I have a somewhat schizoid reaction when someone tells me they're getting married. Usually I let the Optimist speak cos people happily planning a wedding don't want to hear 'Don't do it, you fool!'. But, as the Optimist says to the Cynic, 'every day, somewhere in the world, a marriage isn't breaking down.'
... Gods she's insufferable sometimes.

I went out to dinner last night, without the cubs! Woohoo!
In my extended group of friends and acquaintances there's a lot of August birthdays so dinner at a Japanese restaurant was arranged as a mass celebration. Of the 15 guests, 7 were Leos (and there was another who didn't show up). That's a lot of pussy... (<cackling> sorry, sorry.)
And Soulsis was able to attend cos the cubs' father offered at the last moment to look after her chicks. Yay!
Half of us had teppanyaki - barbecue style - but I ordered from the menu. Beef tataki then vegetarian tempura. No matter where you eat there is never enough beef in the tataki but it's always delicious. The tempura didn't have a particularly inspiring range of veggies - sweet potato, pumpkin, eggplant, capsicum and zucchini - but it was yummy. What was really nice though was the mango icecream! I took a serve home with me. :)
We stayed and chatted for a good long while afterwards before deciding we should probly go home and rescue the cubs' father. <g> It was a fun evening, thanks, Alarice!

Heh, a lot of eBay sellers put stupid enticements on their goods like 'Will be a great addition to your collection!!' Humpf, I'll be the judge of that. But I saw one recently that only offered 'Might fit in your collection'... Truth in advertising?

Chapter 18 is half-finished, I think. This and 17 have been a challenge to write.