More guests and friends come in from San Francisco and across the country--Atlanta, Los Angeles, Seattle, Boston, Providence, Cleveland, Washington, New Jersey, New York. Larry Page makes the bagel run to Calistoga. We sit in the hot tub, hang around, and worry about the weather.

                                           David and Marla
There are forecasts for fair and sunny, cloudy, or rain--take your pick. We get tense. We all have hyssie fits. Finally, we hire a tent as insurance. Marcia Kaunfer (whose ketubah is spectacular, ravishing--her calligraphy is as good as it gets--circular with a brilliant blue-purple border with the moon and the stars for Marjorie) vows to wear her raincoat, and only her raincoat to the wedding in order to prevent rain.

John Barylick, who is singing Elijah in Providence, writes to me that he is praying to Baal for rain, which will, of course, bring fair weather. Carol and I have massages outdoors on a hilltop. I fall asleep. Hope I didn't fart. Janet, our Frahnck (wedding coordinator), leads a rehearsal with grace and authority.
 
 

Saturday night guests join us from all the hotels for a barbecue and roast. Andy & I make Havdalah.

                                                                                              Ali and Marjorie
We have Sinai-Kosher Polish hot dogs, Polish pickles (the Steuer-Lewises are from Milwaukee, remember), Gardenburgers, potato salad, cole slaw, fruit. Beer (Liberty Ale, Sapporo draft, Spaten light and dark, Grolsch)  wine (St. Supéry Cabernet, Burgess Zinfandel, Mondavi Chardonnay), water (Calistoga sparkling and plain, lemon, lime).

                  Michael, Carol, Belleruth, Adabeth                                         So tomorrow...no chanting, right?
 

                              Ali, Nancy, Steffie, Jon

                      Marjorie and Nancy                                                                             Nancy and Michael

               Steffie and Michael                                                                What’s that in your nose?

Then there is a roast of the couple (Snarlium-Cheezium), led by David and Marla, with assistance from Andy and Ellen. Mikki reads a brilliant and funny Hegelian analysis of the ephemeral vicissitudes of wedding dress selection. Justin reads a psychotic monologue of loose associations and flight of ideas directly from his laptop. He finishes before I have filled my syringe with Haldol. Andy reads a charming Yiddish lovesong.

Debbie offers a rambling, manhating, ballbusting, venomous monologue directed at God knows whom.

David and Marla close with a musical tribute on their guitar and bass.

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