October 13, 2006
Four Weddings and
Another.
It’s been a while….
I never really understood that song, but that’s ok.
Everyone keeps telling me that I need to keep in touch more and that if I’d just put a couple entries on the blog, it’d be ok. But then there’s the whole, gotta give a decent update thing and there’s just been too much going on and not enough that’s even worthy of telling. But since I last wrote--I know it’s been eons--the list of things that’s been keeping me from communicating with real people is actually pretty simple. Weddings. And a Family reunion. That of course doesn’t include the medium or small things that we’ve been doing that have really sucked the life out of me. OK. Enough of the whining. I’m only going to attempt the first part now. Then I’ll recap the reunion in more detail later. Not for you, for me later, you know, when I’m old or maybe just in a month when I really miss everyone. OK Here goes:
I think we had 5, or maybe it was 6, weddings to attend this summer--several more that we had to miss. And for two of them, I was billed as the Cake magician, or whatever they call the person who tries to make the cake of the bride’s dreams and make it taste like something other than that kindergarten paste stuff and Extra heavy corn syrup. Oh, and they want me to figure this out for the skinny budget. Of course they do, who doesn’t? And since I was in this position when I was to be wed, I understand and I am excited about the challenge--mostly cuz it’s not my wedding and that’s really all I have to worry about. Oh, that and get it up to the church and onto the cake table without melting and/or breaking.
I think that they actually turned out ok. The first was a favorite friend in the “has kids that are pretty much my peers” category and she is the best. My husband’s description “On the outside: Clean, Classic, feminine enough, but not a lot of frills, pretty and unassuming. Hidden on the inside: Deep, rich, bold, intense, Sweet, with an unexpected layer of feisty” and I said it was a good description of the cake too. I was frantically trying to finish the last touches so I could go change and get into the wedding ceremony before the processional. And I still had the last hurdle to jump (getting the cake from the fridge to the final destination where it’d wait to be cut) when I was being asked questions like, “how much would it cost? You do know that this wedding is going to be 5 hours away in Greenville? That’s only a month and a half, could you still do it? Would you really?” And this mother of another bride hadn’t even tasted it. I said she must be desperate. She agreed. But when she did taste it she said with her mouth full, “what wouldn’t my daughter love about this cake?” So I felt better.
So I was at it again and this time it was a bit harder as I was not going up the mountain with layers of cream cheese frosted cake in the back of the station wagon, I was to drive with them for several hours and pray that the icing didn’t melt and turn the whole thing into a Trifle Cake. Oh, and it was in the middle of August. I guess this is why the local professionals “don’t do Cream cheese frosting unless it’s a winter wedding.” and they don’t even have to travel very far. Wimps! Well, it was fine and it tasted pretty good too. Only a couple pieces were left and it was a dessert reception with way too many other sweets and plenty of libations. I learned a lot about what to do better if I ever get asked to do this again, but I’m not sure I’ll remember, as some of it was re-learning what mistakes I’d already made. (My poor sister was very gracious last year when I should have learned several years ago that there‘s never even half of the time you think there will be, or should I say it will take MORE than twice the time you think.)
Then we got to see a good friend from old times at school get married to a super cool, highly talented beautiful woman. Man, that really was a great time. But I’m kinda bummed that they live so close and we still haven’t seen them. Guess it’s time to go up and drop by instead of getting miffed that the newlyweds aren’t traveling to impose on others. If you guys are reading this, consider yourself warned. I’m sure next year will have it’s fair share of weddings as this seems to be the season for it in our lives.
