1. Met the new sister-in-law (then, SIL to be) Wednesday: Alex did good.
2. I was prepared to love her anyway – she makes my brother happy and treats my parents as if she’d been waiting all her life to be related to them – but I’d have liked her if I met her on the street, with no predispositions.
3. The wedding yesterday: Alex and Vicki both did good.
4. I think I’ve eaten more bacon this week than in any previous equivalent period. But I may not have it again for a year or more.
5. The Schuylkill really is that good to row on, and Vesper Rowing Club really is spectacular.
6. I didn’t appreciate having allergies / sinus infection / a cold / whatever it was the whole time, but it didn’t keep me from rowing and didn’t steal my voice when I needed it to read my poem at the wedding, so that’s good. Now it just needs to not get any worse before I get home, and preferably go away entirely.
7. Speaking of, my poem went well. I got in one SF reference that Alex caught and had one line that really resonated with Vicki (“With us, your families by birth and choice” – turns out at least half of her large extended family is family-by-choice, not by blood).
8. Pennsylvania turns out to be much more socially integrated than North Carolina, including at the wedding.
9. I really don’t have much tolerance for hyperloud music any more.
10. So now we have a bunch of rowdy relations. This will be good, as we’ve moved away from our previous rowdy groups of friends. Every once in a while you need someone to get stupid with.