12:40 PM: I was reminded of this today:

One of my FB friends quoted something else from F. Scott Fitzgerald and it dragged me right back to this quote. I read the Great Gatsby as a 16 year old and enjoyed it thoroughly then. I'm thinking it might be time for me to read it again. Back when I was 16, I copied this passage out of the book and carried it around in my purse, reminding me that this kind of stuff is out there. Good stuff. I wanted someone to smile at me like that. Or maybe I wanted to smile at someone like that. I don't know for sure, but The Great Gatsby remains one of my favorite books, and this passage, thoughout time, has committed itself to my memory. I think I'll read it again.

A DAY OF REST.

I think I need it. L knee swollen and generally unhappy. R shoulder slightly crunchy and unhappy as well. Weekend will involve OWS and biking, or in other words, plenty of knee and shoulder activity and movement. Yay.

Chris and I are meeting Trudy & Scotty at Runner's High and Tri tonight for a meet & greet with Chrissie Wellington. I'll be sure to pass along your well wishes.

Today let's venture back to the dark ages in the photo flipper.... shall we?:

That would be me and my sister, sitting on a rock ledge, someplace fairly rustic looking. I'm not quite sure where.

What does jump off the page at me is my apparent lack of core strength, even as a pre teen. Looks like I can barely support my bodyweight to sit upright. I've seen mollusks look more graceful and sturdy. And am I mistaken, or are my pants wet? The legs of my pants look wet...

Ah, well, they wouldn't be the awkward years if they weren't... awkward.

1:46 PM: I'm not enjoying driving this gigantic tank-like pickup truck. It's hard to park, hard to maneuver, hard to change lanes, hard to see (strange blind spots) and it makes me look like a hard-ass. Additionally, it does not "convert". I long for Rita.

It is indeed Wedding Wednesday!

Since we've been having a Whiz/Dump wedding week, I thought that maybe, just maybe, we'd feature another bride and groom today... and give everyone a break from *THE DRESS* and the eyelashes for a moment. After all, how can you miss it if it won't go away? Right?

Here we have Stacy and Erik. They were married last Saturday, and these are some of the only photos we got at their reception. (My fancy dancy camera croaked immediately following this shot):

Erik works with Chris, and I don't know Stacy well... other than to know she and Erik came to our wedding reception the week before. I remember seeing them there.

I love it when couples cut their wedding cakes. I don't know why... something about a fancy white dress and a suit standing around a great big cake.

At any rate: Stacy and Erik had a smallish reception... and they didn't have a very long engagement. When I asked the maid of honor how Stacy and Erik met, she said she "wasn't sure." This made me very sad. I realize I complained all the time about dating for 5 full years and not being engaged and dragging the whole thing out, but I suppose, one of the best things that comes from a long "courtship" is a deeper pool of shared experiences and activities and knowledge. Not just between the couple getting married, but between the couple and the couple's surrounding friends and family. And that's good. Shared experiences, shared friends and shared interests are what bring and keep people together, I think.

This does not mean that two people have to share everything or that two people have to somehow meld themselves into one person, never venturing out to try something new on their own... but having that shared bank of experiences, knowledge, memories and stories to pull from is invaluable.  

Anyway, you may have had the opportunity to notice my afro in the photo above. If not, allow me to show you once again:

I don't know what the hell happened to my hair that night... but I spent a good 45 minutes curling it, and when I left the house I looked elegant and refined. When I ventured to the bathroom at the reception I looked like a wild animal. What happened in the interim? I haven't a clue. I chalk it up to:

Hahaha. You curly girls know what I'm talking about.

10:15 AM: Spent this morning at the body shop dropping off my car for some minor rear end repairs from when I was rear-ended in March. They provided me with a rental car, which is a huge Dodge Ram 1500. Way more vehicle than I've ever maneuvered. Couldn't park next to anyone in the parking lot because I couldn't judge how big the truck was.

Now I must work. Hard. Need to catch up on some stuff around here so I can leave at a relatively decent hour, drive my large and in charge truck homeward, and proceed to my mani/pedi appointment. My nails look like jagged claws and I won't even burden you with a description of my feet. *sigh*.

More later, maybe at lunchtime.

11:23 AM: Meeting this afternoon, then MVG tonight. I am noticing progress from my 2-3x a week strength training + increased protein/good whole food consumption. My clothes fit... better, and I feel stronger.  

12:30 PM: Impromptu lunch plans with Agnes as she's going to be at this afternoon's meeting as well! Yay! I will eat whatever she's eating. Agnes has a knack for finding something healthy, gluten free, whole, and nutritious on any menu she's presented with. She could probably find something good to eat at Burger King! Really! So, instead of reinventing the wheel..."I'll have what she's having..." 

I like this one too.

REST. SORE.

Cleaned and vacuumed the house. Purchased and planted some flowers for the back porch. Drove around in the convertible and got a little sun. Gorgeous sunny and warm day!

Went to a wedding reception last night. It was OK... watching the daddy/daughter dance made me realize that I really missed my Dad at our party last weekend. I don't know if I didn't realize it at the time... maybe I did... but I was so busy dancing around and running hither and tither that I didn't have a chance to really think about it. Last night, while sitting at a guest table while the bride and father of the bride danced, I choked back tears.  

In happier news:

The professional photos are up... on www.fredfox.com code SLWCP. Enjoy!

Me and Mama Whiz.

These are grainy because I've pirated them off of the website. Our package includes a CD of full sized images.

Everyone cheering! L-R Front: Chris' Dad, Mom, Me, Chris, Matthew (nephew) my Mom and Rachael. Back row: Jim & Christina and Jon.

9:52 AM: Another crazy day at work, I think. Lots to do. MVG again tonight at 5, since I had to skip Wednesday. Woke up this morning and my arms and shoulders were so sore I could barely bathe myself. No way I could swim this morning. No. Way. Shoulders, triceps, biceps, wrists, etc etc. ZOMG.

In other news Chris and I have had a jolly good time lately watching Downton Abbey. I realize we are somewhat behind the times, but we are still enjoying ourselves immensely. We crack ourselves up sending each other text messages using Downton terminology. As I write it here, it just doesn't seem that funny, though. Hmmmpf.

Now I must stop flanneling about and ring for tea.

11:51 AM: Why is it that nothing happens when I ring for tea?  

Let them eat CAKE!

How about that, huh? Loved it. That wasn't sand... it was actually graham crackers... crumbled! And the shells on the cake were edible! Those starfish and whatnot.

Dancin' Fools!

Iron GIRLZ! That's KTpitbull, me and our IMKY pal Paige. Taken with an iPhone... our eyes are dead and hollow!