28 Sept.

Tags

apple pie, Death, Funeral, Remembrance, thanksgiving

Yesterday 28 September I got a call from my cousin Gilbert in Montreal letting me that his mother, my aunt Laurence had died aged 92 after a very long illness. She was the elder sister of my mother and my little sister reminded me that our mother had died 5 years ago on this day.  What a strange coincidence, both died in their sleep after long illnesses. I have two aunts left on my maternal side, one is 93 and the other is 88.

My aunt did not want any funeral service and her ashes are to be buried in the same cemetery in Saint-Laurent beside her son Louis and her ex-husband Jacques. There will be a memorial service some time in the future.

Such news brought back a lot of memories of childhood and it seems almost unbelievable that aunts and uncles all aged and now are gone. In my mind though time passed I never really thought of them as getting old, they seemed frozen in time.

I remember my aunt Laurence coming to visit me in Chicago back in 1994 when I was working at the Canadian Consulate in the Prudential building. But I do not remember much more than us going to a steakhouse for dinner.

Today more of the same, only 38 days left in the campaign. I can’t wait for it to end. I fear the vote will be very split with 4 candidates on the ballot. Two of the Mayoral candidates opened their campaign offices today with sandwiches and cake, photos and a few speeches. The weather is still pleasant for canvassing, some people are interested in the elections other could not care less. Apathy is out there and it is difficult to counter, there is a belief that voting is meaningless. A lot of young people are either mildly amused or indifferent to the elections, I am trying to point out to them the difference they can make by getting involved, not an easy task.

Win or loose, I want to take a vacation afterwards, we are discussing where we might go. Lisbon, Portugal came up as a possibility. Just a week might do a world of good.

Thanksgiving in coming up on 8 October, I think we are doing turkey, no stuffing, some vegetables, a pumpkin soup to start and apple pie for dessert, lots of apples this time of year.

 

 

Social Season

Tags

apple pie, Blake Caissie, Charity work, cheddar cheese, Christmas, dachshunds, Fashion Show, PEI, PEI Regiment, Remembrance Day

With the departure of the tourists we have the island back to ourselves and the fun begins. Many think that there is nothing to do here in PEI after the Summer Season and the last cruise ship leaves. This year thanks to climate change, the Summer was dry and warm and the month of October was unseasonably sunny and warm, we broke a lot of records with high temperatures up to 30C on some days when it should have been around 15C. No one is really complaining, warmer weather is always more pleasant.

The number of Food festivals, Art evenings, events of all kinds all around the Island will keep you busy during the Winter months until Spring and the return of the tourists. If California has the swallows of Capistrano we in PEI have the tourists of Crapaud.  So you have to plan your activities and time during these coming months so as not to be overwhelmed. This is not including the many invitations to parties and dinners from friends and neighbours. In the past 7 days we had 5 events to attend plus all the regular daily activities around the house and with our dogs. We are currently planning our After Christmas activities, we decided that this year we will have a party on 6 January or La Fête des Rois, this is a period after the rush and before February.

Last night we went to a Fashion Show fundraiser called Santa’s Angel, a Fundraiser providing some Xmas cheer to children who would otherwise do without. Fundraising at this time of the year is a big activity on PEI, many families are poor, so you will have food drives, last year the CBC-PEI the National broadcaster on the Island provided donated turkeys to a large number of families. Same goes for warm clothing and other supplies, reminding us that poverty is an issue in Canada despite all the social programs we have.

Here is a Blake Caissie creation presented during the Fashion show, Blake has a lot of talent and it was a really beautiful dress for the Season.

Here are all the dresses for this Xmas Season Fashion Show, all created by people who had the imagination and time to come up with a design. All in good fun, very colourful.

So to return to the topic of activities and other things to do, yes there is a lot. This Sunday there is a craft fair and Tea at the Homestead of Sir Andrew MacPhail who is one of the luminaries of PEI. His family home is beautiful and located in Orwell just 20 minutes from us. Hoping the weather will be pleasant for a drive out. I read recently his famous book The Master’s wife published after his death in 1938. MacPhail is seen with Lucy Maud Montgomery and Milton Acorn the People’s Poet, as a man of ideas and a writer documenting his life period.

The weather last night was quite chilly and the wind fierce and cold, we were at the Convention Centre which looks out on the Hillsborough river and the opening to the Strait, it started to snow at one point, just swirling drifting snow. Looks like the mild weather is over. There were wind advisory and restrictions on the Sea bridge all day. The sea can be very impressive.

This morning is 11 November and so the Remembrance ceremony took place as usual at the Cenotaph in front of Province House and the cannons were positioned in our backyard at the bottom of Great George Street, remember all this takes place within 3 city blocks so you can hear it all. The dogs were jumpy as they fired an 11 gun salute. The house shook and then the marching bands of the PEI Regiment on a bright sunny windy day at -1C.

Mr Nicky went to the groomer this week and he looks really good with his big moustache à la Kaiser Bill.

Here is Miss Eleonora or Nora for her friends just sitting by the door. Next week is her turn at the grooming salon.

Finally Will found a recipe for 2 types of Apple Pie with a Four year Old Sharp Cheddar pie crust, it smells divine. I married him all those decades ago not for the family fortune but for his cooking skills which is an important asset for any French person like myself. La Cuisine toujours la Cuisine!