What I Did On the Easter Weekend...

We just got back from celebrating the 50th wedding anniversary of my in-laws. They live in a beautiful part of Southern Ontario, the Niagara-on-the-Lake area.

"What was the best part of the weekend?" my brother-in-law asked when he picked us up at the Winnipeg airport.

That's a hard question to answer as almost every part of the weekend was wonderful. My brother-in-law who works at the Shaw Festival Theatre took us on a tour where we stood on stage, admired the backdrops back stage, entered the orchestra pit and saw the beautiful fabrics and costumes being created in the wardrobe department. That was one of those little surprise things. We went there to pick up a few music stand to borrow and we had this wonderful improptu tour. A short visit to the Old Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, a wine tour and a stop at a greenhouse were all part of the Saturday morning itinerary.

The 50th anniversary celebration was great too. The room was beautiful, Wes and his sister managed to keep the program short and running smooth and we connected with aunts and uncles that we hadn't seen in decades. I had the opportunity to be part of a band with some of my kids and nephews and nieces.

A potluck, celebrating my father-in-law's 70th birthday was something else that was a real pleasure. Watching my children connect with their cousins, even though they don't see much of each other was such a joy. Kristen said that it was neat that there was an immediate connection with the cousins. "It was like we knew each other already and could start right into the poopy talk, without having to get reaquainted first."

Easter Sunday was spent with my parents, and my 2 brothers and their families. Again, lots of food, lots of noise and lots of wine. It doesn't get much better than that.

We flew back home on Monday night, grateful that the neat stuff we bought actually fit into our suitcases. Not so happy that I also picked up some kind of virus that I took home with me. Oh well, nothing that a bit of Tylenol and rest won't cure.