Five More Days

I am sitting at home right now attempting to do some work and looking out at the clear blue sky. It seems a bit strange since, the sun has been so hidden over the last week or so. Last weekend I was out of my mind because I had been stuck inside all weekend and didn't get a chance to enjoy the outdoors. Now two days into the work week and it is gorgeous outside, what's the deal.

Preparations for the wedding are nearly complete and even if they don't all get done, it will all be done in five days. I think at this point I am more stressed about getting all of my work done before the honeymoon than I am about the wedding. It just seems that the stuff I have left to do for work is never ending. In a couple weeks I can forget it all and disappear to Canada for a week with no thoughts of CaseNET. Perhaps I should have taken a couple days off before or after the wedding to settle down before the day. It's hard to pull myself away from work although I am sure I will be settled down for the wedding. The tough part will be finding time to clear my head for writing my vows and also finding enough time to practice my guitar playing before the rehearsal dinner.

Well I have to get going for now. Hopefully I will have at least one more entry before the big day.

Keeg

Bachelor Party & 50th Dave Matthews Show

It was a busy weekend for me. On Friday, I stopped working early and picked Andy up for a drive out to Saratoga Springs, NY for my 49th Dave Matthews concert. Yes I know its crazy, but it is one of those things I just can't get enough of in life. The first show was fantastic. We got to see the 2006 debut of a few old songs (Don't Drink The Water, What You Are and Typical Situation) and I heard two of the new songs which I really enjoy. The cool thing about SPAC (Saratoga Performing Arts Center) is that it is an amphitheater in the middle of a beautiful state park. It is a great place to see a show and beats hanging out in the dusty parking lots of the Tweeter Center. One place in the middle of the park was a disaster with drunk college kids everywhere wandering around looking for the show. It was nice entertainment for our walk to the show. We were stuck in heavy traffic on the way out and after about an hour we made it out to the main road.

Saturday morning we woke up late and were able to catch the end of the continental breakfast. After breakfast we went over to the park and found the perfect picnic spot next to a river. We grabbed two picnic tables and sat there waiting for the rest of the BoCaNO crew to show up. A few hours later the big white rental van showed up and out jumped Kate, Mark, Jen Thomas, Kelly, Dr. Mark, Noelle and Amy. We unpacked the van and then Rich showed up with the rest of the supplies. Now that everybody was there, Andy presented me with plastic ball and chain I was required to wear for the night. I obliged and did wear it for the entire night including the three hours of the concert out on the lawn. I'm getting ahead of myself though. At the picnic area we did some grilling, played a little whiffle ball and also played a few rounds of celebrity. The police were a constant presence and stopped many people from playing Beer Pong and drinking out of cans. We also got to see a big old cat fight, which was broken up by police on horse back. Late in the afternoon Brendan and Brittany showed up and I found them up near the concert and brought them back to the party. We all hung out for a couple more hours before filing into the show. Once inside Andy made an expedition down the lawn to a great spot in the center of the lawn. Slowly we all migrated down to the spot and by the middle of the show everybody had regrouped, except Rich who was lost in the shuffle. It was another great show with tons of old songs as well as two of the brand new songs I was really looking forward to hearing. After the show we walked back to the car and drove up to Rich's mom's house north of Saratoga Springs. We all settled into the house and went to sleep.

The next morning we woke up and Kate made us a super yummy breakfast of pancakes, bacon and tater tots. We hung around for a few hours before packing up the cars and driving back home. It was a very memorable weekend. It was great standing at my 50th show surrounded by all of my friends. I felt like somebody who had just finished a marathon or a trip around the country and was lucky enough to have a bunch of people there supporing my quest. Thanks you guys!!!

Friday Night Show Details
Saturday Night Show Details

21 Days To Go

In a short three weeks from right now I will in a seaside room at an inn overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in Rockport with Mrs. Keegan Sands. Hmmm.... that is just crazy stuff. All the wedding planning is in the final stages, we made a list of the things left to do and it totals to about a dozen relatively easy errands that we will easily accomplish in time for the big day. Overall the process has been less stressful than expected, of course it hasn't been a little more stressful for Jennifer, but she has done an excellent job planning. We didn't get this far without a few tears and more than a few compromises, but thats what its all about. As far as how our relationship is holding up despite the planning, I am glad to report that things are better than ever with us. I have heard horror stories about how the wedding can push couples to the edge with all the decisions, finances and the like, but no horror stories to report here. We are still waiting on a bunch of RSVP's, but most of mine are back so that makes me happy (I do have the home field advantage). The number of attendees looks to be dropping below 140 by the end of the week based on our estimations, which is really good considering we invited over 150 people and the wedding is on a holiday weekend, which has made people take little vacations to Massachusetts.

The wedding gifts have begun to pile up in our back bedroom. Apparently its bad luck and bad taste to use anything before the "You may kiss the bride" thing so we have refrained from using the new Waffle maker, serving containers and flatware. I am not quite sure where we are going to put all of this stuff when all is said and done. I still need to work on some honeymoon stuff, Jennifer booked all of the ferries and hotels in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, but now it is my turn to plan the day to daily itinerary. No big deal though, as long as I have my new wife, my old car and my satellite radio, I will be a honeymooner.

Now on to the past weekend and what I have been up to. I can sum it up in two words, "Not Much". I was super tired from working until 3:30 in the morning Friday and spent most of the evening napping and playing with our new TiVo. Saturday we stayed out of the rain, went to the gym and went to see one of Jen's students perform in a ballet recital. Afterwards her student's parents took us out for crepes in Harvard Square, we shared a mango strawberry and dark chocolate one and it was fantastic.

Today we woke up and went over to the cafe for breakfast and then returned home to work on wedding things. I backed up all of my music and burned cd's for the DJ. We went to the gym in the afternoon and then came back home and watched the BoSox game. Now I am sitting on the couch updating this journal. Unfortunately, I seem to be coming down with a cold and haven't felt well all afternoon, hopefully it will pass though.

See you all real soon.
Keeg

Quick Quick

Poison ivy is nearly gone.
Shopped and saw the Breakup on Saturday.
Fifth day of the gym in a row today.
Worked at home yesterday.
Jennifer made a fantastic stir fry last night in the wok.
Dishes are all done.
Damn its been cold and rainy lately.
Back at work this morning and the office is freeeeezzzzing!!!
Ballet two nights this week (Tuesday and Saturday)
DMB next week (Show #49 & #50)
Less than four weeks to the wedding.

That's all folks!!!