“The RoseBouquet”

On Saturday I left all my work lie right where it was, and I attended workshops all-day MHSS day at Bethany Manor.

In the morning Esther Patkau taught how to write one’s Memoirs and then, how to write a good obituary.

I had assumed lunch would be served, but we were on our own for that. Fortunately, Maria Bartel, the lady sitting beside me was eager to talk with me, and invited me to the dining hall where she normally eats her meals, for she is a resident of this large retirement community. I followed her as she trudged along with her walker.

In a large, spacious and lovely dining room, we sat to eat with a couple whom I had never met before, but who are also related to me. I don’t have my genealogy book right here, but I believe Peter Friesen, like Maria, is a second cousin of my mother’s. Anyway, it was a delightful lunch. Lovely food, served graciously by friendly waitresses.

For the afternoon workshop we had been promised that if we brought a laptop, we would get a free database loaded up with over 1 million names. It is called GRANDMA. (It stands for: Genealogical Registry And Database of Mennonite Ancestry). It normally costs $75 with a registered copy of the Brother’s Keeper software, so that offer was a good deal.

A cousin has given me the older versions 4 and 5, but this was the latest, version 6.

Last week Jondalar had helped me prepare a laptop that had been given to me a couple of years ago. I was looking forward to getting this gift. Unfortunately, we had not loaded all the drivers, so while it worked, (hallelujah!) it didn’t recognize the USB stick when it was inserted. My friend Anna said she’d bring me a copy next time she comes into the city, so not all is lost, but I have to be satisfied for now with the smaller database that I already had.

While my American friends were celebrating Presidents Day yesterday, three provinces of Canada were celebrating a new holiday called “Family Day.” Yes, Saskatchewan was one of them. (Alberta and Ontario are the other two; Manitoba celebrates Louis Riel Day, and Prince Edward Island celebrates Islander Day). It converges with Valentine’s Day to give everyone a bit of a shove for showing love to those near and dear to you.

In my case, my friend Shannon invited me over yesterday for supper, so we celebrated friendship. Otherwise I spent the day working at home, and had a fairly productive day. I even got some bread-baking and mending done over my noon hour. Beyond that I got as much done as I would have at the office.

Sure, rub it in, I’m a workaholic. But I knew that work had to get done, and I didn’t mind doing it.

Incidentally, I have added the photos from weekend before last when
Ernie Came to help with my stairwell.