Tuesday, October 16, 2007
The Wonders of Short Notice
Sunday afternoon, about 1:15, I was idly watching a football game on the new flatter'n a pancake TV ... not even sure who it was ... nobody I was rooting for anyway, an' I hear this with my left ear - the one pointed at the kitchen telephone.
"We're going to renew our vows at 4:30 and it would be real nice if you could come. Okay. See ya!"
"Who were you talking to?" I inquire as Bookworm crossed the room towards the main phone in the Family Room.
"Chris." And she dials a number and gets someone's answering machine. "Hi, Jim and I are going to renew our vows at 4:30 today and it'd be really great if you could be here. There'll be pumpkin pie and champaigne and you can bring some food if you want. And come as you are!"
My mind begins to absorb the info it's receiving and it comes to me that something real is rolling downhill and picking up speed. RENEWING OUR VOWS! And then my mind flashes to the one small, lonely Safeway pumpkin pie in the freezer ... cooking required.
On and on she rolls, call after call, half answering machines, half actual people. "RENEWING OUR VOWS!" "4:30!" "Come!"
By now it's after 1:30 and I'm thinking this is insane ... there's no planning .... there's no champaigne ... she'll be lucky to get a half dozen people here on three hour's notice.
At this point Rev. Liz rings the bell and presents herself to do her pastoral duty by me - me being the sick person and a legitimate center of attention. But no, the day hath fled in another direction. Rev. Liz is confiscated and incorporated into the ceremonial plan and then set to work helping to clean up the house and make it presentable to the imagined guests.
Are you thinking What ceremonial plan? Well, somehow granddaughter Rachel has fallen in with Bookworm's enthusiasm and is on the computer, running off copies of 'vows'. Except for the living room, the house is a bleeding mess, stacks of boxes full of books and junk, BUT - not to worry - Rachel and Kay rush off to Safeway and return with more pies and numerous bottles of champagne.
Three pies go into the oven together. Rev. Liz glances over the 'vows' and says something to the effect of "we can work with this." There is a great and prolonged swiffing and swaffing with brooms, vacuum cleaners and swifers. Junk begins to vanish ... into the laundry room. Rachel hoses off the deck and 'arranges' the deck furniture to hint at the coming ceremony. By 4:00, everything is spick and span and most partylike and the three of us are pokin' at the pumpkin pies with knives, trying to figure out if they are done yet. I offer the wisdom, "I think it may take longer when you try to bake three pies at once."
4:15 -- we await in great anticipation. What will be the actual effect of those phone calls. Seems like most of them were to machines. What if only a couple people show up .... plenty of pie then, I guess.
4:30 -- counting Rachel and Bookworm and I, there are thirty people wandering thru the house, admiring the new floors, new paint, and new furniture. Fellow bloggers 'Mom' and 'Brown Shoes' are here. Grandson Aleister shows up with his other grandmother. Rev. Liz's husband arrives and pops a loaf of bread into the oven to bake. And friends, friends everywhere.
Around 5:00, we are all assembled on the deck where short speeches are made [Aleister stood forth in turn and announced "You are the best grandma and grandpa in the world!"], poems are read, vows and rings and kisses exchanged .... and then the corks did begin to pop & fly.
Special thanks to Rachel, who did dozens of tasks just as they were needed, prepped the scene, and took 304 photographs. Special thanks to Rev. Liz for adding a slightly formal touch while letting it flow. And a special, special thanks to Bookworm for having such an awesome spontaneous outbreak. And all my love is aimed out there at all you wonderful friends who dropped what you were doing and came a runnin'! I'm glad we had the chance to share that with all of you. I'm still a little stunned!
"We're going to renew our vows at 4:30 and it would be real nice if you could come. Okay. See ya!"
"Who were you talking to?" I inquire as Bookworm crossed the room towards the main phone in the Family Room.
"Chris." And she dials a number and gets someone's answering machine. "Hi, Jim and I are going to renew our vows at 4:30 today and it'd be really great if you could be here. There'll be pumpkin pie and champaigne and you can bring some food if you want. And come as you are!"
My mind begins to absorb the info it's receiving and it comes to me that something real is rolling downhill and picking up speed. RENEWING OUR VOWS! And then my mind flashes to the one small, lonely Safeway pumpkin pie in the freezer ... cooking required.
On and on she rolls, call after call, half answering machines, half actual people. "RENEWING OUR VOWS!" "4:30!" "Come!"
By now it's after 1:30 and I'm thinking this is insane ... there's no planning .... there's no champaigne ... she'll be lucky to get a half dozen people here on three hour's notice.
At this point Rev. Liz rings the bell and presents herself to do her pastoral duty by me - me being the sick person and a legitimate center of attention. But no, the day hath fled in another direction. Rev. Liz is confiscated and incorporated into the ceremonial plan and then set to work helping to clean up the house and make it presentable to the imagined guests.
Are you thinking What ceremonial plan? Well, somehow granddaughter Rachel has fallen in with Bookworm's enthusiasm and is on the computer, running off copies of 'vows'. Except for the living room, the house is a bleeding mess, stacks of boxes full of books and junk, BUT - not to worry - Rachel and Kay rush off to Safeway and return with more pies and numerous bottles of champagne.
Three pies go into the oven together. Rev. Liz glances over the 'vows' and says something to the effect of "we can work with this." There is a great and prolonged swiffing and swaffing with brooms, vacuum cleaners and swifers. Junk begins to vanish ... into the laundry room. Rachel hoses off the deck and 'arranges' the deck furniture to hint at the coming ceremony. By 4:00, everything is spick and span and most partylike and the three of us are pokin' at the pumpkin pies with knives, trying to figure out if they are done yet. I offer the wisdom, "I think it may take longer when you try to bake three pies at once."
4:15 -- we await in great anticipation. What will be the actual effect of those phone calls. Seems like most of them were to machines. What if only a couple people show up .... plenty of pie then, I guess.
4:30 -- counting Rachel and Bookworm and I, there are thirty people wandering thru the house, admiring the new floors, new paint, and new furniture. Fellow bloggers 'Mom' and 'Brown Shoes' are here. Grandson Aleister shows up with his other grandmother. Rev. Liz's husband arrives and pops a loaf of bread into the oven to bake. And friends, friends everywhere.
Around 5:00, we are all assembled on the deck where short speeches are made [Aleister stood forth in turn and announced "You are the best grandma and grandpa in the world!"], poems are read, vows and rings and kisses exchanged .... and then the corks did begin to pop & fly.
Special thanks to Rachel, who did dozens of tasks just as they were needed, prepped the scene, and took 304 photographs. Special thanks to Rev. Liz for adding a slightly formal touch while letting it flow. And a special, special thanks to Bookworm for having such an awesome spontaneous outbreak. And all my love is aimed out there at all you wonderful friends who dropped what you were doing and came a runnin'! I'm glad we had the chance to share that with all of you. I'm still a little stunned!
# posted by Clear Creek Girl : 6:38 PM
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Awwww... That last photo really brought a tear to my eye. The love you two have for each other is amazing, and I can only hope my husband and I achieve that. We celebrated six years of marriage last week. Congratulations on renewing your vows!! What a sweet, touching story.
# posted by 
: 6:50 AM
: 6:50 AM
FG, you have such a silly, wonderful take on life. This description is great! Indeed, Brownshoes and Mom were there and we witnessed! And many others. An illustration of the love we have for both of you. Sometimes those unplanned, by the seat of the pants events are the best. Thank you for letting us watch and be hugged by the special two of you.
It was a lovely afternoon.
Your last photo captures the essence of the day perfectly.
I don't think there was a dry eye on deck after that soul-melding moment.
bs
Your last photo captures the essence of the day perfectly.
I don't think there was a dry eye on deck after that soul-melding moment.
bs
That is so great for you two. I wish I would have known I would have tried to be there.
Cousin Kathi
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Cousin Kathi
# posted by : 10:23 AM
: 10:23 AM<< Home
