The To-Do List

Yeah, I can't promise that there will be another post between now and the wedding. I can't BELIEVE how much STUFF there is to do!

Here's (most of) the list that I started working on Friday afternoon:

Done
Talk with Allie and Mom about cake details, send one of them to the bakery
Confirm final details for cake topper, send payment for balance
See invitation lady to order personalized thank-you notes
Write thank-you notes. Lots and lots and lots of thank-you notes
Attend final dress fitting
Arrange gym membership so that I have a snowball's chance of being able to breathe in my wedding dress
Book flight to Charleston
Look into changing name on licence, passport, social security card, bank account, and obtaining marriage license
Confirm Bridesmaids' sizes
Call church to confirm policy on wedding banns, arrange "interview" with monsignor
Disassemble desk- move to garage to be picked up by buyer
Update spreadsheet with responses and gifts received
Find pashminas for the bridesmaids' in case it's freezing that weekend
Select bridesmaids' shoes
Gifts for people throwing parties

In Progress
Design program cover
Write personal note for program
Format sheet music for program
Program layout (confirm with priest and music director)
Cards of what people seated together have in common (to facilitate conversation)
Find gifts for the brothers playing the violin during the ceremony
Assemble last bit of bridesmaids’ gifts
Engraving for Greg's wedding band
Pack for move
Figure out where to put all the stuff that used to be in my giant desk
Write more thank-you notes
Call dress designer to get J.J.'s dress fixed
Find a wedding gift for Greg
Decide on instrument voicing for processional
Find out when bridesmaids are arriving for shower and wedding
Compile page of "head shots" so that photographer knows who key players are

Not Started Yet
Send list of song preferences to band
Meet (again) with florist to revise details
Design menu card to have on tables
Choose a song to dance with my Dad to
E-mail priest to confirm that he's available for the rehearsal
Select paper and ink color for ceremony program
Wedding cake shaped cookies or cupcakes for choir
Find a harmony for Eternal Father (Navy hymn)
Send letter to Yacht Club to change my membership status to "non resident"
Find out who wrote the hymns we're using for program
Take preliminary location shots at yacht club to send to photographer


Believe it or not, I'm sure there's lots missing- some that I've done, some that other people have helped with, and some that I just haven't thought of yet.

But I love the craziness- I hate being bored, and this stuff is (mostly) fun!

There's so much going on! Work is NUTS with a capital NUTS, but I'm leaving in less than three weeks, which makes things more bearable. My shower is on Saturday, and I know my bridesmaids have planned a fun night out afterward. My last Juilliard concert is on the 16th, and Josh, Courtney and Tyler are coming out to the burbs for one last Sunday night orphan dinner that weekend. After that it's full speed ahead on packing, because I fly down to Charleston the following Tuesday afternoon!

Greg and I will drive up from SC that weekend, then put most of our collective stuff into storage before moving into the Susse Chalet (more on that in a minute.) The following weekend is Easter, and I'll sing five masses. That brings us right to the wedding, ladies and gents, and there you have it! Crazy busy nuts, but I love it!!!

So, I guess I actually have a big update: Greg's training schedule has changed, and so has our agenda for the next 10 months or so.

Long story short(er), we will be going to Groton, CT for about 10 weeks after the wedding. This was originally supposed to follow six months in Ballston Spa, NY (Saratoga Springs), but the order of the two has switched. (I'll spare you the long details, but we're very happy about this!!!)

So, the plan now is as follows:
-Wedding on April 14th
-Week off (to be spent someplace in New England- undecided as yet)
-Greg goes to SOBC (Submarine Officer's Basic Course) April 23rd
-We spend roughly 10 weeks in Groton: Greg works business hours, has weekends off. We'll be living in the Susse Chalet on base- essentially a low-end Best Western from what I hear, but without breakfast. Not our choice- it's cool.
-After SOBC, Greg has all but two days of July off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Yes, you read right. That may not seem like much in the civillian world, but he hasn't had that much time off since high school!!)
-We'll leave on our HONEYMOON on July 9th. To say I'm excited is a dramatic understatement. Greg and his Mom have put together an AMAZING trip that I only know a very little about, but it includes Paris and Bastille Day fireworks over the Eiffel Tower. I know a little (but not much) more about the plan, but I will fill "my readers" in on it another night. (I'm HUGELY excited, but I don't want to spoil the surprise!) What I do know is that this trip is an amazing wedding gift from Teresa and Hap, and I can't thank them enough!!
-After the honeymoon, we'll have about a week left in July to move into our first "real place" (read: not a hotel) in Saratoga Springs. That's when reality will set in a bit- Greg will be working rediculous hours and have minimal free time, but at least with this scheduling change we now know that we'll be able to attend Courtney and Tyler's wedding in August and Matt and Emily's wedding in September.
-Since we'll be upstate for an entire academic semester, I'm hoping to get involved with a choir or two and maybe a theatre group. If I play my cards right, I might even be able to sing in Oratorio Society at Hamilton! Hooraaaaaaaaay for singing with Rob again!!!
-Greg will finish school in Saratoga on January 11th. This is great, because it means that we won't have to move across the country over the holidays (we were nervous about that with the old schedule.) The potential down side is that there's a chance Greg may have to stand watch on Thanksgiving and/or Christmas. But we'll survive.
-After Saratoga, it's off and across the country for Lizzie and Greg. Plans currently include either San Diego or Pearl Harbor (if we can) and a puppy (eventually.) Hooray!!

I guess that's about it for now. Well, there's probably lots more, but it's one in the morning and I've already used enough exclamation points in this post!!

Hope all is well with everyone out there. Please drop me a post to calm me down a bit (but not too much- I'm enjoying this!), and then check back in a few weeks. I'll try to manage a post before the wedding... maybe with some pics from the shower... we'll see how the "to-do list" goes!

Counting Down!

Yikes- this wedding is getting closer and closer! I'm working on music selection and gathering addresses and trying seating arrangements and filling out registries and picking readings (and readers!) and mailing off details for our cake topper and scheduling dress fittings and arranging for bridesmaids' gifts. I'm having fun, but am busy, busy, busy!

I think that the friends who knew me in college (Juliette, Courtney and Josh come to mind) are used to my frenzied planning mode. In fact, Juliette has even told me that she's glad to see some of my craziness back... I had apparently calmed down too much for her tastes since moving out of a dorm and into a cubicle. (Something about work breaking my spirit may fit in here...?) But most of the people who met me since I graduated (mainly work folk) aren't used to seeing me this excited! I thrive on stress, and even though I have a lot on my mind (tons, really!), I'm enjoying the details.

The thing that is really different from college, though, is that I'm actually getting things done! (Which, as literally anyone who knew me at Hamilton knows, NEVER happened while I was in college.) All of the major decisions have been made- the dress, the bridesmaids' dresses, the guest list, the invitations, the photographer, the band, and more. The most important of all these final decisions, though, is the groom!

I think a big part of the reason I'm not as crazed all the time anymore is Greg. He can relax me like no one else. Take the other night: the knives we had registered for were being discontinued, and I was nervous that the set that was available in their place was too expensive and that we would not receive it. (I mean, we're registered for Tiffany china- I'm nervous enough about receiving that!) We sat down "together" and spent an hour figuring out another option. Now, you may ask "how can you sit down 'together' when you're in New York and Greg is in South Carolina?" Easy: we were on the phone, on IM, on the Web Cam and e-mailing... all at the same time. Yes, this seems like overkill, but we were sending lists and files back and forth over e-mail while IMing web links. About the only thing missing was being able to sit with him on the couch. Gotta love modern technology!!

It was nice to be able to relax with Greg that night. We talked about lots of things other than cutlery, and when we finally hung up the phone, I realized that we had been talking for four hours!!! What would we do without unlimited in-network calling? My January 12th Verizon statement tells me that we were on the phone for 815 minutes... and we were together for well over a week of that billing period!

I miss Greg like crazy when he's away, but we see each other whenever we can... even if it means putting down $200 at the last minute for something like 32 hours together! So, I flew down to Charleston over the long weekend a few weeks ago! My flight got in at 12:30 Saturday night/Sunday morning, and I flew out at 10:00 on Monday morning. I know it sounds crazy to do that much traveling for so little time together, but we're both so glad I did it!

Greg and I spent the day walking around Charleston together. He had gone a walking tour of the city when he moved there a few months ago, and we retraced the route. Greg has an amazing memory for detail, and I think I probably heard about 90% of the tour! We had lunch on Market Street at a place called The Noisy Oyster. I knew I liked tuna melts, but crab melts?!?! Yummy!!!! We spent the evening playing cribbage and watching De Lovely, which was just perfect. We had both been going through serious withdrawal after spending so much time together over Christmas and New Years, so a night of simply hanging out together was exactly what we needed, even if it was only for a few hours.

Work is INSANELY busy these days. I was really happy when I first thought about the timing of quitting my job: I'd leave just before things started to get busy. Well, not so much. Our client pushed our planning season forward three months, and I'm up to my neck in PowerPoint slides and stacked bar charts! Poor Greg has been getting the brunt of this- I get out of work and talk about things like logical coding for targets and the very important difference between and "inclusive or" and an "exclusive or."

Juilliard is back in full swing, and we start rehearsals at St. Augustine's again tonight, so that's keeping me busy. The choir wants to sing at the wedding, so I need to talk with Michael (the choir director at St. A's) about that. I've wanted to practice my new guitar in the evenings, but by the time I get home the rest of the family is asleep. Makes me miss having my own place. So, guitar practice isn't really going to happen until after the wedding, but I'll have lots of evenings when Greg is on duty to practice without bothering anybody.

Until then, I've found a nice, quiet project: I'm knitting a blanket. Yes, I know this sounds like the typical "Lizzie starts some grandiose project and then never finishes it" thing, but I've got about a third of it done and I really like the way it's turning out. There's also the financial investment- I've spent $50 or $60 on yarn for this throw, and I don't want that money to go to waste. (Greg and one of his buddies were talking about the way the friend's new wife can spend $80 or more a month at Michael's; one of my favorite craft stores. Greg had heard me mention the store before and asked me- very carefully- about how much I guessed I usually spent on craft supplies a month. He was more than relieved to hear that I spend probably $20 to $30 a month on things like yarn, despite having matched or exceeded $80 a month in the past. I'm glad we talk about things like this now- we're trying to avoid surprises once we're married.)

Well, I need to put my nose back to the grindstone. And by grindstone I mean Dimetapp Target Analysis charts. Fun fun.

I Love Root Beer Jelly Beans

Yup. They're pretty much the best thing ever.

A few days ago TV Guide hosted an event at Dylan's Candy Bar on 60th and Third. Dear lord- that place is dangerous.

I've been good about not "powering through" my "Halloween candy"... except for the Root Beer jelly beans.

Yeah, so work has been ridiculous lately. We're working on a new business pitch which, incidentally, ISN'T WHAT I WORK ON. Grrr! I was here until 9:30 last night. Okay, so that's not the end of the world, but it's not like anyone ever actually asked me to stay late. Instead, I asked at, oh, 6:30ish if there was anything I could help with. I was told "um... nothing yet." Yeah- no "can you work late tonight?", no "do you mind?", no "do you have plans tonight?". See, I actually did have plans last night. I was supposed to meet Courtney and Josh in Times Square for dinner and then see a show with them. I knew that dinner was unlikely when we made the plans, but an 8:00 show shouldn't have been a problem. Well, the show didn't happen, and neither did the backup plan for dinner, then the backup plan to for Grey's Anatomy failed, too. By the time I finally left the office, Courtney and Josh had both gone home to bed. Oh- and did I mention that in all the time I stayed at the office, there was only about 20 minutes of work for me to do? Yeah- I played internet chess and chatted on the phone the whole time. I know it's just the way this industry works, but still! Grrr.

In other news, we booked a band for the wedding. Yippee! We didn't get the photographer that we wanted, but we have a strong option as a backup. I'm still freaking out about the difference between French Blue and Marine Blue lettering for the invitations, but hopefully that will be put to bed soon.

I had a long conversation with Greg's brother Paul last night. He lives in Virginia, so we don't see each other very often. In other cases, this might keep a girl from getting to know her brother-in-law-to-be, but not with Paul. We talk on the phone every couple of weeks for anywhere from 30 minutes to a couple of hours! He's really funny, and we get along really well. I've always wanted a big brother, and now I have Paul! Hooray!

And finally, THANK YOU to all of the wonderful people who have already made donations for Habitat For Humanity's Walk For Homes! My sponsorship sheet has over $500 promised already- that's just amazing! Co-workers, college and high school friends, professors, family, choir and sailing friends have really stepped up to the plate. But if you haven't called or e-mailed me about helping out, it's not too late! The walk isn't until November 5th- there is still time to donate to this wonderful cause. Habitat has done amazing work on Mr. Pond's house, but there is still more to be done on his house and many others that they are working on. Don't forget- if making a monetary donation isn't possible right now, you can donate time! Ask your friends and colleagues to make a donation, come to the Walk in Larchmont, or come work on the house itself! There are so many ways to help! (I would say that's the end of my cheap plug, but there is nothing cheap about this cause!)

There is a Halloween party at Mr. Pond's on Sunday night. (The house isn't ready to have him move back in yet, but it wouldn't be Halloween in Larchmont Woods without Mr. Pond!) If you're local, I hope to see you there. I'll try to snap some pictures and post them next week. Have a lovely weekend!

I Once Had A Mole...

... And now I don't.

Okay, I still have lots, but I now have a bandage where the one on my neck used to be. I'm the last one in my immediate family to have something removed, so I guess I've been lucky so far, but being a sailor leads to all sorts of fun sun-related stuff.

In any case, I have one mole less than I did this time yesterday. (I ask you: who else do you know that goes and has surgery on her lunch break? How very Manhattan!) In any case, it was pretty amusing to have a numb right ear all afternoon yesterday. You wouldn't think something like a numb ear could be diverting, but then, of course, you would be wrong! Ah, the things that are funny when you live in a cubicle.

So the mole thing is the latest in a long string of doctors’ appointments this month. In fact, including the mole finding/ mole removal/ removal of mole stitches, I will be in a doctor's office six times in four weeks. Something about no longer needing forms for school has caused me to put off some things for a while, so I've been for a physical, a dental checkup, etc. I ought to get something in return for all these office visits. You know, like a medical degree.

With all these appointments, having the mole removed, and other key wedding players having lots of dental work, is it any surprise that I had a dream about my front tooth falling out days before the wedding?

Oodles of doctors appointments notwithstanding, I am healthy, and I'm happy about that. Unfortunately, Aunt Pecky has not been faring so well.

I mentioned my Dad’s maiden aunt several posts ago, (see entry titled "Gotta Love Lunch Dates," 8.24.06) saying that she was back in the hospital. Pecky's mental and physical health have both gone downhill in the past two months or so. She has moved into an assisted living facility in Tuckahoe, which has proven to be a very wise decision.

On the mental side, she has been diagnosed with dementia. She keeps a journal of her daily activities to remind herself of what pills she has taken, but now also needs to include who has visited her and who she has telephoned, because she simply doesn't remember having called 15 minutes earlier. In terms of long term memory, she remembers family members most of the time, (even if she does get old photographs confused,) but she didn't remember that I was engaged and that she had met my fiancé. What is particularly fascinating is that the older the memory, the greater the detail in which she remembers it. When I visited her a few weekends ago, she told me all about the table she was sitting next to: her father had purchased it when the family moved from Spain back to New York when she was seven years old and had used it to rest his cigars. She said this while sitting in a chair that she could not remember when or from where she had acquired it. The chair in question has "Mt. Holyoke" and the school's crest carved into the back rest: Pecky's alma mater. Pecky's mind has become quite a puzzle.

Pecky's physical health has also been an issue. After Grandpa died, Pecky (who had been obese her whole life) lost a lot of weight. She saw what diabetes did to her brother and decided to take action to help her own health. I don't know the exact number, but by dieting and exercising, she lost around 150 pounds. Unfortunately, that amount of weight loss can complicate one's health, especially at an older age. I'll spare you the unpleasant details, but Pecky has had two or three surgeries and multiple hospital visits to restore her health following complications related to her weight loss. She was finally happy and healthy in her new home… then my dad got a phone call at 4:30 this morning telling him that Pecky had fallen in the night and broken her thigh bone. She’ll have surgery tomorrow to put a pin in, and then will have all sorts of therapy to do.

It is difficult to see someone you care about having a difficult time. I was very lucky to have all four of my grandparents in my life until I was 19, and even more so to have close relationships with all of them. Both of my Mom’s parents are still here, and I love that they live in New Jersey, because I get to see them for holidays and random visits here and there.

In other news, I got the first pictures of my dress today! It needs some tweaking, but I’m really excited. Hopefully I’ll be able to have a fitting in a few weeks… which means this wedding diet thing might have to actually start working. I’ve been exercising here and there, but crunches could pop the stitches in my neck, right? So I shouldn’t do them, right? ;-)

My Head Is Spinning!

Oh the wedding plans!

Courtney made a very astute comment the other day (as she often does). She said that planning your child's wedding is like performing surgery on them: it shouldn't be allowed, and for the same reasons: it's painful for all involved, and it is absolutely impossible to be objective.

Fortunately, my Mom and I are not biting each other's heads off. In fact, we're actually enjoying the planning process... but boy, oh boy, is it ever a process!

So, we have the color for the bridesmaids dresses picked out: dye lot #5055. (French blue.) We're waiting on a J. Crew dress in the mail to see the cut, then we'll be able to finalize the style choice and get pricing estimates. Whew!

We've confirmed that my Dad's childhood-friend-turned-LYC-Fleet-Chaplain will be marrying us, which is a HUGE relief. I'm really not a fan of the monsignor at our church, so I'm very glad that he won't be performing the ceremony. Now I just need to call him and tell him we've found someone else. That's gonna be fun. Really.

I've got the church organist and a trumpeter signed up, and the church choir has let me know that they would really like to sing. (I've been singing with them on and off for four years.) I'm going to add either a flute or a violin, depending on the final music selection. So far, I've got two hymns on the list, as well as pieces by Handel and Vivaldi. (Lots of people have Schubert's Ave Maria sung at their wedding, but as I'm frequently the one to sing it, so I feel like it would be weird to have someone else sing it when I'm the one getting married.) The big issue is what I'm going to walk down the aisle to. I have a song in mind, and Courtney has been a doll to arrange it for the instruments we're going to use, but it's unconventional and I'm really not sure if it will do. We'll see.

Mom and I have met with two photographers, and are making appointments with one or two more. We're trying to get a balance between photos of us doing totally ridiculous things and super-uncomfortable posed shots. (Does any bride really run on a beach in the most expensive dress she's ever likely to own, and if she does, is it really on her own volition?)

We've ordered the invitations and should see a proof soon. Of course, we are still debating the font color (french blue vs. marine blue) and whether or not to include a motif, but at least we've made real progress on that one.

The florist we were supposed to see last weekend had to go to a wake, so we're seeing him next weekend. Our wedding is turning out to be pretty formal, and I love daffodils and daises, so we're dealing with a disconnect here. My grandmother is a floral genius, so I'm looking forward to picking her brain on this one.

And then there are bands. We need one. We're hearing one Saturday night, and hopefully we'll love them. All I know is that we're going to be very specific about the song list. No songs that will provoke line dancing, grinding, the forming of letters with arms, or anything along that line. (This is a personal quirk, but I've never been in a conga line that didn't make me feel like an ass, and I'm going to be the center of attention that day whether I like it or not, so we're not doing one.) I guess the bottom line is that (as much as I will always love American Pie) if they played it at either the LYC Jr. Race Week dance or at Hommicks Ice Rink "Teen Nights," we're not having it at our wedding. We're thinking a lot more American Songbook- Cole Porter, Frank Sinatra, and the like.

Greg and I are working on selecting readings. We both like First Corinthians, but we've heard it. We're hoping to find something a bit more off the beaten path. I did a reading at Kate's wedding that I thought was the sweetest thing- it was from a children's book, and it was personal and special and just right. Unfortunately, our church won't let us use non-scriptural readings, but I'm hoping we'll be able to find something with the same sentiment as "love is patient, love is kind," without actually saying it.

Whew. Do I sound like Bridezilla yet? I swear, I'm really not. And if I've accidentally offended anyone who really was hoping for a fuchsia bridesmaids dress or loves "Achey Breaky Heart," please don't take it personally. They work really well for other people, just not for me.

Once things are rolling in the right direction and I'm confident that there will be no Village People, I'll be fine. (If I seem concerned for no reason, be aware that I was actually at a wedding last summer where the D.J. announced that everyone should get out on the dance floor; the next song would be a polka!! No, I'm not kidding.)

I don't think I'm that picky, I'm just interested in a very traditional day with lots of personal touches but free from anything cliche or (forgive me) tacky. (I hate that word and the snobbery it construes, but it really is what I mean.) I do know that everything will be fine, and I'm actually enjoying the planning process. I'm a lot less stressed than I sound, but there are SO MANY DETAILS!

I told Greg last night that when we have kids, we're having boys, so we can avoid this whole drill! Enter the conversation about "they will both be boys" versus "they will all be boys" and the putting of the cart before the horse. :-D The good news out of all of this is that Greg and I focus so much more on planning our marriage then we do on planning our wedding. He's interested in the details of the various appointments and is very supportive, but our conversations tend to be more about where we're going to live, our careers, our (eventual) family, and so forth. Greg calms me down like no one else can. The wedding will be perfect, but it will come and go in a flash. It's nice to know that once the happy day is over, the ensuing life together will be happy, too.

Whew!

I've been really, crazy busy lately, with no time to post. So, here's the update!

I worked until midnight last Thursday night- which actually wasn't that bad. I can get a lot done when I don't have meetings and conference calls and e-mails coming in. Friday was a long day because of my late night the day before, but Greg had a long day, too. When he was leaving Annapolis to drive up to New York, another driver pulled out of a parking space without looking and backed into Greg's passenger side door. The damage is only cosmetic, but it's a hassle- especially since Greg is moving early next week!

Greg finally arrived at my parents' house at about 10:00 pm. After some pasta and caffeine, we got back in the car, this time with me in the driver's seat. We drove up to Albany that night, arriving at the hotel around 1:00 am.

Saturday morning we were up at 7:30 am to attend a Pre-Cana class in Albany. I mentioned several posts ago that finding a place to fulfill our Pre-Cana requirements was very difficult, mainly because there was only one weekend between August and the wedding that it was possible for us to go. I looked everywhere from Boston to Albany to Pittsburgh to Richmond and finally found a one-day class that worked.

Pre-Cana wasn't nearly as painful as we had expected. We were pretty sure the topics would include Natural Family Planning, Natural Family Planning, Natural Family Planning, a few minutes on Conflict Resolution, and Natural Family Planning. To our pleasant surprise, there was a reasonable amount of time spent on Conflict Resolution, and even more on finances (budgeting, managing student loans and credit card debt, etc. Thank God neither Greg or I have any credit card debt!) Natural Family Planning was discussed a bit, but really only for about 20 minutes at the end of the day.

We left Albany around 3:00 pm and drove back down to New Rochelle. We fit in a quick (and much needed!) nap before hopping a train into the city.

We had a quick dinner at Grand Central before heading to the Snapple Theatre to see "The Fantasticks." Oh, I love that show! My parents took me to see it on my 16th birthday, (with Allie, my grandparents and friends Kate, Ellen and Jamie,) and I just loved it.

The story is about a boy and a girl (who do have names, but are primarily referred to as "the boy" and "the girl") who fall in love, but must grow up a bit before their love can grow from a childhood infatuation into a deeper, more meaningful love. The show played at the Sullivan Street Playhouse from 1960 to 2002 and holds the record for the longest running musical in the world. (It is the longest running show in the US, and the second longest running show in the world. That record is held by the production of "The Mousetrap" that has been running in London since 1952. For those arguing that Les Miz holds the long-run record in the states, realize that The Fantasticks ran Off-Broadway, which, incidentally, is a distinction based on capacity, not geography. Off-Broadway theatres have between 100 and 499 seats.)

The show is charmingly simple, with an eight member cast, a piano and a harp. The set is minimal, consisting of a low 4' x 8' platform, some poles, two trunks, a bench, one or two black boxes, a chair, and a painted bed sheet for a curtain. Oh- and a moon. That's it. There isn't really a stage; most of the action takes place on the floor, on the same level as the audience. Charmingly simple.

Well, Greg had never seen the show, and I was hugely excited to see it again with him. I knew that our tickets were for really good seats, (A105-106) but I don't think I had mentioned it to Greg. He was very surprised when we sat down literally front row, center. "How did you get these seats?!" :-D We were right in the action- there were literally times that I uncrossed my legs to avoid kicking an actor!

The characters in "The Fantasticks" occasionally address the audience directly, and Greg and I were spoken to directly more than once. "El Gallo" even gestured at the two of us when we were holding hands during a monologue:

El Gallo: (describing the scene where two lovers will meet in secret)

You wonder how these things begin. Well, this begins with a glen. It begins with a season which, for want of a better word we may as well call- September. It begins in a forest where the woodchucks woo, and the leaves wax green, and vines intertwine like lovers; try to see it. Not with your eyes, for they are wise, but see it with your ears: the cool green breathing of the leaves. And hear it with the inside of your hand: the soundless sound of shadows flicking light. Celebrate sensation. Recall that secret place. You've been there, you remember: That special place where once- Just once- in your crowded sunlit lifetime, you hid away in shadow from the tyranny of time. That spot beside the clover where someone's hand held your hand and love was sweeter than the berries, or the honey, or the stinging taste of mint. It is September- before a rainfall- a perfect time to be in love.

I think the most special parts of the show, though, was that "Thomas Bruce" was playing "The Old Actor." If you read his bio in the Playbill, this is what you will see:

THOMAS BRUCE (Henry) originated the role of Henry in the original Sullivan Street Playhouse production of The Fantasticks. This is his first appearance on the New York stage since December 1960.

Naturally, this had the audience buzzing about how neat it was to see the actor who originated the role in this famous show. What most of them didn't know, though, was that "Thomas Bruce" is a stage name. His real name is Tom Jones, and he wrote the book and lyrics for the show. I, of course, being the theatre nerd that I am, knew this before we walked into the theatre, and was absolutely giddy with excitement. (No, seriously- actually giddy.) He was just, well, fantastic! He was hysterical, and it was truly special to see him recreating this role after over 45 years.

After the show, Greg very patiently waited with me at the stage door to meet Tom Jones. We were the only people left there when he came out. I thanked him sincerely for both the show and the performance, and told him that the show had been very special to me since I first saw it eight years ago. As he was signing my book of "The Fantasticks" (yes, I have a book with the history of the show and the full script), he said "you waited all this time just to see me?" "Yes!" I don't know whose smile was bigger. It was a really nice experience that he probably won't remember, but I always will.

We left the theatre at 10:30 and headed down to the East Village to meet up with the Branford crowd. After searching for the bar for a little over an hour, we finally found them in an old speakeasy- very cool. We spent about two hours there, drinking wine and mixed drinks out of teacups! There was a book case next to where we were standing that was being guarded by a large bouncer- we eventually learned that it was the door to a back room. There was even a rumor that Scarlett Johansson and Jake Gyllenhaal were there while we were.

So, after a very long Thursday, a very long Friday, and a very long Saturday (I mean really- Pre-Cana in Albany, then a show, then a bar in the Village! Yeesh!), we slept in on Sunday. Which is not to say that Sunday wasn't ridiculously productive, too!

Greg and I had breakfast in the city, then my Mom picked us up at the train after church. The three of us headed straight to Rye to taste wedding cake samples. We decided on white cake with a layer of lemon curd and a layer of chocolate ganache. Seriously yummy. So, we've picked a flavor- the design will be decided some time this winter.

After cake, we went back to the house to wait for John Tucker; a family friend in the jewelry biz. We selected a yellow gold millgrain ring for Greg's wedding band. :-D

After cake and ring were checked off the list, we headed down to the Yacht Club for a drink on the porch with my Mom. Dad and Allie eventually came in off the water, then it was home for Pork Chops. Mmm mmm good.

Greg left for Annapolis after dinner, and I headed into the city to pass out at my apartment. I really can't believe how much we did this weekend- Pre-Cana, "The Fantasticks", picked a wedding cake, and picked a wedding band for Greg. It was a really productive weekend!

I'll write more soon, as I had a special visit last night from one of my very best friends, but this post is already inordinately long, and I need to get back to work! Ta!

We're Next!

Greg and I left the Outer Banks Friday night and drove up to Annapolis for Andrew Countiss and RoseEllen Balestri’s wedding. It was just beautiful.

Andrew, Greg, and a few other guys went to Miami over spring break their junior year, which is when Andrew and RoseEllen met. They stayed in touch by phone, and Andrew invited her to Ring Dance as a second date, which is when I met her. Interestingly enough, out of the six couples in our Ring Dance party, two are now married. Greg and I will be the third.

Andrew and RoseEllen at Ring Dance

Ensign and Mrs. Countiss

Andrew and Amy at Ring Dance

Ensign and Mrs. Tingley

Greg and Lizzie at Ring Dance

Next April...!

After the wedding, we went out with a couple of guys from Greg's company at the Academy. We went to dinner at Fuddruckers, then to a house party for a bit. The party was fun enough, (despite the bridesmaids scowling at the Navy guys' girlfriends/fiances/wives for no appearant reason), but the real highlight of the evening was bowling! We left the party with four other couples and hit the lanes. As it turns out, we're all terrible at bowling, (Summer was the only one of us to break 100; I came close with 96 in the first game) but boy was it fun!

At the Bowling Alley

On Sunday, we got in the car (yet again) and drove to New York. Greg made us dinner (per our bowling wager!), then we went out with my new roommie Lindsey. We met Lindsey down the street at Brother Jimmy's. It took Greg about two minutes to spot the "Buck Hunter" game in the corner, which allowed Lindsey and me some time to chat about the men in our lives. (Oh, the drama!) After a couple of drinks, we headed back to the apartment, and Greg and I watched Kinsey, which was fun, then headed to bed.

After nine days together (the longest uninterrupted visit we've ever had), it could have been much more difficult leaving for work on Monday morning. We knew we'd see each other in a few days, but it's always nicer when we don't have to leave at all. Greg drove me to work (which was uber cute), then headed back up to Connecticut to see his family. He'll be back for a tour of New York Yacht Club (of which he is now a member!) on Thursday, then we'll have dinner with my parents in the city.

It's always a bit odd when we don't know when we're going to see each other again, and I guess I'll have to get used to that. After all, I won't know much at all about his deployment schedule when that whole drill starts. I know I'll see Greg sometime in September for Pre-Cana classes, then we'll have one last night in Annapolis together before he moves. We'd like to be able to visit while he's at Nuke School, but the only definates so far are Thanksgiving and Christmas. Well, we're guaranteed time together for years to come. I just need to keep reminding myself that our seperations are temporary and I'm fine.

In the mean time, I'm busy with work, plus looking into invitations, wedding cakes, bands, wedding rings, and (oye!) the guest list. That should keep me busy!

The State Of The Lizzie Address

My life is about to change. A lot.

I'm getting married and moving away. I'm leaving my job, my apartment, my family and my friends and marrying a man in the Navy. Yup, life is about to change.

So, I've decided to start a blog. I think keeping an online, public diary will help get me through these changes, stay in touch with friends, and share some of the experiences I'm bound to have with Greg as we adjust to married life and I adjust to my new life as a Navy wife!

The good news in all of this is that I have Greg. He makes me happier than I ever dreamed I could be. We're heading out together as partners on a big adventure- one that I never could have imagined 5 years ago. We are deeply in love and both know that we are lucky to have found each other.

With Greg at USNA Commissioning. May, 2006

Sometimes life can almost seem like a fairy tale: my white knight has appeared- he is handsome, brave, and as honorable a man as you'll ever meet. And dropping everything to follow your one true love is certainly a romantic notion. But it's sometimes a bit scary.

Greg is training to be an officer on a submarine. He'll be away on deployments for long periods at a time, and I won't hear from him daily or know where he is most of the time. This won't start for over a year, but it's something I'm preparing for.

But we're also preparing for adventures! After we marry, we'll live in Ballston Spa, NY for 6 months, Groton, CT for about 3 more, and then we'll be off to the west coast. Our current top choice is to be stationed in San Diego, CA. This, however, is a bit unrealistic. San Diego only has a few submarines, and therefore only a very few slots for officers. So maybe Pearl Harbor, HI. Or if not Pearl, then maybe near Seattle, WA. Who knows! This decision won't be made for a while- it depends on Greg's class rank coming out of Nuclear Power School in March.

In the mean time, though, we're planning a wedding and spending as much time together as we can. Greg is currently on Temporary Assigned Duty at the USNA Sailing Center. Translation: he gets to spend his summer coaching and sailing around the east coast. Tough duty, huh?! :-) He just finished his training block (read: cruise) this week, and now has most of August off. Hooray- lots of time together!

(Note- I may mock Greg's assignment this summer, but he actually has had a lot of responsibility, it hasn't been all fun and games. Or picnics and rum cocktails. Just mostly.)

So, it looks like August will be my favorite month this year. Next weekend we are going to Greg's family's summer house on Martha's Vineyard. The house belonged to Granny T-Bird, Greg's great-grandmother, who sounds like she was a really cool old lady. The house, named Mytoi, is basically a Japanese cottage, complete with rice paper windows. The view from the back of the house is stunning. The peaks of a rooftop and an osprey nest stand are the only man-made things to be seen. Other than that, there is only a beautiful marsh with a winding creek between the porch and a pond. It is serenity defined.

The view from the back porch at Mytoi

During the day, kayakers like to come up the stream that goes through the back yard. This can be interesting when you're in the shower- it has full length clear glass windows that face this view! Greg and his friends call it the "porn shower!"

Across the street is Granny T-Bird's garden; now a public park. I have loved Monet since I was 9 years old, and when Greg took me to the garden last summer and showed me the Japanese footbridge over the waterlilies, I just melted. I think it is the most beautiful garden I have ever seen. It reminds me of the mood set in the Glen on the Hamilton campus- nature allowed to flourish on its own with only a slight nudge in the right direction.

The Japanese footbridge over the pond in the Mytoi gardens

The Japanese footbridge in Claude Monet's garden in Giverny

A series of bridges in the Root Glen at Hamilton College

When we get back from Mytoi, we'll have a week apart before heading to the Outer Banks of North Carolina with Greg's friends from Branford (now my friends, too!) A week on the beach is something I've been looking forward to for a while! I'll add more about the N.C. trip later.

(Some of) The Branford Gang, as seen on New Year's Eve

So that's where my life is right now. I'm working hard, planning a wedding (and even though I didn't really mention it in this post, I'm guessing that wedding plans will be a frequent topic!), and I'm enjoying any time that I get to spend with Greg. All in all, my life is good these days. Actually, it's great.

So, in conclusion, the state of the Lizzie is happy. That is all.