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Back in April 2020, we had plans to attend a wedding in Virginia.  Drummond Dawson, the son of our friends Anne and Henley Dawson was to marry Kelsey Monacci in Charlottesville, VA.  (Here is a reminder of our last visit with Anne and Henley in 2016 at their lovely home in King and Queen Courthouse, VA.)  Clearly, Covid-19 made it necessary to reschedule the wedding for the end of October 2020.

When the time came, with Covid cases surging, we still didn’t feel comfortable with air travel so, sadly, we had to cancel once again.  The wedding took place and by all accounts was a lovely occasion.

Fast forward to June 2021 when fate led us to move from California to Maryland.  Once we got settled, we contacted Anne and Henley, hoping that we could find a time to visit with them now that we’re in the same time zone.  Anne set about planning an event that would not only allow us to get together, but would serve as our opportunity to celebrate the wedding that we missed.  Anne invited Drummond and Kelsey, her daughter, Lauren, who lives in Miami, as well as some of her friends from Charlottesville who she has known since college.

The plan was for lunch on Saturday, August 21, at a vineyard near Charlottesville and then a dinner on Saturday night at the home of one of Anne’s friends.  So, we drove down on Saturday morning with plans to stay overnight in Charlottesville.  The lunch was at the Merrie Mill Farm & Vineyard in Keswick, VA, just north of Charlottesville.  We had a table on the second floor balcony overlooking the beautiful grounds and vineyards.  Everyone had a tasting flight and we shared some nice platters.

Following an afternoon break, we reconvened at the lovely home of their friends.  The home itself is quite unique plus the owners have an extensive art collection making it an almost magical setting for our dinner.  Following drinks and hors d’oeuvres, our dinner was prepared on-site by a local chef.  It was a wonderful meal and a very special event with special friends.

But wait, there was a bonus!  Anne’s friends agreed to have everyone return on Sunday morning for an impromptu brunch.  A real treat to have another opportunity to visit a little longer before making the drive back home.

It was terrific to not only see Anne and Henley, but to have an opportunity to celebrate Drummond and Kelsey’s marriage.  Anne and her friends made this a very special and memorable occasion.