Quote:
Originally Posted by aephi alum
Ok, carnation, now you have to spill!
Buzzards ... oh dear. LOL
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I've confused those for eagles myself especially after my parents moved to Napa, CA in the late 1980's.
Napa was the setting for a beautiful wedding. Gorgeous flowers, great food, and wine plus an incredible setting for an outdoor summer ceremony. However this was a "I think that God is trying to tell me something" wedding in my family. A 5.3 earthquake in the wee hours of the morning of Sept. 3, 2000 the wedding day should have been a wake up call to all of us.
This small family wedding was to be held at my parents' home overlooking the rolling hills of the Napa Valley in Sept. of 2000. If you are familiar with Napa, this was in the Carneros region. They lived in a mid-century A-frame with a soaring ceiling and walls of glass which showcased the spectacular views. The ceremony was to take place on the deck and the luncheon reception immediately after the service had ended. To be prepared for the event, we'd cleared all of the furniture out of the living room and set up tables. The tables were set with the linens, china, silver and crystal. In the kitchen all of the prep materials, pots, pans etc..were on the counter so that the caterer could start cooking the next morning. The ceremony was to be at 11 AM. We went to bed knowing we were as prepared as possible. The bride and groom were staying in nearby Yountville and my parents' home was filled with relatives.
In the early morning hours we were jolted out of bed by the strongest earthquake any of us had ever experienced. Except for one guest we were all California natives who had lived through many seismic events. As we were close to the epicenter and the quake was shallow, what we felt was an extreme jolt and violent shaking. My husband, our six month old daughter and I were huddled in our doorway and all around us was the sound of glassware and pottery crashing onto the floor. We initially thought that the windows were shattering. My cousin who was sleeping on an air mattress was nearly hit by a computer monitor, but otherwise everyone was safe.
When the shaking stopped we put on our shoes to head out and survey the damage. My parents lost piles of dishes, glassware, pottery and a few picture frames when the cupboard doors opened. (Sadly this included my mother's tall Delta Gamma vase that she'd received as a gift her senior year.) However on the tables that had been set up, NOTHING had been broken. Only a single salt shaker had fallen over! The power was restored a few hours later so the food was safe. The bakery called to let us know that the cake had survived the quake. We took all of this to be a "good sign" that the wedding to go forward.
Unfortunately in less than two years this couple divorced due to his infidelity. Looking back we realized that we should have been paying attention to the nudge that we'd been given!
Hybrid Mode
