We arrived in Abbotsford a little bleary eyed (see post below) where Oma and Opa kindly shuttled us back to their house near White Rock. We collapsed into our beds and fell asleep. Somehow, 11 hours later came early.
It was only a few days to Christmas, but we had Allison and John's wedding to prepare for and take part in (Ange was in the wedding party and I was the emcee), Christmas presents to buy and wrap and a big old birthday party to celebrate with Anna. Oma and Opa were fantastic about taking Anna, allowing her to get a semblance of a routine while we went off to meet with the rest of the wedding party on the 20th. Allison was a bit stressed at this point. I always fear telling a story about Alison lest I fail to do it justice. Allison is probably the best story teller I have ever met, but since many of you can't ask her about the week, I will dare to relate a few wedding and wedding-prep tidbits. Also noteworthy is that crisis follows Alison in an uncanny way. The many crises of life provide fantastic material for the later retelling of the story but can make the moment a little harry.
Allison had originally wanted to elope to avoid all the stress that goes into planning a wedding. Instead, she chose to have her wedding during the busiest social time of the year, only two days before Christmas. On hearing of this new plan in August, Ange and I shook our heads. We would do what we could to help from England.
Anyway, Allison was a bit stressed. We sat having a glass of wine discussing the logistics leading up to the wedding. John summed up the their perspective well, explaining to me at one point that, "Allison and I are perfect for each other. We can make disaster out of anything." As we were leaving, Allison confirmed that Ange would be coming to the nail/spa thing the next day. Nail/spa thing? We hadn't received that email. You could see Allison starting to twitch. "No problem!" I interjected before there was time for genuine concern by either Ange or Allison, "We'll work it out." And, of course, it was the least we could do to work it out so Alison didn't worry about it.
The result was a little drive for me in the lower mainland, which I would do a million times for Allison and John. But I might also take this moment to note that the Lower Mainland (or Vancouver for those not intimately tied to the city) commute accentuates my completely conflicted feeling about the city. It is shockingly beautiful. We have loads of friends there. But the endless driving! Oh my goodness. There is seldom a day I spend in Vancouver that I don't drive in excess of 100km in bumper to bumper traffic. So, the next day Anna and I hopped in the car in White Rock and drove across the municipalities of Surrey, Delta, Coquitlam and Port Moody to drop Ange off. While Ange, Allison, Katrin and Tracey enjoyed the spa, Anna and I ate lunch in the mall food court with pre-Christmas shoppers who held expressions as if they had just done a similar commute. We then headed back. I don't think at any point we exceeded 60km/h over the 2.5 hours in the car.
However, arriving back at my parents house, we prepared for Anna's birthday party. Oma was putting on the full spread, as the full Vancouver family contingent was coming over. She even made a beautiful 'Care Bear' cake for Anna. Anna slept.
The party was a resounding success. Anna played gleefully with her cousins Lydia, Chloe and Rebecca while we enjoyed the lovely food and caught up with the family. By the time we were ready for cake, Anna was asleep at the wheel. She could barely keep her eyes open. She could not keep her eyes open in mum's arms when the cake was pulled out. Not knowing what cake was exactly, she clung to mum seeming to wish that mum would just take her to bed. The candle was blown out for her by a cousin and a piece cut for Anna.
She looked at piece of cake before her. She studied it. She held out a hand, then took it back. She repeated this a few times, sometimes tucking her head into mum's shoulder as if she might choose sleep over this thing before her. Finally, curiosity and the sense that the whole room was hanging on the moment, she grabbed a bit of the cake in her hand. She squished it in her hand. Inoffensive. She grabbed a bit more and put it to her mouth. Seeing the moment that someone first discovers homemade icing on cake is something to behold. Her eyes lit up. The other hand went to the plate to fill itself with this amazing substance. She looked at Ange and I, her eyes pleading with us:
Have you had this stuff?"
"You have?"
"Why the hell haven't you introduced us before now?!?
Then, as she stuffed her mouth hand over hand, the tiredness overwhelmed her. Even as she fell asleep, her eyes only half open she stuffed more cake in her mouth. A few minutes later, she was asleep in her crib without a noise of protest. The party and the cake must have occupied her thoughts well that night as she slept in the next morning til nearly 9am.
We could be fairly certain that Anna liked cake. But just in case, it made cameo appearances at the end of the next couple of lunches to similar joy. Based on this, I can say with some certainty that if an interactive blog happens that involves pink Care Bear cake, I would recommend your money goes on the cake.
It was only a few days to Christmas, but we had Allison and John's wedding to prepare for and take part in (Ange was in the wedding party and I was the emcee), Christmas presents to buy and wrap and a big old birthday party to celebrate with Anna. Oma and Opa were fantastic about taking Anna, allowing her to get a semblance of a routine while we went off to meet with the rest of the wedding party on the 20th. Allison was a bit stressed at this point. I always fear telling a story about Alison lest I fail to do it justice. Allison is probably the best story teller I have ever met, but since many of you can't ask her about the week, I will dare to relate a few wedding and wedding-prep tidbits. Also noteworthy is that crisis follows Alison in an uncanny way. The many crises of life provide fantastic material for the later retelling of the story but can make the moment a little harry.
Allison had originally wanted to elope to avoid all the stress that goes into planning a wedding. Instead, she chose to have her wedding during the busiest social time of the year, only two days before Christmas. On hearing of this new plan in August, Ange and I shook our heads. We would do what we could to help from England.
Anyway, Allison was a bit stressed. We sat having a glass of wine discussing the logistics leading up to the wedding. John summed up the their perspective well, explaining to me at one point that, "Allison and I are perfect for each other. We can make disaster out of anything." As we were leaving, Allison confirmed that Ange would be coming to the nail/spa thing the next day. Nail/spa thing? We hadn't received that email. You could see Allison starting to twitch. "No problem!" I interjected before there was time for genuine concern by either Ange or Allison, "We'll work it out." And, of course, it was the least we could do to work it out so Alison didn't worry about it.
The result was a little drive for me in the lower mainland, which I would do a million times for Allison and John. But I might also take this moment to note that the Lower Mainland (or Vancouver for those not intimately tied to the city) commute accentuates my completely conflicted feeling about the city. It is shockingly beautiful. We have loads of friends there. But the endless driving! Oh my goodness. There is seldom a day I spend in Vancouver that I don't drive in excess of 100km in bumper to bumper traffic. So, the next day Anna and I hopped in the car in White Rock and drove across the municipalities of Surrey, Delta, Coquitlam and Port Moody to drop Ange off. While Ange, Allison, Katrin and Tracey enjoyed the spa, Anna and I ate lunch in the mall food court with pre-Christmas shoppers who held expressions as if they had just done a similar commute. We then headed back. I don't think at any point we exceeded 60km/h over the 2.5 hours in the car.
However, arriving back at my parents house, we prepared for Anna's birthday party. Oma was putting on the full spread, as the full Vancouver family contingent was coming over. She even made a beautiful 'Care Bear' cake for Anna. Anna slept.
The party was a resounding success. Anna played gleefully with her cousins Lydia, Chloe and Rebecca while we enjoyed the lovely food and caught up with the family. By the time we were ready for cake, Anna was asleep at the wheel. She could barely keep her eyes open. She could not keep her eyes open in mum's arms when the cake was pulled out. Not knowing what cake was exactly, she clung to mum seeming to wish that mum would just take her to bed. The candle was blown out for her by a cousin and a piece cut for Anna.
She looked at piece of cake before her. She studied it. She held out a hand, then took it back. She repeated this a few times, sometimes tucking her head into mum's shoulder as if she might choose sleep over this thing before her. Finally, curiosity and the sense that the whole room was hanging on the moment, she grabbed a bit of the cake in her hand. She squished it in her hand. Inoffensive. She grabbed a bit more and put it to her mouth. Seeing the moment that someone first discovers homemade icing on cake is something to behold. Her eyes lit up. The other hand went to the plate to fill itself with this amazing substance. She looked at Ange and I, her eyes pleading with us:Have you had this stuff?"
"You have?"
"Why the hell haven't you introduced us before now?!?
Then, as she stuffed her mouth hand over hand, the tiredness overwhelmed her. Even as she fell asleep, her eyes only half open she stuffed more cake in her mouth. A few minutes later, she was asleep in her crib without a noise of protest. The party and the cake must have occupied her thoughts well that night as she slept in the next morning til nearly 9am.
We could be fairly certain that Anna liked cake. But just in case, it made cameo appearances at the end of the next couple of lunches to similar joy. Based on this, I can say with some certainty that if an interactive blog happens that involves pink Care Bear cake, I would recommend your money goes on the cake.
No comments:
Post a Comment