I couldn't pass up this opportunity to return to the blogosphere after Mary and I walked our oldest daughter, Ashley Kay down the aisle to wed her "best friend" Sherry. Since my last blogs just about a year ago involved my telling of my heart attack experience and request to the divine powers that I make it to the wedding this summer it was an excellent time for an update and share our experience in a wonderful event in Peabody, MA.
As with most stories there is much to tell in little side stories that went on along the way there and back. Our trip to Boston would be our first trip driving since we took Ashley and all her stuff 5 years previous to a new job after graduating college with fair trade importer Equal Exchange. One difference younger daughter Callie was riding with us on this road trip. We also carried other precious cargo destined to be part of the wedding and some of Ashley and Sherry's shower gifts Ashley was not able to transport back with her on the airline in May. Let me just say our trip to Jamaica Plain was memorable for driving in daylight, heavy downpours, sunshine, rain, quick service rest stops, singing-grooving to Sirius radio, laughs, text exchanges w/ relatives driving to Boston too, almost being a part of other's road rage and as we entered Western Mass. a lovely rainbow rose over the mountains in the eastern sky, a sure sign of good fortune.. Fitting not only for the wedding we would attend in 2 days but for the recent Supreme Court ruling from earlier in the week that gave rights to gay and lesbian married folk. We would arrive in JP just as dark was settling in and our GPS guide brought us to our destination despite Boston's trying traffic setups.
As expected Ashley and Sherry's place was full of both pre-wedding anticipation and wedding stuff, ready for last minute alterations and transport to wedding, most of which Ashley and Sherry had created and prepared in the days prior. As we were all quite tired I don't remember us doing much that night but adjusting piles and discussing Saturday's plans of golf for me, Sherry, Rada and Tony, Sherry's dad and obtaining and preparing flowers for the wedding by Mary, Ashley, Callie, Mary P, Tracy and Jenny, Sherry's mom and sister. Rada and Mary P. are close friends of the brides who helped in so many ways. Rada would be doing the presiding over the ceremony and Mary would be supervising and creating many of the flower arrangements with help from the others. We knew we would be up early and at em so we would try and get some sleep after our long journey.
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It would be the first meeting of the families today and our golf tee time was at 10:00 so there was not a lot of time to dawdle. After bfast we were off, I rode to the course with Tony and it would give us a chance for the dads to talk before we hit the links and watch our daughters get married. A chance of rain was in forecast but we were optimistic golfers even if our playing partners had little or no golf experience. As the day went on Tony and I would get to know one another and learn more about how we all arrived at this place in both families history. We would carry on with clubs in tow.
Carry on we did, as the moms and sisters were picking, purchasing and preparing flowers we golfers were bonding at an old course north west of Boston. The golf was fun and as we finished 18 holes sunshine was coming out. Rada and Sherry acted more like caddies and chauffeurs the second nine but it still made for fun and getting to know each other better. Upon our return we learned the remaining women enjoyed their gathering of the flowers to be used in the wedding.It was a meaningful time for all, as evening fell we went out for a nice dinner in Jamaica Plain. We all had jobs assigned for the wedding day as Ashley had it all spelled out from hour to hour. Mary and I had a room reserved in Framingham, 30 minutes away so we headed out after dinner and Andrew, Callie's beau, had arrived as Sherry volunteered to scoop him up from the airport. They would stay at Sherry and Ashley's place.
I am quite sure no one slept as well as needed before Sunday's big doings as anticipation was as heavy upon us as the humid Massachusetts air. So much planning and expectation precede most weddings and this was no different. It did have a sense that something special was happening on Sunday, as not only different cultures were bringing their traditions and families together but Ashley and Sherry and their friends were putting on a joyous celebration of love between individuals as a human thing not something legislated or controlled by federal or state laws. In the second part of this story I will lay out from my perpective, father of the bride, what I saw and took part in on June 30, 2013.
As with most stories there is much to tell in little side stories that went on along the way there and back. Our trip to Boston would be our first trip driving since we took Ashley and all her stuff 5 years previous to a new job after graduating college with fair trade importer Equal Exchange. One difference younger daughter Callie was riding with us on this road trip. We also carried other precious cargo destined to be part of the wedding and some of Ashley and Sherry's shower gifts Ashley was not able to transport back with her on the airline in May. Let me just say our trip to Jamaica Plain was memorable for driving in daylight, heavy downpours, sunshine, rain, quick service rest stops, singing-grooving to Sirius radio, laughs, text exchanges w/ relatives driving to Boston too, almost being a part of other's road rage and as we entered Western Mass. a lovely rainbow rose over the mountains in the eastern sky, a sure sign of good fortune.. Fitting not only for the wedding we would attend in 2 days but for the recent Supreme Court ruling from earlier in the week that gave rights to gay and lesbian married folk. We would arrive in JP just as dark was settling in and our GPS guide brought us to our destination despite Boston's trying traffic setups.
As expected Ashley and Sherry's place was full of both pre-wedding anticipation and wedding stuff, ready for last minute alterations and transport to wedding, most of which Ashley and Sherry had created and prepared in the days prior. As we were all quite tired I don't remember us doing much that night but adjusting piles and discussing Saturday's plans of golf for me, Sherry, Rada and Tony, Sherry's dad and obtaining and preparing flowers for the wedding by Mary, Ashley, Callie, Mary P, Tracy and Jenny, Sherry's mom and sister. Rada and Mary P. are close friends of the brides who helped in so many ways. Rada would be doing the presiding over the ceremony and Mary would be supervising and creating many of the flower arrangements with help from the others. We knew we would be up early and at em so we would try and get some sleep after our long journey.
.JPG)
Carry on we did, as the moms and sisters were picking, purchasing and preparing flowers we golfers were bonding at an old course north west of Boston. The golf was fun and as we finished 18 holes sunshine was coming out. Rada and Sherry acted more like caddies and chauffeurs the second nine but it still made for fun and getting to know each other better. Upon our return we learned the remaining women enjoyed their gathering of the flowers to be used in the wedding.It was a meaningful time for all, as evening fell we went out for a nice dinner in Jamaica Plain. We all had jobs assigned for the wedding day as Ashley had it all spelled out from hour to hour. Mary and I had a room reserved in Framingham, 30 minutes away so we headed out after dinner and Andrew, Callie's beau, had arrived as Sherry volunteered to scoop him up from the airport. They would stay at Sherry and Ashley's place.
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