The day's events

I'm going to a 50th wedding anniversary party for my mom and dad's best friends, the McManuses. This couple and their daughters have been part of my life always. They're like another set of parents that we always knew we could go to if we needed to and their daughters more like sisters to us. It got me thinking, though, about titles. To be specific... When we were kids you always referred to grown ups by Mr, Mrs, Miss unless they had more specific titles like Doctor. When we grew up, we usually switched over to first name basis. A few of my mother's friends always insisted we use their first names. I can't ever remember my mother's friend Marie being anything but that, never Mrs. Power. Aunts and Uncles were the same. But even now, some of them are still Aunt/Uncle and some i use just their first names or alternate. Some of the "grown ups", however, will always be Mr. or Mrs. like my friend's mother, Mrs. Howard. I could never imagine calling her Dorothy. I think that's because she as also a teacher though i don't think she taught any of our group. She's a lovely woman but she's still Mrs. Howard to this day. All of us in the group use the title for her, too.

So, Yes, i am going to this party. What to buy for a gift? I ended up with a nice frame and bought some pretty paper and a bow and the card has 1950's type graphics on it and the colours more or less match the paper too. I open the gift paper to wrap the present and discover... one inch grid lines on the back of it! Why hasn't anyone thought of doing that before??? I haven't actually bought gift wrap in some time so perhaps Hallmark has been doing that for awhile. Gift bags are so easy but for the size of a frame, a gift bag is too big and anyway, unwrapping a present is so much fun! I thoroughly approve of grid lines on wrapping paper although this time, sadly, i didn't have to use it as the sheet was just the right size to wrap the frame in its box. I've still got the other piece though for another time.

Then there's the "what to wear" crisis. A three piece outfit i have is much too warm even though the top is sleeveless. I didn't like it without the jacket and the jacket needs some sort of shoulder padding i think. I have narrow slopey shoulders. If i wear the top and skirt alone, i would want to leave the top untucked and i didn't like how it looked. It wouldn't do to tuck it in. Trust me. I found a nice black top to go with the wine coloured skirt in the end. It will be cool and looks nice. Then there's shoes. I refuse to wear pantyhose in summer. The house is all hardwood or laminate flooring on the main level so i can wear sandals and leave them on. Sorted.

And the hair. Urgh. I desperately needs cutting so it was a bit of a challenge to wrestle it into something close to approaching acceptable. I've not had it trimmed since before i went away. Early May. At least the makeup looks ok.

(no subject)

Very nice party this afternoon. Lots of people came out to celebrate. Many of the people were all part of the group that Mom and Dad and the McManuses all hung around with all through the years. They had lots of old home movies converted to dvd and had that playing on the big screen tv in the family room. Wow! It was interesting and somewhat cringeworthy seeing yourself as a child hamming for the camera lol! look at all the old cars! Oh and the toys (lots of Christmas footage), i had one of those too! Plaid trousers!!!! And everyone had cigarettes where almost none of them smoke anymore. There was some footage of 3 or 4 couples just after they were all married, including Mom and Dad and my Uncle Keith and Aunt Bonnie on a weekend away at a cottage. They were all horsing around and the men had the women on their shoulders. Dad was hanging off the eaves of the cottage doing pull-ups and he was sooooo long and white and *skinny*! Later on in that same sequence there were closeup shots of all the attendees and that was a bit of a *gulp* moment but i loved seeing them all so young and full of beans. That "Lost Weekend" has gone down in legend for the astounding amount the men all drank and a few other shenanigans (Keith fighting a tree for one). Dad was celebrating passing his final exams to get his electrical papers.

Anyway, there were lots of people and lots of finger foods, drinks, sweets. Their parish priest said a few words and a casual vow-retaking. Their oldest grandson started to read a speech he wrote but he was too emotional to finish so his mother finished it for him. Patrick said a few words too and even he got emotional which is rare for him. There were more than a few tears on cheeks as there usually is during sentimental events like this. The sun came out and it was really nice and warm but not too hot inside which was comfortable enough. Most of their original wedding party was there. Later on Patrick got a bit emotional talking to me about Dad which was another *gulp* moment but Laurie came over and the subject got successfully changed.

Pics here including some nice ones of Mom and her friends and of me, Mom and Laurie