two weddings, two weekends: part II



Half a lifetime -- Christ!--half a lifetime later, I consider myself very fortunate to have a biggish group of high school friends who are A) friendly with each other, and B) took right away to that tall pretty girl from Braintree I brought home in the early 90s and indoctrinated her in our mysterious ways goofy crap, so that she's not odd man out at the frequent reunions. Kirsti's also still in touch with some people from her youth, but they mostly don't know or don't like each other, leading to lots of individual playdates whenever we get back to MA. So this weekend we were in Ely, MN for Liz & Matt's wedding. Lizzie's an ex-girlfriend--not the first, but the first where there was a substantial amount of good ol' high-school drama. So I got to make the highlight reel in one of the prom pix, which was cool (no, I'm not posting it). The first time I met Matt, the three of us went to a Twins game and he and I had a big conversation about Replacements bootlegs. Unsolicited endorsement received, sir.



Ely's a 4 or 5-hour drive from the Twin Cities. For anyone else it's a crazy haul. Most of the outstaters ended up making some sort of layover in the Cities. We opted to take a connector jet to Duluth/Superior and drive a rental the remaining 2 hours to Ely. We stayed at the Adventure Inn, a newly-remodeled motel with "northwoods-themed" rooms, which were not as tacky as you'd think. Well, okay, they were. Our first room (busy tourist season, and we booked late) was "Winter Wonderland"--sky blue, with little woodland creatures on the handmade quilts and window treatments. Second room was "Summer Sunshine;" sunflower motif, bright yellow walls. Not unlike living in an egg yolk.



The ceremony was short, sweet, outdoors in great weather, officiated by a minister friend but barely religious at all. Matt surprised everyone by singing this song a cappella just before the vows. He makes no claims to singing ability, but it was touching and romantic. Kirsti's not a wedding-cryer, but that's when she lost it. And it's by the Jam! How cool is that? Apparently a few single guys chewed him out later in the evening for raising the bar.



Reception was great fun. I did not have to go through with my threat to punch the groom if he smushed cake in the bride's face. I got to hear Mathleen's ringing endorsement of internet dating services (sorry, it's only funny when she gives it), and the product of same -- really great guy after a long line of flakes; I'm pulling for him, even despite the Cubs fandom. Got to see Liz's parents for the first time in a decade, and her formerly-little brothers, who are now huge and have a bunch of cute kids. Final song was "Da Butt." Can't beat that.



We were invited to the gift opening Sunday at a cabin on one of the lakes up there, but we were pretty sure if we went we'd leave late and miss our plane. Instead we stopped briefly at the International Wolf Center (interesting, although I saw no live wolves) and made our way back to Duluth. We stopped briefly here as an appetizer before the US Hockey Hall of Fame. That was swell, but I have a feeling my UM and BU-based readers may have found it disappointing in its Minnecentricity. Pat LaFontaine represents Michigan (I think Amo Bessone's in the hall too), and while there's a Beanpot program and a story of a typical BU 'Pot win, the sweater in that case is of the Crimson. Surprisingly Harvard is the big Massachusetts representative there, no doubt because of Bill Cleary. Also surprisingly, despite Ceglarski's inclusion, Boston College is nearly nonexistent there -- odd since Ceglarski made a big deal about only recruiting within the US. But I shouldn't protest too much, because more BU attention would surely mean more Eruzione focus, and who needs that?



I was sad that the place next to the HOF was closed. I wanted to get a pin. I'll have to go to a bonspiel there sometime.