Skip to main content

What a Difference a Week Makes

It amazes me that my intentions were to post entries on the busiest days of my hoilday.

It would have been great to recap, day by day, all the emotions that were raging around during those days.

A recap of events is probably the easiest.

Wednesday night Madness - my father's side of the family put the party on for my sister and my new brother in law (okay THAT is weird). As we walked in the door, there were lots of AHHHHHHHs and arms raised it triumphant position only to be wrapped around us with bear hugs. I was so excited that I missed the bride completely as she tried to hug me. Whoops. Bridesmaid mistake numero uno.

Thursday Practice Time - the rehersal was brief and we learned later why maybe that wasn't such a good thing. It started to kick in that my sister was ACTUALLY GOING TO WALK DOWN AN AISLE when she walked down the middle of the empty function room at the hotel we were staying at. The after party was full on. Great food, great company, great booze and great goodness did I get drunk! What happened to my Irish stamina?

Friday Chill Out - we headed to the bride and groom's help with a few last finishing jobs before heading to the Waterside Inn for the evening before the big evening. After a nice BBQ, girls arrived at the spa for 3pm, in time to take a dip into the hot tub, get back into robes before heading to get our hands and feet done. I treated the girls to a bottle of champagne and we sat, relaxed, sipping the bubbly I had become obessed with since C's stagette weekend in Chicago. After a nice meal with the boys, it was up to the suite for some popcorn, girly talk and sleeping. I spent the last hour up giggling with bridesmaid J, like two school girls on a sleepover. Was sure C was passed out in no time.

Saturday Big Day - all up bright and early so what better to do then head to Starbucks? Hair and make up ladies arrive at 10:30. Last minute jobs - the main one keepin the bride calm - continue until about 3:30 where we are all dressed, with hair and makeup done and of course, glasses of champagne to prepare us for the ceremony. A few funny glitches make the ceremony most memorable and so C and K. Dinner served promptly, food FANTASTIC, multiple times C and I turned to each other going, 'are we at the head table of your wedding?', speeches were touching but rolled along on schedule and as per bride's previous wish, she was dancing at 9. Tear jerking dance with dad and then the rest of us were off, shaking our booty til the wee hours in the morning. The after party in my room, however, was not so much an after party but more the-host-has-decided-to-sleep party. Not even drunk but definitely 'knackered'.

Sunday Brunchin-it-Up - Mom saved the day with Gatorade and mini sandwiches. Stories from the night before circulated and laughter heard round the room all over again. A wonderfully social end to a very jovial wedding.

There are so many more stories but I just wanted to get a bit down before I dash off.

Small Town was as always, the most relaxing, comforting two days I spend when I come home to Canada. The friends you've had forever really are the most important. I'll save it for a letter to the tyeger but quite a moving experience.

Off to the big T-dot tonight for some city style partying. D and I have treated ourselves to a hotel room for the night. A little retail therapy this afternoon will also fit the bill.

Hope to update on Saturday.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

They Started a Heat Wave

(sing) a tropical heat wave.... (White Christmas fans? anyone? c'mon..) Yes, there is a heat wave, with warm sun and highs of 30 but NOT HERE IN KOREA. Yes, it is warm and humid but there is no sun. Do you want to know where the sun has ended up? BELFAST!! Lucky bastards....I wanted a tan by August gosh darnit - I should have stayed with the Guinness. And, it wouldn't have been a day on this blog without some reference to the weather. The weekend was a nice long relaxing one but super panic hit on Monday night and I was ready to get out of the house. I was freaking out yet again about the garbage (what the hell is wrong with me?) and didn't have a great sleep. There is something to be said for cooping yourself up in your house to watch English speaking DVDs for a day. But I think this only stops you from experiencing the culture. I did venture out on Saturday by bus (whoa, crazy bus drivers) to Pusan where the open markets you can barter and get cheap shirts - thanks to my...

I'm baaaack!

Hard to believe that last entry was almost three years ago! Many moons ago, I set this blog up to chronicle our journeys. Once we were grounded a bit more, it kind of lost its way. I spent some time working on my writing offline, taking on different projects and working full time as a technical writer. It was difficult to keep this blog up. Not for any real reason I can articulate. Just had my words redirected to other avenues for awhile. But, I'm pleased to say, after over a decade away, we are back in the UK, living and re-experiencing a place we enjoyed in the mid-2000s. Social media has certainly changed the way we look at blogs. I'm excited to navigate this new world, explore just what people post, what people read. What's better on one of the many new platforms and what's still appropriate for good old fashioned blogosphere. For now, here's a peek at where we're staying -- in a pretty little village just outside of Oxford. A temporary home ...

Korean Drivers Manual

1 - First and foremost, you are the only car on the road. Please drive this way. 2 - Be sure to keep a tally of the number of pedestrians you hit. 10 points for old ladies, 20 for young children (they can run faster you see). You can also add 5 points for each near miss and pat yourself on the back for trying. 3 - Red lights can tend to get in the way of your driving. Simply proceed through them if you need to. Honk your horn to make sure the cars that actually have the right of way know you'll be sailing through the intersection. 4 - Signalling is recommended but your car does not have blind spots. Just go ahead an change lanes. 5 - It works best if you keep one foot on the gas and one foot on the brakes at all times. This will allow you to continually pump the breaks all the way down the street avoiding 'other cars' while still revving your engine and going at the speed of light during those intervals when you are not slamming on your brakes. (By 'other cars' I ...