Lentil Festival: (noun) Pullman, Washington event that effectively succeeded in prohibiting Shoes and I meeting with our first choice of ceremony/reception venue. On the phone, the venue secretary said, "Oh, I don't know now. That's lentil festival. We'll be really busy that weekend."
Right.
I, for one, ALWAYS flock to the nearest party that honors legumes. We really didn't get to meet with the venue rep, but I drove to Pullman anyway last weekend. I hadn't had a chance to see Shoes' mother or his father (and family) since the engagement.
And you know what?
Lentil festival is HUGE. Blocks worth of lentil party. Who knew? And Shoes mocked me for my 5 minute screeching tirade about how busy I am and how I have very few chances to get to Pullman before school starts and how NOBODY will be at lentil festival.
Everybody was at lentil festival.
A picture, but not my picture - it's hyperlinked, of the big, giant huge vat of free lentil chili they cook up and serve. I passed. But we had fun walking around with old friends and enjoying the young energy that a university hums with right before classes start.
Also. We were inadvertently in the Lentil Festival parade on Sunday. Shoes marched, as a 3rd grader (I think?) in the very first Lentil Festival Parade. They made him dress up like a packet of lentil seeds; he says he is still scarred from that experience but I doubt it. We were trying to get up to the University, the road merged, there was regular traffic in our lane and the parade in the lane next to us. Enter panicked noises from Shoes and "we gotta get out of this thing."
Also, I told Shoes that I wanted to see the Pullman lady cop from the show "Campus PD." As in, the Campus PD series that's on G4. This lady in this clip (I apologize for the title on the clip, but I can assure you nobody talks about dropping panties. Well, kind of he does, I guess. It's a drink.):
Shoes said, "I bet I can deliver that." And what do you know? He did. She was right there at Lentil Festival.
Oh Lentil Festival. I want to be so mad at you.
But you, in all of your small town glory, won't let me.
You know what else?, Shoes' step-mom and step-sisters squealed with excitement when they saw the engagement ring. And the "Congratulations!" and "We're SO HAPPY for you's" melted my heart just a little more.
Like my heart needs to be any more gooey with this family.
We also made out pilgrimage out to the Washington State University Bear Center.
Bears.
In fences.
Free to see.
The very first time Shoes took me home (and I spent the entire time feeling like I was going to toss my cookies I was so nervous), we talked, in the car, about how I had never seen a live bear not in a zoo. When we got into town, Shoes said, "I've something to show you."
And he drove me out to the Bear Center.
And he grinned.
And he said, "See, babe? Bears. Not bears in the wild, but still bears. Look at what I deliver."
Photo not mine. Click and see. These are not the bear cubs that are out there now. The cubs out there now are much bigger, but still young. And I seriously adore them. I have no idea why. I'm such a dork, but I love to sit there and watch them play, wrestle with each other, splash into their tubs, nap.
Shoes always has to tell me it's time to leave and I always say, "Just a couple more minutes ..."
We have a meeting the Friday before school starts to talk to the wedding venue. Shoes was the one who ended up setting it up. Apparently, he can create magical things in the town he hails from. And I cannot. I wonder how long it takes for the Pullman magic to rub off ....
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Haha...I am glad that Shoes is taking the reins and figuring this stuff out with you and for you. Lentil festival seems weird....but each town has weird...so if we all have to go to lentil festival to see you married then bring on the lentils. :0)
Lentil festival... sounds lovely. Reminds me of the small festivals back in Italy, like the mushroom festival and the pumpkin festival and the dried ham festival... sigh. So glad Shoes has a little magic to share with you in your home town. :) I LOVE hearing how happy you are in your posts now. Just wish I could give you a big ole squeeze my friend over a cup of coffee.
I got to feed a bear cub in Bandon once. So fun...but they were a little large and overwhelming.