Andrew & Jenna's big weekend

Andrew and Jenna got married this past weekend in Wilmington.  Two events marked the occasion.  The first hosted by Eric and Barb was on the banks of the Cape Fear - seen outside the window over Andrew's shoulder- as he and Jenna listen to toasts at the rehearsal / welcome to Wilmington dinner party.

The River Room, right slap dab in the middle of the River Walk section of historic downtown was well decorated.  It looked very very nice.  Friends from Graham helped with the set up.

The room was full, food and drink great,  and son-in-law Dave did a super job bar tending.

and lots of table hoping and moving around going on- Jenna's family is a large outgoing one.  that will - no joke- break into song.   and sing.    Fun to be around.

Here are Eric and Barb holding forth both proposing toasts and welcoming guests and being happy.

The actual wedding took place the next day in a historic old church now an event place.

As for photos of the actual ceremony with drawn swords, standing bridesmaids, groomsmen, brides, mothers-of brides, preachers, and such will have to be from actual wedding photographs.  I have none.  However from the reception, I do have a few.

Of which I do have one of the bride and groom with full regalia.  I did not get all the other Marines with swords and such.

The party went late, the dancing was fun and full bore, and proving that at least one of our family has got the moves, young Nathaniel, was awesome.  Wish the photos could capture the vigor and intensity.  This apple not only fell far from the tree, and in fact possibly was tossed in from the outside.

He was so good

Let's not have to have many days like this one.

Yesterday was an exciting day.  A "responsible adult" (Patt apparently qualified), took me to the City of Medicine mid morning where I got a new hat and tendon in my shoulder along with one more body part - a plastic screw - to hold the tendon to the arm bone connected to the shoulder bone 

It was out-patient and by mid afternoon, we were traveling US 70 East.  

It is a rather space age type sling in my limited exposure to slings.  The little white radio looking thingee is a electrical stimulus thingee that sends out little shocks to confuse the pain nerves.  I am glad too because I told them I was allergic to pain.  I also have some pretty strong prescription strength pills that interrupt pain.  And induce a nap.

Recovery will involve therapy and take a while.  Patt is going to have to be more than responsible.

And I am so thankful I have her with me.

I still have a few more photos from North Dakota I hope to post.  We have photogenic grandchildren.

a real weather difference

As previously mentioned we were supposed to leave North Dakota on Monday, well this is a photo of Monday  night, a genuine blizzard, interstate got closed, all the way from South Dakota to Canada from Fargo to Bismarck and so on, schools closed for two days, mind you.  

 Well,  this is Tuesday mooring,  sky was just a tad blue, drifts up to five feet and officially only 11 and a half inches at the airport, so no big deal, just a lot of wind and snow.  The snow was dry and the day was cold.  Surprised you on that one huh?

Check out the snow blower.  Never thought I would get to run one of these babies.  Fun too.  Seriously you make a path, you get to see what you've done and you make a little noise too.  Throw some snow too while you are at it.

I am not sure I would fool anyone as an expert operator, but I did not chew up the bushes or the neighbors fence, so I reckon I was not a bad operator.  Check out the drifts across the street in front of the car.

If you will notice what Matt is holding, you will see why I was reluctant to give up holding the snow blower.  Matt may have some Tom Sawyer in him, but I was not born yesterday either as I had seen  those shovels in the garage earlier in the week.

 the kids enjoyed watching out the window and please note Matt pushing the shovel.  The snow blower is self propelled.  See what I mean about not being born yesterday.

After a path was cleared there was space for the kids to come out a play, prior to that, as you can see, there would be very little moving around that John Paul could do in the snow.  He did try, got snow inside his gloves, was not to happy and went back inside.

 The kids did tunnels and snow forts into the snow banks.  I walked a bit in the snow with Julianna, but it was tough going.

In the afternoon, we went to the sledding hill, it was beginning to be "broken in" with the fluffy snow getting packed down, but was still a little soft.  Here the three kids are going up the hill,  The sky was THAT BLUE.  Really beautiful.

Laura and Lydia on their way down.

And this is what it looks like from the air.   

We were sent off in style from GFK airport.  We had such a great time.  Sure did miss those kids (and Matt and Laura today)

This was the hardest thing to get used to today.  Driving around town today doing various errands, grocery, post office, REI and so on and in summer like weather.   Wearing a T-shirt, hearing lawn mowers, seeing flowering trees, having the top down on the convertible and seeing the temperature gauge read in the 80s knowing what it was like just a couple of hours away by air where I was yesterday was hard for me to process.

I hope to get around to posting a few more photos of the trip in the next day or two.  We did have some great times.

weather update— it is a real live winter storm —

Matt and Laura's friends are talking like this blizzard is one of the blizzards worth talking about, comparing this one to the one back in '0 whatever or 90 something or other.  It is exciting.  Late this afternoon, Matt and Laura went out for a walk.

Here is Laura crossing the drive way.  I was standing on the porch taking the picture.  Matt was making a trip back to the trash can in the back with a load of diapers.  Good thing too.

 Later Laura and I went for a walk, here is a neighbor getting ready to head out.  And a few hardy folks are indeed moving about.

Looking across the street.  That car is getting close to being covered now.  The airport earlier this afternoon reported zero visibility.  I am guessing at times during my walk I could see no more than 100 yards at the very most.  

Here Laura and I are suited up for our excursion — actually it was just around the the block.  My earlier walk was into the nearby park.  We did on one of the legs of she walk head directly into the wind.  Hoo- boy— would not want to do that very far.

As much as Mom talked about blizzards and what life was like on the prairie and teaching school in one room school houses in rural North Dakota, I was glad to finally get to experience a bit of what she was talking about when she talked about North Dakota winter storms.

After I came in and was taking off the winter gear, Patt noticed the wind burn.    You can see where the cap was pulled down low over my eyes and and scarf was pulled up high over my mouth.  I did not wear my glassesf as they fogged up very fast — I jus squinted.  Yes I am having fun.

Tomorrow before our flight heads south we plan on getting in a little play time.  Probably not a lot as the "feels like" temp is in the blow zeros.  Our flight leaves Grand Forks at five pm.   So it is the red eye to Minneapolis.  (a 45 minute flight).    Then on to RDU rather late for my taste, but that is what we got.

Blizzard warning in effect

According to the WVLY web site, that's ValleyNewsAlive, (I suppose they could say "at five"; the current temperature is 13 degrees with a feels like -8 here in Grand Forks with a genuine Blizzard.  I - 29 is closed from here north to the Canadian border so if you were planning on a trip to Winnipeg, Manitoba this afternoon, best reconsider.  Also if you were planning on flying to Raleigh, NC this afternoon, best rebook. We have.

And I am already having fun. Went out for a brief walk after lunch just to try out my blizzard legs.  Walking into the wind is a bit rough. With the wind is deceptively easy and a bit of a temptation that I suggest be resisted. Come home with the wind. Your eyebrows will hurt less I imagine.

In the park near the kids house the wind was a little less strong and the snow was piling up.

the view out the front window — it is a little gray and white — and getting more white.

looking down a street.  You can lose site of a car or a person walking in just a short distance.

Looking forward to some play time after the wind dies down. Also Matt has promised I get to run the snow blower too.  I think he has some Tom Sawyer in him, but I don't care.  When I get tired, I will just give it back to him.  He did say it was a bit of a bear to operate. 

Time has flown

Time has flown, and much has been done these past few days here in Dakota del Norte.  Matt took us on a tour of UND and it is obvious winter is in its waning days and the snow piles are less than attractive.  The sun was shining, the wind was brisk and most students were taking advantage of the underground tunnels between buildings.  

We braved the wind.  Looking for a door to get into the tunnels.  Matt was ultimately successful.

Fortunately we were dressed for success

and for style, and the wind.

We also had a delightful meal and evening at Matt's parent's home.  Jan and Luther entertain most graciously and we were very well fed and entertained.

Part of the evenings entertainment consisted of a rousing card game across three generations of spoons.  Spoons is fast moving and a lot of fun.  We had a wonderful evening and even stayed late and watched some playoff hockey as well as basketball.  Well the adults did.  Matt and Laura took the kids home and did the baby sitting routine.  The adults got to stay out late.  UND won their game and ultimately made the hockey Frozen Four, none of my teams made the basketball Final Four.

On another day we went to the nearby Turtle River State Park for a hike along the Turtle River valley.  The river was still partially frozen over and there was still a lot of snow.

The kids were good hikers and Matt laid out a pretty good hike through the woods along the river for us.

and for some of the hike I had a passenger too.  A sweet passenger but a passenger.

We hiked enough to get us to begin to shed some of the warm weather gear we had on.

We have had a great time and head home tomorrow pending the weather.  A blizzard is forecast.  We will see.  Kinda am hoping for a serious one.  But I think I am in a minority on that wish up here based on what I heard at church this morning.  So I sorta kept my opinion to myself.

Well it ain't Kansas

But my goodness it is cold, and somewhat dreary looking — no spring flowers, budding trees yet.  But my goodness it does have cute grandkids.  Wrapped up as here.  Luke keeps his hands in the pockets of his jumpsuit, he doesn't like gloves.  Patt and I are visiting Grand Forks where winter is reportedly (according to the natives) on its way out, and the snow is obviously melting, hence the grave rather dismal looking piles of gray stuff all about town.. --

 There are still plenty of fields with the crunchy white stuff left in a nearby park that we enjoyed on a brisk, make that very brisk, walk this morning.

I think the snow is evaporating with the wind rather than melting from the heat of the day.  John Paul will agree with me.

Here Patt is helping him navigate around some "black ice" that does in a Raleigh driver so quickly on Glenwood Avenue.

The boys were enraptured watching a video of their cousin Raleigh that Jen sent Grandmamamamama.  Both Luke and John Paul use multiple mammamamamas on the end of Grand for Patt's name.  (and yes she likes it).   For a while they also called me Grandmamamamama too and that was OK, but we are now getting to a more traditional Grandaddy.  Occasionally it gets multiple syllables at the end, but not like the maternal grandparent.

Reading time — yes I can label a photo

and playing with the train set

and most of us are playing with the train set

Julianna rocked Luke for a while to help with the chaos, as did Grandmamamama

this is while we were in charge of the house and the parental units were out on a date— we were baby sitting, fed 'em dinner, played, read, and put 'em to bed, and it is time to watch some basketball on the  tee vee.