So, how did I score a four-day weekend? Well this Monday is BC Day and tomorrow is my flex Friday. Tonight, after work, my mum is taking me to my final dress fitting, and then we may be going to Oakridge afterwards to do a bit of browsing.
I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning, and then I am heading out to Richmond to buy my friend a birthday present and card and buy an anniversary and wedding card for Colin. Saturday, we are heading to the Blarney Stone for Thalia's birthday. Any other spare time we have this weekend will be spent finishing off last minute things for the wedding.
On Monday, August 1st (BC Day), Colin and I will celebrate a milestone in our relationship. No, the wedding isn't till August 12th, so what on earth am I talking about? This Monday marks our 7 year anniversary. Yes, 7 years ago Colin took me out on his dad's boat, to the middle of English Bay, to watch the fireworks. So every year we make sure we catch at least one night of the fireworks. Considering how busy the next week will be, we decided to go last night, just in case we can't make any other night. But I will come back to that.
From the very start, on August 1st, 1998, I had the first glimpse into what our relationship would become, even though I am just realizing it now: Colin was very adamant that I be at his fraternity house no later than 7pm. Time was important because we had to get down to the Heather Civic Marina and out into the water to get a good spot in English Bay. We learned our first lesson, I am extremely punctual, and at that time Colin wasn't.
I waited for Colin for about half an hour, or what seemed like half an hour, and even when he was ready it was still another 15 minutes or so before his dad showed up.
Over the years, Colin has tried to teach me that I don't always have to be on time or the first one "there". And I have taught Colin there are instances where punctuality is imperative: to this date Colin is doing better than I am.
What I realized that night, and over the last seven years that while we have many, many things in common, there are certain things about us that are extremely opposite, which make us perfectly suited for one another.
You don't think about those things, when you go on a first date, especially when you are only 20 years old. You don't think that this is the person I am going to marry. You think, this is just a date, and we will see where the night takes us. Maybe nowhere. Maybe to a second date and possibly a third.
But that first date was different than all the other first dates I had been on: just before Colin asked me out we had been talking about the fireworks and how he was going out the next evening (Wednesday) to watch them from his dad's boat. I told him how much I loved being on the water, and how I always wanted to watch the fireworks from a boat. On Thursday, he called me (yes actually called when he said he would...) and told me that Saturday we would be going out on his dad's boat to watch the fireworks. I knew then and there that this wasn't your typical first date, and it wasn't: it was the first date that would eventually lead to a marriage... A marriage that will be taking place in 15 days.
So back to last night's fireworks: Colin and I headed over to Tina's mum's house which is located right across the road from Spanish Banks. The nice thing about going over to Tina's house is being able to find a parking spot, except there were a few available on the beach side last night. Tina's friend, Sean joined us, and we made the long trek across the road to the beach (nb: great use of sarcasm).
We found a vacant log, laid out the blanket and Colin and I set up our mammoth double chair set, complete with cupholders. A contraption my parents bought at Costco many years ago to take to Andrew's numerous Rowing regattas.
We hung out, eating candy, watching the sun set, and marveling at Vancouver's beauty. Lisa, Andrew and Gus and Olly (their two wiener dogs) joined us just before the fireworks started. Canada kicked off the Celebration of Light with "Jazz in the Sky." I must say I was somewhat disappointed with Canada's show. Not enough big explosions in my opinion. Perhaps if we had a better view of the barge and saw some of the lower fireworks I may have thought differently.
We have an open invitation to join Tina and crew again this Saturday, but we are heading out to Thalia's birthday that night. If she goes next Wednesday, I am sure I will join her. Next Saturday, we have been invited over to the house of one of my sorority sisters: her parents live in West Van up in the British Properties and have the most amazing view of the city, so we may do that.
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What we did last BC Day: Windsurfing at Alta Lake, Whistler.
Colin windsurfing
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