It was a rimy morning, and very damp. I had seen the damp lying on the outside of my little window, as if some goblin had been crying there all night, and using the window for a pocket-handkerchief.
-Charles Dickens (Great Expectations)
As I sit here writing this in the Greek’s and my bedroom listening to the winds of Winter Storm Jonas angrily gusting outside, I can safely say that January has not turned out quite like I expected. After the rush of the holidays and a working vacation (an expression that I’m convinced shouldn’t even exist), I had been looking forward to a period of relative calm and quiet. All I wanted to do was write and read and cook, which shouldn’t have been that tall of an order, but somehow events conspired against me. Before the first full week of the new year had even started, I came down with a nasty bug, one that left me sniffly and hoarse. For a solid week, I lost my interest in food and much of my appetite, though I will say that I was persuaded to eat, and with something resembling gusto, when the Greek made his signature restorative avgolemono soup for me.
By the time I was feeling like myself again, i.e. in search of tasty things and lots of sweets, it suddenly dawned on me that, as much as I would have liked to relax and savor the new year, as well as fact that I could again breathe, the reality was that, in both six and nine months time, I would be having two weddings (believe me, both the excess and irony are not lost upon me). I needed to book photographers and entertainment, think about my dress, get ideas for decorations, figure out the cake! For one dizzying week, I drove myself crazy, despising adulthood as I fielded calls from bands and attempted to find a local photographer who was not already booked for a Saturday in late September. Before these details had been fully ironed out, I was off to Wilmington to confront a sea of white–lace and tulle and billowing skirts–at a local dress shop. By the end of the appointment, I realized two things: 1) most wedding dresses are ugly and overdone, and 2) that I would greatly benefit in life if I had a personal stylist because the dress that I initially thought was perfect was completely wrong, whereas the first one that the stylist told me she wanted to see me in ended up being absolutely right (how poorly we sometimes know ourselves). So now, after much labor and hand-wringing, I have a dress, several signed contracts, save the dates and invitations, registries and a wedding website (in progress). And since I was on a roll, I also decided to conquer my taxes, which was no small feat considering the complexity of moving from a high-tax state to a no-tax state. In general, I now feel reassured that I have done enough work to ensure that, on all fronts, all will be well.
Or it may also just be that, surprise(!!!), as the deed itself is now done, it now feels like the truly important part is over. You see, yesterday, in our warmest fancy clothes and with two witnesses in tow, the Greek and I went to the Justice of the Peace in Wilmington to be officially and legally married. Please note in the photograph below that, even though the blizzard was mere hours away, we managed to get married against a bright and sunny tropical background.*
*We did not select this background. By all accounts, it appears that Delaware is rather envious of Hawaii.
While we had planned to invite some friends both in and around the area to join us for dessert and champagne to celebrate the occasion, all of the warnings about Jonas made this next to impossible. But it’s not like there won’t plenty of other opportunities to celebrate this year. Truth be told, if my calendar for 2016 is any indication, it seems that a whole year of celebrating is upon us.
For now, however, after a wedding, a blizzard and the somewhat surreal title of wife (if it makes sense, nothing has changed, but everything has changed), I’m looking forward to some normalcy and quality time in the kitchen. Though I’m off to a slow start, I still have big plans for the blog this year–sharing recipes developed by me, featuring favorite recipes from my (excessive and) vast collection of cookbooks, finishing the tale of our road trip–and lots of upcoming travel. We will just have to see if slow and steady will actually win the race.
Speaking of the race since I am definitely not going anywhere for the next few days, I will be back with the recipe, the recipe of 2015, that I promised at the end of December.
Dining with Dostoevsky 
CONGRATULATIONS!! Oh my gosh, I think I knew this was in the cards, but had totally forgotten and just absolutely cried when I read that paragraph and saw your beautiful, luminous smiles! I am just so very, very, very happy for you! And glad you were able to beat the weather! And happy that you will have three anniversaries to celebrate every year, which, if you ask me, means three times the occasions for cake! And glad to imagine you curled up in a warm blanket with a good book (and a cookie!) for these next few snowy days. I hope that is what you are doing! Sending one million hugs from California! XOXO
PS: That Dickens line is gorgeous. You may turn me on to him yet! PS2: I did the exact same thing with my wedding dress! I was convinced that I wanted the most plain and straightforward dress with no frills and no bells. They looked perfectly awful on me! Beads and lace it was!
Thank you, dear friend! The thought of three anniversaries is a bit daunting, although I do think both my sweet tooth and baking skills might be up to it! 🙂 And, in a strange and unexpected twist, it now seems that we share a wedding anniversary with the Greek's parents! How crazy is that? And, in June, we're 9 days shy of my grandparents' anniversary, too.
We have generally been lazing about these past few days (it is what the NY Times advised any person caught in the storm to do!), but today is the day we dig ourselves out…I think a good, hearty lentil soup is in our future, though. The weather practically demands it! xoxo
To P.S. 1: The man may have been wordy (not that I mind, obviously!), but he also had more than a few gems up his sleeve. That particular quote seemed just right given the conditions here. 🙂
To P.S. II: Yes! The seemingly pretty and plain dress that I had picked out online was not really that flattering in person; it still had some nice features, but it ultimately looked like a nightgown. There were a few contenders (ultimately 3), but I think the one I chose was the right one…I certainly hope so in any case, since there is now no turning back.
Congratulations! These news made me so happy! Can't wait to see both of you in September! Stay warm and enjoy the start of your new life!
I have still been fantasizing about the combination of cocoa nibs and buckwheat in the cookies you shared two posts ago — and meaning to comment on them! And then I saw this lovely post and had to jump in now and say congratulations! I'm so excited for your year and impressed by all you've already accomplished wedding-wise. Jacob and I also got legally married about 6 months before our wedding, and it's been wonderful to have two anniversaries to celebrate and reflect upon every year. Just think… you get three! Sending you warm wishes for them all!
Oh awesome to see! I love the irony of the tropical background. I guess if the cat is out of the bag online I don't have to be careful not to tell RA (or anyone else)? I have been super secretive even though I wanted to be in the Slavic Library like “Oh hey Katy got married!”.
Nikos! Thank you very much! We are very much looking forward to seeing you in September; in the meantime, I hope all is well in Texas! We are still freezing here and are anxiously awaiting spring! 🙂
Moriah, thank you so much! I am only sorry this reply to such warm wishes is so belated, but my computer has not been cooperating lately (in fact, as I type, I keep expecting it to crash!
)…I didn't know you and Jacob had two anniversaries, but it's nice to know that K and I are in such good company (I think we might have to cap our celebrations at 2, rather than 3. After all, PA is just a party, not a ceremony)!
And I highly recommend the chocolate buckwheat cookies, or anything with chocolate and buckwheat really. I tried some muffins with banana, lemon, carrots and buckwheat flour this week and, though they are good, they don't sing in the same way that buckwheat and chocolate just do….Perfect harmony. 🙂 Hope you're enjoying “spring” in California and happy Valentine's day!
Boy C! The tropical background was a bit strange, I will admit; sadly, there was no other background to choose from…which is kind of weird when you think of it all taking place in a courthouse (or maybe I just have a more bleak view of the law). In any case, I am glad you now feel that you can go wild and tell dear RA (just FYI, I still think it's weird that this would be your *person to tell*) and anybody else in the Slavic library who might care (I imagine those numbers are dwindling). I hope all is well on the dissertation front and that you've been happily gossiping away. =p