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I have returned from my journeys afar and have returned a married woman! There are too many stories to tell, as usual. I’ll separate my trip into weekly entries and try to keep it simple for the a.d.d. population. I arrived in NYC a few weeks ago to a lovely indian summer. I stayed at Marc’s fabulous digs in Astoria and we somehow made gourmet delicious dinners most of my time there. We took a foraging field trip with Steve Brill who is quite kooky but knows his wild edibles. Marc was very adventurous and pulled out a few young sassafrass saplings to make some homemade Root Beer (end result–delicous!) We collected a number of items: oxalis for salads, spiceberries supposedly for smoothies (which was not made) and a ton of mushrooms! We gathered giant puffballs (which became puffball parmesan), honey mushrooms which were sauteed with butter and garlic, and inky cap mushrooms with which I made a gravy of sorts out of and we poured that over Quorn nuggets and rice. Marc was very scared of the wild mushrooms and it made me doubt myself for a bit–but we both took the plunge and ate up and it was delicious. I need to join the Myco society and learn more about mushroom i.d. It’s very satisfying and joyous to find something growing in it’s natural habitat and then EAT IT. Plus, it’s free. And it’s fresh. And it’s local. ‘Nuff said.

Last weekend, our parents threw a Jack & Jill party for Matt and me at our house. For those who don’t know (I thought everyone knew!) a Jack & Jill is basically a bridal shower where boys can come too. We had about 25 people come to the party, a lot of Matt’s family drove over from Eastern Washington and most of our friends were there to share in the great sunny weather, good company and yummy food prepared by my mom, Jan, and me. We got low on food around 8pm, which was a good sign. I refilled the sangria pitcher when it got low for a total of 5.5 pitchers of sangria consumed at the party. It was nice to get everyone together, I hate that “old” feeling where people are too busy to randomly hang out like in the dorms at college. I wish people could have more free time to just spend with each other. I for one, will try to keep that a priority in my world, or at least be available for visitors. The party started at 1pm, and we ate and drank and ate as some people left and the latecomers arrived. It was nice for my parents to meet our Seattle friends and more of Matt’s family before the wedding. As the evening wound down, Matt and I gave a small acrobatic performance and I got Brian and Matt O. to do some trapeze moves on our rusty swingset. (Those pictures are on Flckr). Matt taught some Aikido to the willing. He played his guitar and we sang songs until dark, then it was upstairs for a LOONG game of Settlers of Catan. I think everyone was so tired that it took forever to finish the game: I am proud to say that I won (only b/c Matt wasn’t playing–he is a shark at board games). The next day we had a huge brunch and ate most of the leftovers from the party, then we played Euchre until my parents arrived, and we spent the afternoon at Greenlake. It was a busy weekend but lots of fun. I am excited for the next big party–Wedding!

My parents have been in Seattle visiting for about a week now (of 3.5 weeks total–apparently retired people need more vacation time than the rest of the working world). Matt decided it was time for a big adventure and we went white water rafting out of Leavenworth yesterday. It was a 4.5 hr rafting ride that was a Class III ride–which was plenty exciting for my first time (I’ve done some rapids in kayaks and canoes in MA). Jesse and Deborah came too and we rafted through some HUGE drops and avoided crashing our head on some rock and concrete bridge pillars. The only person that fell off was some lady that wasn’t with us, and it was on the first set of rapids. It was very hot outside and the river was very cold, which are my ideal standards for swimming, so I was content.
Our river guide was a 22 year old guy that was living out of his truck for the summer and told us before the ride that he’s had two brain surgeries and is a cancer survivor. Even though he confessed to almost killing other customers on the river, he took good care of us and didn’t flip our giant raft. We did ram into a few kayakers on purpose He let us swim through one set of rapids and that was fun, except I was mostly underwater the whole time. I got to go through one set of rapids sitting on the bow of the boat like a mermaid-it was fun seeing everything up close like a roller coaster.
The swallows flew along with us and ate any bugs that gathered–I think I’d like to train a swallow one day for a pet and it can just eat the mosquitoes around me when I’m outside. But I don’t have much of a need for one now, the mosquitoes are quite an endangered species in Seattle. My parents survived the ride, they were smiling at the end, and I think I screamed more during the rapids than my mom. I’m so proud of them, trying a new adventure that is definitely out of the comfort zone. Deborah and I are ready for our second time to be a class IV—but I’m not sure if I can be the front paddler yet.

Last weekend, Matt and I flew out for a quick East Coast trip to finalize some wedding details.  We had very little time and a lot to do.  Unbeknownst to me (am I allowed to use spelling bee words?), Miss Effie and the bridesmaids cohorts planned a fabulous bridal shower (and bachelorette that evening) for me.  Saturday was my only free day in Connecticut, and Mike Zannetti called me the week before to make plans for “lunch”.  I should have seen something coming, as Zannetti NEVER calls me and have we really become 80 year olds that have lunchtime engagements and won’t make nighttime plans?!  But I was so focused on all the wedding stuff that it didn’t even strike me as weird, even when I walked into Mike’s house that day and saw favors on a table in the sitting room.  I just thought it was more of Mike’s mom’s stuff that Mike was selling or throwing out.  Why would I think there was a party in the other room?!  I was shocked–not the screaming or crying kind of shocked…just jaw dropping silence sort of shocked…I have the hardest time getting people together, especially now that I live on the West Coast, and this was perfect.  My grandma Josephine was there, with my aunt Mary Anne.  My mom flew up from Florida, Ally, Lauren and Kaitlin (my cousins) were there, which was amazing, since I haven’t seen them in, hmm, maybe four or five years, and I used to spend every weekend with them growing up.  My godfather’s wife was there (it’s been 10 years since I’ve seen her).  Newly engaged Erica was there, along with 7 month pregnant Amanda, and of course, my bridesmaids (Abbie, Abbey, Roslyn, Effie).  There was so much to say to everyone and so much FOOD to be eaten.
What more could a girl ask for? Good company, food, wine, and the giant stuffed swordfish hanging over Michael’s mantle.  There were some games and some card/present opening (which wasn’t too girly, which is always my fear with all that overwhelming estrogen in the room).  The best gift was a recipe book that was a compilation of pictures and recipes from a lot of people (friends, family, soon to be family).  I’m happy Amanda put her rhubarb coffee cake recipe in there.  She made it for the shower and eating it once was NOT enough.  I will post the recipe to share.   I think there just aren’t enough rhubarb recipes.
After the shower, Eff, Roz, Abbie and Amanda took me to the mall to get a makeover (I’m such a girl ) at Aveda and Roz bought me all the makeup they used so I can look better than my personal attempts and failures at using the makeup.  The girl who did me up had a gold tooth, so I was a little worried about what she was going to make me look like—but no worries, I was really happy with what she did and now everyone can look forward to seeing me all painted up in September.  Plus, I get to cross that off my list of wedding to-dos.
I can also cross off the picnic location, which will be described in detail on the wedding website.  FYI, we’re having a picnic the day after the wedding, about 20 miles south of the wedding location.  It was a productive but fun weekend and I am so lucky to have such wonderful beautiful people in my life.  It makes me want to start a commune and make all of you live on it with me.  Any takers?

PS. If anyone has pictures from that day, I’d love copies.  The only pics I have are when Matt was allowed to join us in the evening.

Photo to come….
A few months ago, I got an email from my UConn roommate, Lorren, that she was getting married to some guy named Kevin. I can’t believe that I’m the first of my friends to get engaged (except for Raney, but she was engaged when I met her) and it seems as if Matt and I will tie the knot after everybody else does. We are enjoying a long engagement. Anyways, this post is about Lorren: so she got married in Connecticut at the end of May and mentions in an email to me that her man is from Spokane and they’re having a west coast reception as well…..so Matt and I high-tailed it to Newman Lake to see a girl that I haven’t seen in over four years! Matt, growing up only an hour away, knew a whole bunch of people at the party–apparently small towns in eastern Washington really are that small. They had a really nice reception-I think there were more people there than will be at our wedding. Lorren’s cut her hair short (it used to be to her butt–she let me cut it for her once, and one inch turned into three…needless to say, I’m only allowed to cut Matt’s hair now) and she wore her wedding dress at the beginning of the party. It was beautiful! I will post the picture when I get a chance to. Her husband, Kevin, wore his army dress blues and the coolest army hat I’ve ever seen. It was like a cross between a cowboy hat and and Indiana Jones hat. He flies helicopters and apparently they arrived to the party in a friend’s helicopter. Quite in style! They changed outfits and there were some great toasts. The weather was perfect, the five cakes were all good (I tried them all)–I think my favorite was the Vanilla Cake with Lemon Curd. It was so great to catch up with her, she’s been busy putting her time in with the army and living in Austria. I think they are back in Germany now, as Kevin continues with the army, Lorren is applying for grad schools. They are so happy together and a great match. I’m so glad that this girl found a good guy–there are few of them out there. Salud!