Oak Island 2008 Recap

We are home from the third annual Kogut/Sanne/Cummings/Beef Oak Island Vacation. This year was extra special because my Grandma spent the week with us, which was such a rare treat since we never see her living all the way in Seattle. Some of the highlights/lowlights of the week (and I will write in more details later).

• Karoke - Duffers the local bar (only a golf cart away) has instituted Karoke every Tuesday and every other Saturday night. Pearson, stole the show with his Mick Jagger impersonation and singing of Beast of Burden. Matt, truly is an alum of UVA and JMU and sang Dixieland Delight on perfect note.
• Susan and Eddie - A couple we met last year and ran into again, again, and again this time, mostly at Duffers. Awesome folks and can't wait to see them again next year! I think there was a bet going around about the "silver fox" [Susan] but can't recall exact details.
• Wii Fit - Who says you can't get a work out playing video games. I can feel my core already stronger. The best babysitting tool for Luke, you simply turned it on and he just stood there and watched you bouncing soccer balls off your head.
• Repeats - Pearson has yet to stop reminding me how much we all repeat ourselves constantly. Pearson has yet to stop reminding me how much we all repeat ourselves constantly. A habit I am trying to break.
• Professional Photography - I decided it would be a "great" idea to do family photos on the beach, which was then met with resistence by some, a huge fight an hour before the photographer was going to show up, and then of course, a celebration of the family on the beach AND ultimately everyone very happy.
• The Crisses - We now have the fortune of getting to see them at least once a year.

Took down last year's pics and posted this year. Yes, I got everyone in full body shots. Motivation to get in shape next year.

Beach Balls, Beer, Birdies, and BBQ

Alison and I are getting ourselves squared away for another trip across the continent to visit with family and some friends in Oak Island, NC. It's truly a gorgeous place, with a peaceful rhythm that you can really feel, especially when the Kogut girls aren't yelling at me or Joe.

We really don't do much--we sit on the beach, drive the golf cart around, drink beer, play cards and horseshoes, and mess around in the ocean. This year I am particularly excited to play with my nephew, Lukey Bobby, who truth be told is my favorite nephew. He is growing up pretty fast and speaking all kinds of complex phrases; let's just hope he doesn't get "Kogutbonics". If he doesn't get it, he'll be ok.

Alison has set up a link to our pictures from last year. Ignore the fat belly and white body--it's all an illusion.

And tell me why again we live in Seattle.

It is officially summer - two weeks after Memorial Day - time for grilling, sailing, getting a tan, and swimming. Time for flip flops, shorts, tank tops, summer whites, and sun dresses. Time for cold lemonade, popsicles, and the ice cream man.

Not for me...I feel that I have entered a time machine and I woke up this morning in March, give or take a year. Today, I woke up to the cold and rain yet again this week. Instead of putting on my lovely linens pants that have been hanging from the dry cleaning bag since last August, I reach for my winter clothes, complete with my sweater that Pearson tells me "looks like a bathrobe." I have skipped the gloves and scarf. The weather people are worried about avalanches in the mountain pass this weekend since it is predicted they are getting 2 feet of snow.

As I long for summertime, I hear from my colleagues, life long Seattlites, and/or people who just think this is the best city on the planet "Welcome to June Gloom!" As they say this with a smile and an exclamation point, I think to myself they get excited about this as I used to get excited about the pool opening on Memorial Day. I wonder to myself are these folks masochistic or do they simply like being melancholy. And the thing I find even odder is everyone is "ok" with it. No one complains, unlike myself, who can't stop. Following the June Gloom comment, people then always say in followup (as to make you feel better), "oh don't worry, the sun comes out on July 5th and shines through September." I simply stare at them and think to myself, "and tell me why again we live in Seattle."

I am now waiting to see if the prediction comes true and if the skies clear on July 5th. Until that time, I am going to make the most of it and I am going to hit the Farmer's Market that I can see out my front window. I can only hope that the local farmers showed up today to sell fresh produce and meats. I will buy some flowers, which will put a smile on my face and be happy that I am able to buy fresh and organic food a stones throw from my house every week.

Looks like it is a love/hate relationship I have with the Emerald City.

Living the Dream in Matrimonial Bliss

Many have asked the "how is married life?" question, to which I have given alternatively serious or flippant answers. When feeling serious, I talk about being shocked that we actually have to make decisions as a couple rather than one person's opinion winning out and about how fundamentally life-altering that can be for two stubborn people. When feeling flippant, I remark about how we're just an old married couple--making beds, doing laundry, going to bed early, and sometimes eating in front of the TV.


In all seriousness, life is good. We've battened down the hatches for the long NW winter, something both of us dread despite the ability to escape to the mountains for some skiing. In fact, I write this on the shortest day of the year, which in Seattle means the "sun rising" at 745am and setting at 4:30ish. In actuality this means the darkness lifting at around 8am and the darkness descending at about 4:15. I now know why the Nordics felt so at home here. Now my idea about a January honeymoon didn't sound that crude and stupid after all, did they? The worst part is that most natives in these here parts love this stuff--all fleece, salmon, coffee, and constant dampness.


In the future, we'll keep this thing up to date with general stuff about what we're up to. I write some political/business items on another blog, so come here for all things CummINGS. Yes, no longer the dreaded amalgamation of our last name (you do the math).


Anyway, thanks to everybody for coming to our wedding and the great gifts. You should have received thank you letters by now. Here's one of the great pictures that captured the day--we still talk about how great it was and how excited we are for other folks to get married.

We came, we saw, and we got married

Wow. That's really all we can say. We expected the wedding weekend to be something special, but I can safely say it exceeded our expectations.

It was a spiritually and mentally exhausting experience, one that balanced honoring our respective pasts, our families and gathered friends, and our future together. We hope you enjoyed being with us during this wonderful weekend. Suffice it to say, having you there meant the world to us. Both of us remarked at the remarkable turnout for the wedding, something that makes us alternatively feel blessed and humbled.

As some of you know, we honeymooned in Tulum, Mexico. Tulum is located on the southern end of the Yucatan Peninsula, along the Carribean Sea that runs to Belize. The sea is warm and clear and the beaches white due to the prevelence of limestone in the region. I'll report back on the honeymoon and include wedding pix, but thought I would leave a picture of Tulum to wet your appetite.

You can't have a party without an after party

The AFTER Party
I know we all have been to a wedding where at the end of the wedding and, when the band says last song, all those who aren’t quite ready to go home are asking each other, “where should we go next?” However, not everyone is familiar with the city where the wedding is being held and knows a place to go out or one that is close to the hotel and the wedding reception. After spending an hour deciding where to go, getting cabs to get there, and actually traveling to the location -- half the people got lost or have lost interest.

So without much further ado, after the wedding we would like everyone to go to Stetson’s on U Street. https://owa.metrokc.gov/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.stetsonsdc.com/ Located at 1610 U Street, NW, Stetsons is a casual bar where we are planning to take the party and hopefully take over the bar.

And since it is on the way from the Meridian House to the hotels in DC there is no excuse for getting lost.

Two hours of leisure

If you read your invitation correctly, you'll notice there is a 2 hour gap between the ceremony and the start of the reception. We know it is a bit unorthodox, but we loved the church and the reception site so much that we had to fit into some less than ideal schedules. And who wants to eat dinner at 2pm?!?

If the weather is nice, people can certainly pass time by going up to the Capitol and walking the grounds. It is always majestic, particularly on a nice day. Likewise, the National Botanic Garden is about 5 blocks from the church, and I'm told it is a great experience. I believe it has been refurbed over the last few years.

Of course, I am sure many of you might consider stopping by a local watering hole to pass the time. Careful, kids. You aren't as young as you once were.

Finally, don't forget that the Metro is a great way to get around. You can take the Metro directly to the Capitol South Station, which is one block away from the church. If you're staying at the recommended hotels (or any in downtown for that matter), you can take the Metro back to your hotel for a little rest and relaxation before the reception.