Sara's sari and a friend's wedding

A run-down of the past few days
Saturday I had a lovely lunch with a friend, Kelly the day before her first Mothers Day :)
The rest of the day, I went shopping for a sari for a wedding on Monday. A SARI!!
End of the afternoon, I found one and brought it home to Big Daddy's wife. They were just leaving to take his daughter to the hospital (she's a few days overdue with the first grandbaby of the family). I wished them well, held on to my sari.

Leo was still getting over his fever/stomach thing and continued to rest. We watched lots of movies this weekend. Sunday morning I went to get milk and on the way I asked at Big Daddy's about the baby. Not yet. No labor even so I brought my sari material over and Christian, BD's wife, began stitchin'.

Yesterday, Mothers Day Leo and I had a pancake breakfast with homemade papaya/strawberry juice to wash it down. We lit a candle and gave a toast to our mamas, remembering special things about them.
I went to the gym (Leo, not quite up'n'at'em yet stayed home) and had a good workout.
Came home and we watched a movie. I went to bed really early.

This morning I woke up normal-early. Big Daddy's sister and niece came over while I was still in my pjs to dress me. Hang on ladies! :) After a quick shower, I stepped into the underskirt and sari blouse. Everything fit snuggly but BD's niece groaned, "too big"....Noooooo, no-no-no-no, it's fiiiiine, I said. Rohani was helping and they were all giggling and talking in Sinhala and it was such GIRL TIME but I could only understand a sliver, and never when they busted into giggles.

They pinned me and cinched my waist with a band and explained that this was the only thing between keeping the sari wrapped and having it fall off. I gave in. Visions of corsets coming to my mind.

After I was dressed/wrapped, I looked in the mirror and realized that this was the most elegant thing I'd ever worn...ok, my wedding dress but it's a close second.

Leo came out to take pictures of the whole thing and I have to say, that dashing man takes my breath away. Starchy white button down shirt, black dress pants, shiny (not too shiny) black shoes....sigh....He's a handsome man.

The wedding itself was beautiful and interesting. The elder son of the Hikkaduwa family. It was clear that this was the happiest best day in their lives thus far and we could all feel that bliss.

We arrived first before any of the Hikkaduwa gang were there. Everyone sat watching their watches. The timing of a marriage is very important here. The ceremony will begin at the auspicious time, not a minute before, not a minute later.

Exactly at 10am (few minutes after by my watch) the dancers and drummers began. Tin-tin-rattles and deep beats and men dancing elegantly with hands and fingers a twirl.

The dancers were followed by the groom and his family. Awhile later, the bride appeared followed by her family. Her father led her in. She was a dream, she was perfectly beautiful, a bride, Mahesh's bride.

There was a long chant sung by a priest while the married couple stood upon a platform. All weddings have a funny moment and today's was that the monk/priest forgot the words to the chant at one point, "uh.....uh......huh?.....uh" we all stifled giggles which was just what he needed to get going again, he chuckled himself and carried on, and on, and on. It takes awhile.

As they stepped down from the platform, there is a man that hacks a coconut with a machete as the newly married couple steps to the ground. If it falls in half, the marriage will be good. If not, well.... Talk about pressure! So, the guy gave the coconut a wack and it didn't budge, just kind of spun off. The men in the audience were quick to chastise and offer commentary on how to hack a second time. The second time, the coconut broke. I'd say it was half/half.

There were rings and binding the hands together with string and offering bodhi leaves. We were soaking it all in, a Sinhalese wedding.

Snacks and warm beer and attempted conversations over a way too loud band for such a small room. It was mostly fun to watch Mahesh and Imali circulate around the room, looking so in love.

We left awhile later and by the time we got home, we were exhausted. Leo helped me out of my sari and we both collapsed into a nap.

So, that's the scope the past few days. And now it might be a few more days til the next one. Unless Leo posts.

Love you all. Extra blessings to the mamas.

S&L