“Give me juicy autumnal fruit, ripe and red from the orchard.”
“Give Me the Splendid, Silent Sun”
by Walt Whitman

Hubby and I must get out to the Big Apple Barn in Wrentham some day in the next few weeks. We know that their Mac Apples are usually for sale after Sept. 15. Hubby will get his Red Delicious apples, also. We have tried to go there at least once a year since our kids were toddlers. We have photos of them eating apples outside the barn. We also have many photos of them sitting around the base of the statue of the Blessed Mother on the grounds of the Trappist Abbey just up the road. Check out the directions to the Big Apple, and to the Trappist Abbey in Wrentham. They are worth the trip, especially on a weekday when neither place is too crowded.

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Thanks to the St. Ambrose Bulletin, I learned that there will be a Mass in Thanksgiving for all active and retired police, fire, DOC, and EMS personnel on Sun., Oct. 4, at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. Cardinal O’Malley will be the celebrant at 11:30 a.m., with a procession into the church at 11 a.m. Coming from a family with quite a few law enforcement people, both active and retired, we should try to attend.

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For weeks, our whole family had been excited about the wedding of Hubby’s grandniece Ashley and her fiancé, Kurt, on Sept. 19. Relatives were coming in from Washington (state), California, Colorado, and even Spain. Daughter Sue was in close contact with her Cousin Terri from Colorado. (Sue still misses Terri since she moved to Colorado to take care of her four grandkids.) Most of the family was arriving on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at Logan Airport.

At 4:30 p.m. that day, our phone rang. It was Sue, telling us that Terri’s plane had landed on time and they would meet us outside Sullivan’s at Castle Island at 5 p.m. Terri was dying for a fish dinner. “You can’t get good fish in Colorado,” she said. Terri went into Sully’s with Hubby, alias “Uncle Vinnie.” Out they came with Terri’s dinner, with hot dogs, a cheeseburger, fries, and a bag of very hot onion rings. Terri was in Heaven.

While the four of us were eating, who should spot us but Sr. Elizabeth, from St. Christopher’s. We invited her to sit with us but she was tired after a long, sad two days she had experienced. She had been at church on Tuesday evening during the wake for Fr. Bill Carrigg, Fr. George’s brother, and then, on Wednesday, for the funeral and burial. I must mention something spectacular about Fr. Bill. When he said our Mass, we realized that he could recite the Gospel, word for word, without looking at the missalette. We were amazed each time he did it. Sr. Elizabeth was happy to meet Terri finallybecause Sue would often be out in Attleboro at Terri’s home and not at our church for Mass.

Sue and Terri finally left to take Terri to her cousin Helen’s home in Hull, where she was staying while “back home” for the wedding.

The next two days were busy for everyone. I had to get a slip to wear to the wedding. I had planned on wearing a navy blue lace dress but it was still going to be too hot on Saturday for that. I decided I would wear a much lighter dress but it still needed a slip. (I had bought that dress for a wonderful Florida wedding a few years ago.) What shoes should I wear? I could wear a pair of pale blue shoes with little heels, which would be perfect with my “watercolor” dress. Then, not wearing heels for so many years, I decided to wear cream–colored flats. Then I wouldn’t have to worry that I would take a “swan-dive” off the heels and ruin the wedding. Hubby had his navy-blue suit and new white shirt ready for a week. (“I’ll take the jacket off after the ceremony is over because it will be so hot,” said Hubby.) Daughter Sue was looking for a lightweight floral jacket for her navy and white dress.

About 3 p.m., on Saturday, we began the drive to Attleboro. Because Sue had been to Attleboro often, she knew where the Catholic churches were. We would be too late for the church near the wedding hall. We could make the 4 p.m. Mass at the major Catholic church, St. John the Evangelist. We entered the church a second after the priest came on the altar. We think the celebrant was Fr. Messias Albuquerque, who told us that he was from Brazil. He was a little bit difficult to understand, for which he apologized, but he told some funny quips, which we all understood.

We were back in our car within a half hour and on our way to the Attleboro Elks Hall fairly close to church. We were amazed at how many cars were already at the Elks. We forgot that the family was setting up tables, especially the one with photos of the grandparents who had passed away. The special tables were adorned with small, pale-blue Mason jars filled with small white flowers, like baby’s breath. Alongside the flowers were lit votive candles. The Mason jars, especially in pale blue, were just beautiful. Mom-of-the-bride Judi had chosen dark blue Mason jars, with gorgeous flowers, for each of the tables at the wedding shower.

There were all types of hors d’oeuvres waiting for us at the Elks Hall. There were delicious crackers and cheese. There was also a large assortment of fruits laid out for us. The strawberries and pineapple were scrumptious. After we had eaten the hors d’oeuvres, we gathered in rows of chairs in the center of the large room for the ceremony. We usually sit near the back at functions but niece Terri grabbed Hubby, Sue, and me, “You’re close family so you sit in the front.” She plunked us down in the third row. It was wonderful. We could see beautifully.

Bride Ashley’s cousin, Jimmy Cellini, a sailor in the US Navy, had a one-day license to perform the ceremony. (He looked wonderful in his uniform.) He made the bride and groom and all of us in the audience laugh several times as he performed the ceremony. He has quite a personality. After the ceremony was over, we took cards from the display that showed us where to sit. Hubby, Sue, and I were sitting with niece Terri, nephew Eddie (from California) and their cousin Helen (from Hull). Our son Paul, daughter-in-law Alex, daughter Jeanne, son-in-law David, and their kids – our grandson Brendan, our granddaughter Erin – and Erin’s friend Tyler were at the next table. The groom’s people were all on the other side of the room so they could be together, just as we were on the bride’s side.

There were two buffet stations, one on either side of the hall, so we moved through the buffet line rather quickly. There were two carving stations on each side, one person carving the turkey and one carving the roast beef. There were even oven-roasted potatoes. The mixed veggies were deluxe, with cauliflower. There were two types of gravy, one for the roast beef and one for the turkey. Nephew Eddie was on the other side of the buffet table and poured gravy over my turkey and stuffing for me. The salad had already been placed in small dishes. There were rolls and butter, along with cranberry sauce. What a feast!
When it was time to cut the wedding cake, Kurt and Ashley did it with ease. Their cake was made of cupcakes set in a frame in the shape of a real wedding cake. We all went over and chose the type of cupcake we wanted. Daughter Sue showed me how to eat a cupcake correctly, without getting frosting all over my fingers. Take the bottom off the cupcake. Turn it upside down and place it on top of the frosting. This way, your fingers will never touch the frosting. I ate mine without a drop of frosting on my dress.

The rest of the evening was spent chatting with relatives. We were also a dancing crowd. Brendan, Erin, and Tyler were all over the dance floor, even on that very warm evening. Paul and Alex and Jeanne and David danced a great deal, also. Niece Terri grabbed me and got me up to dance. I didn’t use my feet but I did keep time to the music with my arms and hands. (I honestly didn’t know most of the music being played. Sue said it was mostly recent music.) We all had fun gyrating. There were loads of photos taken. (On Sunday, Daughter Jeanne sent me an email with a photo of Hubby and me with our bride Ashley that came out beautifully.) By 11 p.m., our dancing family was slowing down. Jeanne, David, the kids, and Paul and Alex finally left because they had long trips to their homes. Before we left, the parents of the bride, Steve and Judi, told Sue and me to each take a Mason jar with flowers. They were so pretty. I can hardly wait for everyone’s photos to come to us. It was a lovely wedding, and so much fun.

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Here is a cute saying by Phyllis Diller: “A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.”