Wednesday 9/29/21

Not a lot for pictures today, but we accomplished a lot!  We went to Dan and Loti’s in the morning to continue with our de-waxing tasks. It was nice because Dan was working from home today. He was there, not just to keep us in check, but to make sure that a flower delivery arrived as scheduled.  Loti had ordered a shipment of assorted cut flowers to use for table decor at the reception, and they came all boxed up in good condition.  Dan and I worked on cutting the stems and putting them into water buckets in the backyard since it was cool there.

Bob kept working steadily on the "wax off" project.  Not wax on!   And he put the final coat on the chalk boards so they can be taken to a friend who does those cool chalk graphics.  Amidst all the preparations, I think I skipped lunch!  Sometimes I just get involved and busy and forget about meals!  Also, I'm still adjusting to my new Invisilign braces, which have to be slipped off any time I want to eat or drink anything but water.  I have to pay attention to keeping them in place for the majority of the time.  It really makes me realize how much I rely on snacking through the day! 

We dropped off garbage and cardboard at the nearby city disposal location and then went to Whitefish. Whitefish and Columbia Falls are neighbors and the back road between them is scenic and enjoyable.  At Montana Coffee Traders we had coffees and I had a wrap to make up for my skipped lunch. We walked to the Toggery next door to look for a shirt for Bob but didn’t find anything. We had to make a quick stop in Walgreen's about a prescription refill that wasn’t ready yet. We drove down to Kalispell via the back way which was a very winding road. We were headed to Murdoch’s farm and ranch store. We found some possibilities for Bob's wedding attire. He tried several shirt/vest combinations before deciding on a set with gray tones and complementary to the brown Carharts.  Looking very handsome!  Success!

In the evening, we met Dan, Loti, her father Ron, her sister Jacklyn, and her friend Kevin at Bonsai Brewery. It was the first time we have been able to meet any of Loti's family, so this was a special night!  Bonsai is a landmark in Whitefish.  They brew several top-notch beers and cook up some wonderful food, too.  We have been here before because they have a large casual outdoor seating area.  Dan has worked here once or twice a week, serving their beers.  It seems like everyone we meet there is so friendly and tells us what a good guy Dan is, but we already know that!  We had a beer and shared a delicious bowl meal while we talked with these members of Loti’s family.  We got to know them a little bit, and it was a good conversation.  It's easy to see how Loti has evolved int the person she is after a lively conversation.  It's also touching to listen to Ron tell us how much he likes Dan. This is exactly what you want to hear about your adult kids, and knowing that all those trials during growing up were worth it! 

After dinner, we went back to our place and I worked on a special project.  Loti has a small purse that belonged to her mom that she wanted to use on her wedding day.  It was a unique bag made entirely of metal pieces linked together and painted.  At first, I though it was beaded, but I was wrong about that.  It was in pretty good shape, but had a few small holes in the bottom that needed to be mended.  So glad I have a needle and black thread on hand!  Even those little pink beads dangling at the bottom are made of metal!

Only 3 days until the wedding!