Miller Time!

The first wedding guests arrived at the B&B Inn on Sunday, August 19th. The Millers are Beth’s “Aunt and Uncle” generally and her Godparents specifically. A little background on the Millers – Pauline Miller and Beth’s Mom have been friends since grade 3. David and Beth’s Dad became friends one summer at University when they worked at, what they used to refer to as, “retarded” kids camp. (Please don’t take offence, it was the politically incorrect 70’s.) Pauline and Beth’s Dad were taking a course together at University and that’s how Pauline and David met. One weekend, when Beth’s Mom was visiting Windsor from University of Toronto and Pauline and David wanted some “alone” time, Pauline introduced Beth’s Mom to Beth’s Dad. And the rest, as they say, is history. The four have been friends ever since and have been together through it all (“all” meaning drunken bridge sessions leading to heroic hangovers the next day).

Back to the present day. The Millers arrived Sunday lunchtime and we fed them and put them to bed since they’d flown through the night and driven to Leeds from Manchester. Upon waking, Beth had made us all a wonderful dinner of Chicken Parm. Afterwards, we introduced the Millers to the local pub. Some members of our party were bad influences on others or, alternatively, the willpower of some members of our party left much to be desired. Suffice it to say, Brent was feeling like he did Thursday mornings in law school. While Brent was suffering at work Monday morning, Beth accompanied the Millers to York and had fun in the pubs, along the walls and in the Minster (you know the drill). Brent, upon returning home Monday evening, was horrified to see that the Millers had returned from York with a bottle of Pimms. An interesting cultural moment took place as we pondered exactly the best way to drink this classic English beverage. The Millers, in true Miller fashion, preferred theirs “on the rocks”. No mixer. The Murray-Davis’s followed the directions on the bottle (in true Murray-Davis fashion) and had theirs with Lemonade (Sprite to you colonials). (Note: follow-ups with genuine English persons the next day confirmed that only the hugest of heathens would ever drink Pimms without a mixer of Lemonade. Perhaps Brent and Beth are true Brits after all?). The Millers then took us out for dinner at our favourite place. It was a nice treat. The feeling the next day was not as nice however, as dinner consisted of three bottles of wine, glasses of scotch and then retiring to our flat for yet more scotch, wine and beer. It got ugly and Brent ended up feeling like he used to feel on Sunday mornings at law school. Unfortunately for him, it was Tuesday morning and he was expected to work. Despite the fuzzy heads, which seem to accompany every morning after an evening spent with the Millers, a good time was had by all. There was much laughter, story telling and fun. Another nice taste of home and friends who at one time felt rather far away.