I Have a Date With Jack This Weekend and My Husband Doesn't Even Mind!

Jack Reacher that is.  My obsession is always indulged at our local thrift store where I've slowly been buying  Lee Child books, the Jack Reacher ones at least so far, so I can finish the series.  I know I could get them from the library, but I feel like I want to have the complete set.  Mr. Tennis doesn't mind because he listens to them via CD in his car driving to and from his appointments.  We both love Jack.

But this weekend I hope to spend a good bit of time with Jack on my (sorta) new swing.

Bought from the same thrift store just in the nick of time before rehearsal dinner guests descended. The frame used to hold a more "posh" version that didn't stand up well to our humid climate (read moldy) and this one seems just right.

For the right price too, I think.  You can't beat real wood and heavy metal. (Somehow that didn't come out the way I intended it to sound - but you know what I mean).

 We have a very "creative" hanging solution due to time constraints.  It's working well for now and will get me through our first weekend of "fall" weather.  Hi temps drop into the 80s, lows in the 60s. Perhaps even, gasp!, 59!!

Oh, and look who's been feeling neglected these past few busy weeks.

Throw me the ball! I know the "Chuckit" is still up there, you just showed it in the previous picture.

C'mon!  Throw it!

Don't let her fool you, the Bostons have had more than their fair share of attention with extra people in and out of the house.

Yeah, right.  She locked us in the office while all those people were here. 

 We are going to munch on some grass to get her back. 

You know what happens when dogs do that...

Yep, so I will be spending some time with Jack on the swing this weekend.  Hope Mr. T joins me for a bit!



After all, he was the one I dragged to the thrift on a Friday night to haul it home.

Hope everyone's weekend is wonderful.

Reality. It Always Takes Over!

Especially on my kitchen table.

Especially after a busy couple of weeks of entertaining and wedding stuff.

"Cheerwine" a childhood favorite of The Writer's.  We used to get it when we visited NC.  Anyone else heard of it?  (It's not alcoholic!  Don't worry - ha ha)

Yearbooks my nephew used to flatten and preserve the boutonniere Mr. T wore.

Mail, of course.

H.M. the fish The Maven gave her dad for Father's Day.  Although he's been renamed Lazarus due to his recent dramatic revival from what we thought was him dying.

MOG's bouquet.  Wanting to see how long some of these unusual flowers last.  Plus I like to look at it.

The newspaper.  Have to read it every day or I'm out of whack.

My constant companion. My phone. Somedays I forget to bring it to the grocery store or gym with me and it's like a holiday.

Reality. It's back.

Joining Claudia at Mockingbird Hill for

Oh My, and Now It Is Time For The Reception...

There was a lot of behind the scenes action going on while I goofed off getting ready for the wedding. 

Thanks to my two very good friends (hey, they were very good friends before I used and abused their talents too!) Suebee and Chic, her business partner.

There they are!  And they are in the right order because their business name is  Chic and Shabby. You can see what they are all about by their sign that hangs above their space.

To know what they are really about and how they find the things they find and gussy them up, visit SueBee's blog! You will be amazed.  Better yet, visit their booth at Art Angels, in Orlando on South Orange Ave.  It's worth the trip!

Although Sammy had an amazing wedding planner, some extra hands were needed to place all the "stuff" we have been collecting over the last few months and I knew exactly who to call on.

Wedding Planner, Alexis, starts the setting up process...

These two ladies graciously stepped up to the plate, literally, and put their vintagey staging tricks to work.

And boy did they pull it off beautifully.

Burlap overlays that CG helped me cut and iron  are in place and some of the items we've been collecting have started to appear...

Succulents! Whatever for?  For place markers and to take home as a favor.  You'll understand in a bit.

The cake arrives..

Hmmm, remember those vintage dessert plates that were spread all over my dining room table a few months ago?  They come into play very soon. And the cake will get a little facelift...

Back to staging those guest tables...

Each one was named after a significant event or individual who had some importance in the bridal couple's relationship.

For instance...

Their beloved Greyhound (he's over on my side bar sleeping in "his" bed).

And

The very things Sammy made to thank The Writer for letting him borrow his camera.  He always was a sucker for a good chocolate chip cookie...

You get the idea.  Outside on the "cocktail patio" was the mirror I refurbished a while back (click to refresh your memory) and it listed the various table names and who should be seated at each.

This is a strange picture because in all the excitement I forgot to take a picture of the mirror against the brick wall at the reception.  So... I hung it back up in my dining room and rotated the picture just so you could get an idea of the seating chart.  Kept the writing on until Sammy gets back from honeymoon just so she can enjoy her idea one more time.

Now, back to the tables.  I'm just going to let the pictures talk for themselves for the most part.  Of course I probably won't be able to restrain myself and may throw in a comment or two.

Here goes (pictures are compliments of Suebee because she was there working and I wasn't):

See? I couldn't not say something.  Iceland? Because that's where they are on their honeymoon.

The "Sweetheart" table

Napkins were made especially for the reception and you can see the succulent favors well here.  Significance of the date?  Why it's when they had their first date!

Even the bathroom looked pretty!

Alexis, the WP brought these awesome branches she's collected and painted to hang over the dance floor.

Each table had a custom-labeled bottle of wine to correspond with the table name and to make the first toast from.  Tarzan?  Well our last name is the same as "Uncle Johnny's"...

A "Photo Booth" was constructed in the back corner where guests could stand behind the "shabbied" frames, take a polaroid picture and then place it along with a note in the album sitting on the table.

Some sketchy characters showed up in those frames.  Just take a look at this motley crew, "Team Orlando".  My good friends who helped search and collect all the pretties.

Suebee, me, Country Mouse, CG and Chic

The couple themselves

Two pretty bridesmaids

Remember the cake?  Well look at the transformation it underwent as well as how those vintage plates we gathered looked after Suebee and Chic put their staging magic to work.

Bridal bouquet completes the look.

The plates were perfect!

Suebee scored this vintage bridal picture and it is the perfect adornment to the cake table.  Cake knife  was my mother's...

Are you still with me?!  I will forgive you if you need to stop scrolling, but I just wanted to give you a peek at the wonderful food that was served buffet-style.  Lebanese food to honor the Father of the Bride's heritage.  And yes, it was as tasty to eat as it was pretty to look at.

Well, that just about does it except for the dancing. And yes, there was dancing.  Some were astonished to see the moves that Mr. Tennis busted out that night.

Here he is on the left dancing with his daughter, The Maven. As you can see the little flower girls got into the action too - kid-style.

The Bride shook her "thang" too.

And yes, while I am reluctant to admit it, I was out there too.  In the green to the left of Mr. T.  Shoes off no less!

Most important dance of the night....

The new Mr. and Mrs. W!

Thanks for sharing this journey with me.

And thanks to all my wonderful friends and family members who helped make it all possible.