Thursday, October 06, 2005
Count Down
So now it's Labor Day. TGTB has been with TBTB in Norfolk for a week, and they arrive in Columbus. Wedding frenzy hits full sail, so to speak. Here are the tasks to be accomplished between Monday (Labor Day) and Saturday (The Wedding):
--first, an immediate crises. Al, old friend of TGTB and Navy meterologist buddy, is to be groomsman. But he's in Biloxi, Mississippi--and stranded by Hurricane Katrina. After much phoning back and forth TGTB finally reaches him. He's ok, as is his living conditions, etc., so he didn't need to evacuate. But all the bridges are down--no way he can drive from Biloxi to Columbus, no ground or air transportation systems working. He can't come. So TGTB calls another friend, Dave, in Seattle, who's coming anyway. Dave will be groomsman; luckily, Edwardian style tuxes chosen by TBTB are at The Men's Warehouse www.menswearhouse.com/) which is a national chain; Dave will be fitted in Seattle and bring his tux with him. and when we contact the local Men's Warehouse to cancel Al's tux, they say--after hearing the circumstances--that there will be no late fee or rush fee for Dave's tux.
--all arrangements need to be gone over with TBTB. Many decisions were made in her absence/being at sea and not reachable via usual means of communication. So there will be adjustments. But not many. POTB resist some; redoing the bodice of The Dress has cause MOTB enough hassle. Flowers--check! Menu--check! Tables--check! Linens--check! But then changes are made by caterer in number/shape of tables, which require changes in linens which require --- etc., etc., etc. And caterer Cristin reports that the gold-rimmed china is too worn, so we're back to plain white.
--POTB now obsess about the horsedrawn carriage that will take TB&TG (no longer TB when the carriage is needed) from Cultural Arts Center to Victorian Bed and Breakfast.
Despite having sent proposed route (horse can't deal with too much traffic, so the route has to be circuitous) and deposit in June, no response from carriage folk. And despite repeated, and increasingly curt phone messages, no return call. Finally, POTB drive to carraige folks' house, and knock on door (resisting urge to pound). Carriage driver answers, bewildered that we need confirmation. Offers as excuse that his son was going to active duty in Iraq in August, so he's spent time with son. FOTB cuts him off a bit brusquely, retorting that TBTB and TGTB met on active duty in Iraq (subtext: wedding couple both in harm's way trumps your one child, don't pull the patriotic excuse); driver then asks where messages left, and responds, Oh, that's the cell phone, I've lost three cell phones this week alone. FOPTB answers, with careful control, since the cell phone number is the only one available, he's not sure where else to leave messages (refraining from suggesting that perhaps a boy scout carrying a message on birch bark impaled on a forked stick might be more reliable). Driver assures that horse and carriage will be there On The Day, and that route is fine. Fine.
--TBTB and TGTB spent huge amounts of time searching for, purchasing, comparing, wrapping, etc., personalized gifts for the wedding party. Most are terrific gifts; some are, to POTB, a bit puzzling. A ceramic baseball that opens? All will go in gift boxes decorated with naval knots, found at the always-interesting JoAnn Fabrics Plus. TBTG has cut black foamcore squares to line the boxes.
--Meanwhile, The Wedding Gown has been fitted and is now being adjusted. The lace train is being hemmed and scallops added. The Veil is fitted and ends finished. All this means MOTB is locked in sewing room most of the week. She hasn't had time to hem to sleeves of her own dress; a foray to stores for an alternative dress the weekend before The Couple arrived demonstrated that the range of choices for a mature woman who wears petite 5 are very, very, very slim. Her options are to keep the dress she has and shorten the sleeves, dress like a bag lady, or look vaguely like an older Brittany Spears. Shortening the sleeves seems necessary, but where to find the time? Luckily, Sarah, an old friend and former wardrobe mistress for the Columbus Performing Arts Center, comes to the rescue. Sarah comes by, has supper with us, gives solid suggestions for working on The Gown, and takes away MOTB dress. It reappears two days later, sleeves exactly right.
--TGTB needs to unpack and adjust the Model of The Golden Hind, begun by his father as a gift for TBTB, and completed after Robert's untimely death by TGTB, as well as assemble the cast--the wooden part of the case made in Iceland and shipped to Columbus, as was the Model itself. The dedicatory plaque, ordered in Iowa, was shipped to Kuwait by mistake, then rerouted to Norfolk, then Iceland. It's here too, finally. Glass for the case, ordered in Columbus by MOTB to TGTB's specifications, has to be checked and put in place.
And, of course, TBTB can't see any of this, just as TGTB can't see The Dress. All of which necessitates much planning, scheduling, etc. What doors need to be closed? TGTB can't go upstairs at POTB house, because The Dress is there. TBTB can't go upstairs at MOTB's studio, because that's where the Model is. MOTB sews.
--since the flowers will incorporate ivy from POTB's yard, FOTB spends Labor Day afternoon getting appropriate long strands of ivy and immersing them in ice water. They will be delivered to Mimosa the next morning. MOTB sews. It's then decided to incorporate ivy stands in the decorations at the Cultural Arts Center. FOTB plans to spend Thursday morning cutting more strands of ivy. Luckily, ivy is abundant. MOTB sews.
Thursday arrives. As do the first family/friends/wedding party. Pace quickens.
--first, an immediate crises. Al, old friend of TGTB and Navy meterologist buddy, is to be groomsman. But he's in Biloxi, Mississippi--and stranded by Hurricane Katrina. After much phoning back and forth TGTB finally reaches him. He's ok, as is his living conditions, etc., so he didn't need to evacuate. But all the bridges are down--no way he can drive from Biloxi to Columbus, no ground or air transportation systems working. He can't come. So TGTB calls another friend, Dave, in Seattle, who's coming anyway. Dave will be groomsman; luckily, Edwardian style tuxes chosen by TBTB are at The Men's Warehouse www.menswearhouse.com/) which is a national chain; Dave will be fitted in Seattle and bring his tux with him. and when we contact the local Men's Warehouse to cancel Al's tux, they say--after hearing the circumstances--that there will be no late fee or rush fee for Dave's tux.
--all arrangements need to be gone over with TBTB. Many decisions were made in her absence/being at sea and not reachable via usual means of communication. So there will be adjustments. But not many. POTB resist some; redoing the bodice of The Dress has cause MOTB enough hassle. Flowers--check! Menu--check! Tables--check! Linens--check! But then changes are made by caterer in number/shape of tables, which require changes in linens which require --- etc., etc., etc. And caterer Cristin reports that the gold-rimmed china is too worn, so we're back to plain white.
--POTB now obsess about the horsedrawn carriage that will take TB&TG (no longer TB when the carriage is needed) from Cultural Arts Center to Victorian Bed and Breakfast.
Despite having sent proposed route (horse can't deal with too much traffic, so the route has to be circuitous) and deposit in June, no response from carriage folk. And despite repeated, and increasingly curt phone messages, no return call. Finally, POTB drive to carraige folks' house, and knock on door (resisting urge to pound). Carriage driver answers, bewildered that we need confirmation. Offers as excuse that his son was going to active duty in Iraq in August, so he's spent time with son. FOTB cuts him off a bit brusquely, retorting that TBTB and TGTB met on active duty in Iraq (subtext: wedding couple both in harm's way trumps your one child, don't pull the patriotic excuse); driver then asks where messages left, and responds, Oh, that's the cell phone, I've lost three cell phones this week alone. FOPTB answers, with careful control, since the cell phone number is the only one available, he's not sure where else to leave messages (refraining from suggesting that perhaps a boy scout carrying a message on birch bark impaled on a forked stick might be more reliable). Driver assures that horse and carriage will be there On The Day, and that route is fine. Fine.
--TBTB and TGTB spent huge amounts of time searching for, purchasing, comparing, wrapping, etc., personalized gifts for the wedding party. Most are terrific gifts; some are, to POTB, a bit puzzling. A ceramic baseball that opens? All will go in gift boxes decorated with naval knots, found at the always-interesting JoAnn Fabrics Plus. TBTG has cut black foamcore squares to line the boxes.
--Meanwhile, The Wedding Gown has been fitted and is now being adjusted. The lace train is being hemmed and scallops added. The Veil is fitted and ends finished. All this means MOTB is locked in sewing room most of the week. She hasn't had time to hem to sleeves of her own dress; a foray to stores for an alternative dress the weekend before The Couple arrived demonstrated that the range of choices for a mature woman who wears petite 5 are very, very, very slim. Her options are to keep the dress she has and shorten the sleeves, dress like a bag lady, or look vaguely like an older Brittany Spears. Shortening the sleeves seems necessary, but where to find the time? Luckily, Sarah, an old friend and former wardrobe mistress for the Columbus Performing Arts Center, comes to the rescue. Sarah comes by, has supper with us, gives solid suggestions for working on The Gown, and takes away MOTB dress. It reappears two days later, sleeves exactly right.
--TGTB needs to unpack and adjust the Model of The Golden Hind, begun by his father as a gift for TBTB, and completed after Robert's untimely death by TGTB, as well as assemble the cast--the wooden part of the case made in Iceland and shipped to Columbus, as was the Model itself. The dedicatory plaque, ordered in Iowa, was shipped to Kuwait by mistake, then rerouted to Norfolk, then Iceland. It's here too, finally. Glass for the case, ordered in Columbus by MOTB to TGTB's specifications, has to be checked and put in place.
And, of course, TBTB can't see any of this, just as TGTB can't see The Dress. All of which necessitates much planning, scheduling, etc. What doors need to be closed? TGTB can't go upstairs at POTB house, because The Dress is there. TBTB can't go upstairs at MOTB's studio, because that's where the Model is. MOTB sews.
--since the flowers will incorporate ivy from POTB's yard, FOTB spends Labor Day afternoon getting appropriate long strands of ivy and immersing them in ice water. They will be delivered to Mimosa the next morning. MOTB sews. It's then decided to incorporate ivy stands in the decorations at the Cultural Arts Center. FOTB plans to spend Thursday morning cutting more strands of ivy. Luckily, ivy is abundant. MOTB sews.
Thursday arrives. As do the first family/friends/wedding party. Pace quickens.
