Capricious Peacock

Photos

Photos from the Summer Celebration are up and can be found at the bottom of the right bar. If you have any digital photos you would like to share, please pass them on. Enjoy!!

Thank You!

Dear Friends,

Luisa and I would like to offer a heartfelt ~Thank You!~ to all the friends and family that were able to attend on Saturday. It was a special time for us to celebrate our marital union for the last time (this year!) and a very special time for me to be with so many people who mean a lot to me from different times in my life. It was especially gratifying to see people that I know...getting to know each other.

I do have one regret though, which is that I didn't get up in front of everybody to offer my thanks in person. It was a little overwhelming to see everybody, and try to speak with everyone, at least a little bit. And while the clouds were kind enough to provide us shade and a comfortable temperature, they decided when the party should end.

First, we would like to thank my mother and father, John and Ana, for their generocity, attention to detail and loving kindness. We are appreciative that they would offer their home for such a party. I think it is the most people we have ever had over at one time. Thank you.

We would like to thank Luisa's parents, Alvaro and Consuelo, for their loving dedication to be with us. It is in line with our dedication to honor both sides of our heritage and culture, even in marriage celebrations. Their presence is a blessing and we are happy they are with us. Thank you.

Finally, I would like to thank everybody that attended. This kind of party only works if people participate, if they are open to meeting new people and if they embrace the notion that we, as a group, are the party. It was special to me because it was a party, a celebration and your participation made it happen. Even if you could not come in person, your presence was felt. Thank you.

Stay tuned for party pictures to be posted later this week and for Thank You notes in the mail. If you have any digital photos of the celebration that you would like to share...please email them to me and I will post them.

Just because the summer celebration is done, does not mean that the party is over. The Capricious Peacock is alive and we will be posting regularly with events, photos and commentary. Your participation is in the form of emails and comments. We look forward to sharing our future with you.

LOVE!
Badi' and Luisa

Cherry and Guitar Pickin'

We are so excited to see all of our friends this weekend! We will be honored by the presence of about 100 people coming from as far as San Francisco, Minneapolis, Chicago, Cleveland, New York, the Dominican Republic...and Cali, of course!

If you are going to be in Winston-Salem on Friday evening, please give me a call so we can meet up.

More neat events and excursions are popping up in Mount Airy as we speak. As an alternative to hiking on the Parkway, cherries are in season and ripe for the picking at the Levering Orchard. The Leverings are family friends from many years and their orchard is about 20 minutes from Mount Airy, en route to the Parkway. Wanda Urbanska, author of Simple Living, has an upcoming PBS special on simple living that will be shown nationwide.

Also, Jerry Chapman, a musician from the Piedmont Triad, will be playing at 8:00pm at the Good Life Cafe, in the Main-Oak Emporium on Main St. in Downtown Mount Airy. My uncle David will atest to the quality of the music, and I will atest to the quality of seeing at show at the Good Life, it is like being serenaded in your own living room....kind of. At any rate, it is an option for those staying in Mount Airy.

Please contact us with any questions and we'll see you this weekend!

Celebration Update

Things are coming together!! Here is an update for all our friends who are coming on the 12th...and all our friends who aren't!

The Pedrosas arrived yesterday in Charlotte....Bienvenidos!!!! Minor complications on the flight (delays) but everything turned out well!

I have had a positive response on the hike in the Blue Ridge over other options, so here are some more details....

We will have two stages to meet up:

At 8:00AM, we will be meeting at our place at 1700 Lynwood Ave in Winston-Salem. Here is a map. For those traveling for the day or staying in W-S, ours is a convenient place to meet. Quick directions: Take Business 40, Cloverdale Exit. From the West, turn left towards the Shell Station. From the East, turn left towards Hardees. Go to the stoplight at Hardees, cross First Street, make the first left at Lynwood Ave. Our house is at the top of the hill, on the left, with green shutters.

At 9:00AM, we will be meeting at my parents house at 339 Country Club Rd. in Mount Airy. Here is a map. For those staying in Mount Airy, or coming from the North, this is a good place to meet. We can also leave cars here and share rides. Quick directions: Take US 52 North from W-S to Mt. Airy (35 miles). Take Business 52 exit and follow the windy road. Go straight all the way through the city, up hills, down hills, 4 lanes becomes 2 lanes at Eckard Drugs, Bus. 52 goes left, you continue straight, you will pass two big cemetaries on each side, when you see Neighbors gas station and before a huge Central Methodist Church (much stained glass) on the left, turn left on Country Club Rd. Go downhill and my parent's house is on the left across the street from the granite sign of the Mount Airy Country Club. There is a small arbor on the street, it is a white house with much ivy on the front.

It should take a little over an hour to go up the mountians and arrive at the trail site...this is a station, so there is plenty of parking. It is a pleasant ride with lots to see. Our goal is to hike for about 2 hours and be back in Mount Airy by 1:00PM. A little time to freshen up and food is served at 2:00PM. Don't forget to pack some water and snacks for the hike.

For those people who are going to be in Winston-Salem on Friday night, let's plan to meet at our place at 6:00PM. We can have some dinner and catch up, maybe find a nice place to eat with a patio...I have some ideas.

For those people who are flying in and/or staying in hotels, please let me know what your plans are. Send me an email so I have an idea where people are staying. Or just write me and tell me how you are doing, we really do care. Please make a note of my cell phone number: 919-360-1447. Don't hesitate to call if you should have any questions, concerns, requests.

We hope everyone is doing well and really are looking forward to seeing everyone in two weeks!

Bright Leaf Drive In

I had another idea for the Summer Celebration...and I don't know how this will be received, but I will throw it out there.

Mount Airy has another asset that could be seen as a prehistoric fossil, a drive-in theater. The Bright Leaf Drive-In. On weekends, they have double features. I am sure that the attraction of this option depends on what is playing, but drive-ins are fun.

We would pack a cooler and some folding chairs, kick back and ignore the movie. Just an idea.

Hiking Trail, etc...

Dear friends, as June 12 approaches, I am starting to think more about things to do on that day.

On the morning of June 12, I am going to lead a hike in the Blue Ridge Parkway. We will leave early to arrive at the trail at around 11am. It takes around an hour to get there from Mount Airy. Our destination is mile marker 169, Rocky Knob picnic shelter. There are two trails of different difficulties. The Rocky Knob Picnic Loop is a one mile trail rated "easy". The Black Ridge Trail is a 3.1 mile roundtrip trail rated "moderate".

Let me know if you are interested in going and we will arrange to meet in the morning either in Winston-Salem or Mount Airy. Don't forget to pack some shoes you can walk in the woods with and water and/or snacks for the hike.

We'll try to be back in Mount Airy by 1:00pm. Food should be served around 2:00pm. Some people may think "it gets awfully hot at 2:00pm!". Well, we are arranging to have some tents in the back yard, and it is usually cool by the fish ponds. And you are always welcome to come inside and cool down.

As for events in the evening, we are open for suggestions. The Winston-Salem Warthogs are playing minor league (A) basedball at home versus the Potomac Cannons. I am not a huge baseball fan, but it is nice to be outside in a place where we can all be together, with refreshments, no less. Other ideas are welcome.

Stay tuned for more posts.

June 12, 2004

Dear friends!

Summer is quickly approaching!

As you may know, Luisa and I had a celebration in Cali, Colombia on December 20, 2003. We were blessed with the presence of 80 of Luisa's family and friends as well as my parents John and Ana.

Well, now it is our turn! Luisa's parents, Alvaro and Consuelo, are coming up in June and you are invited to celebrate with us!

We will be having a summer barbeque at my parent's home at 339 Country Club Rd., Mount Airy, NC 27030. Click here for a map.

Dress is casual (it gets hot in the summer!). We'll start around 2:00PM and finish when we get tired.

To RSVP, email me or call 336.789.3930. We would like to hear from you by June 1, 2004.

Many of you have asked where we have registered. Well, we finally did it. You can search for my name or Luisa's name at Crate and Barrell and Target. But please, don't feel obliged to give a gift, your presence and good wishes are more than enough for us.

For those who may be flying in, the closest airport is Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) in Greensboro. This is 20 minutes from Winston-Salem and one hour from Mount Airy. Alternatively, Charlotte Douglas (CLT) is an option, but is a bit longer, one hour to W-S and 1:45 to Mt. Airy.

If you are coming in from out of town or traveling long distance, you might want a place to stay. Here are some links to hotels:

Mount Airy: Maxwell House Bed and Breakfast, Hampton Inn, Comfort Inn

Winston-Salem: Summitt Street Bed and Breakfast Inns, Hawthorne Inn, Adam's Mark

June is a busy month for weddings and such, so rooms may go fast. Let me know if you have difficulty finding a place to stay.

For more information on Mount Airy click here.

For my friends who are traveling in, and really for all friends for that matter, I would like to arrange more events for the weekend. So I am sending out a poll for people to vote on. Please respond by commenting on this post, or for a secret ballot, email me with your choice:
A) Travel up to the Blue Ridge Parkway, picnic and short hike.
B) Pick up soccer game in Winston-Salem (bring your own cleats).
C) Karaoke at Tee Time in Winston-Salem.
D) All of the above.
E) Write in:_______________________

We look forward to seeing you in June!