I had a really super time at Kristina's wedding this past weekend.  The wedding was on Saturday and the weather could not have been more perfect - not terribly hot, gloriously sunny and it got nice and cool when everyone was up on the dance floor.  The wedding was held in the vicinity of my cottage, about an hour away, at a place called St. Hipolyte, near St. Jerome.    It's right in the midst of Montreal Cottage Country, so it's a heck of a lot more built up than I'm used to, or like, but the view of the lake was really gorgeous.  It's the family cottage of the groom and it was neat that some of the neighbours turned out to watch from various watercraft on the lake.  Neat.

Rick learned that it really is true, lots of people do know how to dance and we were seriously put to shame by all the old (and young) rug-cutting couples.  That said, he really loosened up and actually danced, with me and alone, to all sorts of music (with a heavy bias going to country).  I was, once again, disturbed by how I know so many of the lyrics to all those country tunes, it's not like I listen in the solitude of my room, or something.  In truth, the DJ played the perfect mix of music for the crowd in attendence and I think most people were pleased with the choices.

The food was really good and the DJ made each table choose a song in order to sing for our suppers.  The only rule was that each song had to have the word 'love' in it.  Ours was the first table to go so we chose I love rock 'n' roll.  Following each table's choice, the DJ then would play the selection as the table went up to get their food.  The table where the priest was seated thought they'd stumped the DJ with Jesus loves me (this I know) but he came right back at them with a version of the same song.  Typical, a country DJ would have music suitable for a bible camp.  *laugh*

I should probably mention the service, itself.  Kristina was dressed in a traditional, empire wasted gown, sleeveless with thin straps, and a scalloped, though tastefully short, train.  Her hair was loosely piled with a flower in it and all over curls.  Derek (the groom) had grown out his hair and what with his chubby cheeks he looked just like a hobbit.  Though, with the goatee, perhaps he looked like a hobbit who'd gotten lost and wandered onto the Black Pearl.  He wore a simple black tux and sandals.  It was great.  Kristina's bridesmaids were her best friend, Shannon, and her sister, Anna.  The flower girls were Anna's two daughters and Kristina's adorable two-year-old daughter, Emma.  The Priest gave a simple, moderate, and really nice service and with the exception of when little Emma wanted her daddy's arms, everything went really smoothly.

Many people were very happy to see Mom and me and for a lot of them, it had been since Leo's funeral a few years back that we'd seen each other last.  Leo, of course, was Kristina's grandfather, and something like a surrogate grandpa for me.  People got very drunk, but Kristina, ever mindful of the rampant alcoholism that runs through the hills of the Laurentiens, had organised shuttle buses that would take people from the venue to the hotel where a lot of people were smart enough to book rooms.  Needless to say, with all the alcohol freely flowing (there was a canoe full of beer, vodka coolers, and ice, as well as an open (donation-based) bar), people got very sentimental and started to tell me how wonderful my mother is and how long they'd known her and how it was great that I was so much like her. 

I know a compliment when I hear one.  :)

Anyway, other than the wedding, I spent a few days generally doing nothing and actually getting some sun.  I went canoing one evening and bonded with the beaver, and on one particularly hot afternoon, Rick and I enjoyed a very nice swim.  The water was warm and the sun was nice and hot to dry us off afterward.  The cats, including Willi, were having a very nice time.  Willi loves it up there.  She loves it the most when I am outside and readily accesible, so I suspect she's going to start to miss me quite soon.  We left her up there with Mom and the other cats.  Finally, renting the car was a good experience.  Discount more than made up for the shitty time I had with Thrifty.  The car, while not a Kia as it states on the webpage, did the job and we had a very easy and affordable trip.