Here come the Holidays:

Hello everybody! I would like to start this off by getting some non-wedding items out of the way. First off, congratulations to all off my Missouri relatives that are Cardinals fans. The way Detroit played even the Dodgers would have had a chance to beat them (maybe). For those of you in Chicago I sincerely am sorry that the Sox took a nosedive and as far as the Cubs go I think Lou Piniella may be a light at the end of a dark tunnel. We'll see next year. I get spring fever in January.
Here's Jess & I at a Dodger game earlier in the season

Last week we had my nephew (My brother Jeff's youngest child) Seth over for a night of snacks, games and pumpkin carving. Jessica carved a grim reaper while I proceeded to carve a spider onto Seth's pumpkin. Seth decided that my XBOX was more fun than pumpkin carving so I took over for the very large and expensive pumpkin he picked out. He did however have a great time putting up spider webs all over our windows, picture frames and furniture.

We have run into a snag as far as finding an Officiant. We just haven't connected with anyone yet. Most of them seem to have a sort of Televangelist feel to them. I want someone with a little more wisdom rather than entertainment value. Time is starting to run out.

We officially booked our hotel for our honeymoon. We decided on a place we know well and can drive to from our place here in California. All of the traveling for the wedding made us want to go somewhere familiar. We chose a sleepy little coastal town in central California. Cambria is a beautiful four hour drive from our place, twenty minutes from Hearst Castle and about an hour from a lot of wineries. The town itself has no corporate businesses. All of the shops and restaurants are privately owned. Wal-Mart and McDonalds exist hours away. We're staying in the honeymoon suite of The Cambria Pines Lodge. It has two fireplaces and a Jacuzzi tub. The plan is to go to Hearst Castle one afternoon a number of wineries another day and lots of walking on the beach and most evenings in the room with take-out food and our wine purchases. We took a trip up there a year and a half ago to scope out a location for a wedding I was shooting. It was a great rainy day. They tell us that the gardeners will be cleaning up the honeymoon suite before we arrive.

While we try to figure out the rest of the wedding details we are quite aware that the holidays are rapidly approaching. By the time that they are through we will have less than four months to finalize things. It may sound like an ample amount of time but not living in Chicago presents its own set of difficulties.

We are quite happy that Jessica's parents will be joining us for Thanksgiving this year. Not only will we be celebrating Ed's (Jessica's dad) birthday but my sister Vicky and my mom Joan's birthday all fall within three days of each other. This post has become so sappy you can officially pour it on your pancakes.

Goodnight are devoted few,

-Tony