TheBanyanTree: A Wedding Story

[Pam North]

We got married and we bought a new toaster.  After *all* the admonitions
that Jim and I had done this before and didn't want gifts, we got plenty of
them, including gift cards to Bed Bath and Beyond, and we bought a new
toaster!  :)     I kept saying, 'it's not like we need a toaster', which is
what all newlyweds need!  But we really needed a new one afterall.  I think
this last one I'd bought real cheap, and I got what I paid for.  This new
one has a digital number on it (!!!) (for choosing the level of toastiness)
and it's a Cuisinart… niiice!

Oh!!!!!  Theta sent the beautiful shoe paintings weeks ago, and shortly
thereafter I received a box in the mail from Julie with bubbles, table
cloths, and something wrapped *really* neato-'y with brown paper and purple
flowers and ribbon.  I set these packages carefully on the very back counter
space to 'save' them… <sigh>  I forgot to show off the shoes to the guests
on this list who came, and I forgot all about the package from
Julie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   (If you could have seen my counters, you'd understand
that they were totally hidden from view!!!!!!!!)  Anyway, Julie sent the
neatest cake pan…. It's a rectangular cake pan with a lid.  BUT!!!!!!!!!
The lid is PURPLE and engraved with a flower, and "From the Kitchen of Pam
and Jim Lawley"!!!!!!!!!  HOW COOL IS THAT?!?!??!

Then there was the day after the wedding.  Jim's daughter had to be in
Raleigh for a 10-something flight, and it's about 2 1/2 hours from here.  It
was going to mean a *really* early wake-up call so we decided not to even
bother with a hotel for the evening - we'd just stay at the house and figure
something else out later.  (Please keep in mind that my mom and Bob were
sleeping in our bed and we were sleeping on the couch and chaise in the
living room!!)  When the last of the guests left Saturday night it was
almost midnight, and I told Jim how much I was dreading getting up to go to
the airport.  He suggested I stay home then.  I countered with how I
couldn't because that would just be wrong and I'd feel guilty if I sent him
off alone and he'd be tired too…  Then he counter-countered with what a mess
the house was and that I could stay home and clean stuff up…  :D  DEAL!

So he and Sally went off to the airport, and I started going through bags
and boxes and trying to figure out a home for everything brought back from
the reception.  The night before my friend Carla and daughter Molly had been
trying to reach me because another friend Maria had left her travel bag and
clothes at the house.  And Maria had traveled up from Raleigh alone to hang
with Carla (at Carla's daughter Amy's) after the festivities.  Anyway, the
plan was for me to leave the bag outside the door for Molly to fetch for
Maria.  Or somebody was getting it.  The problem was, the bag didn't look
like what I thought Carla had told me was the one left behind.  Anyway,
Sunday morning I found another bag of clothes on the kitchen table and then
I was REALLY confused!  Whose clothes were these, and what had I sent off to
Maria??!?!??!

So I called Maria's cell.  Turns out there was a LOT of drama for her and
Carla (and a pretty funny story once a person could stop crying from the
heartbreak!) the night before going to Amy's, and they ended up getting
thrown out and drove around for a couple of hours bringing friends of Amy's
home and then back into Havelock to find a hotel after they picked up
Maria's bag…. And as I was talking to Maria on her cell, the hotel was
calling the room to tell them they were late to check out and needed to hit
the road.  Carla had to wait around for her other daughter… oh, it was a
mess for poor Carla and I finally just told them to come on over!!

And it was a great day!!  Carla and Maria and I spent about six whole hours
sitting around the living room talking and laughing and crying and sharing
like only a trio of old and dear friends can, eating reception leftovers,
solving all the world's problems and making suggestions for each other's!!
:)   When Jim got home he wasn't even surprised, and went to take a nap…
He'd said that he'd go, I'd stay, and we'd play it by ear, and this was his
'by ear'….  Evidently we weren't supposed to be going anywhere, I was
supposed to be home to be there for Maria and Carla.  And I was.  I think
they were a bit surprised that he wasn't upset, but he was just totally okay
with how it all worked out!

And then Monday morning Jim went golfing, and then we left for the beach and
our 24-hour Honeymoon!  :D