After the Party

After an amazing party like my parent's 40th anniversary, I guess the danger is always the post-party hangover.  I'm not (strictly) speaking about the alcohol induced one either, but more a feeling of winding-down that comes naturally after such a major event.  Seeing as we still had a couple of days left on our trip, it was something we were hoping to avoid.  I think we succeeded.

The Sunday and Monday post-party were filled with family, food, work, play, shopping, preparation and more of the seemingly endless Alberta sunshine.  Multiple trips were made back to the hall at the Dutch-Canadian Club to tie up loose ends. People played dominos in the backyard - at least until the mosquitos chased them inside.  We spent a morning and afternoon shopping with Mark, Linda and Adele.  The Princess Bride was watched.  Adele's review - "good, but not as good as Stardust".  We brought back our rental car and emptied out our hotel room.  My parents and the Brooymans family prepared the tent trailer for a camping trip to the Vancouver Island.  Hanneke gifted us a copy of her book on water conservation (congratulations again!).  We ate outside every night.  Mom and Dad opened their anniversary gift - a weekend at the Jasper Park Lodge.  Cards and sequence were played nightly, when we could find room between the liquor bottles on the table.  We all tackled the over-sized pasta portions at Boston Pizza.

The whole three days were like the rest of the trip, relaxed, fun and productive.  The trip had turned out to be exactly what I needed.  Re-connecting with my immediate family and seeing how well everyone was doing.  Getting a great reminder of how wonderful my extended family are.  Getting more sunshine than we would see in an entire Scottish summer.  Stocking up on pickles.

After such a horribly stressful previous 4 or 5 months at work, where, I admit, I likely came closer than I would have liked to my breaking point, I got back on the plane at Edmonton airport feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.  We now have a whole new series of highlights to get nostalgic about as the pictures pop up on the digital frame we keep in the living room.

Thanks to everyone who helped make it such a wonderful trip.