In which I let my hair down, and put it up again, and then row to the hitchin’ post – the bandstand at Sir Sanford Fleming Park, Halifax, affectionately know as The Dingle.
The day was June 22, 2012 and it rained all morning. By the time I stepped into my dinghy around five o’clock, it had cleared up and was overcast. Moments earlier I had to shoo a coterie of prom couples away from the bandstand which we had booked for the occasion. The father of one of the girls was reluctant to move his car which was blocking the gate but his wife saw, not a woman with a basket of decorations, but a Bridezilla about to unleash her wrath on anyone who stood in her path and as quick as a good border collie, she herded her husband and the flock to convene further up along shore. Sorry folks for interfering with your graduation photo ops. The following is an album of the lead-up to the ceremony. Photos by Jenn Levangie of Halifax, God bless her patient heart. Ckick on any photo to get a larger view.
I had asked for a simple loose up-do; I figured on twenty minutes at Penny's house. Michelle Bevis had a plan and set about it.
A half an hour of curling.....
...and a half hour of twisting it all back up, secured with a pretty pin. Michelle, you're the best.
A hastily arranged altar.
Our rings, in a pretty box with a spalted maple lid, hand-made by Lance.....
...and a pair of empty shoes await my arrival.
Jake stands at the ready to catch our lines, as my brother Pete rows me to the sea-wall below the bandstand.
The groom, the guests, and the JP (Tanya Pellow) remained patient despite the cool late afternoon air, as I made my way ashore.
As I greet the crowd, Pete worries about dragging the dinghy over shallows; the upward edges of the mussels are very sharp.
Pete helps me up over the rocks. I am in full Newfie travel regalia: a long trench coat to keep the salt spray off my new dress, long rubber boots for disembarking, a silk bandana, and a sensible sturdy purse (aah sure' dere's nutting in it anyway). It would only be complete if I had an Eversweet butter box tied up with string.
The groom shows no sign of apprehension despite the unconventional attire and mode of arrival.
Jim Smith plays a jiggity tune as we make our way up the bank.
This would be my last chance to chicken out and flee. It was never a thought which crossed my mind. Besides, it would be mighty hard to run away in rubber boots.
I doff my overcoat as Peter Parsons greets his soon to be brother-in-law.
I doff my wedding boots as Lance looks on with amusement (thank heavens he gets the Newfie sense of humour; he could just as easily thought "this is not what I signed up for")
We settle in to tie the knot.Sorry Michelle, the beautiful hair took a beating getting in and out of the bandana - I tied that knot just as tightly as I did the proverbial one.
Sorry girls, no bouquet to toss; I just couldn't picture myself clutching a little posy - the heat of my hands would likely have made it wilt. The fan, decorated with cherry blossoms, I purchased in DC the first time I went down there to visit Lance. Best of all, it was functional as well as decorative; hot flashes be damned.
And so it was I made it safely to the altar. As you can see, I don’t stand much on tradition. I did consider something old (a vintage burnished metal bracelet), something new (a shiny pair of earrings), something borrowed (Lance’s mother’s pearls – hope they didn’t remind anyone of Marge Simpson) and something blue (my eyes, or the big blue veins in me legs). The dress, I chose for its colour (old faded life-jacket or a Turk’s head lily) and it’s soft cotton fabric which kept me cool and comfortable. I liked that it was made in Montreal – buy Canadian folks. There were so many ways I could have soaked the dress; an unexpected rain shower, a dunking from the dinghy into Northwest Arm (thank you bro for rowing me with such care), or an extreme hot flash. It held up nicely.
Thus ends part one of our wedding adventure. Stay tuned for more in the weeks to come.
(c) Judy Parsons 2012
Photos (excluding the first three ) by permission of Jenn Levangie 2012.
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