Rowdy Scots, a high-strung bride and too much wine -- my little sister's wedding

My sister got married on Saturday to a Scottish guy she met while attending Edinburgh University as an exchange student. He's a great guy and I couldn't be happier for her.

She's a bit of a perfectionist, and I think she let things overwhelm her a few times while she was planning everything. He was still living overseas. She was living alone in the Harrisburg area several hours away from family and friends and had an awful lot of time on her hands. Got really stressed out on several occasions, over things that seemed very minor to the rest of us. (My wife and I decided to get married on a Monday and did so that same Wednesday, so it's kind of hard to sympathize.)

All's well that ends well, though, I guess. It was a very nice ceremony and an excellent reception. Not every day in Pennsylvania where the groom's father plays the bagpipes outside the church for incoming guests and half the wedding party is in kilts! I do have to note that there was no haggis at the reception. What happened, guys???

The groom's brothers conducted a tag-team roast during the best man's speech. Very funny. They even presented a 'receipt' for the groom with a 'no returns for any reason whatsoever' policy. One of his brothers lives in the UK and the other lives in Tokyo, so now that he's living in the US the sun never sets on their clan.

For my part, I just drink way too damned much when I visit my parents' house -- especially when my brother is in town. We end up sitting out on the deck half the night drinking chianti or dago red, even though I know I'm probably going to have to get up with one of the kids a few hours later. And the "discussion" is usually still going long after I crawl off to bed.

For the record, there's no compliment to a hangover like a wound-up, well-rested two-year-old who likes to pounce when you're laying on the couch. P. relieved me and sent me back to bed for power naps after I'd had a couple of early morning shifts this weekend, which helped tremendously. Very nice of her as she needs the sleep more than I do, being seven months pregnant now.