In The Home Stretch

So, the vacation is nearly over, but it’s picking up speed. Tonight is Ruth’s Chris with Ryan & Kana, and tomorrow we head into the desert for Palm Springs.

The wedding.

It was beautiful. It was wonderful. It was very Chris & Ashley. The day was kind of gloomy, no sun, and a slight breeze. It was in the backyard/garden of a Victorian Tea House, with lovely flowers, a gazebo, and a waterfall. The ceremony was short, Jake got teary giving away his daughter, and Chris & Ashley looked so happy. Ashley’s dress was simple, her hair was perfect. The wedding very much matched the garden in it’s look & feel. Chris picked out a John Denver song that Dana sang, and it was beautiful. After the ceremony, we had the best hors d’oeuvres, beef on a stick with a peanut dipping sauce, and bbq chicken pizza. MMMMmmmm. I was hanging out in the backyard by the kitchen, so Kate and I scored tons of them. 🙂

After some mingling, we went back outside where they had set up the tables, and found our table. Then we had the toast from the best man (which was pretty funny), and the thank you from the groom. I didn’t like the taste of the champagne (shock!), but Geoff drank his. A salad was served, and I noticed a menu on the table. The meal coming sounded great to me. After salad, a cleansing of the palate with a Cabernet sorbet. I tried it, not bad, but I couldn’t eat the whole thing. The main course was served family style, chicken breast in a white wine sauce (super tasty sauce!), beef medallions in a peppercorn sauce, wild rice, and mixed vegetables. I’m telling you, this white wine sauce made the chicken the favorite dish at our table. Following dinner the couple shared their first dance, to some rendition of I Can’t Help Falling In Love. It was sweet, then the father/daughter dance. Then Chris & Ashley went inside to cut the cake, letting everyone know they aren’t dancers, so they didn’t really want a dance. The cake was cut, then they rallied people into a sitting room for the money dance. After everyone’s chance to dance was done, there was the garter toss (only 4 or 5 single guys got out there), and the bouquet toss. The bouquet toss happened so fast, not all the single girls had a chance to get out there. The best man had caught the garter, and one of the bridesmaids caught the bouquet. To Jake & Cindy’s delight (I’m sure), no Krolik caught it. At Allison’s wedding last June, Ashley had caught her sister’s bouquet. But I don’t think they thought it would happen so fast. Cake was served, as well as coffee. There was more mingling, then the couple prepared to leave for Fiji. We ducked out before they left.

For a wedding that started at 6:30pm, we left about 10pm. It flowed well. It had an intimate feel, like a small family wedding. We got to chat with some church friends, everyone looked great, it was a good time.

We hit Laguna Beach yesterday before the wedding. I thought it might be cold, as I said, no sun. But it was a perfect day to walk on the beach. I let the ocean kiss my feet, I bought a Christmas gift for Russ (Mom he’s going to love it! It’s from you-know-where), and I took a picture of Geoff with the ocean in the background.

I probably won’t post again until we get home. I don’t think there will be opportunity. I had wanted to post pictures from the wedding, but silly us, we forgot to pack the cord for the camera. You’ll just have to wait. Looking through the photos, I noticed I don’t have one of my dress. But I washed it, and I’m going to wear it to dinner tonight, so I’ll try to get Ryan to take a picture.

I’m going to close with a quote from PCU.

Tom: What’s he doin?

Droz: He’s finishing his senior thesis. Pigman is trying to prove the Caine-Hackman theory. No matter what time it is, 24 hours a day, you can find a Michael Caine or Gene Hackman movie playing on TV.

Tom: That’s his thesis?

Droz: Yes! That’s the beauty of college these days, Tommy!

Busy, Busy, Busy

So Geoff and I hardly have time to have a conversation, we’ve both been so busy doing our own thing. I’ve practically been living at Cindy’s, I’m there every day. Geoff is away at UCI, so bedtime is our time. I’m up early, unable to sleep in, and then I’m off going to Cindy’s before he goes to work.

Today I did get to have a pedicure. I didn’t go to my regular place, I went somewhere with Cindy, and it wasn’t as good. But hey a less than perfect pedicure is always better than no pedicure. I want to take a picture tomorrow of it so you can see.

Tonight we went to the Bible Study potluck, mmmm yummy potlucky food. We got all caught up with more friends, made plans to see the Merritt’s on Saturday, and got talked into going to church on Sunday am. Cindy says we’ll head to out Palm Springs in the afternoon.

Geoff made reservations at Ruth’s Chris for Saturday with Ryan & Kana. Lunch tomorrow with Erik at In-N-Out. I have a playdate with Abbie tomorrow morning, but we have the evening free.

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective is on right now, so I’ll end with a quote from that. I love this movie!

Mr. Shickadance: Ventuuurrraaa.

Ace Ventura: Yes, Satan? Oh, I’m sorry, sir. You sounded like someone else.

Mr. Shickadance: Never mind the wisecracks, Ventura…

[coughs in Ace’s face]

Mr. Shickadance: … you owe me rent.

Ace Ventura: Mr. Shickadance, I told you – you’re my first priority. I’m on a very big case right now. Check this out.

[shows him a flyer]

Ace Ventura: That’s a true Albino pigeon. Some rich guy lost it. He’s offering a $25,000 reward. As soon as I find this bird, you’re paid.

Mr. Shickadance: I heard animals in there, Ventura. I heard ’em again this mornin’ scratchin’ around.

Ace Ventura: I never bring my work home with me, sir.

Mr. Shickadance: Oh yeah? What’s all this pet food for?

Ace Ventura: Fiber.

Having Such A Time

I am having such a time here. That means I’m having fun. It’s such a break from my regular routine, which is neat. Church on Sunday was everything I had hoped. We surprised everyone! I hugged more people in that day than I have in months. Sunday night we had dinner with Jen & Greg, and after dinner Jen and I played Crib. Greg was in a bad car accident on Saturday, but he’s fine. He’s better than fine, he had the Hand of God on him, and he walked away from a totaled car with minimal damage to his person. We’re very thankful.

Yesterday I saw Rachelle and we talked for hours. It was so much fun to be with her. Then I was off to Cindy’s to hang out with Abbie. I took Alexis to get a dress for the wedding, and today Amy, Alexis and I will get shoes and a dress for Amy. I’ve also got a lunch date with Kevin (KUCI).

Last night I had dinner with the gang from KOWCP. Donna, Michelle, Cindy, Sharon, Ildiko and I went to the Elephant Bar. I love these ladies! My throat is sore from all the talking I did, repeating everything to everyone I meet.

Marci invited us to the Bible Study potluck on Wednesday night, and we’re going to go. It’ll be great to see & spend time with that group. After 7 years, Marci has completed the Old Testament. Next year they’ll work on the New Testament. I’ve decided to make a commitment to tackle Marci’s lessons. I made that agreement before we moved to Colorado, but with all my free time, what excuse do I have?

I’m not sleeping so well, or rather I’m not waking up well. I can sleep great, but I’m waking up way to early (for me). I miss my Honey cat.

Well, gotta fill up the last of my few hours with dinner plans, so I’m going to sign off. I’m closing with a quote from The Birdcage.

Albert Goldman: Whatever I am, he made me! I was adorable once, young and full of hope. And now look at me! I’m this short, fat, insecure, middle-aged THING!

Armand: I made you short?

We Made It!

So we made it to California, safe and sound. Friday night we stayed in St. George, Utah. The tv didn’t work so I was glad I’d brought a deck of cards. We left Saturday morning at 8am, and made it Irvine by like 2:30pm, PST. We did stop in Barstow to eat lunch at In-N-Out. I don’t have much to say, we’ll be heading to church soon to surprise our friends.

I guess I’ll sign off. I’m closing with my favorite line from Batman.

The Joker: Never rub another man’s rhubarb.

In Mourning

I’m all sad today, with the series finale of Angel (which was amazing!!!), and the Flames advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals. 🙁

I watched the movie Se7en today. I’d never seen it, and how do I put this? I wouldn’t go so far as to say I liked it. It was gripping, it was horrifying, but I had to know how it ended. I didn’t hate it, but I don’t know if I would watch it again. I feel like I should watch something cheery now, like Red Dwarf.

I’m half packed for the trip. I have accomplished most of the last minute jobs. Made another lunch date, with my friend Sara. I hope to get in a lunch or dinner with Erik, he’s a hoot. And I’ll have to buy a wedding gift sometime next week. Money permitting, I hope to talk Geoff into treating me to a pedicure. 🙂

We finished our puzzle. I suspected we would finish before we left on the trip. I still have not made any mix cds for the drive. I’ll have to get on that.

We finally saw Matrix Revolutions. It was pretty good. Better than Reloaded, but not better than the original. It was nice to know how the trilogy ended.

I’ll try to blog while in California. I will certainly be checking my email.

I’m closing with a quote from Much Ado About Nothing.

Beatrice: Against my will, I am sent to bid you come into dinner.

Benedick: Fair Beatrice, thank you for your pains.

Beatrice: I took no more pains for those thanks than you take pains to thank me. If it had been painful, I would not have come.

Benedick: You take pleasure then in the message?

Beatrice: Yea, just so much as you may take upon a knife’s point. You have no stomach, signor? Fare you well.

Benedick: Ha. “Against my will I am sent to bid you come into dinner.” There’s a double meaning in that.

Viva Las Vegas!



I can’t say my fella doesn’t take me anyplace. He booked a room in Vegas for our trip back from California (no not at the Bellagio. Like we could afford that!) We’re getting excited about this trip. We sure are packing it in. My friend Erik went to Vegas with his folks, and I asked him to make a bet for me. He forgot, until he was walking past a roulette table and heard them call out the number I asked him to bet on. I was born under a lucky sign, my birthdate is a full house. I will have to let my brother-in-law know that the hotel we’re staying at has a restaurant called Terrible Mike’s. 🙂

Jeff pretty much said the summer job is mine. Even with me going to Scotland, he says we can work around that. Now we just have to wait to hear back from the INS, which isn’t called that anymore. They call themselves USCIS, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

I know way to many people going through physical ailments. From Jesse who has an enlarged spleen and lymph nodes, to Russ with Osteoporosis, to Marty at work who has been diagnosed with Lymphoma. Crazy!

I’m closing with a quote from Ocean’s 11.

Rusty: Why do this?

Danny: Why not do it?

[Rusty shakes his head]

Danny: Cause yesterday I walked out of the joint after losing four years of my life and you’re cold-decking teen beat cover boys.

[pause]

Danny: Cause the house always wins. Play long enough, you never change the stakes. The house takes you. Unless, when that perfect hand comes along, you bet big, then you take the house.

Rusty: Been practicing this speech, haven’t you?

Danny: Little bit. Did I rush it? Felt I rushed it.

Rusty: No, it was good, I liked it. The Teen Beat thing was harsh.

Wedding Bells



Ryan and Kana got engaged last week! We’re super excited for them. They are such a great couple. We can’t wait to celebrate with them next week. I know they’ll be more successful than Martha and Whitman.

Just trying to prepare for our trip. Nothing else is going on. It’s a weekend of travel, as the other Armstrongs are going to The Big Easy, New Orleans.

USA Network is running an ad to promote the return of new episodes of Monk & The Dead Zone. It features Mr. Monk & Johnny Smith at a Detectives Convention. I don’t watch The Dead Zone, but I saw the movie, and read the book, so I get the humor of it. Also, USA has a new promo just for Monk, which parody’s Parliament’s Give Up The Funk. “We want the Monk, Gotta have the Monk”

I’m going to close with a quote from Galaxy Quest.

Jason Nesmith: What? What was that?

Alexander Dane: Uh, nothing.

Jason Nesmith: I heard some squealing or something.

Gwen DeMarco: Oh, no. Everything’s fine.

Teb: But the animal is inside out.

Jason Nesmith: I heard that! It turned inside out?

[the pig-lizard explodes]

Teb: And it exploded.

Jason Nesmith: Did I just hear that the animal turned inside out, and then is EXPLODED?

Go Sharks Go

My Problem With Catholicism

I am a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ. I believe the Apostle’s Creed. But I have a beef with Catholicism. Don’t get me wrong, I know great Catholics, and I know a lot of twice-a-year Catholics/Christians. The kind who go to church twice a year, Christmas & Easter. The ones who like the rituals. but who are not about having a relationship with the Living God.

What brought this on? This article in the Denver Post where a Bishop has decided that if you support John Kerry or any candidate who supports issues the Catholic Church is against, you don’t get to take Communion.

“In a pastoral letter making waves nationally, Colorado Springs Bishop Michael Sheridan this month declared that Catholics who vote for candidates who support abortion rights, euthanasia, “illicit” stem- cell research or gay marriage cannot receive Communion until they recant and repent in the confession booth.

It continues later on to say “Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput last month suggested Catholic politicians whose positions conflict with church teachings against abortion aren’t really Catholic, and urged voters to hold them accountable.”

Here’s the thing, before you take Communion, you have to set your heart right with God. You cleanse yourself and repent any sins you have. Now I talk right to God, I don’t go through anybody, I don’t think you have to. When Christ died on the cross, the curtain that separated man from God in the temple was two in two, broken like the body of Jesus, as a sign that we can go to God ourselves. Now these people want to have their congregation answer which political party they support before they take Communion? That’s ridiculous. The truth is God is the only who knows your heart (Christian or not). If your taking part in Communion with wrong intentions, He’s gonna know. Should John Kerry be denied Communion? The bible calls me not to judge. Should John Kerry be proclaiming he’s Catholic, while supporting abortion? Probably not. Are Christians & Catholics called to be accountable to one another? Absolutely.

No one is perfect, no one is sinless. I pray that Mr. Kerry gets himself right with God, if he is indeed a Catholic. I pray for President Bush to seek God’s will on all the decisions he makes.

It just bugs me when we get caught up in being legalistic, and forget it’s about a personal relationship with Christ. It may seem cheesy, but you have to ask yourself WWJD?

I’m closing with my favorite quote from Futurama.

Fry: So what’s the deal? You guys don’t believe in Robot Jesus?

Jewish Robot #2: We believe he was built and that he was a very well programmed robot but he wasn’t our Messiah.

Weird World

I posted before about a band that I had once hated, and was winning me over with an infectious song. So I got their album out of the library, and it’s pretty good. Here’s where we find out how weird the world is. I saw this band play at UCI while I was at KUCI. They played in the courtyard where we would sign up new volunteers. But they were going by a different name. I often wondered what would become of these bands, and I guess now I know. If you’re lucky (or unlucky depending on how you look at it) you end up on MTV.

I have to start on my packing list this weekend, as well as put together instructions for the cat-sitter. I think tomorrow we’ll go to Peet’s and pick up some more tea. Or at least go have some. It suppose to be nice this weekend, so we’ll walk to Peet’s.

Not much else is going on. Diane sent me an email that said “Go Flames Go”. I’m sorry, I can’t root for them. Born & raised in Edmonton does that to me. 🙂

I’ll close with a quote from Enemy Of The State.

Fiedler: *Please* let me follow the nanny. She doesn’t shave her legs. Women like that are so… HOT.