A Walk and a Wedding

Saturday afternoon we got our walk on the beach to Haystack Rock. There were no red-painted toe nails sinking into the warm sand this time. We bundled up with jackets, gloves and scarves. No hat was required but sunglasses were. Morrie and M strode ahead.

Summer sand castles were replaced by broken sheets of ice where the river tide had receded. The seagulls were fewer but plenty enough had stayed in town to delight me with their aerial show. A few diehard surfers took on the waves - wetsuit required to avoid hypothermia, even in summer. Dogs chased seagulls and walkers enjoyed the brisk air. Em snapped some pictures and we talked. We wondered what the boys were talking about.

This moment was a breather in the busyness of December; Christmas was just thirteen days away.

We didn't expect to be part of a Cannon Beach wedding reception. The ceremony was a private affair. It was rumoured the bride, Susie McEntire, sister to Reba, wore a black suit and carried flowers. A singer at our Christmas conference, Susie met her husband-to-be in May 2008 at a Cannon Beach conference. Now, Saturday afternoon's free-time was the perfect opportunity to tie the knot. While the lovely couple was married, we took our walk on the beach.

At dinner that evening, essentially the wedding reception, Morrie felt it would be fitting to toast the happy couple. He started to tap his glass with his knife. Guests at nearby tables turned their heads to look at us. My inhibitions got the better of me. Startled, I looked at him across the table, wide-eyed, "Morrie, what are you doing?"

Morrie stopped. My look pulled him back from a moment of light-heartedness and fun.

"You're blushing," one of the elderly ladies at our table commented to me. Not only that, I was kicking myself. I had single-handedly kiboshed a spontaneous toast and those turning to look at us had small smiles on their faces not frowns. But the moment was lost, Morrie wasn't about to start over. He laughed, "I saw your look and thought I'd better stop."

Later that evening, at the indoor caroling with hot apple cider, hot chocolate and cookies, Susie and her husband had their wedding dance while she sang. Her husband, Mark, snuggled in for a cuddle. "Hey, I'm still singing here," his wife laughed.

Too bad they never got their wedding toast. Morrie would've done a good job.