To Have and To Hold

After months of breathless waiting, negotiations with officials from several foreign governments, tireless planning, an ocean of paperwork, and undisclosed expense...my dear friend Sarah got her wish.  She and her fiancé Pete are now officially husband and wife.  All of us who love them may now exhale. 

Aaaaah.  That's better. 

For photos, see Cecily's blog. I'll just provide my two cents. 

Once the immigration problems had been settled, the rest actually went quite well.  In many ways, it was like an Indian wedding (Gandhi, not Geronimo).  The celebrations lasted for several days...I lost track of all the dinners and get-togethers.  Afterall, I was in charge of the bachelor party.   Imagine trying to get seven Englishmen with varying forms of detailed yet totally unfamiliar identification into an American nudie bar. Now add one undocumented (and possibly underage) member to the crew and you have my situation.  Fortunately I used to be a drunk, as well as a nudie bar connoisseur.  So, I am fluent in both "bouncer" and  "manager."  I guess that makes me bilingual.  In any case, a good time was had by all, tho by the end of the night I began to understand why old men like me do not do well hanging out at nudie bars all night.  Even sober.

But no matter.

The next day was the rehearsal dinner... no bouncers at that one.  And the food was tasty.   With the wedding hours away, our friend and preacher, Mark, was still crafting the ceremony. I would have been worried, but knowing him as I do, I wasn't.  This is simply the way he writes.  He lets the words simmer in him like a gumbo, and right before the lid is about to blow off the pot, he pours the fully cooked phrases onto the page.  The result was magnificent.   Funny, touching, and honest to the bone.  Everything a wedding ceremony should be.

If you've taken a moment to check out Cecily's blog, you'll see that Sarah was a head-turning, traffic-stopping beauty, made only more so by the joy of the day and the warmth of her love.  Pete, by the way, is quite possibly the kindest person I've known, and I can think of no more deserving recipient of his love than Sarah.

OK, handkerchiefs away... because at this point, I've lost some details...and by Saturday night, the lack of sleep had given me a sore throat and a fever...so I missed the Sunday brunch.  Suffice to say everyone was exhausted but blissfully so.  Or so I'm told.  I was home with a thermometer in my mouth and the covers pulled up to my chin.

I promise to get back to my cranky rants as soon as I'm up to speed.  But this one's for Sarah and Pete.  Congratulations.  The journey is just beginning.

Comments

[Sarah]

Thank you so much, Charlie.

Pete says you and Cec are the most lovely people he's ever known.

We love you both so much!

[Christine]

Ha! I knew it! You aren't really a curmudgeon - you're a softie!

BTW - you look damn good all dressed up. Even - dare I say it? - distinguished. Hope you are feeling better by now.

And get back to ranting, man.

[Catherine]

You going soft, old man? ;)

What does this mean? "by the end of the night I began to understand why old men like me do not do well hanging out at nudie bars all night. Even sober."

[Charlie]

Catherine -
What I meant by that comment was that I easily tire of getting worked for my Washingtons. Each time one of the girls came around for her "tip" I said, "Oh, you're collecting for victims of Hurricane Katrina, how nice."

Nobody laughed.

[Catherine]

LOL! Okay, I get it.

D recently attended his best friend's bachelor party at a strip club in Vegas. He was so uncomfortable being there that he started smoking again after months of being quit. Apparently not all guys are turned on by pneumatic blondes shaking their tits in your face for money.

[Jean]

Aww Charlie, you old softy!
Glad you all had a lovely day.

[Nancy]

hey charlie
i saw u in the pics too....very handsome in the tux
good luck with your newest baby venture
you and cec are in my thoughts!

nance