What a Party!

Well, the BIG party was a great success. Nearly 80 folks showed up, the salmon was barbecued to perfection using my friend Rick's awesome recipe and our jazz combo played into the night as the full moon rose over Bellingham Bay and the Cascade Mountains.

The garden, after working so hard on it all summer, was at its peak and we received so many comments about how lovely it was. We scattered chairs and tables around the lawn and folks sat in the gazebo, the upper garden, the secret garden and all around the lawn. Tiki torches near the entrances lit the way into each garden sanctuary.

The only downside to the evening, which turned out not to be for us, was that everyone was gone by 9:30. What's up with people? Anyway, it was a boon for the four of us as we had the jazz combo all to ourselves for a private set on the back deck. Julian McDonough, Mike Allen and Mark, a young bassist (I didn't catch his last name) all played incredibly. We have been long time fans of Julian and Mike and go hear them wherever they play when we have the chance. It was a special priviledge to have them play just for us.

Kate and Nick loved the evening, which was the point, and we had another few days together with them before, first Nick, and then Kate had to say goodbye and fly off back to England.

It was so wonderful having them safely under our roof and to be able to talk and visit, share meals, play cribbage and Tarot, and see more of them together. It has become so apparent to us that these two special people were absolutely made for one another. It makes it all the more incredible that, growing up and living on opposite sides of the planet, they were able to find each other in the first place.

We next see them in October when we fly off to England to see them married. It is a simple ceremony, not the more lavish affair set for January, but more to satisfy the legal requirements of the British government so that Kate is legal in the UK.

We will fly in for just a week to stand up with them along with a few of their closest family and friends. Then we plan to spend a few days in Edinburgh, Scotland before flying back home.