After getting dropped off at the Radisson LAX, we settled in and had an early dinner. We tried to watch a movie, but no sooner did we start it then the TV signal kept freezing. Since we were already ready for bed, we just gave up, asked for a refund and went to sleep. We should have seen this as an omen of things to come.
Our wake up call on Thursday for our flight to Philadelphia was 3:45 a.m. We took the hotel shuttle bus to the airport. The rumpus started with us getting separated at security. Dave scored a TSA PreCheck on his boarding pass, which is like a "Get Our of Jail Free" card. So, he was able to go to the front of the security line, not take his shoes off, etc. However, it caused me nothing but consternation because I couldn't follow him. We got separated and he ended up waiting for me to come through the regular security line. Apparently, to move more people through security lines, they are randomly giving frequent fliers "PreCheck" status. So, if you plan on flying in the near future, make sure you check your boarding pass. You could end up with the golden ticket.
The flight went without incident. It was weird flying back to Philadelphia and having to pick up a rental car. Never done that before. However, like most airports, they make it pretty easy. We took the Hertz shuttle and got dropped off at the Gold Card Desk. However, our names were not on the board. After an energetic discussion with the desk clerk, we finally got our car. Apparently, if you book your car through the airline website and put in your Gold Card Number, they don't treat it like a Gold Card reservations. You are supposed to call Gold Card directly, get a real, live human being (see if that happens) and ask them to put you on the Gold Card list. We never heard of this before, so if you plan to rent a car and you are a Hertz Gold Card Member, make sure you call Gold Card directly to make sure your reservations are in their computer.
We had a long list of things to accomplish back in the Philly area, but the most important (aside from T.O. and Michelle's wedding and seeing Katie and Justin and all the family) was to have dinner at Lai Lai Gardens! Back in 2007, Matt and Weina introduced us to Szechuan food and we are now hooked on the hot and spicy delicacies that come from this region of China. We slept well that night!
On Friday, "WE" had a number of chores to accomplish - get Kathy a new Driver's License, get Kathy's thyroid checked and get Kathy's nails polished. So, WE took off early, got everything done and treated ourselves to our second favorite restaurant - Tiffin - for some authentic Indian food. Again, thanks Matt and Weina for discovering this place!
Here is the sister of the groom and her fiance - Jen and Drew.
Kathy got a chance to catch up with Tom's sister, Mary Beth. They hadn't seen each other for like 20 years, since Mary Beth moved to Oregon.
After a little pre-gaming, it was off to the rehearsal dinner at Bacco, a local Italian restaurant. Here are the bride and groom, Michelle and T.O., as they are about to cut the groom cake (note the Phillies cap on the cake; the cap was made entirely of frosting!). It was a Friday night and the restaurant was packed. They had to shush the house band, so they could thank their wedding party.
Here we are - Kathy is sporting the new outfit that she got when she went shopping with Dave's sister, Leslie, in Bend, Oregon (thanks again, Les!). After eating, drinking and making merry, the wedding party headed back to the hotel for a good nights sleep. Saturday was going to be a big day.
On Saturday morning, we meet up with Katie and Justin for a quick breakfast at the hotel and then drove out to West Chester to visit our most favorite book store - Baldwin's Book Barn. The barn is 5 stories tall and filled with the most wonderful used books. As you make your way up and down the rickety steps, do be careful. You don't want to step on one of the three cats that roam the rooms of the barn. They sometimes like to curl up for a nap right in the stairwell.
Here we are, all dressed up and ready to dance the night away at the wedding.
The wedding and the reception were held in the same ballroom. During the wedding ceremony, several of the groomsmen sang a cappella. Most of the guys in the wedding party were singers, either in choirs or a cappella groups. They have each sung at each others weddings. How cute is that!
We took a number of videos, but thought this was the best. Here are the bridge and groom (click this link to see them in action): Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Miller!
After the introductions, it was time to eat, drink and make more merry. At our table, was Kathy's brother, Steve, his wife, Lea Ann, and their son, "R." Next to Steve, is Kathy's sister, Sue and her fiance, Dave. Next to Kathy are Katie and Justin.
Meet the Millers - Drew and Jen, Aunt Betty, Tom's parents, Tom, Eileen and Kathy's sister, Barb. Next to Barb is Aunt Jane. Mary Beth was in the photo, to the left of Drew, but David is a little inept with the new Droid phone camera, so he lost her:
We tracked down Sue's daughter, Vicki and her boyfriend, Chris.
Here is one last photo of Katie and Justin - just because they are so cute!
The singing and dancing went on for most of the night. Here is a video of the four McNee Sisters getting down with their bad selves. And who can forget the inimitable R cutting the rug???
While we were warm and snug inside the hotel, a light dusting of snow had fallen. With hugs all around, we bid various family members adieu.
On Sunday morning, we meet Katie and Justin for brunch before going our separate ways. We made a stop at Eileen and Tom's house to pick up our mail on the way to the airport. Eileen surprised us with a birthday cake for Kathy. We made it back to LA without incident. Whew - what a weekend!
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