It is hotter than hell up here. We are having company this weekend and I am supposed to be cleaning the upstairs. Mark's office is about a foot deep in junk and this is where the guests will sleep. I am stalled. Phooey.
We got back from our latest adventure a week ago. I am finally recovered. Another thousand miles on the car in a few days just about killed me, but we had a great time. We met Mark's family in Sheridan and then all went up to his sister's wedding in Livingston MT. The wedding was at a rented church camp way up in the mountains. We were not prepared for how "way up" it was going to be and ran out of gas. Mark's sister (not the one getting married) thought it a great adventure. His wife thought it was a pain in the ass. Thank God the cell phone worked in between the two huge mountains and we were rescued.
The sister getting married was having her own adventure while we were stranded on the mountainside in the blazing sun. Her wedding dress didn't fit. And when I say "didn't fit" think vital parts of her anatomy hanging out. A casual wedding was planned and the bride purchased her turquoise and tan gauzy sundress in Florida four months ago. Four months and about thirty-five or forty pounds ago. The top of the long flowing dress did not begin to cover her breasts and the strap ties would not hook in the back. A crisis ensued. How to cover the bride's boobs? The bride began crying and did not stop for an hour. Eventually (we gas less ones missed most of this) the new sister-in-law saved the day. First she told the bride to shut up. Told her she was not "a fat slob" and that ALL brides looked beautiful. Told her she had a choice, she could ruin her wedding day over a "non-essential" or she could "suck it up and smile." Then the sister-in-law sent an SOS around the camp to all the other cabins looking for some sort of decorative pin and a half slip. Miracle of miracles, one woman had a big turquoise pin and another had a cream colored half slip. Why she had a half slip for a camping expedition was never fully explained. Anyway the sister-in-law took the outer skirt and gathered it up in the front. She pulled this extra material up and fanned it out over the brides chest and pinned the whole frothy swath in front at the empire waist. Voila, a ruffle over the offending boobs. She then tied the ties around the bride's neck making a halter top. The bride put on the half slip and the see through gauze underskirt became wedding approved. The bride looked in the mirror and said, "I look like I'm pregnant" and began to cry again. Sister-in-law stepped in. "Stop that. This is what you look like. My brother knows what you look like. He likes it. Who else matters?" Who indeed? The bride cheered up, giggled in fact, and we had a wedding.
Running out of gas, an ill fitting wedding dress, and the varying responses set me to thinking. It is all about how you respond to things. It's a choice. It is a chance to respond negatively or positively. I can change my feelings with my response. Or if not, at least I don't have to make everyone around me miserable.
I learned something valuable.
Take care, Bea
P.S. Chico Hot Springs was a treat. We stayed in the old lodge. Next time we will stay in the cabins overlooking the valley. We had one of the best dinners I have ever had. The flaming frozen chocolate orange was worth the price of the meal. Bye
