The Wedding Toast

It is my pleasure to address you all in celebration of the union of my good friends, Joan and Andrew. I have known them both for several years, but since they have only known each other for a year, I will confine my remarks to that timeframe.

I know we've all enjoyed watching their whirlwind romance since meeting last winter at the Hang Gliding Club's annual picnic at Dancer's Edge. It was obviously 'love at first flight'. They became instant friends and soon started dating, and I believe that was the last I saw of them until the rehearsal dinner on Friday. BUT I have every confidence that things will work out well, because their parents are all smiling broadly.

Andy and I used to work together in the design group of a small start-up manufacturing company and it was my pleasure to enjoy his prolific sense of humor, no matter what the occasion. I recall his invention of "Herbie the Humidifier", (done on his own time, of course), that consisted of a small fan that blew on a flapping wet rag tied across the front of it by the corners. Although it was never patented, it provided a much better lab environment for the engineers than management had during the cold dry winter weather, and earned Andy his first gold star from his boss and co-workers. There were many more to follow.

On another occasion, when Andy was a part of our manufacturing group, he was practice-testing engineering principles by doing distance-shooting of drinking straw covers using a bottle of aerosol freeze spray. The object was to fill up the straw cover with freeze spray to add a touch of weight and when full, the propulsion of the aerosol container would catapult the cover about 20 feet across the room like a paper airplane. One went astray just as the president's secretary walked through the area distributing her weekly departmental bulletins. The missile flew high in the air and then dropped like an frozen arrow down the back collar of her blouse. No one even looked up as she fled the scene, but I can only say, Joanie, you have chosen a fun guy, and life with Andy will never be dull!

Any tales I could tell about Joanie would only be hearsay, but during our acquaintance, I have found her to be not only a lovely lady, but kind-hearted and patient, and contrary to anything you may have heard, not the type to kill anyone with a sense of humor like Andy's. That said, her own potential in that area is sufficient that I would only caution Andy not to waken a sleeping giant. If that advice is heeded, I can see them moving happily into the future and forever after.

I wish you both a long, happy life together; a large enough family to keep things interesting, but not large enough to bankrupt you; and may you remain the wonderful and humorous people you are today - and always be my friends.