Purdy Nice

 

It was 44 years ago today. I had just flown into Vancouver from Ocean Falls and was suffering from culture shock, and fatigue. (The city was overwhelming after having lived in the bush for the last 1 1/2 years.)

There I was, standing in the front of a church, wearing a brand new suit and shoes that were too tight. The day was a blur, and now there was a man in a white collar asking me a question. In my sensory overloaded state, I was sure he was asking me ,"Do you like chocolate?"

 I said, "I do!" 

And thus began a life that has been like a box of chocolates with apologies to Forrest Gump.

We pulled out the chocolates, at first, without considering what was inside. Sometimes it was wonderful, sometime it was some of the awful ginger gummy stuff. Sometimes it was nuts that were hard to chew, and sometimes toffee that pulled your fillings out.

But as the years went by, we discovered that through experience, and by following the legend that was provided with the box of chocolates, that we could pick and choose just the ones we liked.

We also learned to know which was each other's favourites and what brand of chocolates our friends were having good experiences with. We observed and remembered our parents who ate chocolates together for all their lives and we were determined to have the same kind of staying power.

Now, 44 years later, there are still a lot of chocolates in the box and we are looking forward to sampling them together, and enjoying them, sharing them and not hogging them.

Neither of us could even imagine eating chocolates with anybody else.

 

Let's Talk About Marriage

 

Well, maybe not marriage, but weddings. Las Vegas is known for many things, but I suspect that the "Vegas Wedding" is falling on hard times. Few get married these days, and those that do are probably a bit more serious than some of these signs would have you believe what a wedding is all about. 'Intimate, Elegant, and Legendary' is one of the more classy appeals among the 12 wedding chapels we drove past on the Las Vegas Boulevard.

 

None of these chapels looked like they were built recently and they were in among older industrial/commercial neighbourhoods, the old section of the strip. The shape of the chapels is often church-like as if to intone the blessings of God.

 

Theme weddings and even drive-through weddings are advertised. I wonder if the wedding couple could super size their nuptials at the drive-through window?

 

After thinking about a life long commitment for about 10 minutes, one can simply go to the 24 hr. drive up window and, like a cheese burger, get your wedding on in minutes. If Joan Collins and Michael Jordan were married here, it is good enough for me. And hey, it is a 'White Chapel', more than appropriate for virgins and first timers.

 

The cartoonish neon and digital display board can convince even the most undecided of couples that NOW is the time to get this wedding going.

 

Who does not want a complete wedding package? Rings, tuxedos, veils, bouquets, boutonnieres, rent a best man, pre-nuptial agreements, and a toll free number for divorce services are all part of the complete package. The $25 Wayne Newton package is especially appealing.

 

Just in case cupid is involved, here is the place to get married.

 

No wonder Elvis keeps showing up. Everything is named after him or fashioned after his lifestyle. Somebody should tell Vegas that he is dead.

 

"Monbelami Wedding Chapel"? Could this be a serious one?

 

This one would definitely be my choice if I were to get married. The neon star burst on the roof, the picket fence above the windows (with hearts), a steeple, actual marriage information, and America's favourite. You can't miss with this combination.

 

Oh, I am married.

After The Wedding

After a wonderful evening reception at the Sherbrooke Church in Vancouver, we settled in for plenty of picture taking. Here we are with both sets of parents.

In spite of my poor driving record, I managed to rent a car, a vanilla 4-door Pontiac Parisienne, a version of my very first car, only 10 years younger. Being early October, we were fortunate to have no icy roads and we got there and back safely. We had a wonderful time riding the gondola, relaxing in the hot springs with snow cascading down, eating, and ....and.... I can't remember what else.

We arrived home after 10 days away, to a mountain of wedding gifts. We were overwhelmed and now we had to chose what we would take with us to Ocean Falls and what we would leave behind in storage. I remember being taken aback because I had not really considered this aspect of a wedding before. Friends and family were so very generous to us.

Here we are on the Northland Prince saying our farewells. Lis's mom and sister are looking on as she opens a gift from her little brother, a sketch he had made, of a lion cub, already framed and ready to hang in our new apartment. I think he was being clever in that he knew if he gave it to us on the boat we pretty much had to take it with us and not store it in some dusty basement for the next few years.

The wedding and honeymoon were experiences that would have overwhelmed me at the best of times, but after having been isolated for so long, that old culture shock was kicking in. By the time we were leaving on the boat to return, I was back in my old 'groove', but now I was going back to isolation. The huge consolation was that I would not be alone and that we would not have family at hand to interfere or give us advice as newlyweds. This perhaps was needed many times, but we managed to work things out by ourselves and became stronger for it. If I had known how the trip back to OF was going to go, I would have stayed on dry land.

Wedding Day Ocober 10, 1970

The day finally arrives but what is this? The groom is late? I wonder if he will even show up or did he get cold feet? Note the look of concern/fear/anger/apprehension. I remember getting caught in traffic and I was late but not late enough to throw off the schedule.

Here we are cutting the cake so we obviously survived the wedding ceremony. We were actually married by two pastors, hers and mine. They are both still living and doing well and when we meet them we remind them that because there were two off them, they were able to tie the knot really tightly. We have not even tried to untie it although we have eyed it a few times.

We had no attendants, not that unusual for those times. Just yesterday I met the man who sold me that suit. He is now 88 years old. There is not a chance I could fit into it today, even if I still had it. I weighed 155 lbs, the result of being a bachelor and having to eat my own cooking. Or not.

Always the best part of a wedding. :) My mom and dad, looking on, seem to be enjoying that kiss just as much as we are. I was talked into getting a haircut just before the ceremony. My hair was shoulder length until hours before this photo was taken. It was the hippie era, you know. I made a deal and was allowed to keep the sideburns.

Meanwhile

All her cousins, friends and family threw a surprise shower for Lis

Guest of honour, but no man to show to anybody.

It was strange to know that my fate was being planned for me and I was not there to have any say in the matter. Life for me in Ocean Falls did not change except that the letters were flying back and forth even faster and more furiously. I would have only a few responsibilities to carry out when I arrived in Vancouver for my wedding day. I felt very detached knowing that there were parties being thrown on our behalf but Lis was the only half that was visible. Many of her friends knew a lot about me from her, but had never met me. I had a lot to live up to because she was apparently bragging about me as young future brides are wont to do. The pressure was on and I was bound and determined to keep from getting cold feet.