Did anyone go to Siren? How was it?

I'm back.

Made it home in one piece from the Great White North. I think I've spent about 12 hours total in the van we rented this weekend, which means I conveniently never want to see the inside of it again ever, and won't since my dad has to return it in the morning. At least it was comfy.

The wedding was...memorable. I was incorrect about one thing, though - it was in a Botanical Garden, not a national park. So all my nightmares of deer ticks, rocky trails, and pounds of dirt were incorrect. It was actually a lovely setting, and there were chairs and everything. Sadly, it had rained that morning, so there was also nice amounts of mud. At least the reception was in a covered pavillion, which had a concrete floor. (Thank goodness.) My cousin walked (or, more correctly, cha-chaed) down the aisle to the theme song to "Mad About You." After the ceremony, halfway up the aisle, her groom stopped, grabbed her, threw her over his shoulder and ran away laughing maniacally (the bride was shrieking and laughing as well). The Justice of the Peace officiating asked those in attendance to please refrain from standing to take pictures (but we could take them from our seats).

Speaking of the seats, they were out in the bright, 90+ degree sun. I am SO glad I had the idea to buy and wear a straw hat to the ceremony (similar to the one pictured in my icon). It helped just that little bit with the sun, as the paper fans my mom brought for us helped some with the heat. I felt like I belonged in a Tennesee Williams play or something. I also think that forgoing the cologne and dousing myself with Avon's Skin So Soft bug repellent was a brilliant idea (hey, Gyda? You have the new catalogues in yet?) - and one many people in the wedding also went with. It was lovely, and my cousin was glowing. I mean it - I've seen her happy before, but since she's been with this guy she's positively over the moon (and I don't know him that well yet, but he seems the same). They just GET each other - and it shows how in love and happy they are, which is fantastic. I'm so happy for them.

The DJ was awful. I can't even begin. He played C+C Music Factory, people. That's just cruel. AND! He singled out certain wedding party members and made them WEAR HATS and dance as the Village People to do the YMCA. I though the Geneva convention outlawed these kinds of things, but apparently I was wrong. One of my cousins (the one who got married has 3 sisters, this was one of them) gave me a hard time about not dancing, and I told her that the minute he played something I liked, I would dance. Soon after, they played "I will survive," and I danced with the bride. She was pleased. (They then played Cotton-Eyed Joe. Without irony. And people danced the actual Cotton-Eye-Joe dance!! I mean, what the hell is WRONG with people? Also? There's a DANCE?!!)

The DJ played decent stuff during dinner, and I even spoke to him at one point, getting him to play some Sinatra and Paul Simon. He even told me that the Chicken dance was on the do not play list. I was encouraged. But alas, alas - I would have taken the chicken dance over "Gonna Make You Sweat" ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. (Although that's sort of like saying your choice was "or Death," isn't it?)

We didn't leave too long after the dancing started. The 5 of us went back to the hotel, crashed for awhile, then headed out to Wegman's (and a liquor store!) for some provisions. Wegman's makes Whole Foods look like a mini-mart and Trader Joe's look like a bodega. Seriously - this place is amazing.

This morning we had a lovely visit with herrsprengstoff and wint3rhart over IHOP beore hitting the road. We made it in about 3 hours (record time, really), and listened to the Yankees sweep the White Sox. Then I watched many hours of I Love the 70s, Part II. I still feel kind of zombified.

There is, however, one thing that makes everything in the world better.

The next 3 days, I am on vacation from work. I will be at the beach, in the pool or the ocean, during this time. You are welcome to hate me. I was expecting craptastic, rainy weather, but that appears to not be the case. Yaye!

Did anyone go to Siren? How was it?

I'm back.

Made it home in one piece from the Great White North. I think I've spent about 12 hours total in the van we rented this weekend, which means I conveniently never want to see the inside of it again ever, and won't since my dad has to return it in the morning. At least it was comfy.

The wedding was...memorable. I was incorrect about one thing, though - it was in a Botanical Garden, not a national park. So all my nightmares of deer ticks, rocky trails, and pounds of dirt were incorrect. It was actually a lovely setting, and there were chairs and everything. Sadly, it had rained that morning, so there was also nice amounts of mud. At least the reception was in a covered pavillion, which had a concrete floor. (Thank goodness.) My cousin walked (or, more correctly, cha-chaed) down the aisle to the theme song to "Mad About You." After the ceremony, halfway up the aisle, her groom stopped, grabbed her, threw her over his shoulder and ran away laughing maniacally (the bride was shrieking and laughing as well). The Justice of the Peace officiating asked those in attendance to please refrain from standing to take pictures (but we could take them from our seats).

Speaking of the seats, they were out in the bright, 90+ degree sun. I am SO glad I had the idea to buy and wear a straw hat to the ceremony (similar to the one pictured in my icon). It helped just that little bit with the sun, as the paper fans my mom brought for us helped some with the heat. I felt like I belonged in a Tennesee Williams play or something. I also think that forgoing the cologne and dousing myself with Avon's Skin So Soft bug repellent was a brilliant idea (hey, Gyda? You have the new catalogues in yet?) - and one many people in the wedding also went with. It was lovely, and my cousin was glowing. I mean it - I've seen her happy before, but since she's been with this guy she's positively over the moon (and I don't know him that well yet, but he seems the same). They just GET each other - and it shows how in love and happy they are, which is fantastic. I'm so happy for them.

The DJ was awful. I can't even begin. He played C+C Music Factory, people. That's just cruel. AND! He singled out certain wedding party members and made them WEAR HATS and dance as the Village People to do the YMCA. I though the Geneva convention outlawed these kinds of things, but apparently I was wrong. One of my cousins (the one who got married has 3 sisters, this was one of them) gave me a hard time about not dancing, and I told her that the minute he played something I liked, I would dance. Soon after, they played "I will survive," and I danced with the bride. She was pleased. (They then played Cotton-Eyed Joe. Without irony. And people danced the actual Cotton-Eye-Joe dance!! I mean, what the hell is WRONG with people? Also? There's a DANCE?!!)

The DJ played decent stuff during dinner, and I even spoke to him at one point, getting him to play some Sinatra and Paul Simon. He even told me that the Chicken dance was on the do not play list. I was encouraged. But alas, alas - I would have taken the chicken dance over "Gonna Make You Sweat" ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. (Although that's sort of like saying your choice was "or Death," isn't it?)

We didn't leave too long after the dancing started. The 5 of us went back to the hotel, crashed for awhile, then headed out to Wegman's (and a liquor store!) for some provisions. Wegman's makes Whole Foods look like a mini-mart and Trader Joe's look like a bodega. Seriously - this place is amazing.

This morning we had a lovely visit with herrsprengstoff and wint3rhart over IHOP beore hitting the road. We made it in about 3 hours (record time, really), and listened to the Yankees sweep the White Sox. Then I watched many hours of I Love the 70s, Part II. I still feel kind of zombified.

There is, however, one thing that makes everything in the world better.

The next 3 days, I am on vacation from work. I will be at the beach, in the pool or the ocean, during this time. You are welcome to hate me. I was expecting craptastic, rainy weather, but that appears to not be the case. Yaye!