I hope my readers had a good weekend. Friday Travalon and I
got on the road and drove to a hotel called Wildwood in Pewaukee, singing to
and with each other along the way. The hotel had a north woods style and a
lovely swimming pool and hot tub with mood lighting and lots of plants. The
next morning we woke up early and drove the rest of the way to Jackson, to a
Lutheran Church called David’s Star that seemed slightly familiar. We were
there for his brother’s wedding, which was half the length of a usual Catholic
wedding, though I have been to briefer ceremonies. I once attended a Unitarian
wedding that lasted maybe fifteen minutes. The worst was a pagan wedding out in
the woods in late October, when I was playing the mandolin and my fingers were
freezing, and then they had to invoke every god in every pantheon they could
think of: Roman, Greek, Norse, Egyptian, etc. Seriously, if I ruled the world,
only monotheists could get married in the woods in late October. My
brother-in-law’s wedding did not have this issue, because while it was a frigid
day outside, it was perfectly warm in the church still decorated for Christmas.
Travalon’s nephews were the ushers, and they were very cute, if that is the
right word since they are eleven. Maybe handsome is a better word. Afterwards
there was a small reception with coffee cake and mini cheesecakes. Everything
was very simple, including the bride’s dress. She is a very down-to-earth
person. As we were leaving, Travalon noted that you could see Holy Hill from
the parking lot, and then I realized why the church seemed familiar – my band
had played for a wedding there many years ago! How random is that?
After the wedding, we had lunch at the Holy Hill café and
spent way too much at the gift shop there, as usual, and then we visited
Travalon’s mom, who had a bad cold and couldn’t come to the wedding. We told
her all about it, and Travalon showed her photos. Then in the evening Rich
threw a birthday party for me, and almost a dozen people came. Jilly Moose made
me a beautiful rosary, and OK Cap gave me a cyclamen and a CD of Celtic bagpipe
music. My OTHER choir director gave me chocolates that I shared with everyone,
and Cecil Markovitch gave me really good chocolate that I didn’t share.
Kathbert, Mr. N’Awlins, the Single B-Boy, and the Dairyman’s Daughter also
came, and after cake and presents we played the game where one person has a
famous person’s name put on their forehead, and they ask the rest of us yes and
no questions until figuring out who they are supposed to be. It was a lot of
fun.
Yesterday after Mass a number of us went to brunch at the
Rockhound Brewery, including Antoshka and his fiancée who doesn’t speak much
English. She does speak Ukrainian, Russian, and Polish, but I don’t know any of
those languages. One guy does speak Russian, so that corner of the table was
having its own conversation in Russian. I did finally finish my Christmas cards
and get them in the mail, so if you sent me one, you are going to receive one
soon. Travalon and I went to Fired Up to pick up my bunny figurine and sun
catcher, and they turned out pretty well. Then we watched that amazing Packer
game. At first the offense wasn’t doing anything, but at least the defense held
the Giants to two field goals. Then Rodgers threw one of his Hail Mary passes,
and the whole thing turned around – they just decimated the Giants 38-13! My
cousin is sad, because her late husband was a Giants fan so she was following
them in his memory, but I was so happy that all of today I have been just
glowing. What a fabulous game! The Packers seem to be over their November slump for good!
Famous Hat
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