For Mom

Mom really wanted a nice picture of her daughter all dressed up from Victoria's wedding, and these are the only ones I have from my camera. The photographer got one of me and John, but I'm not sure if Vic's gotten all the pictures back yet. And yes, I was being silly down there on the right, but it's still a good picture.

I also realized that out of all those pictures from the big wedding post, not one really showed off Vic's dress-- which I think is absolutely gorgeous. So, I hope she forgives me for posting the one with the funny face, but it's the best one. All the other shots of her, some flowers or some guy's arm is blocking the front of her dress. Sheesh! Get out of the way of the dress people!

Victoria's Wedding

Yay! They finally did it! Victoria and Aaron made it official on December 27, 2008. Mazel Tov! (This picture of them with their license cracks me up; like they just got a diploma or something)

They had their wedding up in Pennsylvania at this really nice country club-- why PA? Well, as freak chance would have it, their extended families live within about an hour of each other. How weird is that? But Vic says that it makes it really convenient when they need to meet everybody at holidays! So John and I made this power drive to get Christmas in Lynchburg, Christmas in Va Beach, and then a wedding in Pennsylvania ... all within four days! whew!

BUBBLES!!

The Wedding Party: Best Man Tim, Maid of Honor Me, Bride, Groom, Bridesmaid Stephanie (Aaron's sister), flower girl Chloe (Aaron's niece), and Groomsman Sean (Vic's brother)

The not-so-glamorous side of being a bridesmaid: running around after a bride (who fidgets more than an ADHD two-year-old, may I say) trying to keep her train clean and lying flat.

The ceremony was on the old Mansion side of the country club, and the reception was in the Party Hall building. Sit-down dinner and dancing... and, MAN, was the food good! They could have just kept the appetizers coming, and I would have been happy. My favorite were the tiny spannicopitas (how on earth do you spell that word?!) but there were also crab cakes, crab/shrimp Rangoon pouch thingies, coconut shrimp, and sesame chicken skewers. Then came salad, and then the main course: fillet Mignon or sea bass. John and I signed up for one of each because at the time the invitations went out, it wasn't finalized what "beef" and "seafood" would be served. I felt like a heifer because I was the only one at our entire table to clean my plate. :( But the food was good!

The outcasts of Table 9, aka "Victoria's College friends who wouldn't enjoy themselves sitting with family members." We didn't mind so much except for the fact that we were on the VERY edge of the seating area out in social Siberia. On the plus side, we did get food first...

The reception was lots of fun. Besides seeing a good chunk of all the college friends who have scattered to the winds since graduation, it was just good times had by all. Vic and Aaron's first dance was the dance from the end of Dirty Dancing... no, not just using that "I've had the time of my life" song; they choreographed the actual dance from the movie! It was so cool! When the dj announced what they would be dancing to, I heckled them, "I want to see the lift!" Needless to say, Victoria stuck her tongue out at me, but the lift was a part of the dance. (You could hear her warn Aaron, "Don't put me into the ceiling!" just before it.)

Cutting the cake and the backside of the dress


For, verily, I ask thee, what is a wedding reception without the Chicken Dance? Yes, most of the dancing was done by the wedding party or the college kids, but darn it we had fun! (We also made sure to have the Electric Slide and the ChaCha Slide, too!)

And I might have made the bar make me a Toasted Almond. (Why do bartenders never know what goes in one? I always need to eh'splain it to thems.)

Happy Birthday to me!

Not that I am fishing for presents (really, I''m not) but I just had to share my birthday cake with you all. First off, though, I have to admit, I was doubting if I would get a cake this year, as I am the baker of the household. John cooks really well, but a main factor of our cohabitation is that he is the Chef and I am the Baker. Want a steak? Go to John. Want cookies or pie or bread? See me. So you can see how I was in doubt of getting a birthday cake that I would not have to make myself. (And frankly, making your own birthday cake is more depressing than not having one at all.)

So. We all went out to a REEEEEALLLLY nice dinner over in Richmond yesterday, and part of the nice-ness was asking if we were celebrating anything. Mom, and her irrational hatred of restraunts that sing for birthday parties, was about to say "NO!" ...though I reminded her that she can't lie when she is holding a big bag that says "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" across it (she was). And, they didn't do anything crazy during the meal, but when dessert was brought out, this is what I got:


And the swirlies were chocolate, caramel, and raspberry drizzle! yummy.... cake. I like cake.

PvP (Pet vs Pet)

Harvey can't get all the blog space, so here are some snapshots of the rest of the fuzzy herd that we have at the house.

Maile stole the kitty's jiggle-bell-on-a-spring toy. Though the kitty could care less about it; he's happy with a bit of paper from the trash can. See if I ever buy him a toy again! At least the puppy appreciates my efforts.


Grey Momma is the "alpha kitty" and she guards the couch from invasion of the puppies.

Differences between cats & dogs: deny the lap to the kitty and she pretends like you don't exist, like she never wanted the lap in the first place; deny the puppy the lap and she whines and begs for it until you kick her off the couch entirely.


The original "laptop" examines her new competition.


A rare moment when all species are getting along with fighting. Unfortunately, that requires that they take over the couch, leaving none for John and myself.

Kitty!

Did I already make very clear that my cat is weird? The family cat back home, Mr. Frank, was Siamese and worked very hard to maintain his dignity, even when he was falling off the back of the couch because he was chasing dust mites. You always knew that he meant to do that. But Harvey.... well, let's just say Harvey doesn't try to maintain that "cool cat" attitude. He's a bit of a dingbat. Mentally challenged? Fuzz-headed? What is the appropriate word? Let's just say that in the mornings, he cries from the living room because he has lost me... because I have gone upstairs and he can't find me!

In all fairness, he's got Feline HIV, and maybe that affects his mental state... or maybe he's a Lover, not a Thinker.

And so I present to you, a montage of my fluffy kitty:

He's got fluffy toes! How weird is that? Toe feelers! Just on the back feet, though. Makes it really funny when he lose traction on the tile floor because of the fluff.


This was his favorite spot for a while. Overlooking the stairway... I don't know why.


I got a new laptop bag... and he got my old one.


Did I mention he steals bags?


Weird up-side down kitty head. He very much likes the stairway. Lets him look over the living room without getting spooked by whatever is happening at the moment. He's a real 'fraidy-cat. In fact, I think the term "scaredy-cat" was made because of Harvey. He spooks at ANYthing!

More in the album, "Weird place the kitty likes to sit"

Okay. So this last bit is 1) me playing with the video function on my camera, and 2) documenting the weird tongue-tail nerve connection in cats. All cat-people know that kitties love their spine scratched, but what not all people know is that somehow, the nerves in the tail connect to the nerves in the tongue. And when stimulated, the one will elicit a response in the other. Observe HarveyCat demonstrating: (so weird!)

Smurf Dogs!

Maybe because I grew up a "cat person," I never get tired of the grand event that is Giving the Dog a Bath. With the traditional family Christmas party this weekend, all three of the little monsters got baths so they would be pretty... or at least, not be stinky. While John and his sister ran the puppy assembly line, I hovered and took pictures because they all look so laughably miserable when wet. Like they got deflated, or something. But all three dogs just bear it, no one tries to escape.

And yes, their shampoo is bright blue (hence "smurf dogs"). It's special shampoo for white dogs; makes their coats bleach out or something, so they don't look dingy.

Littlest One is still not used to baths, but she is getting quite adept. The only concession we needed to make for her was to not use the sprayer. She wasn't so keen on the water being sprayed at her, but was OK with a cup pouring over her.


Survivalist Face: "What just happened to me?!"


Not to be read by Lara and other curly-haired friends of mine: Inu's hair curls up when showered and turns into a little white afro when brushed! It's too funny (says the straight-haired girl).


The face of a seasoned bather. Just stand there 'till it's over, for soon they will feel guilty and give you snacky treats.


Tiny smurf dog getting her belly cleaned!

LOOK! It's Mangey Kitty! He does exist! He's not just an urban legend. And I have photographic proof that is in-focus and undamaged. Take that, Loch Ness Monster and Big Foot photos!


For those of you not up-to-date on the animals of Chez Gallion, there were originally four outdoor cats:
Grey Momma - really an indoor/outdoor cat. She comes inside when the weather's nasty and she feels like sitting on a couch cushion. Alpha Kitty.
Harvey - abducted to be indoor cat when he got in a bad fight over the summer and needed recuperation. I just never kicked him back outside when he got better. :)
Handsome Kitty - the orange male who's pretty social once he lets you get near him. Most of the time, though, he keeps his distance.
Mangy Kitty - the feralest (most feral?) of the bunch. If you exit the house, he is already half-way out into the woods.

Re-donk-ulous

Has anyone seen these things on the road? I saw a set in Target and laughed to myself, because surely no one would want to dress their car up as Rudolph! ...Then I saw one in a parking lot... then another on the road ... and another...

Seriously, people, have a little pride. These things are ridiculous.