Tigerlily Sandybanks of Frogmorton

Okay, so I’m so excited! One of my best friends of fifteen years, Ashlie, is getting married in January! Although I’ve known this for a while, the flame of excitement has been rekindled because she asked me yesterday if I could go and try on some bridesmaid dresses with her. That wouldn’t be so exciting if I wasn’t a bridesmaid, but luckily, I am. And although I was excited to look at dresses, I was more excited to see Ashlie and Mallory, for sure. I had seen Ashlie more recently, but I hadn’t really seen Mallory since high school, so I was super excited to see her. And I was looking forward to meet Ashlie’s roommate at CSU, Liz.

So today, I woke up and got ready to drive up to Fort Collins. I was doing good, running right on schedule. But something happened, I’m not even really sure what, and I end up leaving about ten minutes late. I finally get on the road, stop at the gas station for a morning snack, and get onto the highway. The second I hit the highway, I realize that I left my phone at home. Crap. So, I have to turn around and go get it. I almost didn’t because I didn’t think I would need it. You will find out later that I definitely needed it.

So I get my phone and head out. I’m now trying to drive a 53 minute drive in 10 minutes. Obviously, I’m not going to do it. But I’m hoping to get there without losing too much more time. Well, that didn’t really work out so well. There were two different construction zones, and two accidents along the way. All four times, traffic slowed to no more than 20 mph for at least two miles each time. You know how you’re on the highway and traffic comes to a hault for no apparent reason, and then, just as you see the accident on the side of the road, traffic starts to pick up again? That pisses me off to no end. ”Look, Martha! Let’s stop in the middle of the highway to stare at those unfortunate people and slow everybody down behind us! I see a dent!”

So anyway, I get to Fort Collins. I hit my exit. I’m cruising right along. I’m supposed to see the street to turn onto about five miles after my exit. Okay, no problem. Well, five miles comes and no sign of it. Ten miles, no sign. I’m into the mountains and I’m thinking to myself, “I don’t think she lives this far west.” Sure enough. I text her and she tells me to turn around. I finally find her house, and we head out to the bridal shop.

Swept Away Bridal Botique I think is the name of it. It’s this cute little bridal shop in Loveland just a few exits south of Fort Collins. We go inside and look at their slideshow of current dresses in stock and soon to be in stock. So, we write down the styles that we want, and the lady gets most of them for us to try on. These are the four that we liked the best that were available in grape: