Back to reality

[cyrano]

Wednesday:
I drove Cerulean_Me's van to the airport, and totally survived. Ydna tracked me down at the airport pretty easily, and we wrestled with the rental car and its spiffy GPS system. Unfortunately, ironing a wrinkle in the reservation for him and his lovely wife meant moving them to a different hotel. I was terribly jealous of their kitchenette.
We went to the tuxedo shop (shout out here to Friar Tux) to pick up our outfits, and then I had mediocre generic pizza bar food waiting for jalexius and kiras to get into town whence the six of us could go to Casa Guadalajara for Margaritas As Big As Your Head. And after that, it seemed a shame to stop drinking so we picked up vodka and limoncello and went back to the hotel for drinking and talking until three or four in the morning. And sewing a bridesmaid dress. Which was great fun, but complicated by the fact that my room being located under the stair and so I was unlikely to sleep past seven or eight in the morning.

Thursday:
Discovered that I could make something resembling a meal out of the free continental breakfast if I rescued what egg white I could from hard-boiled eggs, then added a little fruit salad and orange juice. Then J and I took a walk up to 'Old Town', the touristy semi-historical area. We had repeatedly seen a sign next to the Old Town Transit Center and Train Station proclaiming the location of the San Diego Historical Park. Which, so far as we could see, was a Historical Car Park. Eventually, we discovered a dusty circle of trails that circled around some dusty local flora, replete with a little plaque that said that once there was a river here where natives harvested rushes.
I was wishing that I'd brought a camera so I could take a picture of the Lamest Historical Park Ever, but just then we discovered the McCoy house on the other side of a fence. And from there, a plaza of minimuseums and dioramas and displays. Alas, we didn't really have much time to investigate because there was the wedding rehearsal.
The Egyptian Patio has a lovely fountain, but I was still worried about spending a lot of time in direct sunlight in a tuxedo. In t-shirt and shorts it was already plenty warm. I met Bethany, my lovely bridesmaid, and we practised walking. She was very good at it, and served me as a capable tutor. Then the parents of the bride hosted a barbeque at their lovely home up in the hills. And it was there that I met the Cabinet of Doctor Abraham Lincoln and got introduced to many many people in the San Diego side of the ceremony.
And then back to the hotel for drinking and talking until late. I think I drank more this weekend than I have in the past year. But this time, the bridegroom was able to join us, as was the last of the groomsmen.

Friday:
The bridesmaids were all getting salonified, and some of them decided to eat lunch. As the groomsmen, it was our responsibility to deliver it. Once they called us up and said "Can you bring us some California Burritos?" California Burritos apparently have french fries in them. We had to make do with carne asada and chicken, as we were unable to find anybody who could make such a thing. After a few trips between the hotel, the taqueria and the salon, we zoomed off to grab our own quick lunch before we had to be back at the Darlington House.
In attendance there was an old high school crush and a new OKC flirting partner in attendance, not counting all the hot babes I'd already spent time with, and yet somehow I managed to maintain a professional atmosphere throughout. The reception was lovely, but I was sad to have missed the tango.
And then back to the hotel for drinking and talking until late. This time, we were joined by Errol Flynn, and kiras attempted to make my laptop less lame.

Saturday:
Packing stuff up, forgetting stuff in the hotel room, getting in last minute goodbyes and promises to keep better in touch, and then zipping off to the airport where I could *discover* that I'd forgotten stuff in the hotel room. And Tersa picked me up at the airport and took me home.
Less drinking, and not up quite as late.

Now y'all are up to date, I think. I have a few photos to add to the wealth of professional and amateur camera action that was taking place. They should be uploaded sometime soon.
As an aside, on the flight down our pilot was Larry Haggerty. On the flight back, the co-pilot was Vince Vaughn. This probably means something.

Belatedly edited to add:
jalexius and kiras were amazing this weekend. She was in full stage manager mode, and he was completely on top of Best Man duties. Loose ends feared them like cartoon elephants fear mice. I'm totally having her write software for my wedding, and I'll probably ask him to do all the best man things. Except maybe have Klae write his toast.

Comments

[phillipalden.livejournal.com]

I'm glad everything came off well.