This weekend was one of the best weekends of my life. There were friends and family and gifts and special moments. It started with Friday night and Megan feeling glum because she had her teeth pulled earlier that day. She finally got to a point where she was up for moving around and I carted her off to the mansion with the boxers (John and I were dog sitting. . .yes that make three sets of dogs in less than a month!). Her boyfriend had given me $20 to stop and get dessert so she and I went and had the pick of the litter at Baron York Cafe in Clarkesville, which is a tea room next door to my apartment that stays open late Friday and Saturday nights. We bought chocolate and pie and cake and hugs and kisses--we bought it all. Then out to the mansion we went for midnight swimming, or so we thought. The dessert was a big hit with the men who were talking about who knows when we got there, they were just laughing up a storm. We didn't end up swimming rather just watching a movie: Changing Lanes. It was okay, pretty predictable.

Saturday morning was an early to rise and Rachel was off to work. There was a wedding to attend to and flowers to be made! The other three went to Athens to visit family and friends. (work or Athens, hmmm.....guess who had more fun? honestly, I think I did.) The wedding was one of the more beautiful I have worked on with Gertie Mae's and Manna. It was at Glenn Ella Springs. Strangly enough it was for one of Dad's friend's daughters. She was beautiful, the bride. She was so amazing. Anyway, it went well and with not a lot of time to spare. From there it was hurry up and wait. I thought the folks would be in Helen at the same time I was leaving the wedding. Thanks to Atlanta, I was able to be about on the same time cycle as they were. They met me about six for hellos and glad your heres. Then there was dinner with I kid you not, forty or fifty people. The food wasn't as good as it normally is over at the mexican place, but it was quite an event. The waiters were sweating by the time we left.

After being at the church Mom, Dad and Carter went on to Atlanta and Rachel, Megan and Sebass (Meg's beau) and Jody (friend) all headed to the mansion for midnight swimming. This time it was for real. It was initially lightening when we got out there, but shortly thereafter we were in the pool. There were flips, swan dives, wrestlings, smiles, laughter, applause. There was food and fun and friendship. I had bought a blueberry cobbler that was the best thing ever, from Market earlier that morning. Nothing like cobbler and vanilla icecream to top off such an evening! The dogs thought we were nuts, but I think they may have been right. We didn't stop until crashing time at about two in the morning, which made Sunday rough. I don't think a creature stirred until about ten o'clock. Then it was as though someone relit the happiness torch.

Sunday was breakfast with John's youngest son who drove himself to breakfast (WOW! First time!). We had a great brunch. I had lunch, they had two plates each of breakfast. Big boys.

Then it was back to the mansion for carwashing and more friends and swimming. I washed all the cat prints away from my car and started in on the insides only to realize we had company. A friend who had been in Florida (because he has two homes) was up and so we all went swimming. Then there was the wise crack about not being able to cook, which sent Rachel to the grocery store with an I'll show you attitude. I came back with steaks and pasta and bread and salad and all kinds of things. I made an attempt at Mom's famous onion pie, and her pasta salad with a baby romaine salad with oil and vinegar dressing. There was garlic bread and STEAK....yeah, I didn't cook the steaks, but I did everything else. So it was a great dinner. There was a trip to the church and then back to the mansion for cobbler and icecream. OOOoohh weeee. Man it was a great weekend.