Gimme a braht wit kraut

Just back from an exhausting week in Chicago, where we went for the wedding of my cousin William Cabot (they’ve probably lost count, but I guess he would be around number VII of that name).
Even by Cabot standards, it was a lavish affair, with a reception for over four hundred guests, and the associated celebrations seemed to go on for days. Chicagoans were greatly outnumbered by Bostonians (I haven’t seen so many Brahmins together since Elden’s 21st) but I did meet two gentlemen – sorry, a coupla guys – who gave me a helpful introduction to Chicago-ese.
His bride was an Italian girl, Domenica Mazzini-Bourbon, and about thirty of her family flew in, mostly from around Verona . They are an aristocratic bunch and I doubt if any of them have ever worked. Domenica’s grandfather has a title of some kind and is lending his palazzo (which I gather is a huge decaying dump but has a nice view) for the honeymoon.
My present to the couple was an oak chiffonier which used to belong to Louisa Lodge Cabot, who was William's great-grandmother as well as mine. It was probably the only gift which was not new and cost the donor nothing. I have no idea how it came down on my side of the family.

Three weeks at sea in Beanfeast

Tasha had an easy time.....

...but some of us had to work.