In case you missed it, summer officially arrived at 1:45 am (EST) Sunday morning. You're not the only one though that couldn't stay awake to see the new season in - - although, I did come within about 45 minutes.
Not that I was trying to be awake to witness the arrival of summer. I hear it's kinda over-rated anyway - - no fireworks...no "Happy Summer" party hats...no Dick Clark countdown....no Auld Lang Syne.
I was up late nontheless on Saturday night, winding down from the drive back from my old stompin' grounds of Carleton Place, where I was at a family wedding.
My family is like many others. The largest clan gatherings come as the result of a wedding or funeral, right? And, such was the case this past weekend for my Lowe/Shail family tree.
There we were....all cleaned up....and getting caught up on each others' lives. I spent a lot of time talking to 3 of my uncles who all live back in the Ottawa Valley - - talking about cottaging on Brule, Mazinaw and Crotch Lakes...restoring a 25th anniversary edition Mustang...old family homesteads in Vennacher and up on Gorr Mountain...reliving our canoe racing days - - and I realized how much of a Shail boy I still am, despite not seeing them that often.
Oh, did I mention I also got to walk the bride down the aisle?
I always assumed that day would come when one of my daughters met the man of their dreams (and the man that had successfully survived the torturous scrutiny that only Lisa and I are capable of). But that was not the case.
On Saturday, I walked my mother down the aisle on her wedding day...just over a month shy of her 79th birthday.
After seeing her grieve the loss of her husband of over 52 years (my father), I see and appreciate how happy she is again. She and Murray have known each other since high school, and (I swear) still have the energy of a couple of teenagers. (And for those who are wondering - - um, no... it was not a shotgun wedding, alright?!!!)
Although, as the limo pulled out Saturday evening to take the newlyweds off to their honeymoon at Chateau Montabello, Lisa wondered if I might have a little brother or sister someday. She's twisted.
Maybe that's why I had trouble getting to sleep Saturday night.