Wedding Week

• It was with reluctance that we left Pleasant Hill and our friends behind but the wedding date was now only days away. Not surprisingly, we opted for the scenic route south, along California Coastal Highway 1. It was a beautiful day for the drive:
  

  

  

  Each beach we passed had its own character. Some were captivating spots, yet seemingly undiscovered ...
  

  

  while others were so popular that fights for space broke out:
  

  

  Pretty Morro Bay provided us a final respite before tackling the jumble of LA freeways:
  

  

  
  Staying with friends, Warren and Sue, on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, we were only a 10 minute drive from the wedding site. Prior to the wedding rehearsal, we also had time for an excursion to the nearby battleship USS Iowa:
  

  

  Our sea legs didn’t get much of a workout since the Iowa is now permanently berthed in San Pedro:
  

  

  As educational and memorable as our tour of the Iowa was, the harbor itself was a place of wonder. A reader might be forgiven if concluding this tugboat is pulling a container ship. It’s actually the other way around!
  

  

  Mimicking the clouds above, the Vincent Thomas Bridge seems to float across the Port of Los Angeles:
  

  

  The wedding day arrived at last --- time to shake off the dust and don some proper wedding gear:
  

  

  Soon enough, we were at the right place at the right time. Incredibly, the only precipitation of consequence on our whole trip occurred just before this outdoor wedding. Fortunately, the shower was short-lived, ending with 15 minutes to spare:
  

  

  To be honest, I never envisioned walking my daughter down an aisle like this:
  

  

  An apt photo caption might be “Experienced bushwacker guides fair maiden through encroaching jungle to safety.” Eventually, though, we reached the goal line and the knot was tied:
  

  

  Congratulations to Denise and Rich, the handsome couple. May your marriage be ever blessed with happiness!
  

  

  Naturally, Denise’s brothers, Dan and Greg, attended the wedding, adding to the festivities. Ever since, I’ve been thinking of going into business with my two sons but the only company name that sticks, “Shorty and Sons”, has already been taken. Bummer.
  

  

  The next day, Patty and I met Greg for a long beach walk, lots of conversation and lunch. With the week almost over, we joined Dan in his own backyard for similar activities:
  

  

  Still in California, our next destination was Riverside for a stay with Patty’s sister and husband. Only visiting for the day, Ed’s first grandson, Sam, has already found a second home:
  

  

  Ed, Michele and proud papa, Ryan, marveling at their new entertainment center: