Morning all:

Bright sun, cool air, a quiet house, and a combo Douwe Egberts/Kona coffee all makes for the perfect morning. Marcia and I are staying with Paul and Dia while we have wedding attendance duties here in Michigan.

I am such a slob and last night at the Rehearsal Dinner found myself constantly being corrected. Just like driving a car by an inexperienced driver the tendency is for the “newby” to overcorrect, in my earnest desire to both please and “do right”, I’d just fall right into another “miss-step”. I think the problem is something the ladies refer to as “deep meaning”. Everything at an event such as this is full of it. Here is an example; I discovered that its poor form to take your glass of wine and down it. The expectation is that you sit and stare in it while making small talk and then at some moment called “the toast” clink the glass and have just a tiny sip. Then the whole process is repeated for the next toast.

Another point of contention occurred when the preacher gave the invocation. Apparently it was not expected for me to fill in the blanks: out loud. Many individuals were thanked in the prayer; but some were left out, i.e. Aunts and Uncles who had traveled great distances. I assumed this to be a forgotten item by a preacher who at that moment was under a great deal of pressure. The elbow in the rib cage was another reminder that I had “crossed the line” once again.

However, since this was only the Rehearsal Dinner coupled with the fact that I am a fast learner means that things should be in great shape for the actual wedding this afternoon. We’ll have a great time. Only, how will a pair of two year olds manage to handle many moments of “deep meaning”? I think I just tend to over agonize these small bits and am certain that neither Derek nor Marin will toss a wrench into the affair. Even if they do, years from now people will just say something like; “wasn’t it just so cute when little……….”.

Mentioning the two year old grandkids, driving up here yesterday, for hour after hour, they were amazing! We rented an oversized SUV and all six adults, two kids in baby seats, a whole mess of luggage, and even more toys, climbed in. I was concerned but the seating actually proved better than many a recent Delta Airlines experience. The little guys played, chattered, and on the last stretch watched a bit of a Baby Einstein DVD on the built-in player. That is when some of the adults lost it; adults are not really into Baby Einstein visuals and music. Things improved when Vince discovered how to only focus the sound to only in the back of the vehicle. When either Jason or Marcia (not sure who) slammed the screen shut I new that the little guys had had enough of watching Galileo.

Congratulations Jacquie and Daniel may this be the start of many a lifetime of happiness.

Make it a great week everyone.
Cheers,
Dirk