the first guests started arriving. I did not mind, but by then, I had several things to do and did not like being rushed. I called Cindy and Carol Anne and told them their instructions about telling people to find their table numbers so that they would know where to sit. Somewhere in the rush we remembered that we had not set up the sound system, and David called Becky about it. She did not mind and said she would do it.
So we made it to the rehearsal about two minutes after 5:00, and David, Russell, Chris, Heather, Trey, and I were basically the only ones there until almost 5:15. Finally everyone started coming in. We're sort of standing and sitting around visiting waiting for the rehearsal to start, when in walks Ron Locke, of all people. What a surprise! He is on staff at First UMC and part of his duties include directing weddings. I had literally not seen him in 25 years since we were in grad. school at MSU.
He was awesome! He was very well-organized and well-spoken. He gave the kids a good speech about being on time, not drinking, and so on. He was short and to the point, and I think it did the trick. Even with his running a little late, he was so well-organized that the rehearsal was over by 6:30 and the dinner was not scheduled until 7:00! We were pleasantly shocked. David and I went straight on over to the W, and Carol Anne and David were just getting there. We went in, and the place was gorgeous! I was extremely pleased, to say the least, at how it all turned out.
A little bit later, people started to arrive, and everyone was very complimentary about the look of everything. About 7:00 we were ready, but alas, Steve and Cindy were nowhere in sight! Finally, they came in, just as Becky was asking if the minister who was saying the blessing had gotten there yet!
That afternoon, Russell had told us that he wanted me to welcome everyone, Mr. Flowers to make the first toast, and David to have the last toast and a benediction. So I welcomed everyone and then turned the blessing over to Steve. Then we lined up and got food and ate and ate and ate. I have posted the menu below.
All the toasts were wonderful, both fun and serious. David's toast was very sweet and touching, and his eyes were quite moist, as were mine. After the benediction, David brought Becky and crew out, and we gave them a standing ovation. Then everyone left, and David and I went back to the hotel and collapsed. I'll write more later.
In Columbus, we stopped at The House of Tux first. David and Russell both had to try on their tuxes, and David needed a slightly different coat. After the House of Tux, we went on to David's parents' while Russell and Callie went to run a couple of errands for her mom. After that, they were to go to the Ultimate Frisbee game they had organized for whichever friends were already in town. David and I stopped briefly at Dirt Cheap, and found nice gift bags for wine for 23 cents. We bought several since Russell said that he had gotten the groomsmen wine as gifts. When we told Russell later that we had bought them, he was really glad. We visited with Mr. and Mrs. Casteel briefly, then I called the Holiday Inn to see if we could check in early. They said that it was no problem, so we called Russell to tell him. He was glad that he could check in early, but still had some errands to run. Our original plan had been to spend some time with him after the game, but we ended up riding around with him doing errands so that we could spend some time with just him. We did not mind, and we did find a few minutes after checking in to give him some cash for his birthday to use for the honeymoon.
During the errand-running, Russell told me that Callie did want me to come to the rehearsal, contrary to our previous plan for me to go straight to the dinner location, so that I could be there as soon as the first guests started arriving. I did not mind, but by then, I had several things to do and did not like being rushed. I called Cindy and Carol Anne and told them their instructions about telling people to find their table numbers so that they would know where to sit. Somewhere in the rush we remembered that we had not set up the sound system, and David called Becky about it. She did not mind and said she would do it.
So we made it to the rehearsal about two minutes after 5:00, and David, Russell, Chris, Heather, Trey, and I were basically the only ones there until almost 5:15. Finally everyone started coming in. We're sort of standing and sitting around visiting waiting for the rehearsal to start, when in walks Ron Locke, of all people. What a surprise! He is on staff at First UMC and part of his duties include directing weddings. I had literally not seen him in 25 years since we were in grad. school at MSU.
He was awesome! He was very well-organized and well-spoken. He gave the kids a good speech about being on time, not drinking, and so on. He was short and to the point, and I think it did the trick. Even with his running a little late, he was so well-organized that the rehearsal was over by 6:30 and the dinner was not scheduled until 7:00! We were pleasantly shocked. David and I went straight on over to the W, and Carol Anne and David were just getting there. We went in, and the place was gorgeous! I was extremely pleased, to say the least, at how it all turned out.
A little bit later, people started to arrive, and everyone was very complimentary about the look of everything. About 7:00 we were ready, but alas, Steve and Cindy were nowhere in sight! Finally, they came in, just as Becky was asking if the minister who was saying the blessing had gotten there yet!
That afternoon, Russell had told us that he wanted me to welcome everyone, Mr. Flowers to make the first toast, and David to have the last toast and a benediction. So I welcomed everyone and then turned the blessing over to Steve. Then we lined up and got food and ate and ate and ate. I have posted the menu below.
All the toasts were wonderful, both fun and serious. David's toast was very sweet and touching, and his eyes were quite moist, as were mine. After the benediction, David brought Becky and crew out, and we gave them a standing ovation. Then everyone left, and David and I went back to the hotel and collapsed. I'll write more later.
Menu
appetizer tray of cheeses, fruit, and olives
organic salad bar
choice of:
prime rib chicken Huntington eggplant Parmesan
green beans
potatoes with fixings
rolls
tiramasu with chocolate sauce
sweet tea spring water lemonade
mock champagne for toasting
My words after welcoming everyone: "Memorial Day weekend of 2005, we were camping at Grenada Lake. We knew that Russell had just finished a hard week of staff training, and we asked him to come over and join us when he could. Those of you who know Russell, know that he does not turn down a steak dinner! In the course of our asking him about that summer's staff, he mentioned that there was a girl with curly hair that he might ask out. 'But I guess I'll wait until the end of summer since I'm kind of like her boss.' A long pause. 'Or maybe not.' Three and one-half years later, last fall, he told us of his plan to propose to her while they were at Sewanne for homecoming. He told us then that on that first date back in the summer of 2005, that he knew then that she was the ONE." Everyone went "AWWWW" when I finished, so I knew my speech had been successful and that it was all true. Russell said later that he had forgotten about that and seemed glad that I told the story.
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