Oh my oh my oh GG

Here's a round up of photos from one of the most stunning nights of my life -- the ceremony awarding the Governor General's Literary Awards.

The ceremony was held at Rideau Hall -- the residence of the Canadian Head of State, the Governor General -- currently Julie Payette, an astronaut. It's an enormous stone mansion with beef eater guards and protocol officers in naval dress uniforms who walk you through the five important steps of getting such an award. In most years it's a ballgown and tux events; this year they changed the dress code to cocktail but I had already ordered a ballgown so I wore the heck out of that thing.

(Official picture that came later -- me and the head of state.)

The actual ceremony was held in the “tent room” -- an old tennis court that has been lined with pink and white fabric and hung with oil paintings of white guys in robes. It’s quite a thing to turn around and face this room: the fabric walls, the huge chandeliers, the crowd and lights and cameras and the head of state ..... But I did it and I didn't faint.

None of us did. Sydney Smith teared up. And the amazing poet Gwen Beneway, who is Metis, actually called out Canada's ongoing genocide against the indigenous people to the GG's face -- it was stunning; she was so brave. Two young women did dramatic readings of poetry; they were amazing.

And then we had food -- I tried caviar! It tastes like fish! -- and mingled and took a tour of the hall and mingled and stayed until the band was putting instruments into their cases.

Here are some photographs.