Well, I've been bitten by something. I felt the sharp sting and within thirty or so seconds, I had a raised and tender red lump on my back just below my left shoulderblade. Ow. gillpolack to the rescue. She gave me ibuprofen (my first taste) and teatree oil. The swelling subsided, and even reversed to some degree, within ten or so minutes. Awesome. We've also have several very in depth discussions on allergies versus sensitivities ... and how to manage both. It's been very beneficial.

We noted that we have slipped into a comfortable elder-younger sister pattern. It's nice.

We plan to go to the folk festival tomorrow. Should be exciting. In preparation for being blissfully happy but probably very tired and sore, we have cooked Ming's Master Chicken Broth to be reheated and eaten with rice when we come home. It is less the bay leaves, as it's the only spice gillpolack couldn't locate, but the broth appears to be working anyway (as gillpolack said, in the scheme of things, it's probably the better spice to be missing - or words to that effect). Mmmm tasty.

I had anticipated, on my arrival, that I would probably be withdrawn and shy in the presence of gillpolack's other Friday night guests ... but to my surprise, it wasn't. Well, I was certainly more open and interactive with the first two guests, and then when the last two guests arrived, the group had increased enough for me to find it significantly less easy to make or develop a connection with the individuals. Still, it was very fun, and I kept up with the conversation - I was very proud of myself because there was quite some ranging and high-intellect-y topics touched on over the course of the evening.

Also, there was medlar liqueur (yum! and I and one other guest helped ourselves to seconds, a fact which seems to have pleased gillpolack immensely), kosher wine (...), and aged peach brandy (super tasty, I could have drunk it allllllll night). All very tasty. The medlar liqueur was in fact made by gillpolack and I am very impressed with it - she says that with more time, the bite of the brandy will mellow until (I think) is it s not bitey at all. I am impressed.

I just got to taste gillpolack's cherry liqueur. I'm honoured because she doesn't pull it out for everybody. In my mouth it lifted as though it was going to have bite but suddenly melted away softly to leave the taste of cherries and no sudden sharpness that you get with other liqueurs. It was an experience and ... a few minutes on, I'm still tasting the fading cherry flavour on my tongue and enjoying it.

Mmm, wedding mania. That, and babies, seems to be the go these days. I have attended three weddings this year, two in the past ten days. Everyone else is having babies!

On that note, the girl at work is much recovered but still needing to take care of herself and the baby. But more to the point, Darius' sister had a baby in March, his cousin 's wife had a baby six weeks ago, his other cousin is pregnant again ... and one of my LJ friends recently announced her own pregnancy. Yikes!

On the upside, I didn't catch the bouquet! Whew.

The wedding ceremony itself (in a Catholic church in Willunga) was very brief, but the priest was a character and made us laugh a few times as well.

The bride wore a white dress with a beaded bodice and skirt with netting overlay. The bridesmaids (3) and flower girl wore charcoal gray strapless dresses with netting under the skirt. The groom and groomsmen (3) wore dark charcoal grey (if not black, maybe) suits with a thick-ish charcoal grey pinstripe. The buttonholes were orchids (only grown by one person in the whole of South Australia) and the bride had red roses with the same orchids dotted throughout. The bridesmaids had bouquets of red roses. The bride and bridesmaids and flower girl wore matching red sequined ballet flat style shoes.

Darius and the two other people he has formed a trio with played the processional and while the register was signed. Upon exiting the church, a Lithuanian wedding tradition was upheld - woven sashes in various colours are held by two rows of young and (usually) single people as an arch/guard of honour for the newlyweds, and bubbles were blown.

The reception (the Alma Hotel, Willunga) started a couple of hours later with a buffet of various foods, cold meats, cheeses, quartered chicken, salads (green, pasta, potato) and little hot finger foods - pies, pasties, mini pizzas, and spring rolls and curry puffs. The cake was made by the groom - alternating milk and white chocolate mudcake cupcakes (gluten free, the groom is allergic - also to potatoes, the pain!)

I polished off nearly a whole bottle of Scarpantoni Ceres Rosé (same kind as had at dinner in the car with Darius the other weekend), four glasses of champagne and a lemon Ruski and a glass of sauvignon blanc ... and I was both still upright, making sense, not maudlin, and not regretting anything I said! That is one hell of an achievement for me since I usually fall over after around a glass and a half.

Question of the evening, from the best man after first enquiring if Darius and I were together or related (the answer to both being no): "Does it bother you that you're both still in love with each other?" ... I nearly giggled in his face =X Of course it is, I think, not an inaccurate assessment of the situation but it's not a bother or awkward for either of us as I think one always has some love for one's first love. Whether or not that translates to the resumption of the relationship as a couple, I don't know - I suppose it does for some (actually, I know of three couples offhand who have parted only to come back together again with the benefit of that time apart, but that's besides the point).

Breakfast was barbecued bacon and eggs and toast. We had lunch (fish and chips) at the bride and groom's flat with all the family, and then we headed back to Adelaide from Port Willunga, via Moana where we dashed into the water and cooled off. Very fresh and chilly to start with but a pleasant temperature after five or so minutes of adjustment. We bodysurfed for a bit and then got out and sat in the sun to dry off. Lovely day, nay weekend, in all.

I made my flight (Qantas this time) on time and got into the house at 10.30pm. I was in bed by 11pm and I slept really well that night. I was exhausted from all the events!

Nyargh. I'm altering stuff in my room a bit, and decided to separate my alcohol from the family lot ... only to discover that there is the following missing:

-half a bottle of vodka
-half a bottle of Italian punch (mandarin flavour)
-a bottle of bourbon

Damnit, who drank it!? I only ever used the bourbon to cook with twice, and Darius had maybe one or two glasses but that wouldn't finish a whole bottle! And the vodka? And who has been at my punch!? That's the worst bit! My host-mother gave it to me to take home, for one of her little traditional style cures for colds, and no one has been sick that often.

Fnarr.

Also, I feel like I've made more mess than tidied. Meh. I'd like to think I'm getting there.

[...later...]

Mmmm. Clean room!