Saturday morning, daughter and I woke up at 9:30 a.m. (I had gone to sleep at 4:15 a.m.). We had our morning coffee and then, cousin P called and came over for a few minutes. Shortly after that, daughter and I ran a few errands. We went to the Mall, first, because, even with all the other preparations for my cousin's son's wedding, I had put off getting a wedding gift! In the back of my mind, I had the thought of giving them a check, but at the last minute, I decided to check the wedding gift registry. There were several items still left on the registry, but I couldn't decide among them and so, I chose to get a gift card from the store. That way, the young couple can choose which gift they really wanted.
After that, we indulged in a bit of pampering! Daughter had her eyebrows threaded ($7) and we both had manicures ($15 each, with the tip). It was daughter's first professional manicure:
 |
| Blue to match her sari |
I don't normally paint my nails and, to my frugal way of thinking, getting my nails done professionally is a waste of money. I believe my last professional manicure was done back when I was going through my divorce; it was a very stressful period and I indulged in a bit of pampering with a facial and a manicure, one day. That was 24 years ago!
 |
| I chose red |
But, on Saturday, I excused the expense as a "retirement celebration"! However, getting my nails done took longer than getting daughter's nails done and it delayed us. So, we left the mall a bit later than I had intended and I still had a few things to do!
After the manicures, we put gas to the car, went to the dollar store to buy a card (I had originally planned to make a card, but I didn't make one), and got some hamburgers and fries for lunch.
Earlier in the week, my cousin had mentioned she and her daughter were considering booking a hotel room for the night so that they wouldn't need to drive home after the wedding, after having drinks and so forth. She asked if I'd like to go with them and we can share the room (and the cost). I could have driven us back, since I don't drink, but I knew I'd be tired and I am becoming aware that night driving is a bit of a strain on my eyes (I am developing cataracts in both eyes). So, I had agreed to go with them and share the room.
My cousin had said we'd leave around 2:00 p.m., check into the hotel, get dressed there, and then, go to the wedding venue (wedding was scheduled to start at 5:00 p.m.) I had wondered if 2:00 p.m. was early enough, as the drive to the hotel would take about 1 1/2 hours, which meant we'd get to the hotel around 3:30 p.m. and we'd have to leave at 4:30 p.m. to get to the wedding. But, one hour to get dressed, including draping my daughter's sari for her, was sufficient time for me, so I figured it would be fine.
Daughter and I were still in the drive-through line at the hamburger place, when cousin's daughter called asking if we were ready to leave! It was around 1:30 p.m. and I was nowhere ready!
We rushed home with our hamburgers, and daughter quickly made her list of items to pack while I was driving home, but I was totally unprepared! Then, my cousin called to ask if I had a pair of earrings her daughter could borrow, so that one one additional item to look for and pack! Daughter and I had less than 15 minutes to pack our overnight bags and the one thing I hate happening, keeping someone waiting, happened! It was my turn to keep my cousin and her daughter waiting! I did tell cousin that they could go ahead and I'll drive there in my car and meet them at the hotel, but cousin said they'll wait for us. In hindsight, I should have done a lot of things the night before or earlier in the morning, but, as they say, hindsight is 20/20.
The drive took us 1 1/2 hours and we were at the hotel around 3:45 p.m. I took a quick shower while the others did their faces and got into their underskirts and sari blouses. Then, I began to put on my sari blouse and that's when I realized that I had forgotten to pack the bra that I was going to wear with the blouse! All I had was the old, stretched out comfy bra I had been wearing, and not the one I wore when I fitted on my blouse! As a result, the darts weren't in the right place and the blouse appeared too big! Oops!
My cousin and her daughter had got their saris pre-draped and sewn up, so that it resembled a wrap-around skirt and they only had to wrap the piece that goes over the shoulder. My cousin had told me she might need my help with the piece that goes over the shoulder, but, actually, she needed a lot more help with her sari than just that! This cousin doesn't wear saris and says this is only the 2nd time she's worn one. Even with the sari sewn up to resemble a skirt, she couldn't fasten the skirt by herself; I fastened the skirt for her and draped the rest of the sari for her. Then, her daughter needed help, as the sari blouse she had got sewn for her had a zipper closure in the front and the zipper broke! There was no way to fix the zipper. Fortunately, even in my rush to get packed and forgetting my bra, I had remembered to grab the box of safety pins, just in case! I managed to pin the blouse closed and draped the rest of the sari on cousin's daughter. After that, I dressed my daughter, and, finally, myself! By which time, I was already tired! Especially after rushing around earlier!
Needless to say, the 45 minutes we had allocated for dressing ourselves just wasn't enough! I could have dressed my daughter and myself in that time. But I couldn't dress ourselves and dress two others and repair a sari blouse in that period of time! I think it was already 5:00 p.m., when we finally left to go to the wedding! We joked about Sri Lankan time and hoped that the wedding would start at 5:30 p.m., even though the invitation said 5:00 p.m.
As it was, we got there just in time to follow the bride as she walked up the aisle! Well, at least we were in time for the ceremony to start! LOL.
 |
| Daughter and I |
After the ceremony, we gathered in the lobby of the reception hall and feasted on appetizers until the reception hall doors were opened at 7:00 p.m. and we could all go in. The bridal couple were led into the hall by two traditional drummers and a troupe of traditional dancers and then, they and their parents lit the oil lamp I had lent them. I asked my daughter to take pictures, but they all show faces of people and I don't think it would be appropriate for me to post them. There were a few speeches and a buffet dinner with dancing, afterwards. We were served slices of the wedding cake that the bridal couple cut and there were the traditional marzipan topped rich fruit cake in boxes placed at each place setting at the tables where we all sat. The reception went on till midnight and we stayed behind to help with the clean up. It was about 1:00 a.m. when we left the reception.
We were all tired when we got to the hotel. The hotel room had a king sized bed and a sofa bed which was a single bed. Cousin, my daughter, and I shared the big bed; cousin's daughter slept on the sofa bed. But first, we all climbed into the big bed in our night clothes and daughter took a selfie of us and I sang, "There were four in the bed and the little one said, roll over, roll over" and we all laughed! We were being silly, of course, but it was a fun ending to a day that was a bit fraught at times!
On Saturday, I was grateful for:
- Making it to the wedding just in time!
- Safe drive to the wedding
- Pampering and manicures
- My box of safety pins!
- A family bonding experience.
Sunday morning, we got up around 9:00 a.m. Cousin, her daughter, and my daughter went to the coffee shop in the lobby of the hotel to buy their morning coffee; I brewed the coffee that was in the hotel room. We checked out of the room at 11:30 a.m., and drove back home. Cousin's daughter suggested stopping for breakfast or lunch on the way home, but I declined. I was anxious to come home and check on Dancer.
But, everyone was saying that we should do this again - go somewhere together and stay the night in a hotel, and just spend some family bonding time together. My daughter and cousin's daughter played together when they were younger (there's a 3 year age difference), but they have very different personalities and don't have much in common, anymore. Daughter said they spent more time talking to each other yesterday, than they have in a long time. Maybe a few more trips together might be a good thing.
After we got home, I made some egg salad and daughter and I had egg salad sandwiches for lunch. I also did a load of laundry and hung it up to dry. Then, I returned my neighbor T's Sunday morning phone call - she told me that tree trimmers will come over tomorrow morning, at 7:00 a.m., to trim the bottle brush tree in her front yard which leans over my driveway and is near my daughter's and my bedroom windows! T's daughter had called and left a message on Friday, informing me and apologizing in advance for any inconvenience. She said I could part in T's drive way on Sunday night, should I need to drive anywhere on Monday, before the tree trimmers leave, but I told T that I don't need to go anywhere that early on Monday morning. But, of course, it would mean that I won't be able to sleep in, on my first day of vacation! Oh, well, I can ask them for an estimate to trim my eucalyptus tree! That was one of the items on my to do list!
My cousin in Florida had also called and left a message; I need to call him back.
In the afternoon, I took a nap and slept for about 2 hours. Then, I made tea for us and we relaxed. Later, daughter and I picked up some Thai food to have for dinner.
My sister called and we chatted for a bit. I told her that I was on vacation prior to retirement and we agreed to get together for lunch one of these days. There will be lot more time for getting together to lunch, etc., now.
Today, I am grateful for:
- A safe drive back home
- Dancer was fine
- Afternoon naps
- Phone calls from family and friends
- More family bonding time!
Plans for tomorrow include getting an estimate from the tree trimmers, getting Italian food for lunch, more laundry, doing the dishes, and taking the trash cans to the curb.
How was your weekend? Have you ever thought you had plenty of time and then, found yourself rushing around because you were seriously pressed for time?
