The Brookston Family Blog
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A bit of leg from the gals at Chris and Katherine’s wedding, including Sarah, whose birthday was Wednesday, and Suzanne, whose birthday I tragically missed on the 2nd but will be making up for shortly.

From left: Michelle, Beth, Shmare (is she unzipping her dress?), Sarah and Suzanne.

Feeling full on brunch and full of ourselves the morning after a night of debauchery.

From left: Michelle, me, Christi, Pat, Shmare, Keith, dammit what is her name, Sheldon and Zenobia.

I think this was taken after a sweaty Labor Day of playing volleyball.

Lots of Gatorade, but the only thing I need specifically point out is Sarah and Karen kneeling in the foreground. What the hell is going on there?

This was taken on the morning of my bachelor party and Sarah’s bachelorette party. We all went co-ed, as it were, to the now defunct KQED Beer and Food Festival in San Francisco. Right after this photo was taken the guys and dolls separated to make their mischief separately for the remainder of the day.

Top row, from left sloping down: Sheldon, me, John C., Karen, Mike S. and Suzanne. Acoss the middle, from left: John Smith, Mark Leonard, Michelle, Sheldon, Jenny, Nikki and Suzanne again. Bottom row, all by herself: Sarah.

Ah, this brings back memories. The primal stares and quiet reflection. The smell of burning plastic. The occasional “oohs” and “ahhs” of appreciation and wonder. The greens and blues of high temperature flames. Burning army men in the Duncan’s fire pit was all this … and much more.

Look at the rapt attention on everybody’s faces. What, oh what, could be capturing their minds so completely that the rest of life’s problems magically slip away as they concentrate on this singular sight with the intensity of a man on acid who’s discovered there are tiny universes in every atom of his hand.

Why, it’s burning army men — and airplanes — of course.

Sorry I missed last week’s group photo. This week’s is from what looks like somebody’s wedding, but I’m not sure whose. But there’s a lot of seafood going on in this photo.

Clockwise from 6 o’clock: Suzanne, Karen, Mike S., Michelle, Joleen, Sarah, me, Pat and Christi.

This week I’ve got two more tailgating photos which I thought I better run before baseball season ends. It is going to end, isn’t it. I’m guessing this is most likely 1992-94. Can anyone pin it down?

Everybody on the Suburban.

Everybody from the side.

This week I’ve got two more oddball group photos.

Keith eating the centerpiece flowers. I think this was taken at one of our regular weekend breakfasts, but I’m not sure where. I think Sheldon is still in his robe. Around the table clockwise, from left: Shmare, Keith, Suzanne, John Smith, Zenobia, Sheldon, Christi and Michelle.

This was taken in Tahoe and I think the photographer, whoever it was, was lying on his back shooting up while the rest of us surrounded him or her in a circle. From me at 9 o’clock, clockwise: Me, Suzanne, John C., Sheldon, Mike S., Zenobia, Sarah, Shmare, Jenny and Nikki.

Today is my Uncle Jim’s birthday. I think he’s about ten years older than me, but that’s really just a guess. Jim is/was my Mom’s half-brother and they were pretty close. They shared a father, my grandfather, who I called Pop Pop. I always got along with Jim pretty as was always the closest to me in age until the younger cousins came along. He’s been an elementary school teacher almost as long as I can remember. Happy birthday Jim.

My Mom when she was a student nurse with my uncle Jim as a young boy. Is that a feather in his hat?

This is still one my favorite pictures from the Seventies. It was taken at my house where for some reason my mother always had matching drapes and sofa in these god-awful patterns. This was defintely one of the worst. This is my Aunt Bernie when she and my uncle were just dating. She’s also a nurse and my Mom introduced the two of them. Don’t you just love the fashions?

My cousins Mike (top) and Matt with Jim and Bernie. I haver no idea when this was taken but my guess is the mid-1980s after I’d moved to California.

Home for Christmas a few years later with most of the clan on my mother’s side. Top row, from left: my grandfather Harry, my Mom’s cousin Stephanie and me. Middle row, from left: Maude, or Mom-Mom, my step-grandmother and Harry’s second wife (and Uncle Jim’s Mom), Jim, my Great-Uncle Paul, Great-Uncle Leon, cousin Susan and her husband George, Bernie and my cousin Peter. Front row, from left: My Great-Aunt Deanie, and cousins Matt and Mike.

Yesterday was our tenth wedding anniversary so this was the obvious group photo to run today.

Almost everybody, with a few notable absences. This was taken out behind the Tied House brewpub in downtown San Jose, California on July 13, 1996.

When we were first shopping for places to have our reception, we visited the Tied House, not expecting they could accommodate us. We told them we wanted to start and 6:00 p.m. and asked what time we’d need to end the reception. When they replied, “well … we close at 2:00 a.m.” we knew we’d found our place. And indeed our reception lasted eight full hours. It was and still is the largest bar bill I’ve ever paid. But it was very memorable and everybody had a great time. Someday, we should do it again.

Sheldon with his groupies Suzanne,

Christi plays “see food.”

Sheldon: “No pictures, please,” with Chris and Michelle.

Chris, Mike S. and John Smith.

Not to be outdone, Kara wins the “see food” game.

But eventually it was time to go and bid adieu to our remaining guests. Thanks for being a part of our wedding.

Our reception was held at the Tied House, a brewpub in downtown San Jose, about a block from where we first met. They have a outdoor gazeebo-like space in the back that was the perfect size and ideal for our reception. Plus, the gazeebo was the first place Sarah and I ever went together before we started dating.

After work, I asked to to join me for a drink. At that time she drank only domestic light lagers, so I ordered a set of tasters and proceeded to tell her about craft beer as she tried each one. Happily she was very receptive and I asked her out on the spot. So this made it the perfect spot for our reception, too.

Posed in front of our cake.

Jolene, Christi and Jenny and Andy’s mom.

Sheldon’s mom with Katherine.

Karen and me from our edgy folk-singing days.

My favorite wedding photo, in front of the copper brew kettle.

We got married in the San Jose Heritage Rose Garden, which was a beautiful setting. After the ceremony, we had the standard wedding photos taken. Here are a few of those.

Us with Sarah’s family. From left: Don, Margaret, Tucker, Lyman, Sarah, me, RuthAnne, Kit and Dave.

Maid of Honor Emily, Sarah, me and my best man, Sheldon.

Sarah and me, moments after our marriage began.

Today is Sarah and my tenth wedding aniversary. Our first big milestone anniversary, we’re leaving tomorrow for a four-day vacation in Kauai, our favorite Hawaiian island. So today’s posts will mostly be photos from the wedding and reception a decade ago.

Sarah and her bridesmaids. From left: Margaret, Kit, Emily, Fifi and Deanna.

Me with my groomspeople. Top row, from left: Michelle, me, Karen and Chantal. Bottom row, from left: Jim, Sheldon and Greg (who gave me away).

Sarah as resplendent bride enters the rose garden with her father.

During the ceremony, with Judge Morgan officiating.

Holy bat boy, baseball is getting nearer to the end of the season and there’s still plenty of more tailgating photos to get in. This probably, what, early 1990s, at least before 1994.

There are too many people in this tailgating shot that I don’t know or don’t remember, so I’m not even going to try.

This is the same pose but a little closer but also a little more blurry.