Release, relax and recover

the ingredients for throwing a great bridal shower

Yesterday, Sarah Fay, a very successful writer on Substack, told me I have amazing engagement with my readers. Of course, enjoying that feedback, I puffed up like a blowfish.

My ego took a backseat quickly though as I thought of the quote,

If a tree falls in the forest, and there's no one around to hear it, does it make a sound?

If I write and no one reads my post or responds to it, is there any importance to my writing? Likely the answer is no.

My readers lend significance and meaning to my prose.

So, please accept my thanks for being such a great group of subscribers who often comment or like and lift and support me weekly. I appreciate you more than I can say.

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On to the festivities…

Arriving at the shower.

Helen may have been pulling a few strings, seeing that the shower went off without a hitch, because it was a lovely day from beginning to end.

Leading up to the shower, Amy was to arrive on Tuesday night in Sacramento. On Tuesday morning, I made a beeline down to the Bay Area to do last-minute planning with my ex-husband Ron and his lovely wife, Estela. I picked Amy up at the Sacramento airport that night on my way back, and we arrived home just after 11:00. We stayed up until 2:00, finally able to talk about all aspects of the wedding planning in a more relaxed atmosphere than a phone call.

Amy and I enjoy many activities together, but one of our faves is putting on a true crime documentary and sleeping through half of it. She is such a napper. I'm not. But with her, I nap. And I sure needed a day of rest after the ten-hour day on Tuesday. We selected a Netflix documentary about a serial killer, which included many subtitles. I lost track of how many times I woke up to see a translation on the screen, think that I still had a grasp on the story, and then fall back asleep.

At the end of the afternoon, I had caught up on my sleep, had a half-baked idea of how the documentary turned out and was just happy to be with my girl. We do so love to mull over all the facts of the crime. As an ex-court reporter, what can I say? I passed a bit of that along to Amy.

We enjoyed a mani-pedi on Thursday along with visiting a few of my dear friends, and Friday, we stopped in Sausalito for lunch on our way to San Mateo.

I pictured my mother lingering in the shadows enjoying Amy and me as we moved through this precious time together. I kept hearing Elton John's “Recover your Soul,” a song I've always felt akin to, perhaps understanding my connection to the lyrics for the first time.

Friday, we were treated to a delicious dinner prepared by Ron and Estela. I never underestimate the blessing of connecting with Ron and Estela in honor of our children. I understand that often times in divorce, it just isn't doable. Again, I offered my gratitude to the heavens. Before dinner, Amy was able to visit her Omi, who will turn 100 years old this November. Sadly her Omi would not be able to attend the shower.

We awoke early Saturday morning; the special day had arrived. I left Amy behind to join Ron and Estela for the preparations. Amy was anxious when I left and felt sad about her Omi. Luckily by the time I returned, she had worked through her anxiety and sorrow and looked like an angel.

The day was as perfect as it could be. With that said, we weren't aiming for glitz or glamour. We wanted a simple day to appreciate our friends and loved ones, and we experienced that and then some! The food was delicious, catered by Celia's in San Mateo. Amy had such fun reconnecting with so many friends from all the different stages of her life in the Bay Area, and I too was blessed that my friends from far and near were able to attend.

A few photos from the shower.

The party lingered into the late afternoon. As I glanced around the room from table to table, watching people enjoying each other, I could hear Elton...

Spare your heart, save your soul

Don't drag your love across the coals

Find your feet and your fortune can be told

Release, relax, let go

And hey now let's recover your soul

I sent a nod up toward my mom, we had found our feet, rewritten our fortune, and most importantly, recovered our souls, allowing us both to (literally) shower our special girl.

Amy and I savored the remainder of the evening back at the hotel with one of her bridesmaids, Sydney, doing what girls do best, talking and laughing.

I dropped Amy on Sunday morning at the airport, asking the universe to safely deliver her back home. I was granted yet another blessing.

Amy posted this photo on Instagram, taken toward the end of the shower. Her caption read, "So full." I couldn't have said it better.