lynda's wedding (m)

Today, my cousin Lynda got married.  She had a destination wedding at a beautiful country restaurant in Maine, followed by an after-party at a lovely inn.

I had visions of driving up to Maine on a crisp fall day with views of the last remaining foliage.  Instead, a storm blew up from the south and we drove in blinding rain.  Even with the wipers on full speed and the defrost on full blast, there were moments when I couldn't make out the lines in the highway.

My mother was in the back seat, complaining the entire time.  My irrepressibly happy sister-in-law tried to cheer her up which only made her sulk more (my husband was in another car with my brother). We stopped for coffee at Dunkin' Donuts.  My mother refused to get any because she said then she'd have to go the bathroom and didn't know where she would go.  I told her Maine has bathrooms, too, but she just scowled and sulked some more because she missed her morning coffee.  My sister-in-law tried to placate her by being extra cheerful.  It didn't work.  Picture a 2-hour car ride in bad weather with Tigger and Eeyore together in the back seat.

Because the ceremony began at noon,  I had to get up at 7, get in full dress and make-up, drive 30 minutes to pick up my mother, do her make-up and allow for a two-hour drive to be in Maine by 11:30.  I skipped breakfast so I wouldn't be late.  It didn't bother me, but I knew it wasn't "on plan".

After the ceremony, there were lots of appetizers.  I had a stuffed mushroom, asparagus in phyllo dough and a few cubes of cheese and four crackers.  No alcohol.

Lunch was spinach salad with pistachios and craisins, hot rolls, chicken and pork with green beans and boiled potatos.  I ate everything but the potatoes.  Dessert was chocolate cake and homemade cookies (five varieties).  I had coffee with milk.

I have no clue how many points I had, but I was full after eating all that and decided that I probably hit my limit for the day and went into my 35 extra points as well.  If I had a sheet of paper and the book with me, I would have had a better estimate, but I didn't care. What's done is done, I thought. I just shut off eating after that.

The after-party was a blast.  Everyone changed into casual clothes (the bride's mother wore a sweatshirt and jeans...my mother told her she thought she was the cleaning woman from the inn).  There was food everywhere...sandwiches, hot hors d'oeuvres, open bar, homemade desserts.  It was only 6:30 p.m. and people were ready to eat again but I was done for the day.

I had to come up with a plan quickly or I'd cave in and blow it.  I did something I never do...I got up and joined my cousins who were singing and dancing by the D. J..  Remember, this is the clan who wears customized t-shirts to special occasions, but tonight we wore pins with the bride and groom's images on them.  I looked ridiculous up there, singing and swaying my hands like a teenage girl at a Miley Cyrus concert.    About halfway through "American Pie", I realized that I was having more fun than I usually do at these things.  We did songs from the 60's and 70's and I didn't care how foolish I looked.  I was not eating AND I was having a great time.

We left around 9 p.m.  Someone had given us a plate of cookies for the ride home (God forbid we go without food for a period of time).  I put them in the back seat with my mother and sister-in-law and turned on the radio.

I sang all the way home.