Anzac Day clash and a failed bouquet marking attempt

Where do I begin?

Lebanese weddings, it’s fair to say, they go for a good two weeks.

Two weeks of celebrating, food, drinking, dancing, dressing up, sleeping late, waking up early and ringing in your ears from the LOUD music and traditional Lebanese drummers.

To say that it’s a crazy experience is an understatement and the closer the bride or groom is related to you, the crazier it is.

In my case the groom is my uncle, dad’s brother who I pretty much grew up with. Uncle John is to me a second father really, so this wedding was going to be BIG. After a week of partying, rushing around and lack of sleep I somehow caught a flu- runny nose, headache and dry cough. Great timing Danni. My worst fear was for me to have a coughing fit during my gospel reading….gah that would have been a disaster!

Thankfully it all went well, although my voice was strained to the extreme after squealing over my cute bubby cousins from Sydney. I couldn’t help it, I mean two bubby boys aged one and nine months in suits with ties and shiny little formal shoes! Gahhh!!!! SO CUTE!! And then my favorite Veronica, known to me as ‘Marshmallow’ in her designer flower girl dress. She had me running around after her and lent over for me to carry her within seconds of greeting me. In other words thanks to these adorable bubbies I had no voice for the footy viewing.

After a 5:00am wake up on the day for the makeup artist, i slumped in the chair, sick, tired and I said to her “fix me, work your magic!” and that she did! Makeup and a hair fixing really does wonders, you couldn’t even tell I was dead tired.

Then came the moment, the bouquet throw.

Of course we girls aren’t as aggressive or desperate to catch the bouquet as the guys are with the garter.

I infact only went up after being pushed by my cousins who taunted me with “Single ladies, go on Danni!” Plus it was another opportunity to get on camera, lol.

I was planning to channel a Sav Rocca type mark to catch the bouquet, even maybe a Leo Barry type but not in this ensemble and heels! I took front and center position but it flew way too high I was no chance, oh wellll!

The boys however made it look like a real contest, pushing and shoving, climbing and even being hoisted up. In the end my two cousins the ‘Dannys’ fought over it until it dropped onto the floor and the male version of me, Danny Eid bolted over and grabbed it.

At least one of us got something, lol.

The next morning I’m chasing marshmallow around the backyard in my Collingwood jumper waiting for the Anzac match to start. If there is anything I love it being surrounded by my cousins and their bubbies. After lunch everyone in the house was rushing around getting ready for the ‘after wedding family dinner’ just as the first bounce hit the turf. I was a little nervous.

The Bombers and Hawks seem to be the only possible threats this year and it would have been so embarrassing to lose especially on Anzac Day.

In the first and second term it looked to me as though Blair already had the Anzac medal around his neck. He was crashing in contests, tackling; he seemed to pop up in all the right places but understandably it was awarded to the honorable and future captain Pendles. I almost had a meltdown while applying my own and my cousin’s makeup when our lead broke down to one point.

“OMG…arghhhhh!!!!!!!! TACKLE, BLOODY TACKLE BOYS!”

*breaks out into coughing fit*

Suddenly the eye shadow looked less pretty and more clown-like; in the end I had to reapply it after the siren.

Note to self- don’t apply makeup while watching footy, you may poke yourself in the eye.

“DO SOMETHING!” I croaked at Mick on the TV, the last thing I needed, no matter how hot (and I mean damn FINE) is he is, was another Zaharakis moment.

Thankgod the boys managed to kick into gear and build back a nice lead to the siren, after which me and my Sydney Aunty Jackie started cheering and jumping in a circle. (Yes this is normal behavior lol)

And so we down one threat as the next waits, round 15 Hawthorn looms- I hope I get my voice back by then.

COLLINGWOOD 4.2 7.3 10.6 16.11 (107)
ESSENDON 0.3 3.8 7.10 11.11 (77)