After the rehearsal dinner last night very tipsy Bob called. He was telling me all kinds of wacky "guys in the band on the prowl" stuff about the place they are all staying. It has a disco pub in the Lobby with girls hanging out. Bob saw a couple cute ones and asked to take pictures of them- a blonde and a brunette. After a bit they started french kissing each other- while Bob was there! He kept taking pictures...

Bob had never been near that action in real life before- He was fascinated how they didn't care who was walking by or watching. At one point he went upstairs to get Jack down to see the show. Michael was chatting them up in the meantime.

Bob showed the girls the pix- they really loved them, wanted copies of their own, PLEASE, and supplied email addresses. Then off they went out the door. Laughing, and ready to hang up and talk with Regynn (who was laughing too), the last thing I said was, "Honey, no tongues allowed in your mouth. They are allowed to pinch your butt though!"

This is a response to a comment on yesterday's wedding thing. Since a few salient facets of thought motivating my decision bubbled up, I thought it would be a cool "pseudo-sequel" post

That was a very loving, UN-SELFISH, extremely cool thing for you to do. You can tell Bob I am jealous of him. My wife would NEVER do something so cool like that if she wanted to go. But, I am sure you won't be rubbing that in either...

Thanks for the recognition! In my opinion, Bob is a selfless hero saving the day. He is an emissary bearing love and best wishes from BOTH of us.

At first it seemed we couldn't go at all. After what we had been through with Stephen, not being able to see him marry lovely loving beloved Bette, was beyond belief. Both Bob and I hung in there for him through that horrid abusive woman's reign of terror- several cycles over the years...

I shared spiritual strategy- meditations, affirmations, helped him recognize her manipulations and understand his part in the victimization, encouraged him to seek guidance & power of God's will. I'd get a graphic depicting the abuse cycle to clarify where he's at; I'd remind him that this cycle ends with suicide, homicide or both. Bob and I witnessed, gave depositions, attended law office appointments, and court dates. Stephen and I are very very close friends! He and Bob have been playing together 25 years! My dog bit a chunk out of his mom's leg! He is FAMILY!

People would say, "put it on your credit card." Well, I don't want to do that. The savings account needs fattening up after paying those ICU bills. I want to use money for a monthly savings deposit, not a credit card payment! I'd have a hard time relaxing going out of town knowing there's not a couple months of cushion.

"Getting Our House in Order vs. Disappointing our dear friend" is a no brainer. Keeping Our House in Order is #1 priority. There was money for one of us to go, Bob, creating a great solution; I felt happy. But for two weeks when I heard talk about the wedding I got sad. To cheer me up he tried convincing me we could both go. Argh! I'd explain it's Common $ense keeping a cushion for unexpected expenses.

And I realized though not going to the wedding physically, I'm there spiritually. My positive affect on Stephen's spiritual underpinnings helped him heal, without which meeting Bette and this wedding may not have happened.