From the electric slide to the electric storm

Two weddings signed and sealed, and now I'm back in Oklahoma!

Monday, June 30th 2008, 6:58 am

By: News 9

From the electric slide to the electric storm

By News9 Meteorologist Carrie Rose, June 30, 2008.

Two weddings signed and sealed, and now I'm back in Oklahoma after a stormy sendoff from Atlanta Sunday night! In case you missed my last blog posting, I was a bridesmaid in two weddings the past two Saturdays in Georgia. It has been a whirlwind of wedding and family activities since landing June 18 in Atlanta, precious time overflowing with memories I will cherish the rest of my life.

Wedding number one introduced me to several new friends. I affectionately dubbed them "The Alabama Boys," as they are all sweet, funny, gentlemanly Southern guys from the groom's high school and college in Alabama. We bridesmaids laughed until our sides hurt as the Bama Boys regailed us with stories of how they would entertain themselves growing up in some of the smaller towns in Alabama. On occasion, they would sneak into a friend's house while they were away for several hours, and rearrange the furniture in the entire house! Their personal favorite prank was to move the dining table into the master bathroom. After hearing their creative

Carrie Rose's Wedding Slideshow

stories, I wonder if I did not have enough imagination growing up to keep things colorful! I grew up in metro Atlanta where diversions are abundant for a kid, from the dozens of movie theaters, to the go-cart races and putt-putt courses, to the water and amusement parks. Although all those activites are good for the family, perhaps I should have spent more time away from the city to cultivate an independent, creative and energetic imagination!

In between the two weddings, my parents and I jam-packed in all the major Atlanta attractions. It was strange to behave like a tourist in my home city, but Atlanta continues to evolve rapidly since I moved to Oklahoma, with so many new places to experience (and places to eat!). One of the highlights for me was going to Zoo Atlanta to see our prized pandas! I have a soft spot for pandas, and I was so excited to see the baby female born at the Zoo September 6, 2006. To check out Mei Lan's progress, click here. And to meet all three of Zoo Atlanta's pandas, click here.

Another interesting sight to see was weather-related. Months after an EF-2 tornado marched through Downtown Atlanta in March, there are still blue tarps covering damage, windows needing to be replaced in the sky scrapers, and cranes working daily to repair collapsed buildings and roofs. For the official report on the tornado, click here.

Wedding number two was an outdoor garden ceremony, and with scattered thunderstorms already developing late Saturday morning we were all hoping the wedding site would be spared from a downpour. Thankfully, the storms stayed just miles away from the garden, leaving the groomsmen sweating in their tuxes as the sun lowered in the western sky. Of course the reception was fabulous, complete with the guests initiating the electric slide on the dance floor. And in case you were wondering, no, I didn't catch the bouquet at either wedding! My petite frame and limited vertical jump height aren't exactly in my favor when I'm the shortest gal present! Besides, I already had my bridesmaid bouquets to enjoy. Who needs the one that gets tossed and grabbed with only half the petals surviving?

After sliding through wedding number two rain-free, a line of strong to severe thunderstorms developed Sunday afternoon and began moving southeast through Alabama and Georgia. Just as my plane was about to take off, air traffic control grounded all flights until the line passed. At least the delay was entertaining, as I watched a fabulous lightning show just outside my window seat. The meteorologist in me enjoyed the storm, but as a traveler I sympathized with all my fellow fliers as our travel plans became delayed more and more. Some friends from the second wedding were also trying to fly back to Oklahoma Sunday, and their flights were delayed six hours or more because the line stretched through the Southeast up into the mid-Atlantic states. However, I know many of us didn't mind the few extra hours to visit with each other while we waited to go our separate ways across the country.

My roses bloomed a bunch while I was away, and my roomie was thoughtful enough to mow my grass as a welcome home gift. After visiting the Atlanta Botanical Garden, I have all sorts of inspiration and ideas for my little piece of Oklahoma earth!