Anyway, Bug and Jan and Andy and I all sat at the table with our beverages and notepads. Bug has done almost everything that can be imagined to get ready for this event on Saturday. Andy wrote out a loose schedule for the program and I wrote one thing on my note pad. It said, "Food."
We had decided to have some finger foods. Real finger foods. No spoons or forks needed. No dips, no sauces. Jan's going to do the sweet things, I'm going to do the savory.
Because Kathleen was a good southern woman in every sense of the word, I think I will make little ham sandwiches. Ham is what you eat in the south when someone dies. It is the way of it.
A person dies, a pig must die. It is a tradition based in Paganism, I would imagine. And Kathleen would approve of that too although she did not eat red meat.
I might also make egg salad sandwiches because Kathleen and eggs? Yes. They go together. And that would be most fitting.
For the rest of it, I'll probably get some Costco stuff. It'll be fine. We kept telling each other that it is best to just let all of this flow. I think that is true.
After our little meeting broke up I went with Bug out to their old house and got Kathleen's soap-making supplies. Essential oils and the soap molds and the plastic she used to line them. Lye and coconut oil, a little scale to weigh out ingredients. I hope to god that I will actually make soap with these things. Please remind me if I ever seem bored or at loose ends.
Promise?
So after I loaded up the car I thought, "Hell. I'm going to that wedding." When I saw my friend Judy yesterday, the Judy who works at Publix with Lily whom I always stop and gossip with, she said, "You should come!" And I said, "Well, maybe..."
But shitfire! There I was, right in Monticello so I went to the CVS and bought a card and then to a restaurant run by a woman I know and admire and bought myself lunch and a gift certificate to put in the card as a gift and then I drove to the office where Judy's bride works which they turned into a little wedding hall for the event. It was just charming as hell. There was a cake and there was champagne. There must have been about ten ladies there and the woman who did the service was so darling I wanted to ask her if she'd be my new best friend. She said the words which Judy had written and it was remarkably short and then the brides kissed and we all whooped and hollered and the officiant said, "Let's do it again!" and so she did and we whooped and hollered all over again.
It was fabulous!
Here are the newlyweds. And yes, I asked them if I could use the picture.
Dang. I'm getting teary just thinking about it.
It was just...beautiful. After twenty-eight years of life together, Diana can now get on Judy's health insurance at Publix.
Of course their gay marriage is probably going to destroy my straight marriage because, well, I don't know. The conservatives keep saying it will.
I'll let you know how that goes.
When I got home there were railroad vehicles lined up on the tracks from East to West as far as I could see and I have no idea what those vehicles were for. They were working equipment of some kind. It was terrible bad noisy. They've all gone away for now but the tracks are torn up and they've got the road blocked at the crossing.
I unloaded and put up all the soap-making things and did the stuff I always do around here and now Mr. Moon is home. He reports that Owen helped him in his painting today. He went around and removed all the switch plates off the wall. I know he loved that. At one point he said, "Boppy, I think I'm going to go make us a snack." And then he came back with apples and carrots and crackers. How can he be growing up so fast?
So that's been my day and I feel good about it. A small day in my small world but some of it felt really large and important.
Where there is love, there is always importance.
Well, that's what I think.
Love...Ms. Moon
Dear Mrs. Moon, Remember to make soap.
ReplyDeleteAlso be very good to yourself.
Thank you for reminding me that where there is love, there is importance.
P.S. I'm really good at opening champagne too. Just in case you ever need me.
xo Denise
I so love that you went to the wedding and that the ceremony was done TWICE! That is just awesome. Congratulations to these two lovely women. I am whooping and hollering in my mind :)
ReplyDeleteYour food ideas are indeed appropriate, aren't they? Yes, let it flow. And you are so right, love is always important. It is everything.
What a lovely day - & lucky you to get to go to that wedding! I have friends out in Colorado who are finally getting legally married. I was there 15 years ago for their commitment service at our (Episcopal) church - that was all we could do for them then. I miss them, but I'm glad that they moved away from Ohio because we'll probably be the LAST state in the union to let gay folks marry each other. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteAnd that segues to ham biscuits because that's what my mother-in-law & her friends made for our rehearsal dinner 24 years ago - country ham & big 'ole biscuits. This was in NC. It was fabulous.
This post, that marriage, your words warmed my heart and brightened my day. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteWe have had gay marriage here since 2003 and nothing terrible has happened. In fact, everything is as it should be.
ReplyDeleteBirdie (from my iPod)
PS - norbert is sitting on my bed with me. He hasn't done that in about a year. He is probably going to kill my while I sleep.
It does sound like an important, lovely day in so many respects - from planning Kathleen's memorial to attending the wedding. The couple looks so happy. I love their flowers. I am glad you went. It's like you let yourself experience the different parts of the love continuum today. All blessings. And I just thought that as silly as it sounds that with egg salad, Kathleen's chickens may be participating in her ceremony in a way:). Sweet Jo
ReplyDeleteIt's like the universe is shining down on you!
ReplyDeleteI love that those ladies are finally able to have some safety and security in their lives. They've obviously always had the love! Xoxoxoxo to them and to all who commit to love.
Congrats to the brides (is that how you say it??!!)
ReplyDeletemy sister makes soap. I haven't bought soap at a store in many many years. there's also a woman who makes goat milk soap and I buy some from her when she's at the market.
ReplyDeleteHa, I just left a comment about thinking of Kathleen and her soap making. I do hope that you make it also. Seems very cool.
ReplyDelete