And what was I up to last week?

We had a birthday (Eldest Daughter), a dinner and slide show with the Canadian Chinese Cultural Society (awesome), a rehearsal dinner to meet my niece's new inlaws, my niece's birthday (same night), a wedding (Birthday Niece again) here in Montreal and then a graduation from university on the east coast (Eldest again) all in the same weekend. There was a lot of running around both to and from the airport, although the trip to the convocation in New Brunswick almost didn't happen.

A ride to the airport that normally takes 10 minutes turned into an hour due to accidents blocking every available road early Monday morning. Every alternate route we tried was clogged with cars and trucks and I had no choice but to breath deeply and try not to freak out while my husband tried every side road and service road to no avail and my daughter sat quietly in the back seat. We finally arrived and raced to the desk at the airport within minutes of the departure time only to be told the doors were closed, too bad so sad, you're out of luck.

After I did some serious begging, the rep called over a manager who confirmed it was not going to happen. We had been up until the wee hours the night before at the wedding reception and I basically poured myself out of bed and into the car that morning, so I had few reserves left and even fewer inhibitions. I did what any mom would do - I burst into tears. The manager shifted his walkie-talkie, hesitating, mentally calculating the problems he'd have holding the plane for a few minutes versus talking this hysterical mother off the ledge and having to deal with the aftermath. He wisely, nobly, unbelievably opted to hold the plane for us if we agreed to run. All I can say is thank goodness I chose comfortable shoes that morning, my feet having given out on the dance floor at the wedding. We did the Amazing Race style bolt down moving sidewalks and corridors, yelling "COMING THROUGH" at hapless passengers and threw ourselves onto that plane. The flight attendant took one look at my red face and heaving bosom and said, "I'm thinking you could use a bottle of water, am I right?" Bless his soul, I needed more than a water at that point, but it was gratefully accepted.

Long Live Air Canada!!

So....Eldest graduated from university with a degree in English Literature and minors in French studies and Political Science. Here she is with her buddy Curtis, pondering their futures.

There was a lot of hugging and kissing this weekend, both at the grad...

and at the wedding of my niece.

Hugging.
Kissing.
Hugging.
Kissing.
And here are the cousins. The cousins are really close. A holiday of any kind is always prefaced by "Are the cousins going to be there?!" It's a really special relationship they share. (Note the traditional Canadian bouquet the bride is holding.)

Ooh, a The Hills Are Alive moment.

And in the end, they all lived happily ever after....