I would have figured that with such planning and attention put to detail, there would be no problem with the date Allie and I set for our wedding, but once again, there is.  This time, the problem was pointed about by Allie's father Friday night while we were at Feather Falls Casino for their seafood buffet.  Apparently, our chosen date might fall into the schedule of the annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Car Show.  The use of "might" provided us nothing conclusive, but it certainly was one of those 50/50 chance situations.  Needless to say, it was a disappointment even if it was not a certainty.  Without waiting for Monday to roll around to call in about the shows 2008 schedule, we went ahead and planned the date of our wedding once more and, at last, Allie and I couldn't have been any more content with our decision of July 5th, 2008 being the date for our wedding.

Our chosen date could not be any more perfect.  Putting aside Scott's birthday, which he told us to do anyways, the date was truly ideal for us.  We would still have that elegance and feel from a 2-day old New Moon.  And with the 4th of July being on a Friday, there would be no real worries about having so many involved with the wedding and guests putting up a bit of sacrifice for our big day.  But to really top it off, all would be treated on the 4th to the fireworks show in Monterey Bay, which to us, brings out more symbolism and meaning for the future ahead.  And for Allie and me, we really want to sear an everlasting memory to many with our wedding.

For the 4th this year, we spent a great deal of time at Feather Falls Casino with my uncle and aunt who came in the night before to visit for the holiday and to drop off my new computer.  They came rather unannounced, and it took my uncle, who lives in town, calling me to tell us they were in town visiting him after coming up to our house wanting to see us.  Luckily, we weren't out on the lake that night like the nights before, because of the inconvenience that would have caused.  Instead, we were at my in-laws, so it wasn't a problem to leave the scene for awhile to accommodate my uncle and aunt at our house. 

At Feather Falls Casino, we did some serious gambling.  My mom was with us and so was our dear friend Christy, and both play conservatively.  Allie's parents were with us and they play like Allie and I do, for the fun and entertainment of it and often till we empty our wallets and max out our daily ATM withdrawal limit on a few cards.  My uncle, I know he plays wisely most of the time and his main taste for gambling are at the poker tables, as I've played with him before in a few tournaments at Gold Country Casino on his previous visits.  He'll gamble at the machines though, which was what he did for the time we played.  My aunt, however, she can do some serious gambling, and it was her who set the tempo for our time there.  She was playing max bet on the dollar machines, and she was putting in hundreds one right after another.  And we all started to do the same by getting off the cheap but entertaining machines, like the penny machines that don't really pay but just make your money last longer, and started playing the dollar slots.  My aunt and uncle came out even because my aunt hit Red, White, and Blue 7s winning $1000, along with a few other good wins.  My mom lost $40, I think, but I gave her a hundred to gamble with so she didn’t lose any of her own money.  And for the rest of us, we lost quite a bit.  That sort of sucked, but overall, it was fun.

Even more fun, though, was went we went to the lake afterwards.  My mom didn't join us, sadly, because Allie and I think she would have a lot of fun, and my aunt and uncle went back to the Bay Area.  It was definitely hot on the 4th hitting 115, so being on the lake and swimming there was such a relief.  And as suspected, quite a few people joined us as the day progressed, but not as many like days before.  But still it gave us more of an excuse to ride the jet skis back and forth to the marina as we had to play transport whenever someone arrived instead of taking the houseboat back to the marina every time someone came.  The lake was well occupied with many boaters and skiers, and the dam was easily filling with many who came to see the fireworks show up close and personal.  For Oroville, the 4th of July is the city's biggest day for tourism, because we have the lake, the river, and the fireworks.  And the fireworks show was great.  And it was my best ever because I was enjoying it with the one I love.

As for our lovely friend, Jamie, she's now safe out of harm's way.  It went down on Saturday night without a hitch.  That jackass of an ex-boyfriend of hers had the courtesy of dropping her off at Gold Country Casino that night, which made it all the easier, especially for Jamie, who didn't have to walk that four miles from that trailer to the casino that night.  And like planned, we were at the Casino's Spirits Lounge waiting for her with a bunch of people.  After a requested drink by Jamie, the girls and I left leaving Scott and Jessica and a few co-workers behind making it me, Allie, Jamie, Heather, Jenn, Kelly, and Christy to go to Jamie's to get her stuff.  Our SUV was fine enough for the load, but it would go faster with more hands and help, and it did.  We ended up filling up Heather's Camry and then our MDX.  The intended goal became to take as much as possible, because it was really all hers, and legally, she had the right to do so, so that last minute decision was well supported.  And before finally leaving that trailer, Jamie left a note on the fridge about her decision to leave.  And that was that.

On the car ride to Chico to Heather, Jenn, and Kelly's apartment, Jamie rode with them, and half-way there, Kelly calls Allie's phone telling us about Jamie who was crying relentlessly about the whole thing.  Jenn was in the back seat with Jamie, comforting her like her own sister, and apparently Jenn was tearing up to.  We knew Jamie would eventually breakdown, but for her sake she needed to.  For the rest of the way to the apartment, we all felt what Jamie was going through.  We don't know what the girls said to Jamie during the car ride, and really it doesn't matter, but when we got to the apartment, Jamie ran up to Allie in tears and just gave her a heartfelt hug and kiss, and she did the same for me and with all the girls as her way of saying thanks for everything. 

From there we unloaded the vehicles, situating all her belongings in Heather's room.  Though Heather won't be leaving till later this month, Jamie was already welcomed to use it as her own.  And after a fix of a few of the girl's make-up, we went out again, this time going to the Crazy Horse down the street from Chico State as a way to celebrate Jamie's new take on life and independence day.

(We love you J-A-M-I-E)