Nicholas and Katie

In October we returned to the US for yet another family wedding, this time for Nicholas and Katie. We flew into New York first and stayed with our friend Alyssa in northern Manhattan. We went out for brunch the next morning and walked up to The Cloisters, a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art that holds one of the world’s finest collections of medieval art. Alyssa was a fabulous tour guide because she knew the museum well and she studied religion in college, so she was able to explain some of the art that was not immediately accessible, especially the famous unicorn tapestries. Medieval art has never been my favorite, but I loved the museum. It was very peaceful, and some of the best pieces were tiny objects that required one to pause and concentrate. It was a very different sort of Manhattan experience. We were sad to say goodbye to Alyssa, but we had to leave to meet up with Elise, who was in town briefly and who came with us on the train to New Jersey, where Fred picked us up and entertained us for a few days. We spent some time in Basking Ridge, then we headed up to the lake, where our friend Alexandra met us, having driven all the way from Massachusetts to see us. It was cold, especially out in the boat, but the leaves were turning and the setting was just beautiful.

After a relaxing visit with Fred, we flew down to Orlando for the wedding. My parents rented a cute little 1920s bungalow in Winter Park for a few days, and we all piled in together and had a great time talking and snacking and playing games. Andrew’s parents also came down for the wedding, so we got to spend some time with them and the aunts and uncles, as well.

Nicholas and Katie’s wedding was delightful. Andrew performed the ceremony (they were legally married the day before, at the courthouse), and everything was very intimate and family-centered. Plus, it was a swell party, with good food and lots and lots of dancing. It was very Nicholas and Katie, and once again we were sad to leave our family and friends to head back to London, but we felt very nourished by the whole trip.

Fall 2009 photos, including Matt and Missy, London and Greenwich, the Cloisters, London Gator Club stuff, and Andrew in a Halloween wig, are here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=120618&id=509253462&l=c47d4f3dac