The Royal Wedding

Don't take my being quiet as a sign of inactivity. Plans are in motion. Details are unfolding. Questions being asked. Lots of questions, actually. We are inching closer to having the procession sorted. Another singer has been procured, it's just a matter of timing. Oh, and what song.

This procession song is going to be the death of me. There are so many I love, and I keep doing that thing where you go 'I love this song' then you listen and remember it's a breakup song. I go through song after song listening to lyrics and how the song makes me feel and didn't I listen to this one already? Then on to whether or not Himself likes it. It's like I'm trying to iron a bra.

With just 8 months left things are going to start gearing up. Heh, that's the first time I've counted it up in a while. Seems like there's no time at all left. There's still so much to do. Breathe. In the meantime there is one thing about the wedding I can share which necessitates me telling the story of why I don't shop for earrings anymore.

My first Christmas with Scott was magical, despite the craziness of two extra roommates we were raising, the stress from the newly formed rift between my parents and me, all while trying to out tap dance the ultimately sinister stalker. Our love was new, though, and it was all I knew. All I could do was to marvel at the majesty of it. This was also when he proposed, beginning our eventual eight year engagement.

There was another gift Scott gave me that Christmas. It was so unexpected, it caught me off guard. He gave me a pair of diamond studs. No one had ever given me diamonds before, and these were my first real studs. Getting jewelry was a new experience. Suddenly I had a ring and earrings like some kind of Liberace. He's been that good from the beginning.

Fast forward 7 years. I have always gone in and out of phases where I wear my earrings. Just the original two standard piercings now, I set an age limit on certain things many years ago. So I hadn't been wearing earrings for a few years and one day while rummaging in the bathroom drawer i found an envelope I knew contained earrings. Thinking about putting some in I dumped them into my palm and looked at them.

When I found my diamond studs it was a surreal experience, like a lost memory coming rushing back into my brain. How had I forgotten them? Or ever stopped wearing them? So I put them in and I always wear them now. The other day Scott saw some earrings at the gettin' place and I thought, no. There is no need for me to ever get any other earrings. These are too special to me, and I'll tell you this for free, when I wear them I secretly feel transformed into exactly what I am, and old Queen in her crown jewels picking up kitty litter at Publix.

Now here is where we get to the wedding, because it dawned on me today that I'm going to be wearing these earrings for the wedding. I'm also going to be adopting what is traditionally a bride's, um, tradition, and using these earrings as...my......

One down, three to go.
Does anyone happen to know if blue tattoos count?

Ready, Set, Go!

The time is here. At this moment, Scott and I were scheduled to walk down the aisle. The problem is our first attempt was made without allowing ourselves enough time. The temptation is there to run to the court house, but we really want our friends and supportive family there to share in the joy.

If you were following along here on my blog, you know there were some stressful times, which is the reason things have been so quiet since the postponement. After discussing it and looking over the year to come, we are officially taking the nuptials off of pause and beginning the preparations again, with a mighty good head start at that.

I left clues on Facebook about the big announcement today, so let me share some of those and what they mean...

In 2016, the 22nd of October is our 9th anniversary of being together, but more than that it will fall on a Saturday. So this is the date, mark your calendars now.

The planning starts today, so I have some emails to send to ensure some of our original ideas can still be done. There is, I feel sure, plenty of time now to organize this without my becoming a train wreck.

Our honeymoon plans are still to travel to new Orleans by Megabus, but the difference is that this time we will be there the week leading up to Halloween instead of the week after. This will give us the opportunity to attend the Vampire's Ball if we choose.

I'll try and do a recap this weekend, unless you feel like going back and refreshing yourself with our plans thus far. Bottom line, though...

SCOTT AND SHERIDAN ARE GETTING MARRIED!!!

I'll throw this in for free-We need to come up with a name. Most of you know I have no qualms in changing my name. Sheridan David Layman-Lowe isn't bad, but Sheridan David Lowe-Layman sounds like playing the name game. The other option is to come up with our own name. Something like Loehmann, Song  or Corleone, but we could go with something a bit out of the ordinary, like Yum-Yumm, Gallifrey, or 3.333

Stay tuned, it's all beginning again. Well, hopefully not the groomzillaing.

***Side Note***
Yes, to all my OCD friends. I am aware of how well this plays in with my number, which is three. 10/22/16 adds up to twelve (which adds up to three), and of course nine is my uber three. Adding the nine to either the twelve or three brings you back to three. This is in no way strange. Move along now.

Brace Yourself Effie - Part Two: Location, Location, Location

Well, this is the big moment and I'm not going to drag it out any longer... We have moved the location of the ceremony from Piedmont park to the sacred space behind Phoenix & Dragon. (told you I left something out)

This is great news because, among other reasons, the parking will be soooo much better than at the park. Also, the space is reserved, unlike the gazebo, so I can relax about that. It isn't even going to cost any more than the park! It's more central to all guests. Handicapped accessible (how you doin' dustin) with some benches, and they are even going to hold a room inside in case it rains, but I can't.. wait. One last time, then I have to stop saying this before I jinx it. I can't remember the last time it rained on Halloween.

The best part is nothing else has to change (although there's one issue I'll discuss after it's been discussed with all parties)

OH, I haven't told you yet. We got the handfasting cord in the mail! It's gorgeous.

Here are the pictures of the space I was holding back. It's petite and bijou, as far as weddings, but perfect. Funny thing is, this was Himself's first choice, I just didn't think it would be feasible, boy was I wrong.

Remember the lighter tree on the right, with so much trunk showing

On the right side there is a path

The bridge at the path leads to where she wants us to park

I do have one closer spot at the store reserved for a special guest

A nice "Wedding" sign I found will go here, too

The path is gravel with a small bridge at the corner

Wheelchairs can enter through the store and onto the deck

The bridge crosses a small pond with trickling water

Then a slate path to this side of the deck. You can see one of the benches

The ceremony will be to the right, which is raised

The rest of the deck, procession space, etc

There is that big tree from before

This is that raised space where we will stand

Not sure what we will do with the birdcages but she said to tell her if we want them

I haven't even begun to think decorations

When I took this I had no idea there were fish in it. 

This is between the bridge and where we will stand

So there you have it, folks. The biggest change so far is easy peasy. Ha! except we have to order new invitations toot sweet so they can immediately go in the mail. An acceptable loss, and now we have the old invitations to reminisce about with our grandcats.

The topper was on our journey home, at the transfer of the buses. I spied someone prancing through the intersection and chuckled until I realized who it was. Baton Bob is an institution here, prancing through Midtown in short shorts, flouncy or sparkling attire, and usually some type of fascinator atop his head. The constants are his baton and whistle. Leading a marching band of one, he bestows good will on motorists and pedestrians with his twirling skills and model poses. I had never seen him this far into Buckhead before, and it was the closest I've ever gotten to him.

Baton Bob recently got married, and like the antithesis of a black cat crossing our path, I see this as a good omen for our nuptials.

Brace Yourself Effie - Part One Supplement: What Is Phoenix & Dragon?

To simply say that Phoenix & Dragon is a metaphysical bookstore does it injustice. They have been an Atlanta area institution for self-help/spirituality/empowerment for as long as I can remember. In addition to products like crystals, candles, incense, books, statuary, jewelry, essential oils, and gifts, they have classes and psychics and cats wandering the floors. The store always smells awesome and is such a tranquil store in which to shop.

They truly have something for everyone, from Christianity to Buddhism to Wiccan, as you can see by the pics I took that doesn't do their inventory justice.

DISCLAIMER: Phoenix & Dragon Bookstore have not compensated or even asked for my endorsement of their store. Besides the big news, it remains the best location for locations of this type, in terms of both supply and prices.

The pictures you are about to view may or may not represent your personal visual experience you have when you visit the store.

Dancing lights greet you

That broom is everything

The good, the bad and the smelly

More candles? Sure

Pick a gem, any gem

So, you might be wondering now more than before what in the world this store has to do with the big announcement. It's possible I've left something out. Find out at 5pm Eastern time!!!

Brace Yourself Effie - Part One: The Tease

The big announcement I've been teasing is coming today in part two of this post at 5pm Eastern time. Let me go back to Monday and lead you to the scene of the reveal. We got up late because we started playing DC Universe Online again and I set my alarm for 12am not 12pm. Without my usual 2 hours to wake up fully, things began normally with the exception of attempting a force wake.

It had the potential for a good day, so it was easy to ready ourselves for our two-bus journey.

This is how we roll on the bus

We traveled through Buckhead, after crossing to the right side of the tracks, and enjoyed the new look that it took them years of construction to complete, with beautiful results.

After disembarking on Peachtree at Piedmont, we waited for the second leg of our journey to begin.

My other kitchen is a Porsche

The next part of the trip took us to Roswell road where we switched to suburban view. It's not a bad trip, and it brings us to one of our favorite places to shop, or even just browse, Phoenix and Dragon Bookstore.

This is where I leave you wondering how this plays into a big wedding announcement until part two at 5pm. Ain't I a stinker?