Its still dark when we stagger from our beds on Wednesday morning. We are being picked up at 6.45 am. John's Graduation is in the first ceremony of 3 days of graduation ceremonies and his starts at 8.30. He has to be there early to get his gown.
At we approach the university the sun has risen and the sky is a beautiful clear cerulean blue. Not a cloud to be seen. We drop John off and find his Dad, Ralph and head for the coffee shop on campus for some coffee and breakfast.
The ceremony is held in a large oval hall on the campus. It's quite impressive. We find good seats that will give a good view and not be too bad for taking photos. We have saved a seat and are soon joined by John's friend John Sinal.
There's an orchestra gallery high above the stage and as it begins to play all the Professors and Deans file in. They make a colourful display in their brightly coloured gowns and hats. They are followed by the students, first the PHD grads in bright red gowns an big floppy red hats. The all the other graduating students in black gowns and mortars. Very irreverently, I'm reminded of a scene from 'Harry Potter'. Much to our surprise but not to Nancylee john doesn't sit with the graduating students but on the stage with the Professors and Deans. A little way into the ceremony we find out why. He give a very articulate and impressive speech on behalf of the students and announced the student 'gifts' to different faculties.
After the ceremony everyone files out to the rose garden for photographs before having some provided refreshments.
John with his Mom and Dad Ralph and Annie
John with his long time friend the Photographer John Sinal.Photos over we go up to the Creative Writing Department in the University for a small reception given by the staff for the graduating students. This course The Masters degree course has over 200 applicants a year and only 28 students can participate each year. john and Nancylee are now both MFA's One of the professors jokes with John that the department has been good to John. 'It's given him a degree and a wife!'
Ceremonies over with we pile into our cars and head across to Kitsilano beach to a water front seafood restaurant called Watermark for a celebration lunch
Much later that day John, Nancylee and Annie pick me up and drive me back to Vancouver to meet up with Sally. Sally and I are off to a workshop on Preparing and Stretching your own Canvas at a small gallery in Kits with Lori Sokoluk. It's only a small group and I have a fun and very informative evening. I bring home a canvas that I've completed. I hope I can get it in the suitcase.
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