Summer of weddings: part 2

This weekend, we were off to Tennessee/Virginia for the nuptials of Dave's college friend Larry to his lovely bride, Kimberly.

I say both Tennessee and Virginia because the wedding festivities were in Tennessee, but our lodging and lunch was in Virginia, and I don't even know how many times we crossed the border over the course of the weekend. Bristol sits on the border of two states, so it was quite a few times.

Larry suggested Parks Mill BBQ for lunch, so we enthusiastically went. It is part of a general store, restaurant, and mill complex in rural Virginia.


Peter, another college friend, was with us, and we each had a significant chunk of pulled pork. Except it was like no pork I'd ever seen - huge, appetizing chunks proudly displayed with no sauce, and you add your own.

Competing with Pappy's in St. Louis, it was the best barbecue I've ever had in my life!

We also bought some sorghum molasses and two bags of grits, although I soon realized that we needed to mail the molasses back to ourselves because we can't take liquids and gels on the plane.

After checking out the mill, we headed back to the hotel for some relaxation until it was time to go to the wedding.

Larry and Kimberly had their wedding at a banquet hall situated in some very pretty forested hills.


They were so excited and adorable, the rest of us couldn't help but be super happy for them.

We did, however, tease them a bit about a photo in their guest book - one where they're leaning against a wall and reaching out to each other. Peter and Tom re-enacted the scene like it was Adam and God on the Sistine Chapel ceiling:


Legs lifted and all!

They also had a really cute touch for the groom's cake: a tree shaped like a tree stump, because Larry's line of work and study has been forestry.

We all really wanted a piece, and begged them to cut it all night, but I think it was just too pretty.

I also made use of some of the mini coloring books - what can I say, I can't resist Care Bears. I guess they were for the children, but what the hey.

On our way back this morning, we got one last glance of the beautiful hills of Tennessee, which Dave almost thought looked like some sort of Japanese painting.


I was pretty glad that we didn't try to sneak the molasses in our luggage, because they went over our luggage pretty thoroughly in the airport. We were home in time today to find out that our basement had leaked a bit onto the carpet, and we had to get a dry vac and suck up all the moisture. I guess there were storms here, no?


Now, after a nap, we're watching the last DVD of the Soviet version of "War and Peace," then eating a multi-course Indian meal that I've been thinking about for days. How's that for a multi-cultural weekend!