Ok... recap of the Ball last night...
It was interesting to say the least. I stayed at the hotel for over 12 hours which is a very long, long time. I got there at 2:15 and left at 4:30 am.
Let's see.. how shall I recap this? How about going hour by hour (more or less)?
2:15-3:00: I get to the hotel, and hop into the debutante suite (very swank, but my god it filled up with large white dresses quickly!) I took a quick shower and then did my hair (left it down curly with lots of products to keep it nice the whole evening). Then I put on my evening gown with my tartan sash, did my makeup and rushed down to the lobby to talk to the conceirge. Yes.. I was in a downtown hotel at 3 pm in the afternoon in full formal wear. I will try to put up a picture of me and cygopp sunday when we get access to his scanner.
3:00-4:30:Got the corsages and began to help the girls to dress. This involves scotch guard, white wedding gowns, crinlonines, white gloves ( we had eight pairs of white gloves.. of course they got mixed up) and tartan sashes. Not to mention the constant pleading for cigerette breaks. I put on nine tartan sashes that night.... I never want to see plaid again. One escort arives with a flask. He proceeded to get drunk even before they went on to do their dance.. oy.
4:30-6:30: Debutante dance practice and photo session. I gave my speech:
"You will listen to me, cause when I'm talking to you, it's cause I've got something that you absolutely have to do to tell you about. No one cares about you in the end, but I'm the one that gets in trouble when you misbehave". They actually listened and treated me nicely (yeah!). Then at 5:15 we preceed to the photos with the guests of honour (goh), the earl and countess of Hopetoun. In between there was a very serious debutante and escort spat. Military tried to take care of it, it didn't work, it went so loud that hotel security came. I led crying debutante to washroom and convinced her the show must go on while my mother tried to convince escort that he would not leave. But they resolved and were charming the rest of the night.. just a little misunderstanding ( and they stopped shouting when the earl and countess walked in). Photos went well, and then I ruled a 15 minute break for everyone to cool off. Then on to another dance practice... oy...
6:30-8:00: Champagne reception. CYGOPP looked dashing in his tux, I mingled and got a break from the debs and let them run around. Shook hands with a lot of really rich people. Lots and lots of check kisses. Meet up with old friends and endured curious stares from hotel guests who popped up to see what was going on.
8:00-9:30: Dinner: rabbit, haggis, neeps and tatties, duck and some pototoe dish. Quite tasty. Tricked jewish CYGOPP into eating Haggis. Dealt with sobering up escort, listened to toast to the queen and queen mother; Haggis party was awesome- groaned when the wee beastie was killed, much to the confusion of the people who had never seen the Haggis party before. Calmed another debutante who was having problems with escort.
Here's the worst part of the evening: Ended up in tears myself when one of my debs came to get me to tell me that they were talking my dad to the hosptial. He was having chest pains and didn't have his nitro-glycerin with him, so the hotel called the ambulance. It's not fun to have your dad rolled away and all strapped up. My mom and brother went with him and left me behind cause I still had to take care of the debs. Thankfully not everyone was in the hallway because they were eating although by the end of the evening most everyone knew. The earl and countess were apparently " quite concerned". My dad is fine-- he has heart problems, but they still don't know what was wrong. We went to visit him at 5 in the morning (still in evening gowns) and he's back home now. Ambulance men thought it was a lark to be called to the ball.
9:30-11:00: Showtime for me and the girls. I get the page and flower girl organized with their little basket of flowers as we run way behind schedule. The debutantes and escorts marched out nicely behind the GOH and head table and bagpipers. We had about half an hour originally till presented.. so I let them go on their bathroom breaks and cigerette breaks. Apparently I'm too strict-- I don't care... they enjoy it more when there is actually rules to follow. The ball chairman told me I could leave if I need too, but I stayed with the girls, my mom was back for the hosptial, cause there was nothing we could do with my father when he's sick.... I kept having to tell the debs ten more minutes, ten more minutes. as everyone was running late.
Then, the cadet pipe band was coming out of the ballroom to pipe them in. It was at this moment that one of the boyfriends decides to break up with his deb. More tears, I rush to the bathroom to bring her back, saying, you absolutely have to go on, yell at him later! I get them organized, they march into the ballroom, stop at the end of the ballroom floor and as escorts move to their spots to prepare for the dance, the girls wait for their names to be called. The dance teacher walked to each of them telling them to have fun, I walk behind her telling them, if they screw up, I'll kill them
One very nice man asked which one was mine.. I politely told him, all of them-- he was confused.
The dance went wonderfully, no clothing feel off, so I can't complain. They performed beautifully.
11:00-4:30: Scottish Country dancing! It would have been a bit more enjoyable if my dad had been there, because I know how much my mom enjoyed dancing, but we managed to get her to dance a bit. The hosptial phoned and told us that my dad was stable and was fine. CYGOPP joked he only did it to get out of country dancing. So we danced, walked around, took an elevator ride with the earl and countess (which was interesting-- she was wearing a really big tiara ) and then eventually cleared out to go to the hosptial. All in all, if my dad hadn't been ill, it would have been an awesome evening, despite all the tears and all that. I thrive on organizing things.
So yup.. that was my evening and my explanation for why I've been E and T.
