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Praetorium Honoris

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Nuptials, Tales of...

The Nuptials of Thetis and Peleus - Hendrik de Clerck
(Source)
Juvat's tale of the pending nuptials of his daughter reminded me of a story or two. Concerning nuptials that is, mine own and that of The WSO's. Her wedding being the much more interesting tale. But hey, how about Achilles' parents, Thetis and Peleus? Let's look at their wedding first.

Come on, you don't know who Achilles is? We'll wait while you go look it up...



Yes, that Achilles. On second thought, as to the nuptials of Thetis and Peleus, I read a better account than I could write, there's a link to that at the bottom. Now, now, wait for it...

Oh yes, congratulations to Juvat's MBD and her intended. Let's all hope that Juvat manages to stay out of the poor house. Those nuptials, I've heard, can be rather expensive.

Anyhoo, the wedding of Your Humble Scribe and The Missus Herself was very much an affair involving travel to Seoul, lots of paperwork in multiple offices, finally with our Korean translator/facilitator/guide announcing, "Congratulations, you're married."

Not sure why I was expecting more from a purely civil thing, wasn't even a ceremony. At least not that I can recall. And yes, I was sober. As was she. (There are times when folks wonder how an old hoot owl like myself wound up with the lady who consented to be my bride. While it isn't exactly a Beauty and the Beast situation, it's close. Damned close. You there in the back, stop laughing, I can see you.)

Now where was I?

Oh yeah, my own "wedding" was rather mundane and pretty much a "sign here, initial there, and sign here again..." sort of thing. All paper, no romance. Do I regret doing it that way? Kind of. But we did save a butt ton of money by not having a more formal wedding. (As opposed to the "just barely a wedding but hey, we're actually legally wed so we've got that going for us" kind of thing.)

However, The WSO's marriage to Big Time was a "pretty big deal." At least I thought so. For it isn't every day that one "gives away" a daughter. Which I did, walking her down the "aisle" to give her in marriage to, of all things, a fighter pilot. Dear Lord, what was I thinking?

Just kidding, Big Time is a good stick and a nice fellow. My grandchildren think the world of him, as well they might, half of said grandchildren being his progeny.

Did I mention that Big Time's skipper and a number of other Knighthawks (VFA-136) were at the wedding? Have I ever mentioned his skipper's call sign? No?

So, skipper's given name is Damien. Remember a movie a while back, with a kid named Damien? No? Gregory Peck, Lee Remick, David Warner? Not ringing any bells?



Have you guessed his call sign yet?

Well, I can safely say that "Satan" was at The WSO's wedding. Not the actual Anti-Christ mind you, just an F/A-18E pilot with the call sign, "Satan."

Just to note, The WSO's wedding went far smoother than that movie clip. Even "Satan" and his Knighthawks behaved.

That opening painting? Well, the wedding was nothing like that, everybody was wearing clothes. In true fighter pilot fashion, the wedding was held outdoors, at a golf course. I do believe that Big Time was warned that any mention of "getting in a round of golf" would be looked upon with great disfavor. Not by me mind you, I think his Mom warned him about that. No doubt The WSO might have frowned upon that as well.

As to the wedding of Achilles' parents? You can read a synopsis of that here. Now his mom, being some sort of sea-goddess, I figure Achilles should have opted for a career in the Navy. Avoid that whole arrow through the heel thing maybe. Yes, Achilles would've made a fine Navy man...

Or not.



32 comments:

  1. When folks see my wife and I, that's the same question... I tell them we have a strange and wonderful relationship... I'm strange, she's wonderful. I've take to calling her the best half. Seriously, she's so easy on the eyes, I stare at her for long periods of time.... even after 35 years..... There are some men who find THE ONE early in life. I was one of those.

    We had a 10 day engagement, and spent about 200 bucks on the wedding. It ain't the ceremony that ties the knot. In this day and age, I'd spend the "fairy tale" wedding money on land, and have a simple ceremony under a tree. I'd much rather help someone start out in good shape. Everyone has their opinion I guess...

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    Replies
    1. I'm with you on that STxAR, why put yourself in debt at the start of the marriage?

      Delete
    2. Me also. But I'm in the minority.

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  2. Marriage. (Princess Bride wedding voice)
    I would travel back in time, of course avoiding all the time travel paradox problems, and advise my younger self, "Since you are going to get married late in August, maybe you should change to an earlier time of the year because your church doesn't have air conditioning."
    But I am pretty sure I wouldn't have listened.
    Still married to my starter wife.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. August, no air conditioning, yup, that could be a problem. But yeah, the end result was good. So you've got that going for you. :)

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    2. Early September, just west of the Okeefenokee Swamp in Georgia. Wedding in Air Conditioned Church, Reception in Antebellum Home. Yes...It was hot, but at least it was humid. Mrs. J spent the reception standing over one of the floor vents. But, as you say, the end result was (is) good.

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    3. Heh. "At least it was humid..."

      Good line.

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  3. I met my bride on an elevator (which explains the ups and downs) and we are now working on the 52nd year of joy? I'm probably one of the few grooms who walked down the aisle packing heat. I was a cop in Washington, D.C. in those days and it was comforting, even in church, to know that I followed the Boy Scout motto, Be Prepared!

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  4. All good points Sarge. Squoze our nuptials in between project trips in Las Vegas, at the Justice of the Peace's office. Just couldn't stomach the idea of a Vegas style chapel. It musta took, seeing as how it was 44 years ago in June. I am blessed and I know it. Like STxAR, I find myself gazing at the beauty that she still is and wondering how I got so lucky.

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    Replies
    1. Argh, Vegas-style chapel. Do those ever last?

      Probably a good move Flugelman!

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  5. I married an orphan so no in-law pressures. We kept it simple. My youngest married his wife in her father's house with her children and his children standing beside them. Her father, a clergyman, preformed the ceremony. By far the most moving wedding I've attended.

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  6. Sorry Sarge, I couldn't help myself laughing, but now I'm worried how you knew. I guess I have to put some tape over that camera thing on my laptop.

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  7. Three entirel different experiences.
    About the the only similarities were that ministers performed all three and I was there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I suppose it's nice to have some consistency...

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    2. There's always been some constants, just not necessarily the proper ones.
      Had #1 and I not split the sheets it would have been 45 years.
      GS and I were married 21 years, together for 30.
      MB and I are still honeymooning after 14 months.
      Life is good.

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    3. Life is good, love is good. You have both.

      You are blessed.

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  8. As mentioned yesterday, Mrs. Andrew and I didn't have to worry about decorations, being Christmas time, and the Knights of Columbus had way too many trees ordered that year, so the front of the church looked like a forest. The future in-laws decided their role was to show up, so my mother got to play bride's mother, which was good (she lost a girl at 1yoa on Holy Innocents' Day (Dec 28) so there was always that hole in my mom's heart.)

    The only thing that disturbed me (other than the best man being drunk the day before and not doing his assigned chores) was when the future FiL walked into the church. My faith was rocked when no wall of fire engulfed him and he wasn't dragged off to very warmer places immediately (yes, he was that bad of a man. At his funeral, I wanted to open his casket, chop off his head, drive a stake through his heart, stuff his body with garlic, put silver coins over his eyes, holy wafer on his tongue, expose his body to sunlight and burn it to ashes and then separate the ashes into two piles and bury them on opposite sides of a fast moving body of water. I am, eh, sometimes old school about some things.) I mean, really, letting the Anti-Christ's used car salesman walk into a Catholic Church? What gives? And this was before we had a commie pope.

    Other than that, our wedding went smooth, after we beat the organist over the head for not wanting to play Schubert's "Ave Maria" as our wedding music. He didn't think it was good wedding music. We didn't care what he thought and considering it was Christmas, and I was marrying my Madonna, and Mrs. Andrew her ass, well, we thought it totally appropriate.

    (And it is encouraging that quite a few of your commenters here are in long term marriages. Not everyone, but lots. Makes me feel at home (31 years and counting to my only wife.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good story Andrew. Check that, great story.

      As to "I was marrying my Madonna, and Mrs. Andrew her ass...", all y'all can go home, Andrew has won the Interwebz for the day.

      (Sprayed the monitor on that one I did.)

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    2. Thank you. Your monitor needed cleaning anyways. Filthy things.

      Mrs. Andrew always says I carry too much weight on my shoulders, so Ass I am.

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    3. Yes, fingerprints everywhere!

      Too much weight on your shoulders? Atlas had that problem.

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  9. This August will make 30 years for my bride and me. Nice to read about the other commenters' weddings.

    Thanks for the post.
    Paul L. Quandt

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    Replies
    1. The Missus Herself and Your Humble Scribe hit the 40-year mark back in January.

      It says a lot for her patience...

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    2. Well, it would have been illegal for me to marry her ( except in a few states ) had I even met her 40 years ago.

      Paul

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  10. Ya know, when I read the first few lines of Juvat's post yesterday, I forgot it was Monday and I thought the Nuke got engaged! Smart girl, got her mom's looks (thankfully), somebody's gonna be a lucky man.

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    Replies
    1. Now that would be something. She just hasn't met the right fellow yet.

      It will come and he indeed will be a lucky man!

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  11. It looks like Achilles' parents were 'well heeled'!

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Can't be nice, go somewhere else...

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