Nightglow Window

Lubbock: Day Two

Christy and I poke around Lubbock in the morning. We drive around the sprawling university, find that Buddy Holly statue, visit the rocker's vistor center for a quick driveby photo op, and make it back to the hotel with plenty of time to get ready for the wedding at noon.

The Macdonald house has been meticulously decorated and it looks great. It's not even too hot -- yet. Joey and Laura appear relaxed. Even the kilts aren't a shocker after you see them two or three (or four) times. The ceremony is nice and the perfect length. After the vows (which they wrote themselves and were beautiful), we all head inside for some air-conditioned comfort while tables are set up under the pavilion outside. Lunch is fun, and I get to talk to Alan and his date Kate, which was enjoyable. He's a lot of fun to talk to and I should make a point to visit him next time I'm in NYC. I bet he knows all the spots.

Soon we all scatter for a well-needed nap. Christy and I sack out for two hours and after we finally pull ourselves out of bed, we head out of town to the windmill museum (drats! closed!), and then out into the nearby farm country. We race down a smooth dirt road through an endless field of cotton, the sun slanting golden. Up ahead, in the middle of seemingly nowhere, is a large building surrounded by many cars. Astro Liquor. Since Lubbock is a dry county, I guess you this is the place to stock up. Bizarre. We bomb down another road and almost take flight over a nasty bump. Got to love rental cars.

The reception tonight is at the Lubbock Club and mentions something about dancing, so I assume **always a bad idea** that it will be at a night club. I change into sneakers and jeans (I had been wearing slacks and nice shoes at the wedding).

Alas, I get hosed again. The Lubbock Club is at the top of the Wells Fargo building and it's all dark paneling and old folks. They really are very nice, but I feel out of place in the sea of dark, severe suits. The O'Briens and Stewarts take up a table and soon my discomfort fades. The night, once again, ends in the jacuzzi.

Texas Tech, which was right next to out hotel.

The Buddy Holly Statue! (Protected by a wall and lots of flowers or I would have climbed up to it. Plus there was a Breast Cancer walk nearby and the area was swarming with Lubbock PD.)

Living it up at the Buddy Holly Center in Lubbock in the few free hours before the wedding.

Wall art, Holly style.

Joey and Laura about a hour before they tied the knot.

The backyard of Laura's parent's house was meticulously decorated and beautiful.

Joey and Auntie Janie.

Joey has a magnificent Sporran and he knows how to use it.

Stevie and Amy Stewart. We didn't even know Stevie was married until we arrived in Lubbock.

The big moment.

The post-nuptial toast.

My dad, checking out the ring.

The Brothers Stewart.

Feeling that ring-finger burn.

Garter flashes in the Stewart colors.

Sneaky time-lapse self portrait with my cousin Patty, Dad, and Uncle Joel.

A little friendly advice from the State Of Texas, found in with the marriage license.

Signing the license. Up until now it was just a good party.

After a post-wedding two-hour nap, Christy and I go joyriding through the farmlands outside of Lubbock.