"I only have enough helium for the balloons," the bride's mother, Marilyn*, informed me. "So we can't have anyone playing with the helium."
I nodded. "I'll keep the boys away," I said, secretly thinking that it was me that should be kept away from it.
My son had been married in the Seattle Temple the previous day to a lovely young woman. It had been a glorious beautiful afternoon and the couple looked estatic. Now we were all in Burnaby, a suburb of Vancouver, decorating the church gym for the reception that evening.
Later that morning while talking to my 24 year old daughter, Claire*, about an archway that needed decorating, my 15 year old daughter ran up to us. "The balloons are all blown up and there's still helium left."
Claire and I took one look at each other and made a dash for the little room that housed the helium tank.
There's nothing like singing with chipmunk voices to draw a family close together. "You guys," I said to the five of my children who were in that room with me, "don't be so loud or Marilyn will find out."
"Marilyn will find out what?" Marilyn said, poking her head around the door.
I looked guiltily at her, my mouth filled with helium. I gulped. "The balloons are all blown up," I squeaked.
"All right," she said and then disappeared.
The next day at brunch and present opening my now-married eldest son turned to me and said sternly, "So I heard you said to the others while sucking on helium to be quiet or Marilyn would find out."
"You heard about that?" I cringed.
"Marilyn told me."
"And what did you think when you heard that?"
He grinned. "I thought, 'that's my family'."
*Names have been changed to protect...well, me.
****
A post on Cindy Becks website made me remember something my 18 year old told me.
"It was once said that the U.S would get a black president when pigs fly. A hundred days into Barrak Obama's presidency, swine flu."
*****
There's another give-away at Anne Bradshaw's website. This time it's a couple of CD's by Jesse Clark Funk.
The Penny Whistle - B.J. Hoff
8 years ago
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2 comments:
Thanks for the note and I've had fun catching up on your blog--it's been too long!
I can't say I ever made much money as a travel writer but I did get some great travel! I was a publicist in the ski industry and got my "in" that way. I started freelancing for Utah's outdoor publication as their travel editor and from there, opportunities came. I never set out to follow that path but was sure lucky to stumble into it!
Now that's a great way to celebrate a wedding ... sucking helium! :o)
Thanks for mentioning my blog ... love that swine flu joke!
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