Thursday, June 23, 2005

Skeeter Heaven and Nuptials Update

Ran 7 miles through Old Town Alexandria and along the Potomac on a beautiful Tuesday evening. Dusk was falling, my legs felt strong, and the mild early summer air cooled my skin.

Then the mosquitos started biting me. Have I mentioned that bugs adore me? E. knows when it's summer when I start showing him my annual array of skeeter bites.

As long as I kept moving the mosquitos didn't fly fast enough to get me. But if I stopped for more than 5 seconds, every mosquito within a half-mile would zoom in for the kill, much like a herd of OverEaters Anonymous members stampeding a $7.99 all-you-can-eat buffet in Vegas. Must remember to spray on DEET next time ....

Last night I ran 3.5 miles and lifted upper-body weights. Tonight, 5 miles, with some fartlek thrown in, capping with lunges, plies, and squats.

Reception Tasting:
On Tuesday, I also attended a private tasting with a caterer we may use for our unwedding reception in October. (For those just tuning in, E. and I are getting married by ourselves in August in Hawaii and throwing a dinner in D.C. for family and friends in October.)

The catering manager turned out to be a big, brassy woman. Funny, because I pictured her, through her e-mails and association with a chi-chi friend of E.'s, as a thin, slightly neurotic woman with a penchant for Botox and Kiehl's skincare products.

My friend, H., came with me to help sample the food. Which was very good, though a tad salty in one or two dishes. But that can be toned down.
We nibbled on seared ahi tuna, steak marinated in a soy and ginger, roast Asian chicken with macadamia nut stuffing, shrimp cakes drizzled with wasabi sauce, baby spinach salad with rice sticks, and other dishes.

The total estimated tab for the 65-person reception (and not including the cost of the site, musicians, flowers, etc.) was more than $5,000. I gulped. But H. said that weddings in D.C. average around $30,000, with most of that paying for the reception, so I should consider myself lucky.

Well, okay.

4 comments:

  1. Yeah, $5000 sounds like alot, but my wedding was 15 years ago so prices may have come up. And the wedding was held in a small town Knights of Columbus hall (read: pole barn with a floor). Ah, the cheap life. :)

    Spent the real money on the photos. Over $1000 for the album but 15 years later, that's what you pull out to remember the wedding. The video will degrade fast, the DVD will be unreadable with the technology around 15 years from now (who can read a 5" floppy disc now?), and the wedding dress will be in a hermetically sealed box filled with Argon. Pictures. You'll want the best.

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  2. Good lord, mosquitos love me too. I have done everything but wear a full mesh outfit to keep them away, and they still get me.

    If you run fast, do they follow you?

    I heard they are attracted to heat, so at least you know the little buggers think you're hot :)

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  3. webcowgirl: yes, I get honked at. Can't be avoided. Luckily, I don't often get yelled at, as the cars on the streets I run on are often going too fast for their drivers to stick their heads out and yell at me. Plus, I pick up the pace when I'm running near traffic-choked roads.

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  4. well I don't think I would honk or yell at you bex but I might bite you if I was a mosquito.

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