I am going to take a break from my story to give you yet another snapshot of my life that is a happy one. Today is our first year anniversary and I wanted to share with you the day that is perhaps one of the happiest days of my life and I want to tell you about the man that made it possible. As you know when I came to Catalina to grieve the death of my father with my mother, I brought my friend Eileen to help in the care of my mother so that I may enjoy some long needed time with my fiancee. It had been a long time in coming and I was exhausted physically and of the heart.
Just before we arrived Ron suggested we get married. I decided I wanted to share our vows in one of the most beautiful places I know and that was the Wrigley Mausoleum. I know it sounds a bit morbid but its not like that. Wrigley was buried there at one time but long ago his body was removed to let his ashes be in a place his family felt was safer during the war when so many feared the Japanese would find the island and destroy it. Now it is this most beautiful of buildings that looks out over the bay from atop a most imposing hill. Its quiet up there with only the birds and the breeze singing through the trees. I have such wonderful memories of my grandmother and I taking what seemed like a long walk (with my little legs) eating our weight in figs plucked from the trees that lined the walk all the way up to the top. Once we got there we would walk up the many steps, go through an ornate iron door and we would enter the hushed “temple” where I would pretend it was my castle and I was its princess. It has tall arched openings that look out on the ocean far below and it is lined with the beautiful tiles that were made only on Catalina long ago. It is simply one of those places you go to that you never forget.
So we arrived with my small entourage. Days before I found a simple dress and the pearls my real father gave my mother when I was born. I had a Morton’s Neuroma on my right foot from lifting both of my parents those many months when I cared for them alone so I had a huge “boot” given to me by my doctor. I decided that just would not do for my wedding and determined I would go barefoot. Because of that I thought back on one of my favorite movies “Forrest Gump” and the beautiful dress “Jenny” wore to her wedding and thought “why not”? so that’s the look I went for. I had a found a wedding planner that did the services, Julie, and she made all the arrangements from my hair, to the flowers I wanted to the Mausoleum to the hotel we could stay at for our wedding night.
The only thing we did not have was a photographer. I got a call from my husbands oldest daughter. Her dad had just visited and told her he was getting married. I remember I was so scared what his kids would think because I knew their opinion of me was skeptical at best. For one I am quite a bit younger and for two they knew some of my background….certainly not all but enough. My husbands oldest daughter is a professional photographer and she told her dad she wanted to come and take the pictures….which of course made me cry. 99% of the lovely photos you see in this blog is due to her but more than her pictures…just having her there meant so much to me.
The last thing I needed to make this a perfect day was my friend Eileen, who has been around the hard way as well and yet absolutely loves me no matter what I have or have not done in my life. She came to not only represent me as my matron of honor but to also take over the care of my mother so I could have just a few hours to enjoy being a bride.
The morning of November 17, 2011 I got up and had a luxurious massage then Eileen showed up so we could have our manicures and pedicures done together as yet another attendant primped my mother. We all felt like queens for a day. Meanwhile Ron went down to the boat and met up with his daughter Anna and her boyfriend Rob.
It was a beautiful day. No the sun wasn’t shining but there was this delicate mist that had shrouded the island and it made me think of the mists of Avalon (ironically) that was depicted in the King Arthur saga with the mist only opening up for the Lady of the Lake and her priestesses. No one but Eileen, my mother, Anna, Rob, the wedding planner and minister Julie, and a few of my mothers old friends she went to high school with came to the wedding. That was fine by me. As far as I was concerned the only person that was there was Ron. I could not take my eyes off of him.
I still get embarrassed as I remember reciting word for word the entire part of the ceremony right before you say I Do. Its a lot to say and I think that’s why in MOST weddings you just wait until the minister finishes all of the questions (such as Do you in sickness and in health …..as long as you both shall live…) before two people have to answer I Do. But I was still in such utter disbelief that I was standing next to this man reciting our vows together. I WAS SERIOUS about those vows and I guess I really wanted him to know it.
The hotel we stayed at ended up being the very hotel my grandparents use to own. Its much fancier now and our room had a jetted tub for two side by side and a fireplace, a bottle of champagne and a veranda that looked out upon the harbor. It was beautiful and I don’t know when I have ever been so happy.
So here are the photos of the most favorite day in my life!!
