Kristen and Rich got married!

Saturday morning Terry and I drove into New Jersey to help celebrate the wedding of our niece, Kristen to her long time boyfriend, Rich. They had tied the knot on 11-11-11 but held the "reception" on the 19th.

Blue Ice Sculpture

Table Centerpiece

Rich & Kristen

Rich & His Mom, Kristen & Her Dad, Al

Mrs. Seraphine and her husband

Ruthann with Sandy (Kristen's Mom and sister)

The food was great, the bar was open, and folks had a fantastic time on the dance floor.

Dancing!

Dancing!

A traditional three tier cake...

Rich is a volunteer fireman.

...with a special decoration.

The crowd was actually pretty tame for having numerous volunteer firemen! (And Ryan, Sandy's husband.) Ruthann must have intimidated them!

A good time was had by all!

Antoher wedding to attend.

Driving into New Jersey this afternoon to attend a Friday evening wedding. They say they chose this time because it was all that was available before the groom (a submariner) goes on active duty for six months and the bride starts her pediatric internship. I think it's because the bride's Dad is a HUGE Rutgers football fan and the Scarlet Knights play on Saturday.

The bride's Mom is Terry's cousin Nancy. They grew up together in Linden. The wedding is just to the northwest of that city.

We'll stay at a hotel near the Linden airport and drive home Saturday. With luck we'll be home in time to catch the Rutgers-North Carolina game on computer if not radio/TV.

Saturday in Maine: Water, Boat Building and Wedding

Saturday was to be the Big Day for Eliza and David but we had all morning and early afternoon for further exploration. To that end, Terry and I set off up the coast a short distance in search of the ocean waters at the end of a couple of the many protruding bits of land along the Maine coast.

We drove up to Brunswick past the campus of Bowdoin College. Having been there before, we didn't feel the need to stop at the Perry-MacMillan Arctic Museum or the Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain Museum. Instead, we headed down Route 123 in search of the reversing falls at Basin Cove. Signage wasn't what it should be and we couldn't located the falls despite driving all the way to the end of the road. We turned about and headed north (inland) again then cut across Mountain Road to Route 24. This we followed out to The Lands End Gift Shop and the Lobsterman's Statue on Jaquish Gut.

Sailboat out in Casco Bay viewed from Bailey Island.

Lobsterman's Statue at then end of the road on Bailey Island.

The Due Time heads through the Jacquish Gut with lobser pots on board.
(Jacquish Island in rear.)

Terry pronounces the ocean's waters wet, cold, and saline.
Well, she was in the clean water division of the EPA, so she should know.

(Other's photos can be found here: Bailey Island, Maine.)

Having succeeded in finding the ocean, we headed back to Route 1 and up to Bath to visit the Maine Maritime Museum. Very comprehensive site that takes you through boat and shop building in the Bath area. You can even get a short (1 hour) boat cruise to see the boat works from the water. Or, there are tours of the Bath Iron Works and the massive floating dry dock used in modern steel hulled construction. We confined ourselves to the immediate grounds and strolled around the displays and workshops. Fascinating place.

But we had a wedding to attend! Back to the motel to get dressed and then off to the Old Meeting Hall in Yarmouth.

Elizabeth and David about to exchange vows and rings.

After a simple ceremony in the Old Yarmouth Meeting House, the party moved on to the bride's former home and an outdoor reception just a few blocks away.

Mr. and Mrs. Messinger have the first dance.

Elizabeth dances with her Dad, Stephan.

David dances with his Mom, Patricia.

Maddie and her parents, Joseph and Jacqueline. Baby brother arrives mid August.

High school sweethearts Alex and Danielle are next. They wed on September 9th.

Alex is a submariner and Danielle (David's cousin) will be starting her internship (pediatrics) in the fall.

A good time was had by all.

We're b-a-c-k....

A l-o-n-g weekend!

Terry and I drove up to Yarmouth, Maine on Thursday after feeding the cats and taking out the garbage. We tried to stay on the back roads and did a pretty good job of it after we got past Albany, NY. Riding through the countryside on state highways and old US Highways as we crossed Vermont and New Hampshire was far more enjoyable than speeding along at 70+ miles on the interstate with tons of other idiots drivers.

Even the interstate we took to get from Binghamton, NY to Albany (I-88) wasn't that bad as its direction of travel--northeast-southwest--is not a common one for most folks. And it too has an alternate: old New York Route 7 parallels it for nearly the entire length. Before the interstate, that must have been a lovely ride.

Back to our destination: Yarmouth, Maine. An old town along US Highway 1 that is now bursting at the seams along Interstate 295 just south of the quintessential old town bursting at the seams: Freeport, aka home of L.L. Bean.

We got to the motel around 4:30 PM after 10 1/2 hours and 475 miles on the road. Made a few phone calls to see if Terry's sister and her husband (Lucille and Doug) had arrived yet from Missouri (they had) and if they were interested in dinner (they were but were up the coast a ways). We met at the Muddy Rudder and had a lovely meal.

Friday we explored a little. Terry and I went up the road tohttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif the Maine Audubon Society's Mast Landing Bird Sanctuary. We walked the trails a bit and got bit quite often. Tall moist grass, damp woods, an old mill stream still sluggishly flowing surrounded by bays, rivers and sounds...yeah: Mosquito Heaven! And we didn't see anything spectacular either.

Audubon Society Mast Landing Bird Sanctuary

Oh well, back to Freeport and some shopping. I got a nice pair of Rockport shoes at Famous Brands outlet and a nice short sleeved shirt at the L.L. Bean outlet before we met up with the parents of the groom (Terry's cousin Joe and his wife Pat) for lunch.

We separated after lunch and Terry and I went into the main L.L. Bean store. Yowsers! Joe had offered to hold my wallet but that wasn't necessary. I passed on the shotguns, rifles and all the fly fishing gear. (I LIKED all that stuff, but a man's got to know his limitations. I've got gear I don't use now. In part, because I don't know I've got it!) We did pick up a house warming gift for our son, Rick and his wife, Sandy, who got the keys to their first house on Wednesday. And L.L. Bean will ship it for free.

Eventually we escaped from Freeport and drove south on Route 1 to the Delorme Map Store. Here, I would have been better off if Joe held my wallet and credit cards. I dropped about $300 on a new GPS unit, a topo map subscription for the same, and power charging options pack. (I kept telling myself the Garmin I'm currently using is broken--and it is! I wouldn't lie. The screw that holds the battery pack is broken so the batteries can work their way loose and stop powering the unit. Plus it's almost 10 years old. Bloody thing is ancient in terms of technology. It was time to get a new one. Hopefully, it won't get me lost in the woods.)

Finally, it was time for the rehearsal dinner to be held at the Royal River Grillhouse in Yarmouth. Good food lots of old and new friends and relatives.

Terry speaks with Elizabeth

The Bachelder's Stephan, Julia, Elizabeth (the bride) and Deborah Strachan

Flower girl Madeline and her Mom, Jacqueline Messinger

The dinner was held on the waters of the Royal River so, of course there were boats to look at...and drool over. I kept reminding myself, that, while I could probably afford to purchase a decent sized boat, it's the after purchase costs that would literally sink me. Boat: a hole in the water into which one pours money, time and energy.

Nice boat.

Slightly nicer boat. I could learn to like living on the water in this one.

One I could get to like if all I wanted to do was sail about.

There were bigger boats--and lots of them--both sail and motor--in the harbor and in the yard. Many of them were for sale but I left the checkbook at home.
"There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats."
The Wind in the Willows

More to come.

Traveling...again.

Must be construction season around here. Every single road between here and Sayre was either closed for construction or was reduced to one lane for bridge work/reconstruction. Even the back roads. Still, I managed to get the Tundra over to the dealer's for its oil change and checkup. Now it can sit in the driveway for a few days as we take the Jeep to Yarmouth, Maine.

We get up at the crack of doom tomorrow. Feed the cats. Take out the garbage. Pack the Jeep. Then it's off to Yarmouth for the second of four weddings this summer/fall. Most of the trip will be via back roads or rarely traveled ones. I like to see new places. (That's why today's detours didn't really bother me...too much.)

Any way. We'll take just one day to get there. Then we get to enjoy the company of family and meet the bride's as well. Maybe do a little shopping at L.L Bean, too. I know. Over priced yuppie stuff...but still....

There's a rehearsal dinner on Friday night to which we have been invited. The ceremony is on Saturday and then the bride's Mom wants to feed everyone breakfast on Sunday. We'll head for home right after and should be back at the Aerie late Sunday night.

On the availability of "ideal" husbands

Having just returned from one wedding and having three more to celebrate this summer, Terry suggested I post an email she received that seemed appropriate. I do so without comment.

While creating husbands, God promised women that good and ideal husbands would be found in all corners of the world.

And then he made the earth round.

That God - He's such a joker.

Brian & Vicky Got Married: Some pictures

After everyone posed for pictures on the porch of the main building at the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, we moved to an outdoor pavilion where seating had been set up under cover of the roof. Still we were outdoors and the weather, though chilly and threatening, cooperated. It was a mere 100 yards from the main building, but the bride was fashionably late.

The Judge & Brian await Vicky

When Vicky did arrive (and we could see her making her way down the trail from the main building, we were a bit relieved to see that she hadn't changed her mind at the last minute. Perhaps having her brother there to tow her to the altar helped.

Vicky enters on her brother's arm

The Judge read a bit of poetry, expounded on the importance and meaning of marriage and then got to the "I do" portion of the ceremony. There were some words said by each participant as rings were exchanged as well.

Vicky and Brian exchange vows

Then the pronouncement of "man and wife" was made and the happy couple paraded back down the aisle between the guests and back to the main building for the reception and pah-tay!

Newly married!

The wedding cake was unique and told the story of their first meeting. As newly minted CPAs, they had been given the unenviable task (by different firms) do complete and inventory for a company being sold. Normally a boring routine task, Brian came back to the office all excited about the gal he met while counting crates of Vienna Sausages (Hot Western Style) in a lonely warehouse. All he talked about to his co-workers (some of whom ended up in the wedding party) was about the dinner date he had made. That was five years ago in Chicago.

The wedding cake

Something clicked in that warehouse and on that dinner date for a year later they were sharing an apartment. The only thing the rest of us couldn't figure out (once we too met Vicky) was what the heck Brian was waiting for? Vicky, for her part says she wasn't in a rush for the formality of marriage. She had already been accepted as part of Brian's family and he as part of her's. A piece of paper wasn't going to make much difference. R-i-g-h-t!

The Knot was Tied

A lovely (if somewhat chilly) wedding ceremony was held yesterday evening at the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center for Brian and Vicky. The legal portion of the ritual was presided over by a judge whose son is one of Brian's best friends. That friend could not be in attendance, however. As a captain in the USMC, he is on his third tour of duty in Afghanistan. About 75 friends and family members did attend and had a great time.

The "I Do" portion was outside beneath a hillside pavillion where, if you peeked through the trees, you could see Lake Michigan and, if you listened closely, you could hear the birds singing up as storm in the late afternoon hours.

The wrap around porch of the center served as the place for photos and premeal celebratory drinks. The catered meal was excellent, the cake was unique, and the 8 piece band plus vocalists entertained before, during and after.

Again, congratulations to Brian and Vicky.

Pictures to follow. When I get around to it.

Hitting the Road West

Terry and I will be heading to Milwaukee tomorrow morning. We've got two days to get there so we'll probably take the scenic route through PA. West on Route 6 until we hit Ohio. If we had more time it would be the scenic route through Michigan too. We've never been to the UP area. Another time. Anything to avoid Chicago's permanent construction zone on I-80/I-90.

Saturday is a wedding for Brian and Vicky. Terry's side of the family as it's her sister's boy getting hitched. Family and friends from Kansas, California, Oregon, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and other points will gather in the couple's hometown for the event. They've been together for about four years now so it's about time! Both are CPA/numbers crunchers, so maybe they figured the math and determined it was to their benefit to officially unite. (That or Brian finally got it through his thick skull that he's not likely to do any better.)

Once we return, there's nothing on the calendar until the July Fourth weekend: another wedding--#2 of 4 this year. This one will be outside Portland, Maine. Still Terry's side of the family with cousin Joe's son tying the knot. David and Elizabeth now live together in the Pittsburgh area but her folks live around Portland, ME. Again, folks will come from all over the country to attend. He's a math whiz/teacher; she a special ed instructor(?). They've been together for nearly two years.

The weekend after the Labor Day weekend is yet another wedding: Danielle and Alex. She is the daughter of Terry's cousin Nancy (Joe's sister). Fresh out of med school and entering her internship. He (and here it gets a little shady) is either in the Navy or working with the Navy--on submarines. They'll get married in New Jersey. Then he goes on board ship, she goes into the hell of internship and they might get to see/speak to one another in three months--just in time for Christmas. Knowing her mom and dad, this could be a doozey! The only constraint being that there is a younger sister, and if you go all in on the first.... Then again, they didn't pay for college--scholarships, baby!

The final wedding this year (so far) occurs on Veterans' Day and involves my sister's daughter, Kristen and Rich, also in New Jersey. No big ceremony here. They stand before the Mayor on November 11 with only parents and siblings. Then have a celebratory reception on November 19th. Nice and simple.

Throw in several trips to and from the Aerie to the Bolt Hole, one SAGA convention for Terry in California, and clam bake in coastal Massachusetts, another brief trip (by Terry) to Dunkirk, NY for an EGA function, and there you have it. Sure hope the price of gas doesn't rise too much.

Another wedding

No. Not the one in England.

A week ago tonight my eldest niece, Kristen, got engaged to the fella she's been dating for a year, Rich. In fact, they were out celebrating their 1-year dating anniversary when he popped the question. (Rich, when she brought you to Christmas Eve, it was just a matter of time.)

When I heard the news, I began to wonder when they would tie the knot. All the suitable holidays had previously been taken for this year. We've got one wedding in Milwaukee Memorial Day weekend, one near Portland, Maine, on 4th of July weekend, and one in Springfield, New Jersey the Friday after Labor Day. (Labor Day weekend we've a clam bake at the base of Cape Cod, but that's a different story and not family related.) Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas I dismissed as being unlikely times to wed. So when, I wondered would they get married?

I had forgotten a couple of possibilities still available in 2011: Flag Day (to small a holiday), Columbus Day (possible although neither is even half Italian), and Veterans' Day. They opted for the latter's traditional day of 11/11--although neither has any connection to the military, it is close to her Mom's (and my sister's) birthday (11/13). And for a very small, town hall ceremony with a reception to follow.

I wish Kristen and Rich all the best.

So that's four weddings this year...so far. Two years ago it was three.

Still think the best plans would be a ladder before and a post card after.

Aerie AM Report, April 6, 2010

We had a wave of showers and thunderstorms sweep trough the area this morning between 5 and 8 AM but they have now cleared our region and any other rain will be to our north so it looks like another gorgeous day is heading our way. The temperature should rise into the 70s again this afternoon as the winds come out of the southwest but we'll get back to more seasonal 50s and 60s this weekend.

I'd start planting some lettuce, spinach and the onions if it weren't for the knowledge that it's still too damn early and frosts might still be on their way. At least that four letter word that starts with an "s" has disappeared from the long range forecasts.

******

Got some good news out from Milwaukee way Sunday. Our nephew Brian finally got around to popping the question to his sweetie, Vicky, on Easter Sunday. They've been living together for several years and we all figured it was a matter of time. No word as to the size of the clue bat she had to hit him over the head with but it must have been a doozy.

With relatives all over the country this will be a "destination" wedding for nearly all regardless of where they decide to have it. His parents are in Half Moon Bay, California. Grandma is in New Jersey. Paternal aunts are in Kansas. Cousins are in Portland, Oregon, New Jersey, etc. Her parents are in Tempe, Arizona. And, of course, we are in Pennsylvania.

The two of them were impressed with the way Rick and Sandy managed their affair last spring--small and select without a large hall or band/DJ so I expect that might be in the cards. They also haven't set a date yet. We reminded them of our plans and begged that they try for something that might fit our travel itinerary.

Have trailer will travel.

Sounds like life to me!

Snow...wedding gowns...Hey, They're both white!

The view from the front windows of the Aerie on the morning of October 16th.

First snow of the year: October 16.

Three to four inches of snow accumulated on the deck and the grassy areas. The driveway had about one inch. All snow was of the heavy wet variety that clung to the leaves on the trees and threatened to bring them down.

******

I drove down the thruway yesterday and, although there had been reports of snow in the Catskills, I saw nothing on the hills. Of course, by the time I was driving through that area it was well past 3 PM and the temperature was above 50 degrees.

Today's Newark Star Ledger has a front page photo of a teen in Sparta building a snowman from the 1-2 inches of snow they got in the northwest corner of New Jersey.

******

I arrived at the church in Dumont at 5:30 and Terry, coming from PA, arrived five minutes later. Even then, we were the first ones on the scene and the rehearsal would not be started until 7 PM.

When it did start, everything went smoothly. The Priest, Father Bob, was pleasant and gave directions clearly and plainly. Everything should go well today.

Afterward, we all went to a nice Italian restaurant on River Road for an excellent dinner.

A Good Time!

Jen dances with Dad (Joe) and Mom (Pat)

The dance floor was always full when the band played.

The hunters' wives. Just like in high school: the guys sat and talked
while the girls went out and danced.
From left to right: Doug's wife, Nick's wife, Mark's wife, and My wife (Terry).

Electrical innovation allowed the band members and singers
to get out on the dance floor while they performed.

Jenifer's brother David with his girlfriend. David did the readings at the church.

Jen's brother Joseph and his wife. They produced the flower girl, Madeline.

Madeline, the flower girl outside the church.

At the Reception.

The reception was a blast! The food was excellent and plentiful. The band was tremendous and played songs from the '50s to the present, thus appealing to a very mixed aged crowd. (Although, the size of the room--large, but not large enough--meant that they were a wee bit too loud for comfort.)

They did the traditional introductions, toasts, first dance and father-daughter and mother-son dances.

Jen and Matt dance the first dance as man and wife.

When Dad (Joe) danced with his daughter, neither finished with dry eyes.

Joe dances with his daughter.

Joe starts to tear up, but Jen has a tissue handy.

Then it's Jen's turn to wipe away a tear--or two.

Once the formalities were concluded, it was time for the rest of us to get into the act and party and eat for the next few hours. A good time was had by all!

Jenifer and Matt get married!

Jenifer and Matt met in elementary school. They dated a little in high school. She went off to college at Ithaca while he went off to Delaware. If anything, distance made the hearts grow fonder. So much so, that they spent a lot of time on the north south highways. After graduation, she started to hike the Appalachian Trail. (She'll finish next summer after spending the better part of three summers on her trek.) They spent part of last summer on a road trip to California. Along the way, Matt proposed and Jen said yes.

Yesterday they were wed at St. Teresa's church in Summit, NJ with the reception held just a couple of blocks away.



I attempted to take pictures of the bridesmaids as they moved down the aisle but they were moving so fast that, without using the flash, every single one of those shots was blurred.

So we go directly to the altar and the exchange of vows:

Jenifer and Matt exchange vows.

The bride and groom await the priest's blessing.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Off to start a new life together.

More from the wedding

After the vows, rings and dog tags (yes: dog tags) were exchanged, the contract signed by the happy couple, the bride was kissed and the pronouncement of "man and wife" was made, it was time to be presented as Mr. and Mrs. for the first time.

Mr. and Mrs. (Photo by Terry)

Then it was back on the pedicabs to return to the hotel for a celebration with food, drink, entertainment and friendship.

And they're off! (Photo by Terry)

John (the bride's father) and I did what Dad's usually do: cleaned up after the kids. But this time we had a lot of help in the form of several of the other guests. Chairs were returned to the park shed and the podium and pavilion (unused because it was such a nice day) ended up back in the Tundra to be returned to the rental center on Monday.

Since the guest list was small and intimate (just 30 or so attendees including the preacher and her husband) there were few eligible for the traditional bouquet and garter toss--so they only did the former with both males and females participating.

Sandy gets ready to throw her bouquet. (Photo by Joated)

The youngest (and I suppose quickest) person in attendance, Adam, caught the flowers. Partly because his older brother avoided them.

Despite (or maybe because of) being a Santa Cruz Slug,
Adam ended up with the flowers. (Photo by Joated)

Being small and intimate, Rick sort of lead everything through the evening, announcing when chow was ready and assembling every one for the cutting of the cake--a small, elegant cake just big enough for everyone to share. The topper decoration was unique and personal. It consisted of caricatures of the bride and groom. Sandy in her gown stands before her two pet rats who are, in turn, standing on her law books. Rick stands poised with his rake in hand. He says it's the one tool he uses everyday and is "special" to him.

Cake topper. (Photo by Joated)

The cake was cut with all due ceremony and there was no smearing of the face. (I suppose too many guests--and the bride--having graduated from law school the day before made it impossible to even consider it. That and the fact that the groom climbs trees and uses chainsaws on a daily basis.)

Cutting the cake. (Photo by Joated)

When the ceremonial activities and dinner were over, it was time for entertainment. Rick and Sandy decided against a dance floor. (It would have been empty most of the time.) Instead they hired Mr. Bill of Mr. Bill's Traveling Trivia Show to run a contest pitting youth against wisdom.

Mr. Bill and Rick (Photo by Jessica)

Mr. Bill and his daughter Tina emceed a trivia contest that pitted 20-somethings against one another and versus the adult table. (Although the adult table broke into three teams also: San Francisco, Chicago and Pennsylvania.) One 20-something table banded together as The Eavesdropping Sore Losers and won the trivia contest by by a mere two points over The Joats (Terry and me). If it hadn't been for the 90's music questions--oh, and the basketball ones, too--we coulda/shoulda won.

Everyone had a great time enjoyed themselves.