Wedding countdown

My sister Deb came into town this weekend to help me shop for something to wear to my wedding (which is only 12 days away, tick tock tick tock). Unlike me, Deb’s a veteran shopper. There are some things I can buy on my own (jeans, for example, and t-shirts), but for the more complicated dress-up stuff, I need help.

Debbie pre-shopped on Friday while I was at work. Then she picked me up and 45 minutes later I was buying the dress. She said we set a speed record and a price record for wedding dress shopping: 45 minutes and $39.97.

The shoes took longer and cost more. Even though I’m only five feet one and a half inches, I don’t wear heels. I like flat, well-made, durable, comfortable shoes. The kind that don’t look good with dresses.

I knew I was going to have to step out of my comfort zone to buy shoes that would look okay with the dress. The only question was how far outside of my comfort zone? I tried on a couple of pairs with high heels. They’re so freaky. I honestly don’t know how people walk in those things. I almost fell over just standing, and I got instant cramps in my calf muscles. We all agreed – me, Deb and the sales clerk – that I needed something more down-to-earth.

Two stores later, I ended up buying wedges. They look nice, but they’re not very comfortable. I’ll have to practice walking in them every day between now and the wedding so I’ll be able to get through the day without clinging to walls and lurching from person to person.

I’m officially outfitted and ready to go get married, more or less. (Even though it’s a small, simple wedding, there is no shortage of details to take care of.)

On Saturday morning we had plans to meet Debbie and Bonnie for breakfast at Tutti Frutti’s.

Did you ever have one of those experiences where your brain can’t keep up with what your eyes are seeing? First I saw Debbie and Bonnie sitting at the table, and then I saw my other sister, Mudmama, from Nova Scotia, sitting next to Grace, from Brockville, and I wondered how they knew each other and what on earth were they all doing in Tutti Frutti’s today? It just seemed like such a crazy coincidence, you know? And then my eyes started moving around the table from one unexpected person to the next, and everybody was smiling at me, and eventually it dawned on me that it was a surprise party! Even then I couldn’t understand why, since it wasn’t my birthday. Finally I clued in that it was a surprise bridal shower. (I say eventually, but this probably all happened in just a few seconds.)

Anyway. I’ve never had a surprise party before – I loved it!

The most surprising thing of all was that GC – who can keep a secret about as well as your average five-year-old – was in on it. Debbie had enlisted his help, and he was a reluctant co-conspirator. It was a huge relief to him when the day finally came and he hadn’t blown the surprise and he didn’t have to keep the secret anymore.