The Party

Oh, and what a party it was!
After the receiving line and photo shoot, and I managed to eat and get something to drink. It was very hard for me to accomplish a thing, I was so inundated with people! I felt like I was getting tossed in the ocean - and I did what you do then, too, and just rolled with it. I went back to my tent for a minute to change shoes, and when I came back it seemed like half the guests had already left, and I didn't really get a chance to even say hi to some of the folks who had gone!
I made an effort to find Orion and spend some time with him before he left with Jo Ann, but he was asleep in my mom's lap when I found him. Sweet baby man; he was hanging in there as best he could with all the excitement, but I know it wasn't easy on him.
The music was going the whole time. Pretty much as soon as the ceremony ended Buck, Myke and Beth were onstage setting up equipment. The rain had moved on, and the tiki torches were lit. These were originally supposed to line the aisle leading to the stage, surrounded on either side by chairs, but instead they stood like sentinels alone in the field.
It started getting dark, and the lights in the tent came back on. The disco ball and the lights on the stage became visible, and the night took on a magical glow. It was cool and damp, but perfect for a long night of dancing. Night really fell, and all the folks who weren't staying at Shakori for the night left. The 30 or so folks left over got on the stage and started dancing, fireworks went off, and the music was hot!
Buck played for something like 9 hours, with a few breaks when Beth took over - the music lasted all night and was completely awesome the whole time. A big thanks to Myke and Buck for bringing the party! I can't wait to be able to see Buck play whenever I feel like it in SF! Whoot!
It was a really special night and I'm so glad we got to spend it with all of our dearest friends. It felt like a festival in which we had cut away all but the best parts! I think back on everyone's smiling faces, all the great dance grooves, the energy of all the activity, the lights and the view of the field from the stage, and I believe I've actually topped myself for best party ever!
Thanks and huge hugs to all those who participated! It was everything I hoped it would be.