Days to remember
It wasn't until Geoff and I were driving back from Calgary and talking about our time in Victoria that we realized how truly awesome it all was. It was so great to see Anne, Sam and of course the man of the hour, Will. And Jude and Barb. And Jesse and Colleen. And Scott. Just having time to be together chatting without a lot of distractions was wonderful, never mind all the excitement.
I booked our hotel way back in September through Expedia, just picked one which seemed a little extra nice and in a good location, the Laurel Point Inn. As we were checking in the desk clerk told us that although there is usually a charge for parking, we were not to pay for parking, compliments of the general manager. It turns out the general manager is an Anglican priest! He works at the cathedral but his day job is managing the hotel. And of course he knows Will. Once we were in our (very nice) room we found a note from him along with some chocolates congratulating us. Jude also had a note in her room which had been upgraded. Why is an Anglican priest also a hotel manager? I don't know.
The thing is that Geoff is always so annoyed to have to pay for parking at hotels that he grumbles about it the whole time. Nothing to grumble about this time!
We were also so glad that Barb was able to be there. She has been stuck at home for a while but her doctor said she could come out for this. She and her friend Donna were staying not far from us. Barb and Will's friend Jeff were his presenters for the ordination.
We decided to walk from the hotel to the cathedral for the service but of course misjudged the time so were a bit late. But that meant that we were able to take in the sight of all those priests walking from the hall to the cathedral, which Anne caught on camera. It was an impressive sight.
We had a reserved pew at the front, which is also a whole other story I won't go into because my fingers are getting sore, but it was funny.
The service was awesome. In a cathedral with the organ and choir and all, I always feel the great history of the church behind everything. It is ancient and relevant at the same time.
Afterwards there was a very crowded reception in the hall (no sherry like at St. George's last time). Again we were told many times how great Will is. We chatted with people we had met in May and with some people from the new church. Even found someone with a pretty close connection to Rocky. We couldn't get close to Will in there, he was constantly surrounded. One lady said to him, "Where's your mom, I want to congratulate her," and Will replied that I was over there, the lady with the grey hair and black coat. The woman said, "that doesn't narrow it down much."
We were happy to see Grace's (and our) friend Scott at the cathedral. He was her proxy. It's kind of cool because his grandma and Barb knew each other when they were kids in Rocky.
But the night was not over yet. Will had booked a room in a pub for an after party so we adjourned there and continued celebrating. Even Barb came along. A large group of Will's friends from VST came over from Vancouver for the ordination and a couple of them were at the pub too. A very good time. Although Anne did say that she and Will would have to take to their rooms to be alone for a few days after all that visiting.
The next morning Will celebrated his first Eucharist at St. Luke's (they have a regular Eucharist on Thursday mornings.) We picked Barb up and went. We were glad to see Jesse and Colleen and their baby Madison there. Talked to Will's rector Peter, who kept saying how happy he was. We went over to Will's cottage for a while and visited with the Robertsons and Colleen's grandma as well. Then to Barb's hotel for lunch. It was all such a good time.
Geoff and I drove Jude and Sam to the airport Thursday night then we had Chinese takeout at Will's. Will said he couldn't even face the thought of the effort to go to a restaurant. He was pretty tired, it is all very intense. He had been at his pre-ordination retreat from Sat to Tues, then everyone arrived, then the ordination and all.
Flight back was fine, we stopped in Calgary to shop for a bit and now we are back to where there is a ton of snow and more falling all the time.
I booked our hotel way back in September through Expedia, just picked one which seemed a little extra nice and in a good location, the Laurel Point Inn. As we were checking in the desk clerk told us that although there is usually a charge for parking, we were not to pay for parking, compliments of the general manager. It turns out the general manager is an Anglican priest! He works at the cathedral but his day job is managing the hotel. And of course he knows Will. Once we were in our (very nice) room we found a note from him along with some chocolates congratulating us. Jude also had a note in her room which had been upgraded. Why is an Anglican priest also a hotel manager? I don't know.
The thing is that Geoff is always so annoyed to have to pay for parking at hotels that he grumbles about it the whole time. Nothing to grumble about this time!
We were also so glad that Barb was able to be there. She has been stuck at home for a while but her doctor said she could come out for this. She and her friend Donna were staying not far from us. Barb and Will's friend Jeff were his presenters for the ordination.
We decided to walk from the hotel to the cathedral for the service but of course misjudged the time so were a bit late. But that meant that we were able to take in the sight of all those priests walking from the hall to the cathedral, which Anne caught on camera. It was an impressive sight.
We had a reserved pew at the front, which is also a whole other story I won't go into because my fingers are getting sore, but it was funny.
The service was awesome. In a cathedral with the organ and choir and all, I always feel the great history of the church behind everything. It is ancient and relevant at the same time.
Afterwards there was a very crowded reception in the hall (no sherry like at St. George's last time). Again we were told many times how great Will is. We chatted with people we had met in May and with some people from the new church. Even found someone with a pretty close connection to Rocky. We couldn't get close to Will in there, he was constantly surrounded. One lady said to him, "Where's your mom, I want to congratulate her," and Will replied that I was over there, the lady with the grey hair and black coat. The woman said, "that doesn't narrow it down much."
We were happy to see Grace's (and our) friend Scott at the cathedral. He was her proxy. It's kind of cool because his grandma and Barb knew each other when they were kids in Rocky.
But the night was not over yet. Will had booked a room in a pub for an after party so we adjourned there and continued celebrating. Even Barb came along. A large group of Will's friends from VST came over from Vancouver for the ordination and a couple of them were at the pub too. A very good time. Although Anne did say that she and Will would have to take to their rooms to be alone for a few days after all that visiting.
The next morning Will celebrated his first Eucharist at St. Luke's (they have a regular Eucharist on Thursday mornings.) We picked Barb up and went. We were glad to see Jesse and Colleen and their baby Madison there. Talked to Will's rector Peter, who kept saying how happy he was. We went over to Will's cottage for a while and visited with the Robertsons and Colleen's grandma as well. Then to Barb's hotel for lunch. It was all such a good time.
Geoff and I drove Jude and Sam to the airport Thursday night then we had Chinese takeout at Will's. Will said he couldn't even face the thought of the effort to go to a restaurant. He was pretty tired, it is all very intense. He had been at his pre-ordination retreat from Sat to Tues, then everyone arrived, then the ordination and all.
Flight back was fine, we stopped in Calgary to shop for a bit and now we are back to where there is a ton of snow and more falling all the time.
posted by Theresa at 10:31 AM
4 Comments:
How lovely! I almost feel like I was there and wish I could have been!
It was so great to see everyone! Thanks again for including me in such a fantastic occasion!
We felt that you belonged there, Scott.
We really did have the best time.
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