Tumblin' tumbleweeds

I spent last weekend in Lockney, Texas, where the beautiful ADoD reaffirmed her vows in a ceremony before family and friends.

Wow, what a wedding! Some observations from the weekend:

• ADoD makes a right-purdy bride.

• ADoD's sisters are hilarious, gifted and beautiful. Youngest sister of ADoD provided her own accompaniment on piano while singing a sweet Nora Jones song at the start of the ceremony. Damnation can that girl sing! And second youngest sister of ADoD, in addition to having the coolest hair ever and a kick-ass boyfriend, is an amazing seamstress (in fact, she's a professional seamstress). Thank God she was on hand, for the bridesmaids' dresses needed -- ahem -- a little work. She practically made my dress fit, and we became intimately acquainted whilst she sewed me into it just minutes before we walked down the aisle. SYSOADoD, you rock. And roll.

• ADoD's mother and father are awesome. I was so impressed with their grace, ingenuity and ability in pulling the wedding together. I'm also deeply touched that they made me feel part of the family throughout the whole weekend.

• I like brief ceremonies. This one lasted all of 14 minutes, which is good because A) my feet hurt and B) I had less time to make a blubbering fool of myself.

• West Texas has a beauty to it. It's extraordinarily flat. And windy. But at night, the stars are exceptionally bright, and it's breathtaking to see a lightning storm way off in the distance.

• All of ADoD's family can dance. Seriously. I've never seen a family boogie down like that.

• ADoD and the Pilot are, quite simply, perfect together. Aside from my parents, I'm not sure I've ever met two people so suited to each other. The looks they exchanged during the ceremony ... it's the stuff of fairy tales. Yes, I cried.

• The Pilot, despite possessing a gloriously irreverent sense of humor, is quite the gentleman. I'm pretty sure he danced with every woman there, including the single ones (ahem). He danced with me even though I don't know how to two-step and insisted he count the entire time we were on the dance floor. He even dipped me at the end! Husband of ADoD, thank you for that.

• The Pilot is good to his wife, so good, in fact, that he bought her the wedding pinata she wanted and parked on the lawn so she wouldn't have to walk in the mud.

So, I learned a few things last weekend:

• I do not altogether detest the morning. I woke up early each day and found myself loving how much one can accomplish when one does so.

• I do not like the taste of cheap whiskey, but I gladly braved a shot of it to become an honorary pilot, and I'd do so again if called upon by kin or country.

• I can still function on little or no sleep.

• True love does exist, and I believe it's worth waiting for.

• Beer, barbecue and good music make for a great wedding reception.

One of the Posse members is officially married off, and another is happily involved with a truly worthy man, whom we all love (hi boyfriend of D!). I couldn't be more pleased.