Madcap mensa weekend with bonus wedding planning!

So last Wednesday we took flight for NW Florida in order to a)attend the annual Valentime Mensa gathering of my old Mensa chapter (of which I’m still actually a member); b)check up on some wedding stuff.
For the flight in, I decided to dispense with my rolling suitcase and take my computer in my shoulder bag instead. Added to my backpack, it’s definitely a lot more strain on my shoulders, but it is easier to maneuver and nobody tells me I can’t take both of them onboard (as happens w/TYG’s suitcase—-the airlines are getting really picky).
We arrived in FWB after a smooth flight. Unfortunately, since I’d had no trouble renting a car at the airport last time, I assumed the same would be true this trip. Apparently finding a spare car in the middle of the day is difficult; only one of the five booths had one to spare. We checked it out–unfortunately, I decided since we’d be driving to the airport from Destin Sunday morning, the smart thing would be to pay the extra for them for a tank of gas at the end of the trip, rather than stop to fill it up before returning the car. BIG mistake: I only used half a tank, so that added a lot more money than I should have paid.
Over the next couple of days we visited with my former roommate and his new girlfriend; with my best friend and groomsperson Cindy; and with her fellow groomsperson my dad. We checked out a couple of rental places and found one to provide us with a tent to shelter the wedding guests from the June sun, and one for the plates, glasses, chairs, etc. We visited a friend of mine, a restaurateur who thinks he may be able to put together an affordable catering proposal for us, given that it’s going to be vegetarian and alcohol free.
After all that (and a visit to my old comic-book store), it was Mensa time! It was a low turnout–a lot of regular attendees didn’t show, and were missed–but great fun. Highlights:
•A couple of games of Fact or Crap, in which you have to guess whether a given fact (“Babe Ruth was born on Valentine’s Day.”) is true or false. TYG won one; I didn’t (there were several players). My most embarassing moment, answering “fact” to “Cleopatrists are experts in beetles” (“Ah,” I thought, “my slightly drunk acquaintance must be mispronouncing ‘coleopterist!'” No, it was Cleopatrist.)
•Winning (on a team with TYG and another Mensa friend) The Game, which I’ll describe later this week.
•Discussing the ceremony with our officiant, our friend Terri. I found myself tearing up a little reading over the vows. I suspect I’m going to be quite blubbery when the real ceremony comes.
•Making my Lewis Carroll presentation with MLR and Free Monkeys in the audience.
•Playing the board game quirtle.
•The Friday night chocolate orgy. Mmmm. Particularly the chocolate praline cake.
Adding to the quote board which takes various remarks out of context, such as “The next time my girlfriend tells me something isn’t Atlantis, I’ll believe her” or “Your tax money goes to pay for the water that bathes the exploding baby.”
The only annoyance was that the hotel’s Internet access was monstrous slow. We were quite happy to get to the airport this morning and have their WiFi instead.
Great fun. It felt all the nicer for having TYG in my life and not feeling any need to hunt for a girlfriend (as I have at so many past gatherings).