So the pictures and videos aren't quite ready yet. I've just been too busy the last couple evenings. We're trying to make plans for the Notre Dame game that we recently recieved a pair of tickets to (by way of certain aunt - technically a first cousin once-removed in-law I think). And then we're trying to work out some plans for this weekend as well since it's Emily's birthday and our 3 year anniversary. I think things are starting to come together though, and it's going to be Labor Day before I know it.
As for last week and the wedding, I had a blast. My extended family is so much fun and I'm really glad we all get along as well as we do. Most of the week was pretty laid-back and everyone just sort of did whatever they wanted. I read a lot and played some FFIV:Advance and worked on my Chaos Rankings software (check out the site if you haven't yet).
Edisto is a nice beach area that's mostly just houses. Not tons of commercialization or shops or anything. We got to shop at a Piggly Wiggly which is always very exciting and the ice cream parlor shares space with the video rental place. Nothing was overly busy or crowded, so it was nice to just kick back and relax for a week. One night we went out to dinner at a quasi-fancy place which used to be a post office (and I suspect a church prior to that - speaking of which, there are something like 15 or 20 churches on this little island) where we got soooo much food. I had fried catfish and cheese grits and then peach cobbler for dessert. A little pricey entrees, but for the amount of food you get, well worth it. We also hit up the Serpentarium which is home to so many snakes its ridiculous. Also a few other things like alligators, caimans, iguanas, bearded dragons, gila monsters, and so forth. Kinda creepy to see so many snakes in one place, especially in the outdoor areas where there was nothing really protecting you from the venomous snakes, but it was fun nonetheless. Our house had an ocean view and the balconies had a constant breeze that made it nice to sit outside almost any time of day. Bob's house was on the beach and sort of on a corner of the island such that they had amazing views of the sunset each night.
Unfortunately, the week at the beach was over before I knew it, but then it was off to Greenville! We stayed downtown at the Westin again (that place is so nice and really not that expensive for what you're getting). The rehearsal dinner was fun to see the rest of the family and I have some hilarious video of my favorite cousin and her father dancing. Somehow we all got roped into singing Michigan's fight song in tribute to Uncle Bill, which made me feel kinda dirty, so I commisserated with my GT companions Emily and cousin Darren. We contemplated busting out the Ramblin Wreck, but decided in a room full of Clemson and USC grads, we'd probably just get beaten up. The actual wedding was nice, though I think far and away the fastest one I've ever been to. I'm told it clocked in under 13 minutes. A lot happened; it just happened very quickly. The reception hall was nice but it was almost too spread out so people I think felt somewhat segregated. But overall it was a really nice wedding and I think we're all very happy for Brian to have managed to trick someone into marrying him.
We had an eventful drive home that included Jersey Mike's and Sonic (Emily was downright giddy even before she got the sugar from her 44oz cherry limeade into her system) and a phone call that Pop-pop was in the hospital. He had been doing so well all week at the beach and the wedding. But his transfusion on Thursday seems to have caused a clot which resulted in a heart attack. Luckily he hadn't boarded his plane yet and with 30 minutes of the onset of symptoms, he was in the ER. He's stable now at least, but we all had quite a scare. He was in good spirits last week being surrounded by family, so it was almost hard to tell that he was fighting Leukemia and heart failure simultaneously. It's hard to watch someone you always looked up to and who was always so strong reduced so quickly by disease. But his mind is still sharp as a tack and I think being around family was exactly what he needed.
Sorry to end on a bit of a sad note, but that's how the trip ended, and life isn't always all roses. But like I said, he's stable, and seems to be doing better now. So the good news is that he'll likely be able to attend Libby's wedding next weekend. Unfortunatley, I won't be able to make it to that one. I'd like to, I really would, it's just that when a pair of Notre Dame at GT tickets came into my possession, I couldn't pass them up after trying for so long to find some. So this weekend is going to be a big celebration and then next weekend is going to be awesome with ESPN Gameday on campus and the Yellow Jackets crushing the Irish. It's like a month long super fun fest for me!
As for last week and the wedding, I had a blast. My extended family is so much fun and I'm really glad we all get along as well as we do. Most of the week was pretty laid-back and everyone just sort of did whatever they wanted. I read a lot and played some FFIV:Advance and worked on my Chaos Rankings software (check out the site if you haven't yet).
Edisto is a nice beach area that's mostly just houses. Not tons of commercialization or shops or anything. We got to shop at a Piggly Wiggly which is always very exciting and the ice cream parlor shares space with the video rental place. Nothing was overly busy or crowded, so it was nice to just kick back and relax for a week. One night we went out to dinner at a quasi-fancy place which used to be a post office (and I suspect a church prior to that - speaking of which, there are something like 15 or 20 churches on this little island) where we got soooo much food. I had fried catfish and cheese grits and then peach cobbler for dessert. A little pricey entrees, but for the amount of food you get, well worth it. We also hit up the Serpentarium which is home to so many snakes its ridiculous. Also a few other things like alligators, caimans, iguanas, bearded dragons, gila monsters, and so forth. Kinda creepy to see so many snakes in one place, especially in the outdoor areas where there was nothing really protecting you from the venomous snakes, but it was fun nonetheless. Our house had an ocean view and the balconies had a constant breeze that made it nice to sit outside almost any time of day. Bob's house was on the beach and sort of on a corner of the island such that they had amazing views of the sunset each night.
Unfortunately, the week at the beach was over before I knew it, but then it was off to Greenville! We stayed downtown at the Westin again (that place is so nice and really not that expensive for what you're getting). The rehearsal dinner was fun to see the rest of the family and I have some hilarious video of my favorite cousin and her father dancing. Somehow we all got roped into singing Michigan's fight song in tribute to Uncle Bill, which made me feel kinda dirty, so I commisserated with my GT companions Emily and cousin Darren. We contemplated busting out the Ramblin Wreck, but decided in a room full of Clemson and USC grads, we'd probably just get beaten up. The actual wedding was nice, though I think far and away the fastest one I've ever been to. I'm told it clocked in under 13 minutes. A lot happened; it just happened very quickly. The reception hall was nice but it was almost too spread out so people I think felt somewhat segregated. But overall it was a really nice wedding and I think we're all very happy for Brian to have managed to trick someone into marrying him.
We had an eventful drive home that included Jersey Mike's and Sonic (Emily was downright giddy even before she got the sugar from her 44oz cherry limeade into her system) and a phone call that Pop-pop was in the hospital. He had been doing so well all week at the beach and the wedding. But his transfusion on Thursday seems to have caused a clot which resulted in a heart attack. Luckily he hadn't boarded his plane yet and with 30 minutes of the onset of symptoms, he was in the ER. He's stable now at least, but we all had quite a scare. He was in good spirits last week being surrounded by family, so it was almost hard to tell that he was fighting Leukemia and heart failure simultaneously. It's hard to watch someone you always looked up to and who was always so strong reduced so quickly by disease. But his mind is still sharp as a tack and I think being around family was exactly what he needed.
Sorry to end on a bit of a sad note, but that's how the trip ended, and life isn't always all roses. But like I said, he's stable, and seems to be doing better now. So the good news is that he'll likely be able to attend Libby's wedding next weekend. Unfortunatley, I won't be able to make it to that one. I'd like to, I really would, it's just that when a pair of Notre Dame at GT tickets came into my possession, I couldn't pass them up after trying for so long to find some. So this weekend is going to be a big celebration and then next weekend is going to be awesome with ESPN Gameday on campus and the Yellow Jackets crushing the Irish. It's like a month long super fun fest for me!
