Sorry for the unusually long radio silence - the past few months (really since July) have been much more intense than usual.
Not only have I been travelling more than usual (two trips to the Maritimes, two trips to the Prairies, and a trip to Chicago/Indianapolis), but I also had the pleasure of getting married to Jeannette (in October) and somewhat suddenly accepting a new job in Regina (which started in early November).
Anyway, all of these things kind of piled up and lead to circumstances in which regular updates to Montifax were not feasible.
Now that you're all sort of caught up maybe I'll try to post a few items about a few of the months that we've all had the pleasure of just living through.
Showing posts with label Weddings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Weddings. Show all posts
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Thursday, August 25, 2011
St. John's to Ramea - 1
Early tomorrow morning Neil, Rebecca, Jeannette, our friend Steven, and I will be making our way across the island of Newfoundland to Ramea for a friend's wedding. As some of you may know, Ramea is a remote island off the south coast of the island. We will be getting there by ferry from Burgeo, a community is also relatively remote.
At the moment the plan is for the five of us to pile into the car and start the journey early tomorrow morning. As we expect the trip to take close to 12 hours we won't be able to see much along the way. That being said, I don't expect we will be so rushed that we won't be able to stop a few times for refreshment, bathroom, and gas breaks.
Assuming all goes well we will then try to catch the 8:00 PM ferry. I am hoping that the timing of the ferry will mean that we will get to see the sun set over Burgeo and the island in the distance. The other consequence of the timing of the ferry is that our first real view of the island will be the next day when we make our way out of our respective accommodations.
Sadly, we will only have a few hours to explore Ramea (though I am not sure if one really needs more than a few hours given the relatively limited size of the island). Anyway, I hope to get up early enough in the day to see a reasonable portion of the island before we need to return to prepare for the wedding.
The wedding itself should be rather interesting as most of the guests will be in Ramea for the sole purpose of attending the wedding (making it a destination wedding of sorts). I am assuming that this will mean a more robust celebration than if we were all just attending a wedding in our normal places of residence.
Then early on Sunday we will be taking the ferry back to Burgeo and heading up to Port aux Basques to catch the overnight ferry to North Sydney.
Given the number of hours we are to spend travelling, the next three days are likely to be something of a blur. I just hope that we have enough energy to take in a least a few of the sights and enjoy our few hours of down time.
If possible I will try to post while we are in transit, though given our rather full schedule I am not sure if this will be possible. At least after the fact I should have a few photos or comments about what is sure to be an experience heavy trip.
At the moment the plan is for the five of us to pile into the car and start the journey early tomorrow morning. As we expect the trip to take close to 12 hours we won't be able to see much along the way. That being said, I don't expect we will be so rushed that we won't be able to stop a few times for refreshment, bathroom, and gas breaks.
Assuming all goes well we will then try to catch the 8:00 PM ferry. I am hoping that the timing of the ferry will mean that we will get to see the sun set over Burgeo and the island in the distance. The other consequence of the timing of the ferry is that our first real view of the island will be the next day when we make our way out of our respective accommodations.
Sadly, we will only have a few hours to explore Ramea (though I am not sure if one really needs more than a few hours given the relatively limited size of the island). Anyway, I hope to get up early enough in the day to see a reasonable portion of the island before we need to return to prepare for the wedding.
The wedding itself should be rather interesting as most of the guests will be in Ramea for the sole purpose of attending the wedding (making it a destination wedding of sorts). I am assuming that this will mean a more robust celebration than if we were all just attending a wedding in our normal places of residence.
Then early on Sunday we will be taking the ferry back to Burgeo and heading up to Port aux Basques to catch the overnight ferry to North Sydney.
Given the number of hours we are to spend travelling, the next three days are likely to be something of a blur. I just hope that we have enough energy to take in a least a few of the sights and enjoy our few hours of down time.
If possible I will try to post while we are in transit, though given our rather full schedule I am not sure if this will be possible. At least after the fact I should have a few photos or comments about what is sure to be an experience heavy trip.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Arizona - Day 5 onwards
Wow, quite a number of things happened between now and my last post.
After spending a beautiful night in Williams we made our way south through Sedona and the surrounding areas. As expected the scenery was fantastic.
It was also the case that Sedona was a little infested with new-agey types, many of whom seem to have been attracted to the region because of its 'vortexes.' If you are interested in learning more and happen to find yourself in the region it won't be hard for you to find a crystal store or tour guide who would be willing to explain the mystical powers of the region to you.
From Sedona we made our way to a 45 000 acre cattle ranch for an hour long trail ride, though on horses rather than mules. As we were riding we saw thousands of prickly pear cacti, though no cattle. Even though our ride was cow free it was great. Actually, that it was an hour rather than three likely made it better rather than worse.
On Thursday evening, the day we visited Sedona and had our trail ride, the family side of the trip started. We attended a family barbeque at my cousin's house. As it turned out, it was Rebecca's first chance to meet many of my aunts and uncles. And we got to see the bride and groom to be. Amazingly, though my cousin and her husband have been friends for 18 years (and I have heard his name many times over those 18 years), this was the first time that I actually got to meet him.
On Friday morning my father, brother, and I, while 'the girls' were getting mani-pedis, made our way to the Arizona state legislature. We visited the public galleries of both the House and the Senate and also the Capitol Museum. At the museum, aside from visiting the old legislative chamber, we took in an exhibit on the legislative process in Arizona. Strangely, at least according to the exhibit, they seem to use a fair bit of randomness when creating legislation in Arizona.
[Embedded video]
On Friday afternoon we made our way to Phoenix Deer Valley Airport, reputed to be the busiest general aviation airport in the US. While at the airport a few of us were able to take short flights in our host's small Piper mono-plane. While on our respective trips Neil and I both got chances to pilot the plane for a few minutes. I was particularly pleased to get a chance to turn the plane around and then descend a few thousand about 2000 feet.
On Saturday morning we made an early morning trip to a tourist store where I was able to purchase a few souvenirs, including things like prickly pear jelly and prickly pear candy. Oh, I also acquired some cactus seeds. Not surprisingly, almost everyone else who made the trip purchased similar items.
Our next stop was the Desert Botanical Garden, the site of the wedding. As part of the wedding package the guests of the wedding were provided with free access to the site on the day of the wedding.
After a relatively short visit to the botanical garden we met up with Neil and Rebecca and made our way to a restaurant for lunch and then to the hotel where we would be spending the evening. Then, after a brief swim and a quick check of the internet, we made our way back to the botanical garden for the wedding.
The wedding itself, as expected, was great. The weather and the location cooperated perfectly. The wedding ceremony, which was held in an amphitheater, was short and to the point (though there were a few questionable biblical interpretations). The reception, which was held immediately afterwards in an unwalled pavilion, was longer and generally more free-wheeling. For better or worse, I accepted this free-wheeling atmosphere and ran with it, dancing harder and longer than was likely good for me or anyone else in attendance. Anyway, it's done now.
Sunday, our last full day in Phoenix, started with a brunch at the home of the newlyweds. After a few hours there Neil, Rebecca, and I made our way out for some touring and shopping in the Phoenix area. Not only did we manage to visit quite a number of major chain stores, we also were able to visit a local 'Indian casino,' the Casino Arizona.
While this is the largest casino I have ever visited, in many ways it was quite like the two other casinos I have had the pleasure of entering. Not surprisingly, even though it was midday, quite a number of this casino's slot machines were in full swing. Actually, the place was really hopping considering that it was still well before evening and many of the games tables weren't even open. It was also not too surprising to see that a similar demographic, the over sixty set, seemed to be the most prevalent demographic taking advantage of the casino's offerings.
Monday, as many of you might have expected, was largely spent traveling. After an early departure from Phoenix we were able to go through customs and immigration in Toronto and then have a quick lunch. From Toronto we flew to Halifax, where my parents et al had to make a quick connection to their return flight (fortunately they made it).
At the moment I am awaiting the return of Neil and Rebecca, which will finally mark the conclusion of my family's trip to Phoenix and Arizona. As it turned out, Arizona was much more biologically diverse and fun than I expected. Though I didn't really expect to be saying this a few weeks ago, I really don't think that I would mind a trip back in the future. Not only would it be great to see the Grand Canyon on a clear day, but there are a number of things in the Phoenix area that it would be neat to see, it would also be neat to see a few other regions in the state that we weren't able to visit on our brief trip.
After spending a beautiful night in Williams we made our way south through Sedona and the surrounding areas. As expected the scenery was fantastic.
It was also the case that Sedona was a little infested with new-agey types, many of whom seem to have been attracted to the region because of its 'vortexes.' If you are interested in learning more and happen to find yourself in the region it won't be hard for you to find a crystal store or tour guide who would be willing to explain the mystical powers of the region to you.
From Sedona we made our way to a 45 000 acre cattle ranch for an hour long trail ride, though on horses rather than mules. As we were riding we saw thousands of prickly pear cacti, though no cattle. Even though our ride was cow free it was great. Actually, that it was an hour rather than three likely made it better rather than worse.
On Thursday evening, the day we visited Sedona and had our trail ride, the family side of the trip started. We attended a family barbeque at my cousin's house. As it turned out, it was Rebecca's first chance to meet many of my aunts and uncles. And we got to see the bride and groom to be. Amazingly, though my cousin and her husband have been friends for 18 years (and I have heard his name many times over those 18 years), this was the first time that I actually got to meet him.
On Friday morning my father, brother, and I, while 'the girls' were getting mani-pedis, made our way to the Arizona state legislature. We visited the public galleries of both the House and the Senate and also the Capitol Museum. At the museum, aside from visiting the old legislative chamber, we took in an exhibit on the legislative process in Arizona. Strangely, at least according to the exhibit, they seem to use a fair bit of randomness when creating legislation in Arizona.
[Embedded video]
On Friday afternoon we made our way to Phoenix Deer Valley Airport, reputed to be the busiest general aviation airport in the US. While at the airport a few of us were able to take short flights in our host's small Piper mono-plane. While on our respective trips Neil and I both got chances to pilot the plane for a few minutes. I was particularly pleased to get a chance to turn the plane around and then descend a few thousand about 2000 feet.
On Saturday morning we made an early morning trip to a tourist store where I was able to purchase a few souvenirs, including things like prickly pear jelly and prickly pear candy. Oh, I also acquired some cactus seeds. Not surprisingly, almost everyone else who made the trip purchased similar items.
Our next stop was the Desert Botanical Garden, the site of the wedding. As part of the wedding package the guests of the wedding were provided with free access to the site on the day of the wedding.
After a relatively short visit to the botanical garden we met up with Neil and Rebecca and made our way to a restaurant for lunch and then to the hotel where we would be spending the evening. Then, after a brief swim and a quick check of the internet, we made our way back to the botanical garden for the wedding.
The wedding itself, as expected, was great. The weather and the location cooperated perfectly. The wedding ceremony, which was held in an amphitheater, was short and to the point (though there were a few questionable biblical interpretations). The reception, which was held immediately afterwards in an unwalled pavilion, was longer and generally more free-wheeling. For better or worse, I accepted this free-wheeling atmosphere and ran with it, dancing harder and longer than was likely good for me or anyone else in attendance. Anyway, it's done now.
Sunday, our last full day in Phoenix, started with a brunch at the home of the newlyweds. After a few hours there Neil, Rebecca, and I made our way out for some touring and shopping in the Phoenix area. Not only did we manage to visit quite a number of major chain stores, we also were able to visit a local 'Indian casino,' the Casino Arizona.
While this is the largest casino I have ever visited, in many ways it was quite like the two other casinos I have had the pleasure of entering. Not surprisingly, even though it was midday, quite a number of this casino's slot machines were in full swing. Actually, the place was really hopping considering that it was still well before evening and many of the games tables weren't even open. It was also not too surprising to see that a similar demographic, the over sixty set, seemed to be the most prevalent demographic taking advantage of the casino's offerings.
Monday, as many of you might have expected, was largely spent traveling. After an early departure from Phoenix we were able to go through customs and immigration in Toronto and then have a quick lunch. From Toronto we flew to Halifax, where my parents et al had to make a quick connection to their return flight (fortunately they made it).
At the moment I am awaiting the return of Neil and Rebecca, which will finally mark the conclusion of my family's trip to Phoenix and Arizona. As it turned out, Arizona was much more biologically diverse and fun than I expected. Though I didn't really expect to be saying this a few weeks ago, I really don't think that I would mind a trip back in the future. Not only would it be great to see the Grand Canyon on a clear day, but there are a number of things in the Phoenix area that it would be neat to see, it would also be neat to see a few other regions in the state that we weren't able to visit on our brief trip.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Hair cut
I was recently reminded that I will shortly be heading to a wedding. One of the most important aspects of this reminder was that it finally allow me to accept that I would be well served by getting a haircut. At some point yesterday I decided that today should be the day that I get my haircut.
As I am not really into barbershop cuts these days I decided to get a kitchen haircut. Jeannette, somewhat to my surprise, wholeheartedly agreed to provide me with such a haircut. Originally, I also expected Neil's participation.
By the time that I finally got around to sitting down for my haircut I had to rely on Jeannette alone (though this isn't to suggest a lack of confidence in her abilities).
Actually, I am quite impressed with my new haircut. Even though I insisted that Jeannette use the clippers instead of scissors I don't have a haircut that looks as though my head was buzzed. I think that this haircut is one that, if regularly maintained, should last for a while.
Anyway, I now have one of my pre-trip preparations out of the way. Now I have just a few more things to take care of (like packing, the purchasing of a wedding gift, and trip planning) before heading.
As I am not really into barbershop cuts these days I decided to get a kitchen haircut. Jeannette, somewhat to my surprise, wholeheartedly agreed to provide me with such a haircut. Originally, I also expected Neil's participation.
By the time that I finally got around to sitting down for my haircut I had to rely on Jeannette alone (though this isn't to suggest a lack of confidence in her abilities).
Actually, I am quite impressed with my new haircut. Even though I insisted that Jeannette use the clippers instead of scissors I don't have a haircut that looks as though my head was buzzed. I think that this haircut is one that, if regularly maintained, should last for a while.
Anyway, I now have one of my pre-trip preparations out of the way. Now I have just a few more things to take care of (like packing, the purchasing of a wedding gift, and trip planning) before heading.
Saturday, August 07, 2010
Michigan +11
Since we arrived in Michigan a almost two weeks ago I have wanted to visit an IHOP (International House of Pancakes). I was finally able to satisfy this urge yesterday when my father, brother, sister, and I all visited such a restaurant for lunch yesterday. As expected, it was a very pleasant and satisfying experience. The only problem with the experience was that I ended up eating a little too much and felt somewhat uncomfortable afterwards.
Later in the day those of us who visited the restaurant also visited a driving range to hit a bucket of balls.
[Embedded video]
I would say that most of us were a little worse at this than we might have hoped.
Our final major event of the evening was a party/BBQ at an uncle's house. It was great to get another chance to socialize with my cousins and aunts and uncles.
In the very near future we will be heading out to our hotel for the evening. Then at about 4:00 we will attend the wedding. The reception will follow almost immediately thereafter.
Later in the day those of us who visited the restaurant also visited a driving range to hit a bucket of balls.
[Embedded video]
I would say that most of us were a little worse at this than we might have hoped.
Our final major event of the evening was a party/BBQ at an uncle's house. It was great to get another chance to socialize with my cousins and aunts and uncles.
In the very near future we will be heading out to our hotel for the evening. Then at about 4:00 we will attend the wedding. The reception will follow almost immediately thereafter.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
We need your help
A few weeks ago I started to hear rumblings about my mother, grandmother, and sister taking a trip to Halifax to coincide with my convocation. Soon after Neil and Rebecca's wedding these rumblings began to sound a little more like a tidal wave that was about to crash down all around me.
Anyway, I have been suggesting one reason for the visit, a position that both Neil and Rebecca disagree with. Given our stalemate it seemed the only way forward was to create a web-based survey to try to ascertain the true reason behind these trips.
So if you would all be willing to complete the survey, which can be found here, we can get to the bottom of this rather important issue.
I am really looking forward to having things cleared up.
Anyway, I have been suggesting one reason for the visit, a position that both Neil and Rebecca disagree with. Given our stalemate it seemed the only way forward was to create a web-based survey to try to ascertain the true reason behind these trips.
So if you would all be willing to complete the survey, which can be found here, we can get to the bottom of this rather important issue.
I am really looking forward to having things cleared up.
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Finally, some news from Vegas
So, a little over a week after Neil and Rebecca returned from Vegas I am now finally in a position to give people a little bit of an update on how things went down on their trip, or at least a few of the key aspects.
I guess I will cut to the chase on the particularly key aspect of the trip. Within a few hours of arriving Neil and Rebecca purchased a ring and made their way to the marriage license office. Shortly after their visit to the office, on the evening of the day of their arrival, they made their way to another office where a marriage ceremony was performed by a county employee. The witness they used was a friend/acquaintance of the security guards (had had already done at least two other weddings that day). Apparently the ceremony wasn't so simple that they got to skip the 'I dos' and associated statements of commitment to one another.
From what I can tell, much of the rest of the trip was spent either riding the pool's lazy river, taking advantage of free drink service at casinos, hunting for casino's new player deals, attending shows, or window shopping. All in all, things took a turn towards the less exciting after the first 12 hours that they were there.
I guess I should also publicly forgive Neil for not posting more while in Vegas (though it is possible he could have squeaked a single post in) as it seems that internet connections are a little bit more difficult to come by in Vegas than anyone expected. Not only do most places charge for connection time, it seems to not be particularly cheap. As Neil explained it to me, the casinos would much rather have in the casinos gambling than up in your room checking your various social networking sites or watching crappy videos.
How this impacted Neil and Rebecca was that it drastically reduced their interneting time so much so that they only went online while at the airport, where it was free, and once in a fast food restaurant to send us emails letting us know that they had been married (almost a week before).
I guess I will cut to the chase on the particularly key aspect of the trip. Within a few hours of arriving Neil and Rebecca purchased a ring and made their way to the marriage license office. Shortly after their visit to the office, on the evening of the day of their arrival, they made their way to another office where a marriage ceremony was performed by a county employee. The witness they used was a friend/acquaintance of the security guards (had had already done at least two other weddings that day). Apparently the ceremony wasn't so simple that they got to skip the 'I dos' and associated statements of commitment to one another.
From what I can tell, much of the rest of the trip was spent either riding the pool's lazy river, taking advantage of free drink service at casinos, hunting for casino's new player deals, attending shows, or window shopping. All in all, things took a turn towards the less exciting after the first 12 hours that they were there.
I guess I should also publicly forgive Neil for not posting more while in Vegas (though it is possible he could have squeaked a single post in) as it seems that internet connections are a little bit more difficult to come by in Vegas than anyone expected. Not only do most places charge for connection time, it seems to not be particularly cheap. As Neil explained it to me, the casinos would much rather have in the casinos gambling than up in your room checking your various social networking sites or watching crappy videos.
How this impacted Neil and Rebecca was that it drastically reduced their interneting time so much so that they only went online while at the airport, where it was free, and once in a fast food restaurant to send us emails letting us know that they had been married (almost a week before).
Thursday, August 14, 2008
A Few Quick Notes 211
-When I awoke this morning I was shocked to find that the skies were
clear and the sun was shining. Apparently I missed the early morning
showers, which is just fine with me. Unfortunately, this great
weather is not expected to last, torrential downpours are predicted
for tomorrow (though Saturday is supposed to be nice).
clear and the sun was shining. Apparently I missed the early morning
showers, which is just fine with me. Unfortunately, this great
weather is not expected to last, torrential downpours are predicted
for tomorrow (though Saturday is supposed to be nice).
-We played a very fun game of Ultimate last night. After a slow start
we managed to pull ahead and take a commanding lead. It was quite a
nice way to finish off the regular season.
Though we managed to win our last two games we are still solidly in
the middle of the pack in our tier. As I am not sure how final
rankings are to be determined I don't really know in which position
we will finish, though I am not sure that it really matters too much
as there are a few teams with similar records. I guess in the coming
days this will all be worked out.
-It seems that there is a most for Bitters trivia tonight. If I
manage to attend, as is my plan, I will have a two trivia night week.
This is something that hasn't happened for me since last summer.
-I am out of lunch food at my house-sitting house. I will need to
acquire some of this before I try to prepare my lunch for tomorrow.
-On Saturday I have a wedding to attend. Since I first received the
invitation in April I have been really looking forward to the event.
Hopefully all will go well.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
A Few Quick Notes 190
-Today, like yesterday, is not as nice a day as I would have liked. Instead of having sun and clear skies we are back to fog and rain. This deterioration in physical beauty seems to have caused the temperatures to have dropped by about 10 degrees, presumably just because mother nature likes to kick people when they are down.
-At some point yesterday afternoon I decided to bake some bread. When I eventually got around to rounding up the necessary ingredients I found out that I was going to be a little short on the fats side of things.
Fortunately a quick trip to the store put me back on track (and also reminded me that we were short on oats).
As I started collecting the flours and grains I learned that we had some kind of multi grain flour. As I had never seen this used before I thought that I would give it a try and see how it worked. One noticeable difference is that the bread has more visible grains than before (even though I have tended to use many non-flour ingredients).
Eventually we ended up with 8 grainy loaves. Unfortunately, as is commonly the case, I had no interest in tasting the bread once it came out of the oven. Luckily, my father was able to taste the bread and seems to have given it a basing grade.
-Yesterday evening I received an email that suggested that I wasn't fully/properly registered for my ultimate team this summer. While this may be the case (though I did complete the online registration) they seem to have received my money and also placed my name on the team list. I am not sure how these two things occurred without my full-fledged registration.
-It seems that we are either entering wedding or now completely in the middle of wedding season. My parents will be attending a wedding this afternoon while I have one to attend in a few weeks. It seems that I know of at least one or two other couples who will also be getting married this summer.
What I don't quite understand is why so many of my acquaintances are getting married this particular summer, and why I haven't experience so many weddings in past summers. On the other hand, this could just be the beginning of a multi-year trend among members of my peer group (as we are entering the marrying age).
-My laptop is painfully slow.
-Last weekend I was able to remove a bookcase from the area between my desk and my bed. My room now feels much more open. What I am now wondering is why I didn't work on this issue as early as last summer (when the bookcase mysteriously appeared in my room).
-As usual, this morning I made my way over to Georgetown bakery to buy a dozen bagels. Unlike recent trips, I was not accompanied by my sister, who is at Guide camp. Though her absence meant that I had to do everything myself I would still classify the trip as a success.
-At some point yesterday afternoon I decided to bake some bread. When I eventually got around to rounding up the necessary ingredients I found out that I was going to be a little short on the fats side of things.
Fortunately a quick trip to the store put me back on track (and also reminded me that we were short on oats).
As I started collecting the flours and grains I learned that we had some kind of multi grain flour. As I had never seen this used before I thought that I would give it a try and see how it worked. One noticeable difference is that the bread has more visible grains than before (even though I have tended to use many non-flour ingredients).
Eventually we ended up with 8 grainy loaves. Unfortunately, as is commonly the case, I had no interest in tasting the bread once it came out of the oven. Luckily, my father was able to taste the bread and seems to have given it a basing grade.
-Yesterday evening I received an email that suggested that I wasn't fully/properly registered for my ultimate team this summer. While this may be the case (though I did complete the online registration) they seem to have received my money and also placed my name on the team list. I am not sure how these two things occurred without my full-fledged registration.
-It seems that we are either entering wedding or now completely in the middle of wedding season. My parents will be attending a wedding this afternoon while I have one to attend in a few weeks. It seems that I know of at least one or two other couples who will also be getting married this summer.
What I don't quite understand is why so many of my acquaintances are getting married this particular summer, and why I haven't experience so many weddings in past summers. On the other hand, this could just be the beginning of a multi-year trend among members of my peer group (as we are entering the marrying age).
-My laptop is painfully slow.
-Last weekend I was able to remove a bookcase from the area between my desk and my bed. My room now feels much more open. What I am now wondering is why I didn't work on this issue as early as last summer (when the bookcase mysteriously appeared in my room).
-As usual, this morning I made my way over to Georgetown bakery to buy a dozen bagels. Unlike recent trips, I was not accompanied by my sister, who is at Guide camp. Though her absence meant that I had to do everything myself I would still classify the trip as a success.
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