Saturday, May 2nd: Jack & Jill stories

So I arrived at the pool hall around 2:30. Wade had gone over with Bridesmaid (BM) Emily around 1:30, I think, while I was at a bridal shower. This was a family bridal shower, plus Maid Of Honour (MOH) Jocelyn. I didn't realize how early Emily was arriving from out of town (MOH Joce is the only of my attendants who lives in Kingston - the rest are between 250 to 350 km away). Anyway, Wade and Emily joined Best Man Ryan and Groomsman (GM) Dinger to decorate the area of the bar that was reserved for us. Singlehandedly (meaning without his wife's help), Ryan picked a colour theme of lilac and white and decorated: ribbons, balloons, confetti, a tiara and "bride-to-be" button for me, and a crown and "groom-to-be" button for Wade.

Some people started arriving around 2pm, but we really had a large group arrive around 3:30-4ish. Ryan ran a total of 3 50/50 draws, which my parents and their friends particularly enjoyed. Ryan also coordinated a single-elimination style pool tournament - winner took home $100! My dad's friend, David (one of the two m.c.s) narrowly defeated Holly, a friend from grad school.

I had 3 friends from grad school arrive - Holly & Elena drove down together for 2 1/2 hours (along with Elena's hubby, Kevin), and Jane drove 2 hours to get there. They all drove back the same day. I was so flattered and honoured they came. Needless to say, they left a little early, but I'd rather they leave early than drive tired.

My grandparents, most of my aunts and uncles, most of Wade's aunts and uncles, and numerous family friends showed up, in addition to many friends. Wade even had a large group of coworkers show up. At one point, Ryan figured there were 50 people there.

My grandparents left around 5, I believe, shortly before BM Crystal arrived. I don't know when GM Dinger left, but he didn't say good-bye to me before he did (he's in trouble for that).

A lot of people left after dinner time (8ish), but some people arrive later - MOH Joce and GM Greg arrived around 8;30, and a few friends I hadn't seen in years showed up around 9-10ish. As more and more people started to leave, including GM Mark (Wade's brother), Crystal, Emily, Joce & I went dancing. Yes, fter 9:30, there's live music at Raxx. We probably went dancing around 11:30, and stayed at Raxx until almost 1:30.

All in all, Wade was at Raxx about 12 hours, and I was there 11 hours. On the way home (Emily drove a bunch of us home), we all stopped for a McDonald's run reminiscent of what high school kids might have done. Yum - I got a sundae.

More pictures to come!!!

Jack and Jill

Here are some more pictures:










Stories to follow tomorrow!

Jack & Jill (aka a reason to party)

Some more pictures from last Saturday (May 2nd), the jack & jill:

Michael's Flyer for this Saturday (Canada only)

I think this is the first Michael's flyer that has been "Canada only" ... but for those of you in the "true north", enjoy!

Laptop Issues

So my computer has decided it won't start up. No idea why - and I hope it isn't permanent - but that means posting is light. I hesitate to post from work, so I hope to be up and running at home soon.

Have a safe week! It's NAOSH Health & Safety Week! (NAOSH - North American Occupational Safety & Health ... it's a joint week that was started as the Canadian Occupational Safety Week, but is now joint with the USA and Mexico, coorganized by the ASSE and the CSSE.

"Jack & Jill" (aka a reason to party)

Here's a sneak peak of my Saturday night!



Kudos to Best Man Ryan, who threw this whole shindig together, complete with coordinating lilac purple napkins and pool tournament.

Happy Wedding Day, Shonagh and Jenny!

I should just clarify - I don't know either of these women. And they don't know each other. Because they don't know each other, it's probably obviously they're not marrying each other.

But they're both getting married today!

Shonagh (aka "Eliandme" from Mother and Bride) is a witty bride who is marrying her beau surrounded by fairy lights with a look reminiscent of sex in a cornfield in the 1950s or 1960s. (How she came up with that description as her inspiration, I'll never know.)

Jenny (aka "Yenny" from And she's rambling again) is a sweetheart who is marrying her beau in a ceremony filled with tradition and surrounded by family. In fact, her uncle is the priest who will be marrying them! Jenny introduced me to the concept of the sweetheart dance.

Have a great day ladies! I'm off to my first shower, hosted by my grandma for family. In the evening, Wade's best man is hosting a jack and jill for us, which is essentially a get together.

Well, right now I'm off to bed. But later today (because it is technically May 2nd right now) when I wake up, that's what I'm off to do!

Fugly Fridays: It wasn't the dress that made her ugly

BRIDE OF DAY KILLS WOMAN.
Called Ugly by Wedding Guest, She Says - Glad She Did It.

LOGANSPORT, Ind., Dec. 3.- Elizabeth Lang, a bride of one day, to-night shot and killed Mrs. Mary Copple, who at the wedding supper last night, was alleged to have told other guests that the bride-groom had chosen an ugly and worthless woman for a life partner. Mrs. Lang was arrested shortly after the shooting. The police reported she made a fully confession and expressed pleasure that she had stopped slanderous remarks. In her confession, as reported by the police, Mrs. Lang said:
"Yes, I shot Mrs. Copple. I shot her down as her two little children stood beside her holding to her skirts. I killed her because she said that no man ought to marry me, and that my husband would repent.
"She said I was ugly. She said I was old. I killed her for that, and I am not a bit sorry for it. She was jealous of me and would have made my life un-happy."
The shooting followed a talk between Mrs. Lang and a woman friend, also a wedding guest, who had repeated the alleged remark of Mrs. Copple. Mrs. Lang went to the home of her father, told him the story of the killing, and telephoned for the police.

Go to this link for verification.

Now, while we judge this woman whose intent was ugly, we must also remember two things:
(1) In 1912, the pressure for a young woman to marry and produce offspring was high. A woman could not achieve success through career accomplishments, but through marriage. So such comments are quite serious offences.
(2) Mental health services were not what they are now. Not that they're always great now, but at least we have a greater understanding.

What Mrs. Lang did was horrible, but we don't know what other pressures she had. Did she have schizophrenia or depression? If so, today this murder might not have happened: recognition, assessment and proper treatment can reduce or elminate the symptoms of these awful diseases (though we still don't know causes of most mental health diseases, and not everyone responds to treatment, proper diagnosis is a start).

Canadian Mental Health Week (sponsored by the Canadian Mental Health Association) is May 4th through 10th.

For more information on mental health, go to any or all of these resources:
-Mental Health Department of Health (UK NHS)
-(UK) NHS Confederation of Mental Health Trusts
-National Institute of Mental Health (US NIH)
-World Health Organization (WHO) Mental Health