Steve's First Kilt for a Ball and My A+E (ER) Visit

This weekend was so busy! Friday night we met up with some friends and a new couple who I met while returning their mail that mistakenly found it's way into my mail. Funny how friendships can begin, right? They were very down to Earth and fun. Saturday, Steve and I walked downtown to pick up my dress and his kilt. We stopped for brunch at The Beautiful Mountain. I really like that place.

When we got home, I quickly began the time consuming female-preparations-for-fancy-events list. Luckily, Steve and I had Pam and Fin to help with this. Pam worked on curling my hair while Fin worked with Steve to ensure his kilt was properly put together. I don't want this post to be misunderstood as making fun of this tradition. Kilts are stunning! Men look fantastic wearing them, and we want to participate in traditions while we are here, which is why Steve rented a kilt instead of a tux. However, as with many 'firsts,' it was a learning experience worth sharing. Pam and I sat in the floor giggling at the conversation that unfolded... something like this:

"Yeah, I got this shirt, but I forgot the cuff links... so I used these plastic things," Steve says showing the plastic hair-pin-shaped clips used to keep dress shirts folded.

"You didn't get cuff links with all of this???" Fin asks.

"Well, he did, but he didn't hear the guy tell him to take them home after the fitting session..." I proclaimed.

"You don't have any others?" Fin asks.

"Uh... cuff links aren't really popular in the US, Fin. Most shirts there come with buttons." Pam informs him. "Really?" Fin runs home to grab some of his own for Steve to borrow. When he gets back:

"Oh, Steve, don't put on your jacket yet. You need to put on your kilt first because it comes up quite high on your stomach. It will go just above your belly button."

Steve disappears for a while.  "Is this right?" he asks as he walks out in the kilt holding up his arms.

"Uh.. (chuckle).. no.. uh.. you're backwards." Insert laughter from everybody. The pleats go in the back. FYI.

So they get that fixed and move on to the waistcoat. Steve told Fin that there were two of them. "Am I supposed to wear both?"

"No.. I don't think so."

"Maybe it's just a choice?" Steve guesses as he picks them each up.

Pam sprays hairspray on my hair as she fusses over its unwillingness to curl. The iron makes a crackling and sizzling noise as it grips my hair. Steve and Fin stop what they are doing and turn toward us wide-eyed. "Don't worry about the noise... juuuuust ignore it," Pam sings.

"That probably isn't the best sound to hear coming from your hair."

"It's not my hair. It's the hairspray on my hair." At least I was hoping that to be the truth...

"So, should I put on both coats?"

"I don't know. I don't think that's right. I'll Google it," Fin says as he pulls out his phone. More giggles from Pam and I. "This says that the more modern kilts are worn with 2, but I think you should just wear the one."

"Yeah, me too, and I think I button all but the bottom button on the jacket, right?" Steve begins telling the story about the king that couldn't button the last button on his jacket after gaining weight, so everybody else started leaving their bottom button undone. Fin decided he should look this up as well. Confirmed. King Edward VII. Steve put on his socks, which he folded down and then up to the knee. Then, came the shoes.

"I don't think I really remember," says Steve.

"Tie it like you normally would for a first step, then twist it 6 times. Wrap it around your ankle, and tie it in a bow at either the side or the front, but the same way on both sides, " I repeat in my best instructional voice.

"Well, I feel useless now," Fin laughs as he bends down with Steve to figure it out.

"No, well I think it's this way first. Wait... let me see."

"Maybe it's like this?" Lots of shuffling and noises of shoe strings slapping the shoes and the floor.

Pam interrupts, "Fin, didn't you have to do this for the guys in your wedding?"

"Well, yeah, but they were doing it with me. I wasn't doing it for them. It's harder doing this on somebody else!"

Kilts are like a work of art. The men put so much work and attention to detail into them. I have a new appreciation for how stunning and interesting they are.                                                   

In the end, thanks to two very determined men, I had a very handsome husband. I like this kilt look! Moreover, thanks to Pam, I managed to be ready with lovely hair just in time. Fin was taking pictures of us, and Pam was laughing at him. "You are like a proud parent!" A big "THANK YOU" to two marvelous friends. We would have shown up to the ball, me with fried, half-curled hair, and Steve with two waistcoats and his kilt on backwards :o)

 Steve was pretty proud of his Sgian dubh (the knife, pronounced 'skee(a)n doo').

We had a great time! We had good food, good conversations, and good dancing.

Broken bones...again?
Sunday was a relaxing day. It was sunny, so we took the dogs to the park. Then, I took Angel for a run. I needed to test my knee. I fell on my knee practicing a leg sweep in Kung Fu. My partner held on to me and took me down with her. My knee slammed into the wood floor. I wanted to see what I could handle before Kung Fu tomorrow. We ran 2.5 miles. It was fine. It still hurts to touch. Any time I try to touch it to feel out what's wrong, there is one spot that makes my finger feel like a shard of glass pressing into it. I can also feel something small moving around my knee. Because I have Osteogenesis Imperfecta (brittle bones), we decided that a trip to the doctor was best. She sent me to the A+E (Accident and Emergency, like what we call the "ER"). We had to check in at a desk where you explain in front of everybody there what is wrong with you. Then, they send you to the appropriate waiting room. I was sent to "Minor Emergencies" to wait. We waited over 2 hours. The doctor sent me to get x-rays, and then he brought us behind the nurse station desk (I know.. I felt like I was trespassing) to look at them. Nothing was visible, so I guess I'm in the clear. I must have just badly bruised my patella. At least I know how cautious I need to be with activities, and I'll need to learn how to fall...