Does your marriage need a pick-me-up? Renew your vows with Sarah Deming

Here's my niece Nikki renewing her vows w/ husband Steve Roche. Sarah was the 'minister.' They're standing in a chuppah, which reflects Nik's half-Jewish heritage. The other half? Ecuadorean, of course.

I'm waiting now for my timer to go off. It means The Pudding is Cool, my favorite dessert. Pre-kidney operation I couldn't use milk (high in phosphorus). I tried making pudding with the weird milks - almond and rice. The pudding was drinkable, it would not harden.

Poolside. Sarah and Ethan are straight ahead. They're talking to Roberto Herman Cartegena, the former husband of my sister Donna.

Herman had a diagnosis of prostate cancer. Turns out, after a second opinion, the diagnosis was wrong. The doctor actually would've performed a costly, time-consuming procedure on Herman that he didn't need.

Guests were asked to wear black and white.

After Scott, my mom and I arrived and the ceremony concluded, I headed for the or-derve table, but the crowd was so friendly they kept stopping me to say hello and give hugs.

Actually, they were all asking about my kidney operation. All the Cartagenas knew - from New York to Connecticut!

Best food of all was at the or-derve table where I stocked up on cukes, red peppers, and cheese. I was saving my carbs for dinner and mom's cupcakes.

Mom's head is in bottom corner of below foto.

Never tell people, My pictures are awful.

My pictures are awful. And I forgot to fotograf Julio, Giselle, Melissa, my mom, Lou, Jill, and many others.

Again, ya gotta decide how to use your time.

Nikki, the bride is ascending the stairs, wearing the same size dress as she did on her wedding day.

I weighed 104 lbs and wore a $5 dress my father brought home when he briefly worked in NYC for Evan-Piccone. It was size 7. I now weigh 132. Now that I can walk I'll shed a few more pounds.

"Not too many," said Scott, who, like Mr Rogers, likes me just the way I am.

Scott thought their house was beautiful, even tho the downstairs toilet hasn't worked in a couple years.

Me, my new kidneys, don't have to go for many many hours.

Excuse me, a sec.

The house the Roches live in is the same one Steve grew up in. His parents sold it to him. Ethan conversed with one of Steve's childhood friends who said Steve was a star Q'back in high school.

Ah, here's Nikki now, with her former principal Mercedes who had gotten schoolteacher Nikki a great job as an elem. school teacher, and Ted, Mercedes' husband.

This is Priscilla, Giselle and Julio's daughter. Her baby Scarlett is 18 days old. One of the Cartagena men is standing with her. Is it Santiago? Or, Jamie, Oscar, or Tony? The four boys and Maritza are the children of Carmella and her late husband, whose name I forget, who died while on dialysis. I last saw them two years ago at Melissa's wedding. Scott drove us there, too, across the Tapanzee Bridge. We got outstandingly lost.

Giselle and Julio Guerrero are now divorced. Giselle is from Lebanon and taught me to cook w/cinnamon. This is the oldest of their three children, the b'ful Jacqueline.

Dancing on the grass. Off-camera is a band Steve hired for the party. Sarah and Ethan dance w/our good friend Carlos Guerrero (half-brother of Julio).

In the background is Carlos's wife, Barbara Postel, an artist. I wrote an article about her years ago for the New Hope Gazette.

They live in a gorgeous house in Pt Pleasant, PA, they built themselves. Carlos is very handy.

The music you're listening to? Keith Jarrett's Koln Concert. And, yes, the pudding was delicious. I limited myself to two bowls. And now I'm going in for the cashews.

Wasn't sure my back was ready for dancing, but Carlos pulled me onto the dance floor as I knew he would.

Random shot from the grassy knoll.

We sat and ate at tables with flowers on them. Once mom sits down she doesn't move cuz of her bad legs. I understand!

At one point, she laffed and said sarcastically, "This is the part Ellen loves!"

The rock band had just begun and played so loud you couldn't hear yourself talk. My sister Ellen didn't come. My other sister Lynn was in a poker tournament. She's a couple rounds away from getting 50 grand and going to Vegas.