You can take the girl out of Canada...

Hubby and I went to a wedding this weekend.  It was that of a co-worker at his office, and it was about 30 miles from home, in the town of Westford, Ma.  The ceremony was at 2pm, the reception at 4.  Between getting out of the church and driving to the inn where the reception was being held, we'd have about an hour, maybe more, to spare.  We didn't know how we'd spend that time, but friends of my husband's took care of it.

They set up a tailgate party in the parking lot at the inn.

Yup, you read it here -  A tailgate.  At a wedding.  In a parking lot at an inn. 

For those of you unfamiliar with the phenomenon commonly referred to as a tailgate party, Wikipedia defines it:

In the United States, a tailgate party is a social event held on or around the open tailgate of a vehicle.  Tailgating often involves consuming beverages and grilling food.  Tailgate parties usually occur in the parking lots at stadiums and arenas before and occasionally after or during sporting events and rock concerts.

There were beverages being consumed (ever hear of a strawpedo?  Neither had I).  There was food (deli sandwiches, chips, salsa), and there was an open tailgate.  Only thing missing was the sporting event.  Or rock concert.

Now, I'm not bashing the tailgate party.  Not at all.  But as a reminder: we were at a wedding.  In the parking lot.  Tailgating.

The Canadian in me was shocked (the term "tailgating" in Canada typically refers to driving up someone's ass on the highway).  The wedding-goer in me was in awe.  But the most shocking part of it all was that I seemed to be the only one marveling in my shock and awe.  Others casually stopped by on their way from their cars to the reception and grabbed a quick beer or bite.  No one seemed more than mildly amused that our friends had  thought to set-up shop.  In the parking lot.  At the inn.  Even I took a break from my shock and awe long enough to indulge in a veggie wrap and cup (or three) of warm spiked cider during the intermission between events.  But even as I drank (purely to raise my body temperature as it was maybe 45 degrees out - ok fine, it was delicious...), I was still shocked.  And awed.

I guess you can take the girl out of Canada, but you can't take the Canada outta the girl.

 

Comments

[Victoria]

This post is awesome... I would have been marveling in Shock & Awe as well. (*although I've been called "half-Canadian" so maybe that's why).