Subject: Weekend Update: August 20-22
Date:    Mon 8/23/99 10:30am

When Krista White got married, it was as hot as blazes.  I was
concerned that a late August wedding planned for my brother Stephen
and soon-to-be sister-in-law Sharon was going to be another swelterer.
As of last Tuesday, Harvey Leonard on Channel 7 News was forecasting a
sunny weekend.  But that 5-day forecast was soon replaced with chance
of showers and then to probable rain.  By the time the wedding day
rolled around, we saw drizzle and rain most of the day and between 65
and 70 degrees.  Joy held out hope until Saturday morning at just
after 7AM when we went into full gear for Plan B.

We had borrowed 53 chairs and 4 tables for a nice garden party to set
about the yard with swimming and horseshoes and basketball, and even
volleyball for the so-inclined.  We used 4 chairs and 3 tables, but at
least the swimming pool was used by the young and young at heart.  Our
grateful thanks go especially to Nina Chronopoulos for her decorating
help and to Eric and Ryan Magnuson who manned (menned?) the grill
while the rest of us waited on guests.

The weather was not the only thing to threaten wedding plans.  On
Friday, the bride's children were in transit with their dad who had
transmission trouble bringing them back from their grandparent's home.
I think they made it to the rehearsal on time but it was in doubt.

My father, who was officating the ceremony, did not make it to the
rehearsal because he had been admitted to the hospital just a day
before with an infection.  The doctors probably juiced him up with
antibiotics and what-not because he made it to the ceremony and
conducted a very nice ceremony indeed.  We wondered if we would have
to ask the question, "Is there a licensed minister in the house?"
(There were several!)

After the three-ring circus of moving the outdoor plans indoors and
making sure everyone got where they were supposed to be, Steve and
Sharon held a six-ring ceremony.  After exchanging their vows and
rings with each other, Sharon promised Steve's children, with
recognition that there are other parents involved, to be the best
parent she could possibly be to them; and Steve made the same promises
to Sharon's children.  The children then were each given a ring;
symbol of their promise; (and they included a very close young lady
whom Sharon refers to as her 'other daughter').

(Oh yeah!  You should know that the ceremony started with an audio
clip from "The Princess Bride" "Marriage!  Marriage is what bwings us
together today."  "Skip to the end."  "Wuv, twoo wuv!"  "Say 'man and
wife!'"  See the movie; you won't regret it.  It was a nice, light
touch to start things out.)

The reception went well because people where there to celebrate.
Because the food was servied in one location, the barn was brimming
with shoulder-to-shoulder people while other parts of the house had
room to spare.  I neglected to video-tape much of the reception
ensuring that drinks kept flowing and other host-type things but was
faithful to record those offical moments.

Steve and Sharon took off to a secret place around 3:30 or so and the
four kids were dispersed among various relatives.  We got Jake until
Wednesday.  He and Andrew are getting along fine.  Most of us took
l-o-n-g naps on Sunday afternoon; we all pitched in with the set-up
and tear-down and were all rather tuckered-out.  But we were pleased
as punch to host the reception and are very happy for the family that
was established on Saturday.

This week's coming highlights: Mandy returns to college... by herself;
the rest of us head off to my sister-in-law's house for some pampering
of our own; my parents celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary on
Friday 8/27.  And that's just on the home front, folks.

I hope your summer has been great!

Mark