Weekend Update

I had my cousin, Justin’s, wedding to attend this weekend. Friday night, I watched the Brewers on TV and that pretty much was the extent of my weekend. Saturday morning, my brother, Jon, called me up and invited me to ride along with them to the wedding so that I wouldn’t be driving as well, and I was also told I could sleep at his place. When we got to the church service my aunt asked me if I would video tape the wedding for them. I told them that I would be happy to tape if for them, but I would need all access and the freedom to move around during the service. They told me whatever you want to do. So when everyone standing up in the wedding started walking down the isle, I was in the first pew right at the front of the church. I am pretty sure that I wasn’t making the “professional” photographer too happy because I know I was in a couple of his shots, but he is a professional and should be able to crop me out. But I didn’t have a tripod and after 45 minutes of holding a video camera I was cramping up a little bit. And I also added a little commentary here and there, so the end product was a cross between the “Blair Witch Project”, and “Wedding Crashers”. The highlight of the service for me was during the prayers. At one point they had a portion of the prayer where we prayed for all of the single people out there. I was sitting off to the side by myself video taping the wedding, but upon hearing this I turned to look at my entire family looking at me. They might as well have just inserted my name in place of all single people. After the service the Davies siblings along with their respective spouses headed to a bar. I started a tab on my credit card. As we were getting ready to leave everyone started offering me money to help pay for the bill. I told them it wasn’t a big deal and that I got it. They kept insisting, and then I finally said to them “You have no idea how much money I make, do you?” That got them to stop. I thought it was pretty funny. We get the reception and it was assigned seating for dinner. I went to the table to get my little table card. And as I was reviewing the other cards, I noticed that all of my brothers, sister and in laws were all at table 5 and I was at table 12. Honestly it wasn’t a big deal, but I made a big deal about it. And as is the normal tradition, I did what I could to make table 12 the loudest table at the dinner. The rest of the reception was a great time. I think the pictures will express that. Although I do have two favorite moments of the reception I would like to share. First back in 1977 when my Uncle Dave and Aunt Marilyn got married during their reception some of my uncle’s friends put a ball and chain on his ankle. Since that time, Dave has been instrumental in the creation and the application of putting a ball and chain on each of my brothers when they got married. Dave and Marilyn by the way are Justin’s parents. But for this wedding, Dave wasn’t planning on making another ball and chain. A couple days before the wedding, a received a phone call from my aunt asking me if I knew where any of the ball and chains that my brother’s had were. I made a phone call or two and learned that my brother Dan still had his. The long and short of it is that 29 years later, Justin got the same treatment his father got. And oddly enough it was entirely my aunt’s idea. My other favorite part was when the DJ played “Ina Godda Davita”. Now this isn’t your traditional wedding song. Every Fourth of July my aunt and uncle throw one of my favorite parties of the year. Somehow over the last 4 or 5 years it has become tradition that at midnight we play that song. And by midnight there are only a small handful of people still left at the party. And those were all the same people on the dance floor. I found if pretty funny that there were about 12 or 15 people on the dance floor and another 190 – 200 people over by the bar looking at these people thinking “What are they doing?” Maybe you had to be there. At the end of the night back at my brother’s place I slammed three big glasses of water before going to bed. I was hoping to wake up and be somewhat functional the next day. I slept in my nephew’s bed since he wasn’t there this night. I woke up I the middle of the night having to go to the bathroom really bad. No real shock there. But when I woke up I didn’t know where I was and also my sister-in-law had put up some really dark curtains, so I couldn’t see anything. Essentially I was lost in a 12’ by 12’ room and couldn’t get out or find the light switch plus I was about to spring a leak. If I had a nickel every time this has happened to me. Anyhow, enjoy the pictures. And to all of the moms out there I wish you a belated happy Mother’s Day. I got my matching hedgehog lawn ornaments.

The Davies siblings and spouces at the bar after the wedding. Left to Right: Jon, Julie, Tim, Deb, Jeff, Sue, Jodi,me, and Dan.

This is my brother-in-law Tim, or as people at camp used to call him "Coonen".Jon sporting the Tom Jones look with the black shirt, Tim, my cousin Kim, and Julie.Dan and Jodi.My dad with my future cousin in law, Katie.The Davies boys.This is my dad. He was on the dance floor. I don't know why he was dancing on his knees, but I think he was trying to show us how many Jagerbombs he had.The happy couple Justin and Katie. I feel a little bad, because this is the best picture I got of just the two of them, or at least the best of the two of them without Justin's head up Katie's dress.Father and son with the ball and chain.