D's "E. A.", Part Eleven

Days 15 & 16: 

I just couldn't bear the thought of getting back in the car for another 11-1/2 hour drive so soon after arriving at Barb's.   We decided I should rest a whole day before attempting the last leg of the trip home to Pinellas County.  It was a pleasure to putter around in the sewing room with Barb and wander through the gardens and woods.  Even though I've enjoyed living in a bustling county for over 30 years, there is still a very big part of me that yearns for my own place in the country.  Is it true that as we get older, our lives come full circle and we revert back to the things and places of our childhood?  Let me know if you figure that out, ok?

Thanks, Barb, for all the fun I had doing projects with you.  It was just like old times; stenciling, sewing, knitting, gardening and all the other crazy things we managed to get ourselves involved in. 

I wish you and Chuck many, many years of sitting on your front porch while you survey your "kingdom".   Giggle.......my hat's off to "The Lady of Lawrence County".


Now it was clearly time for me to start for home.  The morning was cool (only in the 50's!) as I drove down the curvy lane and onto the country road leading to the highway.   These cotton fields were everywhere and I just had to stop and shoot a couple of pics for you to see. 

Do you see the white cotton boll in among the leaves?   It was a little too soon for the cotton to be ready for harvest, so the plants only had a few splotches of white chunks of raw cotton on them.   Soon it would be harvest time.

Six hours later I was ready to cross into Florida once again.   Home couldn't be that far away, could it?  

Wow!   Back in the Eastern Time Zone ...........only 7 more hours or so to go.   It was around 7pm when I finally pulled into our driveway.   The palm trees were swaying and the sun was dropping low into the Gulf of Mexico when I hauled my weary body out of the car.  Before going into our house I jotted down the odometer reading.   It really was good to be back home......Jeremy and Joel greeted me with as much enthusiasm as I felt about seeing both of them.  I'm glad I made this journey, but I'm really glad to be back home again.

Number of days on the trip: 16
Cost of gasoline: $534.54
Wedding pulled off: One
Friends visited: Three (plus Barb's twice)
States driven: Six
Miles logged: 3,057.9 miles
Rest areas visited: Who counted those?
Memories made: Countless & Priceless

Maybe by next year I'll be ready for another trip,
Debbie

D's "E. A.", Part Ten (It's almost over, I promise)

Day 14:  Today was the first time during the whole trip that I started to doubt my ability to drive the rest of the way home.  I had been burning the proverbial candle at both ends and was now paying the price for it.  Really, I need to drive HOW many hours today?!?  Ok, ok, I'm in the car again, but at least I'm heading south.........in the right direction.........at least I think I am.

I wanted to show you something.   It just tickles me that in Missouri, the smaller roads have letter names instead of numbers, like highway K.   So I took a pic of this roadsign for you to see for yourself.   Some of the roads have double letters such as highway BB.   Isn't that funny?

The previous week when I was driving north toward Kansas City I had noticed this orchard stand along the highway and wrote down the exit number so I could stop there on my way home.   Well, now that I was heading home I did stop there after leaving Jackie's house and wasn't disappointed.   They had early apples, peaches, mums and so many other goodies that I had to restrain myself from loading up the remaining free space in my car.   I did end up buying a large bag of apples so I could make applesauce and can it for our holiday meals.

By now it was almost lunchtime.  My stomach was empty and I went searching in the car for something to eat.   I kept a small cooler on the front seat and when I opened it, what a surprise!   Jackie had packed me a wonderful lunch and loads of finger foods so I could eat as I drove.   Thank you, Jackie, for loving on me so much!   What a thoughtful gift.  So, I sang songs with my I-Phone and munched on carrots and be-bopped down the highway.

Yeah, one state closer!  Next stop, Barb and Chuck's house.......again! 

Yup!   I'm back in the South again.   This flag was blowing in the stiff breeze as I pushed thru the northern portion of Mississippi toward Alabama.

One of these days I'd like to drive the Natchez Trace Parkway and see the Antebellum homes and plantations.   Hmmmm.....maybe next trip.

Ok, this sign just cracked me up.   No, really, I was carrying on in my car laughing and talking to myself about how funny the sign was.   I think I was getting a little punchy from all the hours on the road alone.   Hmmmm.....not a good thing, but I did have great conversations with myself!   Ha!

By dinnertime I wearily pulled into Barb's house.  What a sight for sore eyes!  I was so happy to see their place and to be able to get out of the car for a day.  They had a yummy dinner all ready to eat and a bed for me to crash on......and crash I did.

Almost to the End,
Debbie

D's "E. A.", Part Nine

Day 13: Labor Day
Lee and Lynn's household was still bustling with guests and the chairs were still set up in the backyard from the ceremony but it was time for me to head out for my next destination.    After a tearful drive down their street I turned the car around and headed for St. Louis.   Time to start heading East again.  My next stop was at Gary and Jackie's. 

Gary was the best man at our wedding over 25 years ago.   He and Joel have stayed in touch and over the years they have come to Florida a few times to see us, but we had not been up to St. Louis to see the house they built.  It was just past lunchtime when I pulled off the interstate and read the directions to their house.

Let's see, down this road for 9 miles, over the river and thru the woods......hmmmmm.....very curvy switchback turns down a steep grade, turn left  and then right, going from one little country road to the next.   Jackie "texted" me in (thank goodness because I would have missed the final turnoff for sure) and I eased onto a gravel road.    Okay, go 1.3 miles........um, very dusty and getting more remote.,   Huh.   Deadend......... at a gorgeous house........... with an incredible view.

Here's another view of the pond nestled in the valley between two ridges.

I could spend all day sitting on the screened porch just looking out on the pond and woods, listening to the wind in the trees.

Jackie walked me around the outside of the house to show me some of their beautiful, secluded property.  OH-MY-Goodness.  Simply awesome.   The wind was rustling all the leaves and rippling the pond.   A few of the trees had just barely begun to change color for fall.  I gladly flopped in a chair poolside as Jackie grilled our dinner.  Does it get much better than this?   Don't think so!

What a pretty house.........at the end of the road..........in the middle of nowhere........Awesome!

Jackie and Gary, sorry it took me so long to get up here to see your house.   It was certainly worth the wait!

Whenever I think of your place in the country, this is the picture that will come into my mind......

That night I snuggled into the guest bed and fell into a deep sleep.   I was pretty tired from the crazy schedule I'd been keeping.  The next morning I woke up to Jackie's voice reminding me I wanted to get on the road early.  Moan......as I was pulling out of their driveway, this is the last pic I took of their hideaway.  The early morning shadows were still draped across the pond.  I'll say it again, simply beautiful.

More roadtripping with Debbie tomorrow,

Traveling Girl

D's "E. A.", Part Eight (Seriously?)

Ok, so I still have a few more pics to share with you from after the wedding.  Here are Drew and Laura inside the house just moments after becoming man and wife.

And I actually got ONE picture with Lynn when we both had makeup on and were dressed in something other than "work" clothes.  Ha!   You know what I mean.....it was a bussssssy week!

This is a much clearer shot of the cross and heart symbol on the runner.

Now the wedding party can cut loose.......that is, after posing for the photographers pictures.

Of course I had to include one last shot of Drew and Laura dancing their first dance.   I pray they happily dance together for a lifetime. 

All the best to both of you,
Love,
Debbie

D's "E. A.", Part Seven

Fast forward a couple of hours and the guests are arriving.  Vicki and I scurried outside and quickly used 6" nails to secure the white runner to the earth up along the platform and all along the aisle to the last row of chairs.   While soft live music was playing  the guests were seated from the outside of the rows,  preserving the runner for the wedding party. 

Sunday, 6:15PM  Deep breath......gentlemen,  please unroll the last section of runner.



We still had one last surprise for the bride and groom.   Months ago, Lynn had emailed me a copy of a heart wrapped around a cross that was a symbol of the happy couple's love for one another.    I enlarged it on my printer several times until it was over 20" tall.  Then I used teal Ultrasuede and silver lame' to recreate their emblem.   I barely had time to sew it to the runner an hour before the ceremony so it would remain a surprise for them.

First, Lynn and Lee are escorted down the aisle.  What a handsome couple.

And here comes the bride on the arm of her proud dad.   The music was beautiful, the breeze and cool temps were perfect, the setting sun made the entire wedding scene glow while lights twinkled in the greenery.........and the bride was beaming.

 I can honestly say that I have never witnessed a couple approaching the altar that looked happier and more excited, committed and moved by the vows they were about to recite.

There was not a dry eye among the crowd as Drew and Laura spoke of their love for one another and promised a lifetime of devotion to their spouse.   What a tender, touching ceremony.........



Drew's older brother, Dave, and younger brother, Grant both look on during the touching ceremony.

And then, just that fast, it was time to present Mr. and Mrs. Drew Gooden. 

The crowd began blowing bubbles that had been handed to them when they arrived for the ceremony.

Here are some additional pics

And when the ceremony was over, there was Vicki, my cohort in crime, who so eloquently put into words all that I was feeling when she said,"We DID it!"  Make no mistake, Vicki and I were only a fraction of the team that worked on the wedding.   Months of planning and decision making were already completed when we arrived in Kansas City to be Lynn's "helper bees".   Considering that Vicki and I only met Friday night, we quickly bonded together over a three day period in our desire to help Lynn make this wedding a dream come true.   After all, what are good friends for?

It was a fun, tiring, comedic, sometimes stressful, rewarding week that I would do all over again in a heartbeat!   Thanks, Lynn, for inviting me and for including me in this wonderful memory of your life. 

Love you, girl,

Debbie

D's "E. A.", Part Six

Alrighty, now exactly where did we leave off last time?  Oh, yeah!   Wedding day!  It was time to finally put all our plans into motion and create a beautiful setting.   Everyone had been praying for good weather and God provided just that.   After days of triple digit heat, a front blew through Kansas City late Saturday during the picnic and we woke up to temps in the high 50's on Sunday morning.   It was pretty breezy with gusts up to 20 mph which could pose a problem for the paper lanterns we were planning on hanging from the trees, but we figured we'd deal with it and just enjoy our good fortune.

The groom, Drew, and his groomsmen all showed up early and made short work of setting up 140 chairs with only minor adjustments made to accommodate the aisle runner.

 Ashley and Vicki set up the silver painted shephard's crooks that Lynn had painted.   More on those later.
Ashley works with Lynn and generously gave up her Sunday morning to come help us for a few hours.   And Vicki flew in from Miami Friday night to be a fellow "worker bee".   Vicki also used to live in Kansas City and she and Lynn have stayed in touch over the years.

Vicki, myself, Lynn and Lee take 30 seconds to pose for the camera.......then it's back to work.

Lynn and cousin Linda (from Seattle) were oohing and aahing over how pretty the flower cones turned out.  Vicki had just swagged frothy white tulle from each shephard's crook along the aisle side of the rows of chairs.

Linda and Aunt Kay were the "flower arrangers" and they did such a beautiful job, don't you think?   The cones (which were purchased at Joann's) started life in my kitchen where I used Joel's 1/2" drill bit to ream out the styrofoam that was glued to the top third of the cone.   The bottom half of the cones had plaster of Paris in them which gave them some weight.   Lynn and Laura choose teal sparkled paper that matched the bridesmaids dresses and shipped it to me.   All I had to do was cover the cones with the paper, punch holes in the sides and run silver ribbon through the holes to hang the cones.  Wrap in tissue paper, lay carefully in large plastic bin and repeat.....22 more times......that's why I did all this at home long before the wedding.

I tried to figure out how to cut the florist's oasis, the green stuff used for fresh flowers that soaks up water and holds it like a sponge, and make it easier for us to wedge it into the cone shape.   That's when the idea came to me to use my 2" biscuit cutter!   It was exactly the diameter of the top of the cones and cramming the oasis into the cone once cut would ensure it was wedged in nice and tight and not fall out with the weight of the flowers.   Worked like a charm.....whew!

What do you think, Aunt Kay?

We commandered Lynn's brother Gordy and tasked him with slinging white net lights over the arbor entrance to the backyard wonderland while his smiling wife, Sue, pitched in wiping down chairs.  At this stage, there's plenty of work for everyone!  And the clock is ticking way too fast.....only a few hours to go.

 Soooooooo, exactly how do you get paper lanterns to hang from branches 25-30 feet up in the air?   Well, you ask Drew to throw the heavy dog chew toy over the branch.......while it has fishing line attached to it.....and pray it doesn't come down and clunk someone on the head while doing it!  Then, the line is tied to the lantern, and run thru the bottom of the lantern, and secured to the ground with a garden stake so the lantern won't blow at a 45 degree angle in the gale.....er, ummmm, I mean breeze.  Get it?   Ok, good!

Thank goodness he had really good aim.  It didn't take as many tries as you would think to get them all hung.

Are you starting to get the picture?   These trees have white lights wrapped around the trunks and the lower limbs.  Even though the wedding is at sunset, the lights provided just enough "glitter" to make the garden sing.

Now how is this for a getaway car?   The bride and groom were going to leave the ceremony in Lee's red Corvette, but Lee called in a favor and one of his buddies showed up with this beauty!  The guys made a trade for the day, the Corvette for the antique TEAL Chevy.   Seriously?   Are you kidding me?   It matches the bridesmaids dresses exactly!

I don't know who found this sticker, but what a perfect addition to a perfect getaway car.

Tomorrow, the actual ceremony,
Deb