Mishmash Melange: a wedding

Mr. and Mrs. Gary Dameron

Last Friday Bill and I flew to Chicago to attend the wedding of our niece, Ujenda. Ujenda is the daughter of Bill's brother John and his wife Marie. I always get so excited when I spot Chicago from the air. The United plane we took from Buffalo was rather small and did not achieve a very high altitude so combined with the clear weather afforded us an electronic grid of lights to view all the way to Chicago. We arrived at our hotel around 11 pm and flopped into bed. So the next morning when I woke up in Chicago, it seemed like a dream to me.

B and I didn't actually stay downtown. We stayed at a Hampton Inn in Addison that was near Venuti's where the reception was held and also just minutes away from Roselle where we lived for over thirteen years. The wedding was at 2:30 so after a nice breakfast at the hotel we went out for a walk on the walking paths shared by the hotel and Addison Recreation Center. Hoping for a bit longer walk we drove up to Busse Forest Preserve in Schaumburg and Elk Grove Village passing by Alexian Brothers where Jay was born. When I worked at Gould on Golf Road in Schaumburg I used to look out the window from my desk and see elk grazing in this forest preserve. It was a lovely sunny morning and we shared the path with numerous other people and a family of deer. Returning to the hotel we found the workout room vacated so got in a good workout before getting ready for the wedding.

John and Marie...mother and step father of the bride

Gary and Ujenda exchanging vows

the whole lovely wedding party

my nephew Dave and his Maryum

Dave is Bill's sister Mary's youngest son and attends University of Michigan

all the young dudes...my nephews Kenny, MJ and David

All the old dudes.....Bill, Tony (Kenny's dad), Mike (MJ and David's dad) and John (Bill's brother)

all the dudes...Kenny, MJ, Tony, Mike, Bill, Dave and John

Mary (Bill's sister), Stacey(Kenny's wife), Maryum and David

Mary talking to Schneider cousins Patty and Debbie

Bill's Aunt Joann and Uncle Don produced Patty, Mike, Debbie and Barbie. I had not seen Patty or Barbie in many years.

the cake

a small portion of the elaborate sweet table

Cousin Barbie Schneider dancing with her daughter Megan who is my Facebook friend but this is the first time we had ever met. Late in the evening Mike dragged me out on the dance floor and then shortly after we were joined by Barbie and Megan where we proceeded to do what I can only describe as some sort of bizarre tribal dance.