Wedding Weekend!

I went to Fairfield this weekend for Mandie and Sean's wedding...and what a BUSY weekend it was! I left the cities on Thursday (it was MEA...Minnesota Education Association...weekend, which meant we had FOUR days off)(technically to attend workshops and the convention, but MOST people just take the long weekend and GO somewhere!). I listened to the wedding music, that I was going down to sing, for a large chunk of the trip. My goal was to have it memorized by the time I got there, but, it turns out I didn't need to, as we decided to use the sheet music during the ceremony (which was actually GREAT...because it was much LESS stressful)! It was a BEAUTIFUL day, and a NICE, leisurely drive.

I stopped in Pella, on my way there, to get guveldekuchen and Dutch letters. UNFORTUNATELY, they only had TWO guveldekuchen (I wanted SIX), and I still had on my "city face" (and maybe a hint of attitude!), so I think I SCARED the poor woman behind the counter when I said "are you KIDDING me??!!" after she went to the back to see if they had any more, and didn't. I "made nice" with her, and she suggested that next time I came through town that I call ahead. She said they'd be HAPPY to hold some back for me...yeah...that'll be GREAT when I go back next spring!!

I got to Fairfield around 4:00 (after getting LOST trying to figure out how to get to town via the new bypass!) and had a QUICK chance to talk to Tena before she went to a meeting. When she got back, we had a SPEEDY pizza at George's (I have pepperoni and green olives!), then met LeAnne and Fred at the high school to run through the wedding music. Emily wasn't in town yet, so Tena stepped in for a few of the duets (which was a GREAT help!). Mandie and Sean were there to listen (no PRESSURE!), and we plunked out our parts. I was feeling a little uneasy at that point, but, calmed down a little bit when I realized that we still had the "real" wedding rehearsal, and an additional "hour before the wedding" rehearsal in which to work stuff out!

After singing for about an hour, I went over to Carol J's house to "hang out". It was LOVELY to see her again, and to catch up, and we had a nice, relaxing glass of wine while chatting. She's a DEAR friend, and it was REALLY REALLY AWESOME to see her again!

After offering redecorating advice, and talking about how we could "de-old lady-fie" her house (I think we came up with some AWESOME ideas!), I went back to Tena's, and she and I spent some time catching up as well. She had to work on Friday, so we didn't stay up TOO late!

I learned on Friday morning that it SUCKS to go to Fairfield when everyone you know has to work! I hung out at Tena's for awhile, then went to Revelations to get some coffee. I drove to Chautauqua Park and sat on a bench near one of the shelter houses for awhile, then drove around town for a bit, then drove out to Libertyville (to see how the bypass had been routed), then drove to Jefferson County Park and walked one of the trails. LUCKILY, I ran into Mosie (which I tend to do on my trips home!), so she walked with me, and we had a chance to catch up as well.

After Jefferson County Park, I met Claudette at the library, and we had a chance to chat over lunch at the Istanbul Cafe. I got to see Deena while I was waiting for Claudette, an was also able to meet the new children's librarian. She seemed like a HOOT, and I think will be a GREAT addition to the staff. It was SO nice to see Claudette again! We hadn't talked (except through e-mail) for AGES, so it was a NICE chat! I miss spending time with here, and am vowing to "fix that", and maybe make lunch a regular part of my visits back to Iowa from now on! As I mentioned in an earlier post (referring to Kelly when she came to visit), Claudette is one of those AMAZING friends with whom I can just "pick up" where we left off, and it's comfortable, and relaxed, and OH SO NICE!!!

After lunch, I stopped by Sunnybrook Assisted Living to see if I could find my dear old friend Edna. I called Sunnybrook earlier that day, and they wouldn't tell me if she was there, because I wasn't family. I was a little annoyed, but, as a teacher, and librarian, understood the whole "confidentiality" thing. I ASSUMED she was still there, and asked the person who answered the phone that if she WAS there, would it be possible to visit her. She said "probably", so I took that to mean that she was still there.

She was, but it was a DIFFICULT visit. She's MUCH more frail than she was the last time I saw her. She's been falling a lot lately, so had been moved to the "more assistance" area of the home, and I could tell that it was really BUGGING her that her independence was being taken away, bit by bit. She can't drive her car anymore, they've taken the stove from her room, and she doesn't get many visitors at all. It's SAD, really, because she's done SO MUCH for SO MANY families around town that she REALLY should have DROVES of visitors...but she doesn't.

We had a very nice chat, and her SPUNKINESS came out several times during our conversation...it was nice to see. My favorite bit of "spunk" was when she said that the man in the next room kept wandering into her room and lying down on her sofa...but that it was NOT a good situation, because he "wasn't even good looking"!!

She said that she mainly spends her time reading, and watching television. I asked if they had a library there, and she said no, so, I suggested that the administrator at Sunnybrook contact the library to see if it would be possible to bring books out as part of the library's "homebound" program. Not sure if that's possible, but I hope so...I'm sure there are LOTS of people like Edna, who could use some new material to read!

After visiting with Edna, I went back to Tena's and got ready for the rehearsal. Duane flew to Cedar Rapids, and then rented a car, and arrived just as the rehearsal was starting. We did a sound check, rehearsed everything, and, I must say, did a BRILLIANT job...especially since Emily and I had never sung together before!

Duane left to meet Carol J. for dinner, and I stayed for the "official" rehearsal. It went well, and afterwards, we went to the fairgrounds (to the agriculture building!) for the rehearsal dinner. We had AWESOME Italian food, and my good friend Trish joined us (she was one of the hostesses for the wedding reception), so she and I had a chance to catch up.

After the dinner, I went to Carol's to chat again (with Duane this time!), then we headed back to Tena's for MORE conversation and to FINALLY go to bed!

Saturday, we got up, got around (slowly), then headed to Revelations for coffee. We walked the square, shopped (I found a chocolate BACON bar at the Chocolate Cafe!), then went BACK to Revelations for lunch (their pizzas are AMAZING!). After that, we looked around the TINY local farmer's market, then headed to Jefferson County Park (after picking up Avery!). We took an AWESOME walk (AGAIN for me!), and got some GREAT pictures...and here they are!

Duane and me outside Thymely Solutions!

Tena and me trying to WAKE UP!!

the civic center (where the wedding took place)

the cuppola on the Jefferson County Courthouse

a maple tree outside the McIlhenney House

Duane and me at the beginning of one of the hiking paths at Jefferson County Park

Tena and Avery

Duane and me

Tena on the "bouncy frog"!

Tena, Avery, and me at Jefferson County Park

After walking in the park, we all came back to get ready for the wedding. I had ANOTHER rehearsal at 4:30, so went to that, and then met up with Tena and Duane at the civic center.

Duane, Tena, and me before the wedding

Tena and me...what FASHION PLATES!!!!

Me and Trish before the wedding!

What can I say about the wedding, except that it was AMAZINGLY EXTRAVAGANT!! The stage was set with two HUGE silk flower arrangements, and Mandie's dad had built a gazebo-type structure for them all to stand in front of during the ceremony. There were flowers and beads draped all along the structure, and there were rose petals strewn in the shape of a heart on the floor. The lighting was dim, with spotlights focused on the cross affixed to the front of the gazebo, and on the areas for the wedding party and the musicians. The ceremony was beautiful, the music went VERY well (despite the fact that I could NOT clear my throat to SAVE MY LIFE before it began!). I also did the reading, and was HAPPY to not stumble over any of the words (at the rehearsal the night before, all of a sudden, I ceased to be able to understand the English language, and had a DIFFICULT time getting through it!).

After the ceremony, the guests were ushered into the "convention hall" part of the civic center for a catered dinner. The decorations were AMAZING...candles EVERYWHERE...red and black silk and tulle draped over everything...a dance floor surrounded by a lighted framework (which Mandie's dad ALSO built!)...china and crystal...a draped dias along the center edge of the seating area for the bride and groom...a chicken and ham buffet for 250 people (featuring a mashed potato bar, almond green beans, salad, marinated chicken, ham sliced as you went through the line by the chef, a dessert bar...wow!).

Duane and me at the reception

Tom, Duane, and me reacting to Tena's cleavage!!

Duane and me with our "seat tags"!

Tena and me

Duane and me

Mandie and Sean (perhaps she should have worn the "Stay-Fast" lipstick??!!)

Me and Emily...the musicians

At the reception, I had a chance to chat with Mandie's father. He wanted to let me know that a guest had asked if Emily and I had flown up from Branson, Missouri (where Mandie is a recording artist) to sing at the ceremony. Mandie's dad replied "yes...yes they did"! Nice to be thought of by SOMEONE as a professional singer!!!

After the reception Duane, Tena, and I went back to her place and got out of our UNCOMFORTABLE clothes. We put on our COMFORTABLE clothes to finish the evening with more "catching up"! Then...we went to bed!!!

Sunday, we got up, Tena went to teach Sunday school, and Duane and I tried to find coffee (Revelations is CLOSED on Sunday!). We found a cafe around the corner, got coffee, then spent a few minutes looking for my "brick" in the FAIRFIELD garden nearby. I FINALLY found it (with Daune's help!). After that, we got back in our cars, drove to Cedar Rapids (after a stop at Steak and Shake in Coralville, dropped the car off at the airport, and continued on to the cities in MY car.

Me by the Fairfield Sign

My brick on the plaza (thanks LaDawn!!)

It was a LONG, HECTIC weekend, but REALLY REALLY REALLY fun, and I was able to reconnect with a BUNCH of dear friends!

Hope YOUR weekend was full of "reconnections", and that YOU got to eat cake as well!