Mom and Dad

Saturday, October 17 was a bright blue fall day in Winnipeg. I drove to Elmwood Cemetery where I met my cousin Barb and her husband at the Liddle plot, where mom's parents are buried. We then went to the Boyce plot to wait for Bill and his family. When they hadn't arrived by about 10:10, I went back to the main gate to look for them. They had just arrived by taxi; the limo. Bill had ordered in advance had not arrived to pick them up at their hotel. That was the only flaw in the ceremony. Bill had flowers and pictures of mom and dad. A piper played and walked in front of us to the Boyce plot. Bill and I placed the urns in the earth, Bill said a few well prepared words, the piper played "Amazing Grace" and now mom and dad are together forever. We all went for brunch, and then I went back to the hotel with Bill's gang to watch the Jay's game. 

I had a good visit as always with Danny and Rita. After three days of driving and some mild anxiety about the burial, I needed that. We had a delicious dinner and evening at their daughter Dawn's on Sunday and lots of walks in the warm fall weather. Last night we drove to Portage La Prairie for dinner and to watch mixed doubles curling, a new form of the sport that is popular in Europe and will be in the next Olympic Games. I think there are a few changes to make in the game so that it will be more interesting for spectators, but we had fun watching because there were some very good players participating and one of the teams was the son of their friends and his wife. I also went to the Museum of Human Rights with my cousin Barb. In spite of the fact that from one angle the exterior resembles a WW1 German soldier's helmet, the architecture inside is fascinating. The displays are hands-on, interactive and multisensory but still a bit pedantic; although, some are quite moving. The interior stairway is impressive, as is the view of the Red River and Winnipeg that you get from the 8th floor. 

Today I drove from Winnipeg to Swift Current, Sask. After dinner and a long, hot bath, I'm ready for bed. 

The election suspense is over, but baseball is still a nail biter. Harper's gone and the Jay's are still going, but??????

The piper at mom and dad's grave. 

Patrick, Marley and Matti

Bill and I at the grave site.

A quote from Pierre Elliotte Trudeau that I saw in the Human Rights Museum and thought was especially apt as he speaks of the "willingness to share the risks and grandure of the Canadian adventure" and it was the day after his son Justin was elected Prime Minister of Canada.