the one about the wedding....sort of

September 8, 2018 would have been my parent's 66th anniversary; it was also Brenna and Josh's wedding day. We had a great time celebrating!!!!! Even after just 4-5 months some of the details are escaping me...hahaha so if you were there and thinking "that's not exactly how it happened" haha let me know. I figure the little details aren't all that important...in the grand scheme of things.
 We had almost all of the family ...John's and ours there. Also had many of Josh's family there; which surprised Josh a little I think, but he was pleased.
Celebrations are always better when most of the family is there..in my opinion.
Mark, Paul and Tracy couldn't make it, but we enjoyed celebrating with them the week before the wedding, because Martha and Tony flew to Melbourne and  they spent a week in Indialantic before we all headed up to Huntsville.

On our flight up we left out of Melbourne and had a connection in Atlanta. David and Bridget were  on our same flight. While in Atlanta we ended up meeting up with Ellen and Anna

 who were on our same flight to Huntsville. Megan and Marcus's flight from VA arrived shortly after ours did *The following day Charlie and Gayle were on the same flight as Maureen and Stephanie.
Brenna and Josh were already in town....kind of getting a head start on things. (Their car was so full they had to load some into a carrier on top. Not quite the Beverly Hillbillies look...but close hahahah

some of the things brought up in the car

Most of us were staying  at the same hotel in Huntsville...so it worked out well with rides to and from the airport, around town etc.
 The hotel was just over a mile from the site of the wedding and reception. It was located in a central part of town near a park,

 restaurants, stores, etc. It was great. The best thing was the Publix

RIGHT BEHIND our hotel!! hahahah Who would have imagined we'd all be so excited to have a grocery store so close. I think me made at least 3 trips a day. hahahah The rooms all had mini kitchens with refrigerators, so it was very convenient.(we/I REALLY needed the half and half for our coffee...hahah The hotel had a great breakfast every morning and coffee was always available...but it's no good without the right cream!)
We walked around the block to get a bite to eat. The weather was perfect that weekend! Not too hot (like it can be in September. ) No hurricanes anywhere on the map...near Fl or Al that is...so we didn't have to think about that! We sat outside and as we were eating we began to see other friends and family members getting into town. It was fun to be in a completely different town and see friendly faces walking or driving by. (I'm easily amused haha)
There were one or two other wedding groups at the hotel...so between them and all of us...the lobby was hopping. Just like when we were all in Savannah for Megan and Marcus's wedding, I had fun sitting in the lobby and seeing who was walking in the door at any given time, making note of who had arrived, one by one.

Friday was spent visiting with everyone and for Brenna, Josh and John (mostly) working out the last details. John and I at one point took a nice walk and checked out the museum where the wedding was going to be. The  Early Works Museum was closed for the day, but the director happened to be there and he started chatting with us and then  let us in to check out the space, which was very helpful. He told us which doors to use, etc and to get an idea of what was going to be where and when and why, etc. We also got a chance to see the fun display "Dog Days of Summer".

FUN! display I loved it!

 All the stuffed dogs that had been scattered around the front...waiting to be put back in place and ready for the following day. It was a fun display. Kids were allowed to get in and play with the dogs...move them around, pose with them and so on. I bet the kids (and adult dog lovers LOVED that!)
seeing the room BEFORE and then seeing it after the transformation was also interesting. I had heard from Brenna what she was doing...but wasn't completely sure what exactly she meant...but all I can say is WOW! It was a nice room when it was empty...but it was beautiful with the draping and flowers and everything else. Just what Brenna had envisioned.
Friday we waited for various friends and family to arrive. John helped Brenna (mostly) work on the logistics and made sure the plan was in place and ready to go.There was a rehearsal planned along with dinner for members of the wedding party and their significant others. (if we had included all of the family members, it would have been almost half the guests!!!)

bridal party-minus Megan (she's over Brenna's shoulder)

 After that we were going to have an informal get together so anyone in town could stop by and meet one another.

a few friends, some future in-laws, some aunts and uncles

parents, uncles, aunts, in-laws, cousins...what's not to like!

Brenna with a few cousins and a couple of uncles

We did this when Megan and Marcus got married and it was a great idea. Nothing fancy, nothing too organized but it was fun. Of course it morphed into a dance party!!! We played the songs that didn't quite make the play list for the reception...like a B side dance party. hahah

.

We danced and talked and had a good time, but we didn't stay out too late, because we knew we all had to get up for a big day the next day. Speaking of the next day...I've shared enough pictures in this post...so I'll save the rest for tomorrow, 😼.

a new approach?

I've decided that rather than try to keep up with events as they happen...I'm just going to write about things when I feel like it. hahaha We will see how long this lasts.....................................................
I think it's because i have kind of felt like I ought to be writing...but then I don't take the time to do it. If I want to add photos it's a pain in the _______ and I DO want to add photos, so there you go.
It's the Saturday after Christmas and we've been watching football since 12 noon. First the GATORS who surprised us all and had a good season and a great game today in the Peach Bowl! Looking forward to good things next year! Now it's halftime in the Alabama game...so far so good. Brenna and Kristian are down in that crazy crowd somewhere watching the game and there's been plenty to cheer about so far.  Hope they can maintain the momentum and go on to the championship game.
It's been a crazy December so far.We have been busier than ever...or at least busier than we've been the last few years.Starting in mid-November when John went to visit Megan and Marcus in Dubai. I didn't go...mainly because I was planning to "retire" December 6th and didn't want to take 2 weeks off, come back and work a week and then give my notice.. John had a great visit...they kept him busy!Surfing in the desert, golfing, fishing etc, etc.

 He got to visit the Mosque and check out the incredible tile work....Megan insisted that he go see it...because he wasn't so sure. He's glad he went!
While he was off on his adventure...I had the house to myself for a few days and then my sister Elizabeth came to town.She was only here for a long weekend, but we packed the days with visits to all the favorite eating places...fried clams at Long Doggers, breakfast at the Blueberry Muffin...all the usual spots....and a couple of new ones...haha That was a nice break for me. She was down to pick up a few things from our brother's house (the house my parent's bought in 1968!) because the house

 is up for sale

 and it was time to get the last of the things out. It's kind of sad to know that next time I go by there I can't just go in like I have all these years; but then again...since my parents have been gone, I didn't go as often as I used to

on the back patio getting ready for the Mardi Gras Ball

December 1970(?)

.It's a strange feeling to see it empty though. I was 11 when we moved in to that house. We had many adventures in that neighborhood on OakRidge Drive over the years. When John and I got married, we had our reception there.

Father Jack, Maureen Hogg, Mom and Mr. Griffin (and the bike hahaha)

recption- Dad, Ray Brennan & Uncle Dave

John's Dad and his Godfather out front

brunch before John's 60th Birthday party

John and Bill in the foyer

Tacky Tourist Party- Mom, Brian,Maureen and Dad

Anne,Linda,Martha Dixie out front

Ian's 9th birthday

cousins- December 1992
Brenna, David,Anna,Ian and Ryan, Megan

on the front porch Elizabeth's first communion Jenifer, Liz and Paul

Thanksgiving 1980

cousins out on the back porch

Lot and lots of great memories...but strangely I'm not too emotional about Mark selling it. It's a great move for him and I'm happy for him. I hope the next people in the house enjoy it as much as we did!
December 6th was my LAST day of work at the Melbourne Beach Library.

 I started there when the library opened in October 2002...left for about a year and a half in 2004, and then returned. It was easy, convenient and I always enjoyed seeing friends and neighbors while I worked. When I returned in 2005, I worked in the Youth Services department. That was my favorite part of my job. I loved working with the kids and the young moms I liked reading to them

 doing special programs like puppet shows and Holiday programs, parades etc.

*this family helped us put a float in the Melbourne Beach Parade every year up until the same year Dianne and I were no longer in YS. The girls started coming to ST when K was about 5 and L was 3 I think. They helped with the parade until K's first year of college. Now that's dedication!

Over the years my job was slowly phased out, but up until a year and a half ago, I still had Storytime once a week. It was something I always looked forward to...every week. I got replaced...which was really hard for several reasons...and almost left at the end of last year. John asked me to stick it out for one more year, we were also getting a raise that October, for the first time in several years...AND I figured the director probably figured I'd leave...so I decided to stick around a while...to help John...and to annoy her hahahahah. But my countdown was on!!! I actually looked at the calendar and figured out how many days minus holidays, etc...and I managed to hang in there. Some days I even caught myself thinking..."Maybe I will stay" then someone would bitch about a 20c fine...or the boss would make some comment that pissed me off and I would start counting down again hahaha When I went back and forth about the actual last day...John made the decision for me. He had booked us on a 7 day cruise that left December 9th! so...I added on a couple days and decided December 6th\

beautiful flowers and balloons were waiting for me when I arrived on my last day. Thanks to John!

this is what I wore...in my mind I had on a t-shirt that either said "She's over it!" or some in appropriate comment about our current president. hahah I have had to listen to so many comments, opinions about "those Democrats, Obama, Clinton, etc...and I would LOVED to have told them all what I thought!! hahahaha

 would be it.I was going to give them a month notice...then one thing or another happened and I decided screw it...I'm giving them 3 weeks...and then it was down to 2 and a day or two. And when the actual day came around I was not SAD...I was happy and relieved and maybe a tiny bit sad to know I would miss some of my favorite patrons...but I'll see them when I go in to get my own books! :)
The cruise was with our friends Art and Gayle.  After we joined in, We threw the idea out and next thing you know Charlie and Gayle and Sean and Nancy were in.Next it was John and Jill...and finally...Gayle's sister Jeanette and her husband Joe. It was a fun group and we all had a good time. There was always someone to do things with. We went on the Oasis of the Seas which is a huge ship. I wasn't sure how I'd like it...but it wasn't bad. The Christmas decorations made everything nice and festive. We celebrated Joe's birthday on the 12th and mine on the 13th. We had a couple of dinners all together ...all 12 of us. Other nights it was 8 of us one place & 4 of them in another, etc...but it all worked out nicely.
This is the third cruise we have gone on in the last three years. This was the largest ship and also the most diverse group. Two years ago our cruise to the northeast harbours was mostly older white people.There were about 5 kids total on that one and I felt sorry for them hahaha.Last year our cruise to Alaska was in the summer, so there were a lot more kids...running around and having a blast. And I swear some of them never got out of the pool hahahah. This year like I said...all ages, all ethnicities, lots of large extended families. It was great for people watching! Maybe because it was close to the holidays...on the "formal" night people really got all dressed up. I enjoyed seeing everyone ...again great people watching. Lots of happy families, all dressed up and having a good time...what's not to like!
We got home from the cruise and finished getting ready for John's birthday and Christmas. Josh, Brenna ,John and I went to check out the new Texas Roadhouse location. We went early and had no problem parking and getting it. Getting out....that was another story! Cars, people, etc in all directions and it was a kind of a mess. People trying to make an impossible left turn to get out, people not being able to back out of spots due to cars trying to get into the lot...a mess! Glad we got there early. I was afraid they were going to have issues...and I'm sure they will sort things out, but in the meantime...be careful where you park if you decide to go!!!!! Inside...beautiful...everything new, spacious, clean and bright. Food is always good.
The Friday after we got home we went to some friend's party.

. It was a great time! DJ played all the songs I wanted but didn't get to hear on the cruise!

 hahah Karaoke...which is not something I usually do...but it was fun to watch. Good food, good drinks, lots of laughs and dancing...all great fun!
I think I'll sign off for now. Next time maybe the wedding??? Christmas??? New Year's Eve???? We'll see.
Oh...and I've decided rather than add a hundred pictures to this post of the old house...hahaha I'm going to put some together on a DVD. 😉😉