A Weekend Away

Virgil spent his first weekend in the “pup hotel,” frolicking with other puppies and getting passed from arm to arm around the puppy-loving staff. When we called to check on things on Sunday (the Professor would pick him up Monday morning), they asked a few times if we were sure we didn’t want him to have a bath. This didn’t bode well for the Professor’s morning, but I haven’t had a frustrated phone call yet, so it must have been a manageably muddy little guy that he picked up today. We were suckered into paying a lot of extra money for him to play with other puppies his age while at the kennel (instead of whimpering sadly from his lonely, cold cage), so there was no way they were hitting us up with a $10 bath fee.

Why was Virge passed off to strangers in only his third month of enthusiastic, trusting, chewy puppy life? We just didn’t think he’d be welcome at the Pittsburgh Westin hotel, which is where we stayed this weekend, attending a(nother) cousin’s wedding. Oh, I can only imagine what he would have done to that room. And traveling 23 floors down in the elevator once an hour to take him out to pee would have been maddening.

This wedding was a stunner. The bride looked every (slender toned) inch the marathon runner she is in her strapless ivory gown, and her groom (my cousin) was all smiles. The ceremony was held in a large, modern, many-windowed Methodist church, with deep brown bridesmaid dresses (same color as mine!) and dark purple flowers. They recessed out behind a bagpiper just as the Professor and I had – I like to think we gave them the idea, and boy is it a good one. Unlike us, however, they chose to go with a highly skilled organist for their ceremony music, instead of a wretched, drugged up string trio.

The reception was held in the swanky swank Renaissance Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh. What. A. Room. We were on the third or fourth floor – maybe only the second but the first floor had vaulted high ceilings so we were pretty high up. Anyway, two walls of the room were solid windows, looking out over the sun setting behind the baseball park and one of the many city’s bridges. It was a stunning view to say the least, and while we waited for about 2 hours for the bridal party to arrive, we spent a lot of time gazing out of it. 2 hours, you ask? Oh yes, the party bus limo thing they hired to take them from ceremony to reception BROKE DOWN on the highway, and it took forever to replace it. Somebody finally went and fetched a handful of bridesmaids and the bride and groom. The rest made it after the second course.

The meal, by the way, was four courses and oh so good. They had printed menus and everything. First course – mushroom soup. Second – fancy salad with vanilla vinaigrette dressing, something I’ve never had. Then we had lemon sorbet with blueberries, to clear the palate. The main course was filet mignon, salmon, some layered potato thing, and steamed vegetables. God, I’m making myself hungry just thinking about it. That filet – I’ve had dreams each night since about that filet. It was cooked to perfection. Dessert and coffee followed, and then after that they passed out chocolate bars with the bride and groom’s names on them, and after THAT they put out little cookies and cannolis on a table in the back, with little bags (with the bride and groom’s names on them) so you could fill up and take them home. Wow. We were fed well. Oh, and open bar all night.

We danced the rest of the night. I met my middle sister’s new boyfriend, who was a very handsome and clever guy – and she lit up like a shooting star when he walked in the room. I’ve rarely seen her so happy, it was a real treat. It was fun to catch up with the rest of the fam, including my littlest sister who now apparently plays rugby? Have you seen pictures of this tall, willowy blond? I’d think volleyball, track, crew, basketball – just about any other sport before I’d think rugby. Well, she’s having a great time with it at school, among other things – it’s great to hear that she’s enjoying her freshman year so much. Mine was wasted on me being a miserable sod, so I’m glad none of my sibs have followed in my footsteps.

The Professor drove us back yesterday, the whole way, bless him, and when we arrived home we relaxed on the couch with a candle and some beautifully sung medieval motets. There is no better way to unwind after a long car trip. Long hours in the car left me a nest of worries about my career, our money, and our immediate future, and my darling husband rubbed away the knots of stress and misery in my back while I lay in flickering candlelight and listened to the soothing, centering classical music. Then all of my relaxation got ruined when our opened window slammed shut suddenly in the middle of the night – but that’s another story.  That one, and the one about the cat that had a lonely weekend and punished her owners by meowing all night, will have to be told on another day.  Or forgotten immediately, which is what I prefer.  😉