Purlewe!

today has been weird.

for some reason the past few days i cannot get out of bed in the morning. I push myself to get out of bed and make sue's tea or lunch and by the time she leaves either i am WIDE awake or completely in bed on my way to twilight. when my alarm goes off I struggle. It feels like being underwater. I wish it was easier to just WAKE UP!

so I've been knitting at my desk for lunch. trying desperately to finish this project. I don't think it is gonna happen. On another project last nite I think I knit myself until it was too late. I know I checked the number of stitches before I did the next decreasing row, but after I finished the row I was 2 short.. UGH. It said decrease, not over decrease. I felt like a knucklehead and turned out the light.

Sue and I made a few decisions last nite. We decided that we would stay in Stratford-upon-Avon for 4 days and then goto Surrey for 5 days. I know it is running a bit late, but we are trying to firm up hotel plans now. I wish we just KNEW what was gonna happen with this job thingy. But maybe not knowing is what is best.

My best friend, Cassandra, called me at work today. Her daughter received my lacey knit scarf and LOVED it. she wanted to go to bed with it. Her dad had to put his foot down and say she couldn't wear it to bed (she is on the top bunk, there was some concern about her hanging herself by accident EEK!!) They finally decided she could sleep with it all folded up and snuggled like a stuffed toy. I have two things to say: a) I am so glad that she LOVES her scarf. It is the the same color as her brother and he was excited that she matched him (and I was worried that they would not like matching) and b) I am still so glad I have never had children. I would not think of things like accidental hangings. But it was sure a joy to hear from Cassandra that the scarves as presents idea is not a bad one. So far everyone but her husband, Alan, has gotten one. I think I have just the thing for his. But it will have to wait until after the holidays.

And I just got the temple U non-credit course guide. As always i want to take everything. I'll scour the classes and let you know if anything piques my interests.

I THOUGHT YOU PRONOUNCED IT....?

Did I say there would be antics at the wedding? I made a slight understatement. *sigh.

So there was a wonderful wedding between Steven (Suzanne's brother) and Oenone. Lots and lots of weird, wild and wacky things happened. And believe me, some of them I would rather not remember. In honor of Suzanne and her family, I'll just tell the weirdest, wildest, and wackiest of them.

Did I say I would be the photographer for their wedding? That I presented them with a whole selection of ideas and gave them a full set of options for their wedding day? Have I said that the bride is not exactly the most forthcoming on her decisions? And the groom, well he is a lovely typical guy, not a very descriptive one. Let's just say that communication was not at its height between me and the couple. But as a person who has done wedding photography before, I felt I could handle it. I should have remembered the tidbit of wisdom that says you should keep family and friendship separate from your work.

With very little to go on for the pictures (I will give them that they did send a list, albeit short, and one rule (in bold) to take NO photos of ANYONE eating or drinking with the cake tasting being an exception.) I planned my week, got the film and batteries required and got some shot lists online to give me backup. We arrived with the bride and groom to the ceremony site. Not the Hilton, but a rather nice foyer to a catering hall. The bride and groom were bickering, which seems normal for them. The bride's mother gave me what will be my first bad omen for the evening. "uh, hmm. I bet you were expecting to be paid." UH, YES! "Well, I don't have my purse, and I don't have a checkbook. Can you bill me? " WHAT!! yikes. Lady I haven't taken any photos yet and you are telling me this now? *sigh. What the love of a wonderful person will do to make me not leave the building. Steven would have been crushed and I couldn't break Suzanne's heart on her brother's wedding day. But honestly folks, can you blame me for wanting to bolt? These people have already paid who knows what all: caterer, hall fees, DJ, etc etc. And since I am but just a friend, I am not considered good enough to be professional with. I choked it down and just shrugged. Yeah, I'll bill you. You have my address, you can send the check there. WHERE is that open bar?

The hall is dark. I mean super dark. I think they have 20 watt bulbs from Edison's estate plugged in the ceiling. Can this place get any darker? I am afraid to find out.

The wedding itself, very sweet. Bride and groom did some untraditional stuff which I always feel makes the event more their own. Would I have done all of it? Probably not, but it is NOT my wedding. I am just here for the pics and enjoying Aunt Chrissy, who happens to be their celebrant for the day. She is hilarious. Puts everyone at ease. But there is one hitch. She is just not pronouncing the bride's name the way the rest of the family on Steven's side has heard it pronounced. There is an auditory rumble: is THAT how she pronounces it? That isn't how I'VE heard it pronounced. And, to top it off, the people the bride has invited to the wedding don't even call her Oenone (pronounced, I-no-nay) They call her Angela The wedding is over, (Thank god). I get some more pics, take the pics of the wedding cake NOW so that if it wilts or something I've got it covered and we move on to dinner...

Appetizers arrive, food and drink are flowing and the wedding guests are starting to feel comfortable. Nani doesn't remember who I am, but hey the lady has only met me once, and like I said it is DARK in there. Suzanne's mom thinks I've done something to my hair and Pop Pop is hitting on the ladies around him. He takes a great interest in one of our waitress' choices of nail decoration. I'll call it the reverse french manicure. Instead of white tips, they are black. She is blushing and Mary Ellen (Chrissy's partner) leans over to say: he'll be flirting with women when he is lying in his casket. Honestly the man has full charm. I've seen him use it. And he can. He's a great guy and a fabulous dancer.

And talking about dancers: have you met Kylie? She's 2 and the groom's 1st cousin. She is in full wiggles mode and loves her Aunt Zan (and hopefully by proxy her Aunt Jette) She is entertaining EVERYONE. Staff, guests, and family. Hot potato hot potato there she goes. Casey, her older brother keeps picking her up by the neck and screaming: I can pick her up see? Ah yes, but can you put her down?? They both appeared to have taken an overdose of speed before, during, and after the ceremony. I feel bad for Lrain (their mom) she was on full alert in heels and asking ever so casually "can one of you take a shift?" I am sure the kids slept like logs on the way home only to wake up fully when they got there and demand more dinner (cause these kids did NOT eat. Dancing and running are way way much more fun)

I took pics of people. I didn't care if they were eating or not. How can you casually tell people: O BTW I just want you to all step away from your tables. I need a photo of you and the bride just doesn't go for forks and glasses. I tried to get everyone, and hopefully I did. We will just wait and see when the pics get processed.

Ah yes, and then the DJ. He was pretty good for awhile. The bride and groom asked for "classic rock." It kept the group dancing. Then, well, then he took out some Partridge Family (which he strangely looked like he could join, with his haircut and all) and things kinda slid downhill at a rapid rate. I think the best response he got was when he put on Devil with the Blue Dress On (the mother of the groom's favorite) and all her friends danced with her. THANKFULLY he did not play YMCA. I think things would have deteriorated faster for all involved if he had.

I was exhausted. Sue was pleasantly drunk (she made the man at the bar run out of sour mix for her amaretto sours) and we headed home for the night. Most possibly the B&G were still bickering, but I decided to leave before I found out. Some people just operate on conflict. I am not one of them.

Knitting: none for the weekend. But I can say that I knit some today. I am 1/2 way through the sweater I frogged. I am taking some extra time with it so I don't have to do that again. I think I can get it to the neck tomorrow and perhaps get it in the mail by the end of week. I have a long list of things I would like to make when the holiday is over. Perhaps another post will let me get those online. But I will say that the new Knitty.com today got me thinking about knitting for myself sometime in the near future!!!