A busy not-so busy weekend

It rained all weekend here, intermittent with hot, sticky sunshine. Nope, fall is not quite here, but according to the calendar it is: There were three big events this past week that we celebrated. Rebecca's birthday was on the 25th, and we celebrated by going out to dinner and walking home in the rain. Of course, I had been giving her a present a day since the previous week, so it wasn't exactly a big surprise for her. I had tried to arrange for her brother to come down and visit the previous weekend, which would've been a surprise, but he couldn't make it, so instead we went to Great Falls. For those unfamiliar to the area, the falls are really not so great, but their proximity to the DC area, and being on the east cost, the description more or less fits the context. Anyway, the falls are about a half hour drive from DC, and there are hiking trails and whatnot in the surrounds. Many people kayak or rock climb nearby, in addition to biking, so I guess Great Falls is the closest outdoor recreation opportunity to DC.

Anyway, since several or my gifts to Rebecca revolved around mushroom hunting, we decided to pack our guidebooks and give it a whirl. We found two mushrooms during our hike through the woods, and we identified three trees (an Ash, an oak, and a pine). The tree guide is necessary, because different species of mushroom are associated with different types of tree, so the tree identification can help narrow down the mushroom identification. As it turned out, that didn't help, and we couldn't id our two mushroom specimens (different types), but we've resolved to try again soon.

This past weekend was our block party, a birthday brunch for Rebecca, and Fiesta DC. Our block party happens once a year when we close the street down, everybody plays music and makes food, they setup a bouncy castle, there is a scooter race for kids, and general chaos ensues. Unfortunately, the weather was rainy this year, so things were as lively as normal. Rebecca and I ended up doing a bit of wedding planning stuff during the day, then going for a walk in the evening. Our good friend, Robin, just got a pet kitty, so we spent some time with them on Saturday. Sunday was a little more hectic. Fiesta DC, which is basically a huge latin party that shuts down our neighborhood, was going on, and we hosted a birthday brunch for Rebecca and a clothing swap. The hordes descended at 11, and as usual, our female friends were better participants than the males. The female portion of our clothing swap is very active, and all the girls brought stuff, I don't think anybody left empty handed. People sort of trickled in over the next two hours, so there was a steady stream of food, and a steady demand for coffee! After grabbing a quick bite, I retired to the kitchen to do dishes and make coffee, and then I left after a couple hours to play a soccer game with a friend, only to return after the game and attend the Fiesta, where I tried some tasty street food and watched all the chaos. Our friend Robin, who is an excellent photographer, captured some of the madness.

Other than that, we've had a few visitors in the last little bit, including Reb's great Aunt Bernadette (no photos), my good friend Katie (below), and we played visitors up to NYC at the beginning of September.

Katie and I enjoying Tex Mex cuisine. Look closely, those are frog legs that I'm eating. Yes, they were delicious.
Rebecca and roommate Meredith practicing juggling, which our other roommate, Adam, tried to teach us all on this night.
Rebecca on a hill overlooking the river near Great Falls. In the background are the rock climbers and river kayakers discussed.

Chinese married

Apologies for the grammar, but Rebecca and I are now Chinese married. At least that's what it seems. Having completed the tea ceremony, a traditional Chinese ceremony which usually precedes the actual wedding, we are having a hard time convincing some of her family why, on the one hand, we're not having a wedding that same day, and on the other hand, just what is going on in California in May. Hopefully, by then, they decide to come out for the celebration.

Confusion aside, the weekend was wonderful. The family's met, seemed to get along, and everybody had a grand time. We received many generous gifts which will allow us to defray the cost of the wedding and honeymoon, so that's good too. My dad, mom, sister Heidi and sister-in-law Kristin all came to join in the celebration. Early reports indicate that they liked Toronto and the new in-laws.

The weather was beautiful for almost the entire weekend. Friday, the day we arrived, Reb and I took our collective parents to dinner so that they could meet. The food was good, the conversation, hesistant though it ocassionally was, generally proceeded smoothly, and a favorable impression was had by both sides. Sat, when my sister and Kristin arrived, we went to the CN tower for lunch with the rest of Rebecca's immediate family. We were kind of a chaotic bunch, but it was a good time. We followed that up with some shopping and siteseeing.

Sunday morning was the tea ceremony at Reb's sister's house. It was beautifully decorated and well-attended. After serving tea and taking many photos, we went for dim sum lunch. Then, a several hour break/nap, then a banquet dinner. Basically, we were eating all day. The banquet itself was about 6 hours and at least as many courses. Monday, everybody scattered and Rebs and I drove back to Buffalo with the rental minivan, then flew home. Now, it's back to school for me, and time to plan the CA wedding!

The 'rents meet at dinner on Friday

The mop heads the CN tower elevators
The view from the restaurant window

Me and future father-in-law Rebecca and I serving tea to her parents.