Back from a cousin’s wedding in Birmingham. It was, as our travel down to Alabama often is, a whirlwind of seeing everyone we could, if only fleetingly.
The bride was beautiful–the prerogative of all brides, but Corley was especially so–the groom, in his Navy whites, was handsome, and the ceremony was faster than I’ve ever seen before–something about which the bride privately expressed satisfaction–while also being attended by more people than I’ve ever seen at a wedding.
The reception, at Shoal Creek Country Club, was a little over the top. The food was good, though Chet’s caterer has nothing to worry about–I’m not sure, though, that she could have catered 300+ people at the level she achieved for Chet.
At least for immediate family, though, the wedding was under a bit of a pall, because it’s probably the last time most of us are likely to see the bride’s mother. She’s got terminal cancer, and I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say that she’s made it this long through sheer will-power.
Actually, I find that I wrote about all of this “the last time one of my cousins got married”:/2005/06/hmmm-feeling-old.html. The perceptive among you will note that at that time the wedding was scheduled for December.
I wouldn’t say much more, but in the intervening time, I realized the enormous debt I owe Nan, because if she hadn’t organized and hosted a Christmas party for my Dad’s side of the family every year for the last dozen years or so–pretty much since my last year of college–most of that side of my family would be much more distant to me than they are.
I don’t know any way to repay that, but I hope that wishing her peace and comfort might make a start.
