pre-wedding vacation?

So I suppose I should start at the beginning. Well, maybe a little sooner than that. In a fit of "oh my gosh the wedding is so soon and she's moving out" and "holy crap we all reeaaaallly need a vacation" my parents decide that it is a fabulous idea to take me to Block Island, Rhode Island.  Well, I love Block and am pretty much defenseless against its siren call.  We had planned to go Tuesday, I think.  Well, you get there by ferry and Mother Nature had other plans in the form of a hurricane so the ferry didn't run.  Instead, we went down on Friday.  Yes, 9 days before my wedding.  I told you it was insane.

Anyhow, we drove down to Point Judith, RI (where the ferry leaves from) and had lunch at a place looking at this:

After that we got on the ferry and as we were leaving saw lots of cute, tiny beachgoers.

The very first day there we dragged our butts (and beach chairs) a mile up the road (which is far in flip-flops carrying a lot of crap).  I immediately proceeded to totally sunburn my whole face.  I may or may not have had a freak out, yelled at my parents for putting me in this situation a week before my wedding and complained about it all weekend, even as it began to fade.

Complaining, time crunches and panic aside, it was really so lovely to be there.  Block in late August and early September is a thing of beauty.  Sunshine, cool weather (mid 70s!) and the perfect breeze.  It doesn't hurt that it's so damn cute, either.

Also, the best ice cream cone on the face of the planet.  Seriously, Aldo's makes a banana cream pie ice cream.  Banana ice cream with pieces of pie in it!  It is beyond the best thing ever.  Now, there are a lot of choices, and I am a chocolate girl and not at all loyal to one ice cream flavor, but it was so good, I had it two nights in a row.  I'd eat it right now if I could.  It's worth the schlep to Block for this ice cream.

And I found a knitter!  Well, a knitter's car at least...

In the end, it was sad to leave, but I was anxious and eager to get back to New York to finish Wedding Prep (yes, that does require word initial capitals, thank you).  I think the moral here is yes, absolutely go on a quick little vacation with your parents before your wedding.  It was really great to have that nice bonding time with them before the insanity of the wedding week and the insane emotional upheaval that a wedding is for everyone involved.  However, for your own sanity, do it three weeks before, not one!

PS.  Thanks Mom and Dad, I had a blast!

Next Up: Arrivals begin and bachelorette party ensues!