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| Morning in the Virginia Countryside, Sunrise OAFS Photo |
The Missus Herself and I did not have a traditional wedding, in fact there was no ceremony at all. Just rushing about Seoul to various offices, both Korean and American, doing what seemed to be ream upon ream of paperwork.
Our son did the same, well, he had a bit of a ceremony before a Justice of the Peace out California way. Both daughters, on the other hand, had actual wedding ceremonies, both ceremonies were held outdoors, both in the Commonwealth of Virginia, one of my favorite states. Hence the title of today's offering.
The opening photo was taken the morning after the ceremony where The Nuke and Tuttle got hitched. A lovely old farmhouse not far from Charlottesville, VA. They had the place for a long weekend, both families could be accommodated and were present in force.
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| Morning in the Virginia Countryside, the Backyard OAFS Photo |
The venue for the reception was off to the left, beyond those bushes. The actual ceremony took place in the front of the house, just off the big old-fashioned porch. A lovely place, whoever thought of having this place be a wedding venue was a genius, it is perfect in nearly every way. I hope they have made, and will continue to make, tons of money from it.
The reason for my surprise concerning events around that fireplace is because after the formal reception, son-in-law Big Time and I, along with Tuttle's future brother-in-law (married Tuttle's sister a year of so after the wedding), decided it would be just the thing to build a fire in the fireplace and consume what remained of the adult beverages provided for the wedding. After all, the next day we'd all be driving back to Alexandria and points further north without much room to haul said beverages.
We made a sizeable dent in the remaining beverages all whilst stoking the fire. We did so without dying of either smoke inhalation, burns, or alcohol poisoning. A minor miracle in itself.
But survive we did, though the hangover next day was epic, I've had worse.
So The Nuke got married in the shadows of the Blue Ridge Mountains. As I mentioned before, LUSH also got married in Virginia, her wedding being more of a Navy affair as she and husband to be, Big Time, were both on active duty at the time. A number of folks from both of their squadrons were in attendance at that wedding, which was held outdoors at the Virginia Beach National Golf Club, a very nice place, though definitely not as rural as The Nuke's wedding.
A story I like to tell, tongue-in-cheek of course, is that Satan attended LUSH's wedding.
No, not the Prince of Darkness, not that guy.
Rather, the commander of Big Time's squadron at the time was a fellow whose given name was Damien. With a name like that, and certain other factors I'm sure, it seems almost inevitable that he would wind up with the call sign "Satan." Which of course, he did. (Note: Satan got a mention in a post by Lex some years back, from when he was the XO of VFA-136, you can read that here. Thanks for preserving that Bill. Note that that was the post which brought Neptunus Lex to my attention. Which ultimately led to Chant du Départ. Small world, neh?)
Both weddings were memorable and occupy cherished space in my memories. Makes me wish, almost, that we'd had a ceremony. Before you mention it, I once asked The Missus Herself if she'd like to do a ceremony. We both decided in the negative.
Ah well ...
Editor's Note: No doubt some of you are bereft and distraught at the lack of fictional story-telling going on around here lately. Others of you may be thanking the Deity for said lack. It will return, someday, but perhaps not soon. I think the Muse is still down on Cape Charles, gazing out onto the Bay and marveling at the loveliness of it all. Mentally, I'm still there as well.
The muse is smart enough to recharge her batteries.
ReplyDeleteYou are smart enough to relax a bit and enjoy the lovely memories of a life well lived.
I might wander over to Desiderata for a visit.
Good words there, and true.
DeleteBetter to have you thoroughly rested, and up to par, when writing. We will wait.
ReplyDeleteI tend to write no matter my condition. Which might not always be a good idea!
Delete"It will return, someday, but perhaps not soon." If recent history is any gauge, that means that Muse will creep in and we'll have a doozy by Tuesday.
ReplyDeleteRelax, enjoy. After more than half a century of marching to someone else's kettle of fish, you deserve to move to your own pace for a while.
I tend to write what I want and when I want. One thing I will say as to the fiction, dinnae hold yer breath, I'm in a wee slump.
DeleteToo early to watch the fingers doing what they ought to be doing such as hitting the right keys......:) Take your time Sarge, after all you ARE retired.
ReplyDeleteSaw that, puzzled me until I got to this comment. 😉
DeleteWell, I agree that Virginia is a great state!
ReplyDeleteWell except for that part in the northeast corner. I believe it is named “Hell on Earth”. I pity the folks forced to work there and condemn those (most of them anyway) that chose to.
juvat
Rather a provincial attitude, but in your defense, you have "been there, done that," no doubt you've got the t-shirt as well.
DeleteAs with so many places; the problem is not so much the setting (in spring and fall at least), certainly not the architecture, but as juvat points out, so many of the denizens that choose to infest the place. And yes, BTDT for three mercifully short periods.
DeleteBoat Guy
And FTR, that's certainly not a blanket condemnation of all of the inhabitants; t'was a great place to be single for the tour when that was my status.
DeleteBG
BG #1 - And not all the occupants are evil, just the ones we elected it seems.
DeleteBG #2 - DC would be nice for a single guy.
DeleteThe wife and I had the big church wedding. My son secretly married his high school girlfriend at the end of their second year of college. They did not tell us until after they had graduated college.
ReplyDeleteSurprise, surprise!
DeleteHopefully you like the girl.
Sounds like you and The Missus should take a few days off, somewhere in Virginia, at a particularly lovely time of the year just to celebrate life, and the enjoyment thereof, and the wonderful family you have created. Tidewater, lakes, mountains, lots of battlefields, out in the Shenandoah Valley are all beautiful. Northern Virginia may be too close to fetid swampland and horrendous traffic to be much fun, but just about anywhere else.
ReplyDeleteLexington, home to VMI and Washington and Lee University is supposed to be nice, but your choice.
You've earned it, you deserve it, and you can tell us more about Virginia afterwards.
JB
Kinda what we've been doing over the past month. 😊
DeleteYes, and yes you can have some more!
DeleteJB ;-)
I'll gladly take it.
Deletein re "Editor's Note"
ReplyDeletenot in the slightest; the stories/reminiscences you're providing are just as good/ better/really enjoyable
You're used to me, I like that. I do go all over the map at times.
DeleteSarge, I have vague memories of my wedding - not from any sort of alcoholic consumption but rather the whole thing was overwhelming. I had to watch the video later to get some idea of everything.
ReplyDeleteThe Ravishing Mrs. TB went to Virginia years ago (sadly, not to the coast though). On the list of places to get back to.
Like Boron, I enjoy the other writing. For myself, I find it good to "challenge" myself in different mediums.
Weddings are for the ladies, men, not so much.
DeleteMrs. Andrew and I had the whole high Catholic Mass and Wedding. Fortunately the church was already decorated, it being in December, greenery everywhere and no need for flowers and stuff like that. We also had a reception at my parents' house, finger foods and soft drinks provided by us, my dad providing alcohol for those who wished to imbibe. December was early for us, but that way I wouldn't have to take off work (closed over the holidays and such) and I didn't have to pay for my mother's mother (the last of the grands) plane tickets.
ReplyDeleteWhat we really wanted was, well, we were married when we signed the marriage license, basically at the clerk of courts. But my mother wanted us to have a church wedding so...
And growing up in Florida, I've seen way too many outdoor weddings ruined by too much of anything. Too much sun, too much humidity, too much rain, too much insects...
In Florida the outdoors can be very feisty, to say the least.
DeleteWe had a church wedding. During the reception a thunderstorm let loose with marble sized hail and heavy rain. An aunt opined, "I always knew that when Frank got married, all hell would break loose".
ReplyDeleteHeh.
DeleteMarried at George AFB, Protestant Chapel Number One, Major Ralph Illingsworth officiating. 3 Jul 65. Then off in August to stop the Asian domino effect. Yes, sixty, this coming Thursday. Wow.
ReplyDeleteI remember the Wing CO and DO were both there. I was the DO's "backseater for safety reasons - O-6 + O-3. Anyway we all had fun and Miss Jeanie and I escaped to a place on the High Desert called the Hesperia Inn. We received TWO blenders that day. The folks in my Squadron knew of our propensities towards Frozen Daiquiris.
Fuzz, D4
I like these kind of slumps though- telling us stories from your history are just as good as the fictional ones imho.
ReplyDelete