First job as husband and wife

One more thing...

Growing up, my family was very close to the two women who lived next door. They were sisters, Laura and Florence, except I don't think I knew that they had first names until I was too old to admit that I didn't know that they had first names. We always referred to them as "the neighbor ladies". One had never married and the other was a widow. For many of the years we lived next to them, they were independent but we often helped them with raking leaves, shoveling snow, and other household duties. They were very encouraging of my violin playing even though they had to listen to every practice as soon as the weather got warm; no one had air conditioning. I learned about the game Yahtzee by listening to the dice rattle long into the evening.

To young me, they were always elderly but they couldn't have been that old because we were neighbors for a long time and Florence was still alive when I got married. By this time, she was in a retirement home. We invited her to our wedding and the decision was made that depending on the weather and her health, she would be allowed to come. However, since she was not doing well that day, on oxygen, and the day promised to be high 90s with 90%+ humidity, she was unable to come. 

No problem. We had promised to stop by the nursing home after our reception if she was not able to be at the wedding.

Back in the olden days, throwing rice at the newly married couple was a thing. I think it was supposed to bring good luck. But then they found out that it was killing the birds, apparently the luck was only for humans. So then throwing birdseed at the newly married couple was a thing. Supposedly, it brought good luck just by being associated with the former rice-throwing tradition? I don't know. Not sure I ever had good luck, either, so that might be why. 

Anyhow, people stood in a line and we ran down the middle and they threw birdseed at us. 

Weird. 

Didn't quite have the photographic effect that glow sticks or bubbles do these days, but then I don't think glow sticks had been invented yet and bubbles were something you did with the kids when you babysat. Until someone inevitably knocked the bubble container over and then everyone cried and no one had a good time. With that kind of history, I can't imagine that bubbles bring good luck to the couple, either. But the new traditions probably solved the bird obesity problem.

So there we were, walking down the hallway of the nursing home, me in my wedding dress (back in the olden days we didn't have enough money for a wedding dress and a leaving-the-wedding dress) and John in his tux, headed for Florence. We made quite a stir. We were asked if the clothes were for real (yes) multiple times before we arrived at our destination and as we passed, residents found their way into the hall to be sure that they weren't seeing things. 

I remember Florence being overjoyed at seeing us. No surprise that as we bent down to hug and greet her, birdseed fell out of my flower crown and all over Florence and her bed. She thought it was great fun.

My mom recently told me that every time she visited Florence after that day, this photo of the three of us was on display on her hospital tray.

So, it made sense that if Great Grandmom couldn't come to Mariana's wedding due to covid (funny, that being 99 had absolutely nothing to do with her ability to come), the married couple's first job as husband and wife would be to stop by her house the next day to visit her.

So they got dressed up again and surprised her with a visit. They brought her a centerpiece and some favors as well.

Basically the same dress, 29 years apart, bringing memories to the people we love. It's not the way it was hoped to be, but the memories are just as special.