Happy birthday, darling!

So, yesterday was Steve's birthday! Yes, the 17th of March. Yes, that was St. Patrick's Day, last I checked too. Yes, Stephen Patrick Quattrocchi... yes, funny.

And yes, it was a wonderful time!

We got most of the invitations off at the beginning of the week, though there are a tiny few left to go. I was very pleased that they came in comfortably underweight, so the postage was relatively cheap. We even have a few RSVPs in already! Wow! The feedback has generally been that they're very pretty :-)

Thursday night we were up late talking about Turkey and we've worked out an itinerary of sorts. We're still only going to book the first few nights in Istanbul and leave the rest to whim and fancy, but we've realized we HAVE to book the first few nights: the Friday we get to Turkey is the last day of Ramadan, the Islamic fasting month... and the three days immediately following Ramadan (Ramazan in Turkey, I think), are much like the Islamic Mardi Gras. I forget the name, but it is a national holiday knows as the "Candy Holiday" and it tends to be Very Busy and Chaotic. Which, I suspect, will actually be Big Fun for us.

Friday afternoon, my friend Andie came over from Vancouver to visit for the weekend. She and I were good friends and then roommates until October 15, 2005, when she moved out to follow love to Williams Lake. I met Steve on the 21st of October. It was so strange to me that this friend, who was so important to me, didn't know this man, who was also so important to me. Now that she's back, it's been a big relief that they get along so well. She's the one doing the photography for us (and will no doubt be a huge help in every other department).

We all went to Di's on Friday night, which was magical as always. Di and Andie got on well, too, which is good. I like it when my important people all like each other!

Saturday I worked, which was a drag. I still went for lunch with Andie (and snuck in some window shopping at Swallow's Nest, which is my favorite store in Gibsons).

When I got home, I gave him his birthday pressie -- he's been coveting my windbreaker that I got from MEC a few months ago, and he's been talking about going into town to get himself one. I got Andie to pick one up for him and bring it up on the sly. He's been a bit sad (though mostly joking, Gayle!) about not having presents to unwrap, so I made this one a doozy. I wrapped it up, then put it in a box, which I wrapped up. Then I put the little box in a big box and wrapped it, too. I wrapped the whole thing up in miles and miles of curly ribbon. He definitely got some unwrapping bang for his... box? It was cute, though, and he was so pleased with the jacket that he wore it around the house for the next few hours.

In the evening, we went to a St. Paddy's Day party at Mick & Mary's over on Gower Point. The view, even at night, was amazing. Steve's tandoori chicken wings were incredible, and were a HUGE hit. I even gave Clay my last one so that he'd have a chance to try them. The potluck was great, for the most part, though I was surprised that adult people would come in and hand the hostess a bag of cheese and bread and grapes -- not cut up, didn't bring their own plate... nothing. I thought everyone knew that was a no-no! I guess that's why Gayle was so against having a potluck for the wedding, and I do understand. I cut up cheese and bread and assembled grapes at Mary's house, but I'd be darned if I'd do that at my wedding. The music was also great, as was visiting and... eating cake!

Yes, Steve's birthday was the day that we agreed we'd go off suger. I have to say that I'm not convinced. I had two bites of cake and three spoons of ice-cream and my stomach was a mess. It felt tense and sore and I got all bloated. I don't know -- I just feel so good off sugar that I'm not in any hurry to mess it up. Ok, a few bits now and then is ok, but I don't think I'll ever go back on it in the same way.

Steve, mind you, ate a huge piece with lots of ice cream, and then Graham got him another piece. He was halfway through it when the sugar hit. Poor Steve! We chatted about it this morning, and I think we're still going to try and resist it. That said, Tanya (our lovely roommate) made Steve a cake last night and we found it in the fridge. It was good of her not to ice it, and we were able to have small pieces this evening without any obvious ill effects.

Andie left this afternoon, after brunch, and Steve and I raced off to the Roberts Creek Hall to meet with our caterer and so he could take a look at the kitchen and general layout of stuff. Note to self: ask Marlyn where the light switches are!

We went over some of the last details and confirmed I had contacted the rental place for plates & cutlery etc. The menu sounds INCREDIBLE and not to fear, there will be things for vegitarians to eat!

Needless to say, after this busy and late-night weekend, I was urgently in need of a nap this afternoon. Steve tried to get me up, he really did... but I still slept for three hours. Which would explain why I am still wide awake and blogging at almost midnight on a work night... Oh well.

Thank goodness there is a Starbucks three doors down from work :-) Perhaps I'll get Steve some post-birthday coffee...

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