Winter's Wedding and a Whiskey with Sam Tresler

*Poof!*  The Mad Pigeon's back!  Indeed, we got back to town about 4:30 PM yesterday (I suppose I could've written, but I was wiped out).

Aside from unseasonable heat, my brother's wedding was a hit.  Winter and his new bride (my occasional commenter known as C-Chan) had an outdoor pagan ceremony at the National Arboretum.  My job was to be the "guardian of the circle;" that is, once the ceremony began no one was allowed to enter or leave the designated area without my leave, since to cross in or out of the ceremony circle is considered desecration.

I dressed up in full service dress, to include the wheel cap and enough medals to make me look like a third-world general, and borrowed a sword from the USAFA honor guard.  I marched around the consecrated circle for the entire ceremony, only stopping to present arms three times (once at my own accord, when the groom kissed the bride).

So yes, although I saw the ceremony during the rehearsal, I only saw bits and pieces during the actual performance.  But I'm still honored Winter asked me to perform the solemn duty, and I treated it with the seriousness and gravity of a military honor guard display. 

Hopefully I'll have pictures in the next few weeks to share!

But now I'm getting ahead of myself--I can't neglect the Bachelor Party, which is where the Whiskey with Sam Tresler from the post title comes in.

Sam's been a regular reader and commenter for over a year now, but it was just recently that I learned my brother was his roommate in New York (Winter introduced him to my blog).

Needless to say, we haven't agreed on everything; but he's been a welcome counterpoint.  So I was pleased to meet him in person! 

For what it's worth, he reminds me of a young, bearded Dan Ackroyd. 

Anyways, back to the bachelor party.  Before you get any funny ideas, it was nothing more than a mellow, G-rated event.  We started the evening on a D.C. rooftop overlooking the Capitol, with cigars and tumblers of whiskey and rum in hand.  Sam and I got to talking politics, and before you know it we were agreeing far more than we disagreed.

I'd provide particulars, 'cept my memory is understandably a little fuzzy. 

I do remember he got me to admit (under liquored duress) I don't mind more money being spent on welfare programs... but only as long as the spending is transparent--I want to know where every dime is going so we can keep the overhead low and the pork lean (I'm talking to you, FEMA).

And my idea of a social welfare program is a hand up, not a hand out.  Like the local community pitching in to help neighbors in a crisis, I have no problem giving so my fellow man can get out a bind, but that means getting an education and finding work, not finding the porch and remote.

But I digress... in short, Sam's a good dude.

Plus, the Hummingbird thought he was cute!

After a few hours polishing off scotches and bourbons we then went to Club Asylum, a punk-biker joint in the Adams Morgan neighborhood that my brother likes to water at. 

I don't remember much after that, except eating a huge slice of cheese pizza somewhere in Adams Morgan, and a group cab ride back to Winter's place I don't remember paying for.

All in all it was a good week!  I'm happy for Winter and C-Chan (who are honeymooning in London right now), I'm glad to have met Sam, and I was really stoked to have an extra day in Maryland to go on a date with the Hummingbird to Annapolis.

Another round for everybody!

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Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Perri Nelson's Website, The Virtuous Republic, , The Random Yak, DeMediacratic Nation, Big Dog's Weblog, Jeanette's Celebrity Corner, The Populist, Shadowscope, Webloggin, Stuck On Stupid, Leaning Straight Up, Cao's Blog, The Amboy Times, The Bullwinkle Blog, Conservative Cat, Nuke's, third world county, The Pink Flamingo, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Comments

[C-Chan]

Greetings from a London internet cafe! We have enjoyed playing with the pigeons in Trafalgar Square. Today we took some bread from lunch and defied the signs that said "DO NOT FEED THE PIGEONS" and I got a movie clip in my digital camera of Winter, arms outstretched and covered with pigeons.

You can see a few photos here of the wedding and links to others that include you in your uniform:

http://cchan8.livejournal.com/541637.html

And a small-size clip from our waltz (limited time only, my friend posted it for me):

http://homepage.mac.com/seustis/CW-waltz320.mov

We're heading home tomorrow after numerous adventures.