Midsommar Blues

This weekend was Midsommar which is a beautiful drunken festival celebrating the longest day of the year...it was also Carp's and my 12th Anniversary. I am going to a midsommar party next weekend thank god or I would be facing some serious withdrawl. At Midsommar you dance around a maypole singing a song about frogs, you pick flowers, you consume obscene amounts of alcohol including snaps which isn't anything like peach schnaps, you play games you sing songs and you eat from a table laden with foods like ham, swedish meatballs, lots of herring, shrimp and rice... a beautiful traditional smorgasbord. It is a magical time ... ok maybe it is the booze talking but it was a time when memories were made...I wrote a speech at my parents midsomar party two yeas ago which was their last at their soon to be old house here it is.

"This week I got my order from Amazon.com. I had had a bad day and each song put me in a better and better mood who the hell needs wine I found it surprising that as I put each CD in I was transported back to midommar parties of my past. I remembered midsommar on Francis street where the maypole was placed in the backyard after someone thought we were going to burn it standing up for our race. I remember every year I wanted to wear a specific dress it was cream and had patches on it, with my ruffled underwear. Those were the days of Sigge, Gundel, Claus, Sten o Flisa the gang Maud jumping in the sack and revealing more than she wanted. I remember the dart board with the pictures from dirty magazines that people would throw darts at to find out who was on their team. Those were the days of Ring Ring, People need Love, Hasta Manana, Waterloo, Dancing Queen, Fernando.....Good times were had by all I would eventually fall asleep to raucous laughter and the continuous skoaling and Helan Gor. Then as we kids got older we eventually moved up to the cemetary, I remember the mosquito inn and the arrows to pee in the grass. The games got crazier and the alcohol flowed as did the singing and hugs. These were the days of Thank-you for the Music, I have a Dream which notably Denise and I were going to sing on a float in the Santa Claus parade, and then came Voulez Vous which my dad bought for me in Sweden before it hit stores in Canada. Then came Super Trouper...The Way Old Friends Do which I believe is the gangs unofficial Theme song and the song which played on the most important Midsommar, in my book, 10 years ago our wedding day.
Our midsommars on Louisa I must say I believe were the most legendary...remarkable really when you think of the ages that all got together those were the days of Sarah and the boys, miscellaneous friends, and the odd stray mom felt sorry for, Mr Menzies, Mr Cathmoir always Oma who needs an old farmer when you have us eh Oma (Wen braucht en alter bauer wenn dich habe uns.) There we survived danceoffs between mamma and Johan, skinny dips at the neighbours and at the beach, guests picked up at the post office, dancing barefoot in the streets and on that wrap around porch. We have seen significant others come and go with the 2nd generation of the gang and then we have seen some who have met the craziness and survived and stayed...Thank-you Carp.
Then we have come to this beautiful spot on the hill with the addition of Faster Bojan, the Carpenters, the Thompsons Pat and Gord, Anders and Birgitta now and again, Nime and his coordination bar none, Mary and Bill, Mr. Cathmoir who sadly has a further distance to go. The youngest generation has grown substantially, the games have been cut back because of the danger factor and dad just admit it you are getting a little older, and the nights seem to be getting shorter and shorter each year. Some members are very missed, Faster Bojan what an inpiration, Mr Menzies has My Bonny ever sounded so good, Mr Cathmoir forever the gentleman and Madison Brown Girl in the ring, Gundel the original swede. There are many things that haven't changed it is a magical night filled with singing, Dancing, ABBA, Boney M etc, always an unpredictable night, the Midsommar stang however droopy, the song sheets however stained and tattered, Peter and Nime's unique game play, the awe inspiring food, the I Know I should not drink it but still do Snaps and the eclectic group of people and the fact that after thirty years mamma and pappa you still know how to throw a party. So I would now like to raise my glass to mamma and Pappa for thirty years of craziness and magic and to Brian for making midsommar even more special Happy Anniversary."