day of the rehearsal

As predicted, we wake up to a gray and cool morning. Well, let me correct that: we wake up before we can see much of anything outside. Isis is at it again -- fussing upstairs (even as the mouse ran free downstairs). My girl has the young person's attitude toward sleep -- it just sort of happens. I wait, mark the minutes and eventually give up and pick up something to read.

It's good to eat breakfast as a threesome (if you call Ed's recent morning diet of mango a 'breakfast'). We delay getting up from around the table. It will be a busy day. Let's ease into it gradually.





A real frost warning is ahead of us and Ed tells me he'll harvest all remaining tomatoes -- green or otherwise.
No! No time for harvest this weekend! And still, wedding or not, the last of this year's crop must be brought in.





Time to get going. Ed asks -- as long as you're driving out, can you take the mouse and release it along the way?
We throw the container in the back of the car and promptly forget about it.





As we come into the city, I mentally check off things on my to do list. Oh, oops!  The mouse! Okay, little guy, you've got to make do with a city park...


I have to be at work for a while, but before, I stop at wedding central -- my older daughter's home. Everything that's fun is there now. They're picking music, they're filling baskets for out of town guests (Badger State stuff... you can guess what; yes, yes, cheese figures in it in several ways) and mainly, they're having fun. If you stick close to people who enjoy life, it rubs off.



the soon to be bride




the baskets


After work, I deliver some of the baskets to places around town. And then suddenly it's awfully close to evening. At the farmhouse, I pull Ed outside.
I almost forgot! I need to give you a hair cut and a beard trim for tomorrow! He cooperates. Thank God.



before



after


And he plays the helpful guy again as he drives me and my little one's freshly arrived boy friend downtown and to the church.

As we wait for the priest and the wedding coordinator to give instructions, I glance around us. It strikes me how pretty this particular church is. I'd been inside plenty of Madison's churches, but, despite the fact that my girls attended preschool in the building next door, I'd never been inside this one.

The wedding party slowly gathers. The ring bearer watches as my girls have a moment together...





And, with a jovial dig at the habits of others (in our church, we don't believe that the rehearsal ought to be longer than the wedding itself!), the priest spells out the steps for tomorrow. After the walk down the aisle, the dad is to gently push the bride toward the groom. Not that this girl needs any prodding...





A special a instruction goes to the ring bearer.






...and a general one to the wedding party. (And when I wave my arm like this, you go there...)






My little one helps with the unfastened ribbon of ring bearer's little sister...






I look up at the very happy couple...







And we're done! Off we go to dinner on the Capitol Square.






Wisconsin fare at the lovely upstairs room of the Old Fashioned!







(Finished off with a blueberry crumble.)


(Isn't it interesting how guys all take the same pose when they casually stand and chat?) May I present the groom and his groomsmen.






This is the evening for bridesmaids and groomsmen toasts... And good luck hugs from flower girls.






Alright, time to end the festivities. A last shot of the tired but happy couple:







Ed comes and picks me up. It rained earlier today, but for now, the night is calm. A few clouds, a crisp cool breeze... It sure feels like fall. Oh! That's right! Saturday is the wedding day and, too, the first day of the new season.