Highlights of a summer well spent: Part 2

St. Vital

To celebrate my weekend visitors on their wedding anniversary in July, I treated them to a Brad Pitt movie about car racing. The repetitiveness of the action bored me, but I was enthralled just to be there and learn what car racing is about. Then followed a tasty Ukrainian dinner at the new Corydon Avenue restaurant, MLYN, and a sumptuous ice-cream dessert at the new vendor on Osborne Street reputed to be rivalling the Bridge Drive-In. I cannot over-emphasize the delight I felt in seeing this renewed version of Winnipeg made possible by visitors having a car!

The next day we drove through the downtown area with its many new business and residential towers reaching up, up to the sky: construction cranes everywhere; old buildings unrecognizable, some with new wall panels of colored glass (hopefully shatterproof); and the old majestic Hudson’s Bay building undergoing modification to serve as an Indigenous meeting place and living space. The Forks area seemed equally transformed. All this, we acknowledge, is happening on Indigenous land.

It is now August as I write, a month very special to me. My late husband Walter and I were married on the 10th, and my birthday falls on the 29th. At our monthly tea at Dakota House recognizing several residents’ birthdays, having “Happy 98th birthday, Anne” sung and inscribed on one of two cakes left me speechless. I did blurt out a sincere “Thank you’ to director Laura and smiling residents.

Then, on the 29th, my retired teacher friends, the Butterflies, staged a simple party made large by the intimacy of smallness. Lorri, my super friend, pinned a beautiful medallion on my lapel reading: “It’s my 98th birthday”– a treasure. Hostess Rose Marie presented a lovely cake, part of which I later shared with some residents. The tray of daisies she made into a butterfly is still gracing my coffee table. Helen, Laura and Nina took pictures, etc., but, regrettably Linda’s injured foot kept her away.

The bouquet of roses, cushioned on huge tropical leaves, absolutely stunned me. The card attached said “Happy birthday, Mom.” It underscored our several joyous hours of eating,

Other residents’ parties: How unfortunate that Irene Young would fall and be hospitalized just before her 95th birthday in June! But she did have a happy party with music-loving friends in August and was advised to party on every future birthday. (“If we’re still here!” – her motto and mine.)

The luxuriance at Joan Rebeiro’s September party celebrating her 85th unfolded with precision – and hearty fun. Her friend’s metaphorical speech was most intriguing. And after Joan’s delicious Chinese dinner, the fortune cookies made for a hilarious romp! I treasure my koala bear souvenir sent by Joan’s Australian brother.

May peace and goodwill follow in the autumn of our lives.