where cider meets condensed milk: Last Days of Food, Family, and Disco

where cider meets condensed milk

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Last Days of Food, Family, and Disco

For a girl that has refused to wear dresses her entire life, almost-cousin Becky picked a perfect wedding gown for the ceremony 2 weeks ago. She could have walked right off the cover of Bride's magazine.The wedding was on a blazing Sunday afternoon, but considering that Becky and Dennis spent last year serving in Iraq, it probably didn't seem that hot to them.

Laura and Livi were beautiful bridesmaids in blue. The ceremony was short and very pleasant, and the man administering the service read a passage by Kahlil Gabran. Alex wore Becky's desert fatigues for the entire reception. A-belle wore gold shoes. And we even got the parents to come up on the dance platform for a few songs!

Self-shot spree #1 of 25: I dot and Vegas cruising the strip in Sumner

Most of the extended Chapman family came over to our house the night after the wedding, which was my final night in the US. For my Last (BBQ) Supper, I tried to get one last taste of my favorite quasi-exotic foods (Hummus! Artichoke dip! Pitas! Sharp cheddar! Veggie bratwurst! Chik'n!) before returning to Japan-land cuisine. Aunt Heather, Uncle Michael and the boys were in from NZ, and it was the first time I've seen them all in 7 years. Harley and Kristiosis trekked over from Seattle and filled me in on Robbinswold gossip, but sadly Kristi's and my Busty La Roux glamour shots were all blurry.

Shirley (grandmother of the bride) and Debbie (as in Debbie's Famous Carrots, which I pine for every Easter) -- I think Shirley wore at least 4 different jackets and sweaters throughout the course of the evening. I almost expected her to come out wearing one of my hoodies. She isn't sure who my sisters and I are anymore and general memory seems to be getting trickier in recent years, but she's still as smart and funny as ever.

I love that family is what you decide it to be-- this was very much a family BBQ, even though I hadn't met some of the folks from Alabama and Germany before that weekend and technically we're not related. It was the perfect way to say sayonara (again) to Redmond, but I ache to be back if I dwell on thoughts of home too much. If nothing else, I know the Dork Patrol (and his pride-and-joy 10-foot sunflower) will be waiting with open arms...and leaves... and claw.

posted by Raychaa @ 11:08 PM

2 comments:

At 11:34 PM, Unknown said…

Lovely family :)
At 4:33 AM, Anonymous said…

Hey! Where is that gorgeously icky photo of me posing with the Monte Carlo in front of the cheese sign? Not blog-worthy? :) Liv