Knitted Goods Love Asilomar

Over the weekend I gave my mom My So-Called Scarf (this was my plan, you know, but I couldn't say on the blog that it was a birthday gift for her). It looks fabulous on her!



Neill and I met my parents and some of their friends (who are, really, our friends now too!) for a hike and dinner at Asilomar State Beach. What a gorgeous place. It was pretty chilly, so I broke out my Knucks.



We had a very special treat when a bagpiper came out at sunset (though there was no sun to set) near where we were to eat dinner.



Bagpipe music has been extremely special to my family since my wedding last year. Neill and I are both of Scottish ancestry (Neill mostly -- I'm only 1/8), so it was important to us to incorporate it into our ceremony. We didn't want a theme wedding, so we added elements here and there: Neill and my brother (and our 6 year old ringbearer!) wore kilts, we used our family tartans in some of the decorations, and we had a very dear friend and colleague pipe us down the aisle to this song. Now, five days before the wedding my dad was in a horrible car accident. It was a miracle that the only injuries he had (which were massive) were to his legs and to nothing else, and it was a miracle that the hospital released him in time for the wedding. He couldn't walk me down the aisle, but my brother pushed him in his wheel chair and he held my hand. Anyway, bagpipe music is melancholy and haunting enough as it is, but coupled with my dad's accident and the image of him in a wheel chair, I'm pretty sure at least 90% of the congregation broke down crying (at least every person I could see from the aisle did). Even a year later, whenever my parents and I (and Neill a little bit too) hear it, we can't help but tear up because we are reminded of all of those emotions, being so stressed out and scared for my dad yet so happy he was ok and joyful about the new marriage.

Though now we mostly just feel the happy and joyful part.