I write this while sitting on the balcony of our stateroom on Royal Caribbean's Jewel of the Sea, having just left port at Harwich, England.
But I don't want to talk about that.
Kristen and Joe Vescovo
My firstborn was married a few days ago, and I'm only now catching my breath.
Bottom line: things went off without a hitch. My daughter was beautiful, and my new son (!) was handsome. The hall was gorgeous and the food was pretty darned good. The band was competent, and the photographers were a class act. Nothing but good things to say about the hired guns here.
But the kids' friends were the real heroes. They did the table settings, trellis, bridesmaids' dresses, the cake, and other stuff - a real community effort that was notable for the love that went into this production.
I had it easy; all I did was pay some bills, walk Kristen down the aisle, drink some Scotch, and dance my arse off. (Hey, you didn't know I dance? Never gave me any Scotch, did you?)
Bernice was walked down the aisle on the arm of Kristen's pal Charles - a Marine in full dress uniform, wearing his sword. I stood under the stairs while the bridesmaids (including my other daughter) came down and walked the walk. Finally Kristen emerged and floated down the stair.
I rounded the base and awaited her. She came to me and I opened up my hands, leaned over and whispered "It's showtime!". She smiled and took my proffered arm and we headed for the crowd. She was nervous and started to walk a bit too fast, and I held her back a bit. "Slow down, take it easy" I said, smiling a big smile for the relatives. "Take your time. Let's give 'em their money's worth." She made a face at me - no telling what the relatives thought of that.
Walked her to the dais, shook Joe's hand - it seemed appropriate - and put her arm in his. Then I walked back to Joe's parents, shook Louis' hand, and touched Debbie's shoulder. Sat down next to my wife and hauled out my cell phone, punching the Gran button and enabled the speakerphone. Please God, don't let Gran's dogs bark during the ceremony.
Father Bruce (Joe's family is Catholic) is a nice guy, and did a good job officiating. Not overlong, certainly not a Mass, and Gran got to hear most of the deal. Only heard some noise come out of the speaker a couple of times; either the dogs barking or Gran sniffling, I'm not sure which.
They finish, we applaud, we recess, we take pictures. Yadda yadda yadda. Then we party.
It's a pretty good cover band (The Plaintiffs), not too loud, taking their time winding up. 150 people or so in the room, and shortly there is a line at the buffet and the bar. A couple of Kristen's pals get good n' loaded, probably the same ones that were dancing with me.
Hell, even Bernice danced with me. That never happens.
The kids closed the place, staying 'til the bitter end. Bernie and I, Allison, Kristen and Joe finally left at about 1:30am, after everyone else had split and the hall had been cleaned of all our stuff. We took Allison back to Rhodes, while the kids went... well, I'm not sure exactly.
K&J flew out of Memphis on Monday morning, bound for Jamaica. It's raining there, but I don't somehow think they'll notice all that much.
posted at: 08:14 | path: /ontheroad | permanent link to this entry
Here I am, on an AirTran flight somewhere between Orlando and Atlanta, enroute to Memphis. It's a laid back crowd, sleepy and uncomplaining. I sip my tiny glass of ginger ale and contemplate the week ahead of me.
Allison, my youngest, moves into her college dorm tomorrow. She and her mother await me in Memphis, having left home several days ago in our minivan. Said van was chock full o' clothing and linens and lamps and appliances and housewares - I have no earthly idea where she'll put it all.
Not my problem! My job is to get her moved in, take lots of photos, and then to get myself and Bernie the hell out of Dodge. I know that having the P's around will cramp her burgeoning social life, so I'm anxious to oblige. I remember all too well my first night alone as a freshman, where having your mommy present was embarrassing.
(For me, that was either last week or 37 years ago, depending on whether you trust your calendar. Christ, time does move on.)
Have to have a serious conversation with her big sis and her intended while I'm there, too. We've already given our blessing - as if we'd refuse? But there are some concerns we'd like to express. Namely: Are you out of your freaking MINDS?
Just kidding.
Sorta.
So anyway, it will likely be an interesting weekend. Manic, but interesting.
Engine throttles cut back, ears-a-poppin', descending into Hartsfield.
posted at: 22:03 | path: /ontheroad | permanent link to this entry
After a day at sea, during which we did little else but sleep, we find ourselves docking in Oslo atbabout 7:30am local time. But I get ahead of myself.
A few months ago Bernie got the itch to go cruising again (though actually, she always has that itch). She presented some suggestions, but I was lukewarm - we'd already been to all the places she mentioned, and I wanted to see something new if we were going. "Maybe we should spend a week somewhere in Europe?" I asked hopefully. "It'll cost about what your damnable cruise will."
She cogitated for a few days, and then made a counter proposal: "We could cruise in Europe." I likely scowled, and said that it would likely be pricey. "But knock yourself out, see what it'll set us back." I figured she'd see what it cost, freak out, and that would be the last I heard of that.
But she got to planning and thinking and she struck me at a weak time. We talked about making the trip a true - and possibly last - family vacation. That meant a very small window following spring semester, and she warned me: if we do this, it won't be cheap. "What the hell... shoot the works" was the exact phrase I used.
Sweet freakin' Bog, she shot the works!
So I find myself in London two days after Allison graduated, and in Oslo two days later. It's day 3 of Bernice's 12 day shoot-the-works extravaganza. I never asked what it cost, and don't have a need to know.
posted at: 02:25 | path: /ontheroad | permanent link to this entry
I write this while sitting on the balcony of our stateroom on Royal Caribbean's Jewel of the Sea, having just left port at Harwich, England.
But I don't want to talk about that.
Let me talk about my children instead.
Kristen graduated from college two weeks ago. We flew to Memphis to witness this important event (Bernice, Allison, Mom and I) and the gods were cooperative as hell. The commencement ceremony was held outdoors, among the oaks in Fisher Garden on the Rhodes College campus. A gorgeous morning, bright and clear.
We had a good vantage high in a bleacher near the dais, and we watched the students walk the walk. Kristen was among the first to go,and when she returned to her seat, friends, I cried all over again. I had broken down four years ago at her high school graduation, and thought I'd gotten it out of my system... but noooooo. I saw this, this woman seated out there with her mortar board and cords and diploma and realized she was well and truly on her own: independent and with a life full of promise. I could not have been prouder.
And then it was Allison's turn to graduate from high school, just a week later. I wondered beforehand if I'd be able to hold it together when she walked. (I was actually afraid that I'd be cool, having spent my emotional reserve on Kristen.) It turned out that there was plenty of pent-up emotive force, 'cause I shook like a leaf after Allison collected up her paper and I had a chance to put the camera down. I remember leaning against the wall, tears in my eyes, sobbing, my head cradled in my hand. I looked up and saw that Melynda had trained her camera on me, and I waved her off. "Are you okay?" she asked gently. "Yes, I'm having a private moment" I replied, adding: "Delete that."
Allison makes me proud too. Like her big sis, she is bright, socially conscious, compassionate, talented, all the things I admire. She is also going to Rhodes in the fall, meaning that both my daughters will be Memphians. There'll be some big changes around the Andrews household, that's fer sure.
In the meantime, we're cruising, taking what may be our last family vacation. I'll tell you about that later.
posted at: 17:00 | path: /ontheroad | permanent link to this entry
One down, one to go
Our household has two graduations this month; Kristen leaves Rhodes College and Allison enters it.
We're just now returning from Memphis, having watched my firstborn walk the walk. A gorgeous weekend: the commencement ceremony was held outdoors among the oaks on campus. Just as her high school ceremony four years ago, I was hard pressed to hold it together, and probably the only thing that kept me from becoming a blubbering idiot was tne fact that I was videotaping and couldn't afford a nervous breakdown on tape.
We finished the weekend by moving Kristen and her roommate out of the dorm and a mile down the road to their new post-grad apartment. I'd forgotten about first-time apartments, and I had a wicked case of deja vu - I was back in Jer's place at Summer Wind, circa 1975.
Next up: Allison's high school graduation in a week. I know I'll lose it then. Guess I'm just a girlie-dad.
posted at: 23:27 | path: /ontheroad | permanent link to this entry
"It just didn't grab me..."
.. Allison replied to my question about Elon. "Nothing here tells me this is the place." I could do nothing but shrug and turn toward the parking lot. One college down, three more to go.
Elon University is a really pretty campus: close cropped green lawns, red brick buildings, everything in good repair and in tiptop condition. A handsome gymnasium, a theater with lots of tech toys, living amenities, the works. An easy walk to the kitschy Elon shops, and short drive into greater Burlington. Really nothing wrong that I can see.
Except it doesn't grab her. Sigh.
Not that this has been a wasted day. The weather's been cool, good for strolling past the ivy and the resident tree rats. Everyone's been friendly, and we had a killer chocolate cake at lunch. And best of all I'm not at work- so the day is a clear winner.
Hey, maybe Furman will catch her fancy. Here we come, Greenville!
posted at: 15:21 | path: /ontheroad | permanent link to this entry
On the road in North Carolina
We left Sanford right after our Sunday matinee (which was pretty good, actually) and buzzed up I-95, eventually stopping in Savannah. Driving all day today, traffic clear, brillant sunshine and temperatures in the way low 70s. My kinda day.
My better half informs us that we'll be in Elon in a couple of hours, giving me a golden opportunity to catch a few zeds. Yawn!
posted at: 14:21 | path: /ontheroad | permanent link to this entry
Groovin' at 70 mph on I-55
Man, yesterday was one longish day. Kristen and I had put about 14 hours on the road the day before, and it was sort of a short night. I woke about 6:00 a'm', and it was pretty early when we arrived on campus.
The day was hot, maybe close to 100 degrees late in the day. No elevator in the dorm, and so we had to hump her stuff up a couple flights of stairs. Ow!
Just this moment I'm in a Hampton Inn in Gulfport, sucking down coffee and danish and listening to the news of a big hotel bombing in Baghdad. Whatta mess.
Time to shower and jump in the car. Think I'll haul out some Nilsson.
Drivin' along at fifty-seven thousand miles an hour...
Here at Rhodes
.. and it's damned hot. I'm happy we got all her stuff upstairs before the afternoon heat kicked in.
posted at: 13:56 | path: /ontheroad | permanent link to this entry
Back to school
Kristen is returning to Rhodes College
next week, and I'll be driving to Memphis with her this weekend. Man, 850 miles
means a lot of road time.
Not that I begrudge the trip! I don't mind longish hauls all that much, and it'll give me a chance for some one-on-one with my daughter during the trip up. (If she stays awake, that is.) It'll also give me an opportunity for some one-on-none coming back; I sorta enjoy the solitude.
I worked for way too long today teaching the blog to post reports that I email into it. I'm going to be carrying a handheld with email capability, so why not update the blog while I'm on the road? After an embarrassing length of time Perl and I came to an understanding, and now I'm able to mail in blog entries. NOW I find out that the stupid email service isn't transferring mail to/from the device, and none of the service's offices will open until Monday morning. Bah.
Oh well, maybe I'll update the blog from Memphis after I get Kristen's
computer installed on the Rhodes net.
posted at: 22:57 | path: /ontheroad | permanent link to this entry