One year on...

It's a sunny chilly day at the farmette. Almost all the snow is gone. Fred is in fine health again. He was on my lap at least five times in the last week and this morning, he was rolling around in the dining room. So, he's back. Phew.

Friday marked the the first anniversary of my friend Pat's death. SOOOO much has happened in that time.

On the one hand, I'm glad she isn't around to witness what the orange menace and his trolls are doing. On the other, I really wish she was around so we could talk about how crazy things have become. And how humanity doesn't seem to be able to learn from history. She would be appalled.

Pat in her own back yard, which she loved.

Pat had the most wicked sense of humour. She was wise, patient and calm. A rock for when I was severely agitated. Anyhow. Not going to be maudlin. Just reflective. On to other things.

We had our final women's curling day on March 24th. The ladies all dressed up in their finest red and white to celebrate Canada. These women are truly amazing.

Competitive without being over the top. We like a good game, but aren't too hard on ourselves or each other if we have an off day and the rocks just don't co-operate.

Curling is one part of the experience. There's also the camaradarie and soup! We sign up in pairs to make lunch (soup or chili with bread) after a hard Monday morning of hurrying hard.

So proud of sister Sandy for being the co-coordinator this year, along with Lori Hattle.

They organized the entire season, putting together teams on the weekend, and sometimes switching people around at the last minute for when folks couldn't make it.

Twig (Sandy's nickname from when she was a young wee girl) is one of the most generous people I know. Last week, when the ice storm knocked out the electricity in the home of one of our club mates, Sandy loaned her a generator. And made extra lasagna in case she was sick of ready-made dinners. Nice, eh?

She also donated maple syrup from this year's batch for the raffle they held at the final game. Lori's son made the candle holders that went along with the syrup. These ladies are a truly a dynamic duo.

In the picture, Twig is wearing a hat that husband Brian bought and wore the whole time they were vacationing in Mexico a few weeks ago. Proudly Canadian those two. As we all are. More so now. Until next week.

Gratuitous cat photo of Fred, the reconstituted boy. This is one of his favorite things. Butt in the tunnel and body on the scratch pad.