I am my beloved's and he is mine

I’m taking a “personal day” today. My treatment yesterday didn’t go too well and I’m really wiped out today. Look for my Lambeth and aftermath post tomorrow.

Today, I would like to share with you a photo of my friends, Tony and Bart (Tony! on the left) about whose marriage I wrote on 11 July. I was going to post a picture of them in their "monkey suits" but this one captures who they really are -- a couple of kids! I would also like to share the note they sent me.

Tony and I were married 12 July at 6 PM in a lovely garden in Montecito, California. We got our license a couple weeks earlier on 24 June (our 20th anniversary of being together!).

[The license was issued] in the small town of Hollister, California, to which we have historic ties (the staff there were very sweet to us, and somewhat apologetic about the marriage "handbook" they give people, with a somewhat "dated" illustration on its cover, especially of the "groom" in morning coat.

A friend of ours, John Parke, authorised by the State of California to do the solemnisation, constructed the service, though Tony and I wrote our own vows, and those we stated to everyone in attendance. John asked to officiate since we helped him and his wife Marilyn understand that the solemnisation of a union helps the entire community by holding up the couple to do more together for the community than they possibly could separately.

It was by choice a very small service (including my sister Brandy, who orchestrated most of the details!, and our good friends Brian and Henry who acted as "best men" and witnesses).

The rings we used looked fine from a distance, but were actually key rings (we bought an inexpensive pair we misplaced somewhere at the ranch - that way we will "always know where they are" (a line from archetypal movie Harold and Maude).

After a toast, Tony and I got out of our monkey suits and of course had to have obligatory cake (chocolate on chocolate - the only flavour!). The desert table was graced with a candleholder with two grooms in a similar ceremony and outfits - a fun gift from our long-time friend.