Summertime and the Living is Breezy
This is one of the posts recovered after a botched website move in 2013. It was originally written and published on July 16, 2012.
It is hot-hot-hot in New Hampshire. With temperatures soaring into the 90s, and humidity thickening the air, water and gentle exertion are key to keeping the body happy.The past several days have been busy in a most delightful way. Friday late afternoon into early evening was the wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinners for bride Jen and groom Brad.The rehearsal took place on the pier at Prescott Park, where the wedding was to be held. Prescott Park is right across the street from Strawberry Banke, which is a must-see when you're in the area.The temperature was in the high 80s at around 4:30pm, but the breeze off the Piscataqua River (the second-fastest river in all of North America), which flows into the Atlantic, saved the day.The rehearsal dinner was at Agave Mexican Bistro. We walked there from Prescott Park (Portsmouth is a terrific walking city), and after ordering drinks (water and sangria for me), and being treated to tortilla chips and salsa were handed our dinner menus.Jen and Brad gifted me with a bottle of my favorite wine, and a sparkly pink flask as a thank you for my minister duties.I had the Classic Burrito stuffed only with veggies, and it was fantastic. It came with rice and refried beans, and I ate half of everything.Saturday was the wedding, and we were blessed with slightly overcast skies and a steady breeze. Shortly after noon, Jen walked the pier, was handed to Brad by her father, and I had the great privilege of making it official through a ceremony the couple had personalized beautifully.They - Jen and Brad_ had me read this:
"You, Bradley and Jennifer, have consented to be joined together in matrimony, and as you have pledged your faith to each other in the presence of God and all of your family and friends - who somehow made their way here, and found parking in downtown Portsmouth, on a busy, sweltering Saturday in July - by the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife."
The part about the parking struck the funny bone of the congregation, for sure. The rest of it was just... awesome, and extended to others, because...The cheers from the pronouncement came not just from the wedding party and guests.They also from people gathered in Prescott Park for the matinee of Willy Wonka, people from the piers west and east of us, and a bunch of people who had gathered on a deck and at the windows of a large building between our pier and the east pier. What fun!Saturdays in Portsmouth - weekends in Portsmouth - are always busy, but this past weekend was especially busy, due in part to the Greek festival, and the presence of replica tall ships just one pier east of us.They were beautiful I wish I had seen them come in with their sails engaged. It must have been glorious.After the wedding, a group of us hung out in Portsmouth until it was time to migrate to Dover for the reception. As fun as the hang-out time was, the reception was that much more fun. The food (catered by Brad's family) was excellent and delightfully healthy.The pasta and potato salads were made without mayonnaise (hooray!), and there was a huge tossed salad with low fat dressing options, and a big tray of fresh fruit, in addition to barbecued steak and chicken, and shrimp and veggie shish kebab.After the reception, we meandered back to Portsmouth and spent several hours enjoying each others' company. I fell into bed shortly after 11:30, exhausted and happy.I have a tale to tell about Sunday, too, and yet this post is plenty long already so it will have to wait.Don't you want to visit Portsmouth, if you haven't already? There's so much to see and do!
