I told of some of mine over on the welcome to AMY365 thread. Not much of great moment on the Friday ... but son and partner took me to a country and western band on Sat night. They're cousins - John P. Allen is the M.C. and gets his body and movements into it, and his face moves a good deal related to what he's doing. He played fiddle with the "Prairie Oyster" band for several years and recently has done a number of his own gigs. His sister, a doc, plays string bass and brother, fiddle, mandolin and trumpet were involved, and the young ones of the first two: the main female singer is taking nursing and quite vivacious - adds a good deal to the presentation. They attend one church where I go - the one which I went to as a child. The men's group in the other church had a tour of Labatt's Brewery on Monday night, so it's been an interesting weekend. ole joyful

Again - thanks for your good wishes on my birthday. Waldie, a cousin, and I were friends in our small high school, where he often played the piano at noon hour. He liked horses, rode one to school and parked it in my Dad's Mom's brother-in-law's barn. He helped his Dad, who was a member of our provincial legislature for several years, operate a timber business, and later began an auction business, from which he retired several years ago. He and his family loved music, and often performed. His son told me, when I spoke of their nobility in having performed while their father and grandfather was dying, that his last verbal communication with his father was that when he told his Dad that they were going to play at the gathering that night, his Dad sat part way up, said, "Good" and smiled. The show must go on. He was a jolly, friendly man, of integrity, who built many friendships, so there was a large crowd in attendance at the visitation and the church was nearly filled this morning for his funeral which included a number of stories about him, the family playing their fiddles, bass, mandolin, autoharp, etc. and singing, and a good deal of laughter, and applause - Waldie wouldn't have wanted it otherwise - and we sang, "What a friend we have in Jesus" and "The battle hymn of the republic". How much happier world ours would be were it peopled by more like he was. We'll miss Waldie at the Old Farts' club ... as we miss others on their departure. I've said sometimes that one of the best tributes that we can pay at the death of someone whom we admire is to examine the things about them that pleased us, tweak one or two of the good things so that they'd fit our lifestyle, and emulate those qualities within our own lives. I had just started down the lunch line ... when I remembered that, having skipped breakfast, and about to have a blood test that required fasting, I was about to misbehave ... so abandoned the line. Haven't et - yet: filled with expectations .... but the belly says, "I don't find them nearly that full-filling" ole joyfuelled

ellen, it should be more clear by replacing "belated" with synonyms "late" or "delayed". If you haven't heard it correctly, that's just how it is with many issues of language grammar when very common or frequent misuse becomes familiar and so they sound more right. And often the misuse becomes accepted use. Not, I suspect, in this case.

Thanks to all of you for your good wishes. Most of the snow had gone by yesterday, but we had a bit more, overnight - for which I'm thankful ... for when I backed the car out of the shed and returned to close the door ... there was a slim trail of brown stuff going out to the car. I backed it up a bit ... and there was a brownish pool under where the motor had been. Was it oil? If so, and I drove it ... soon no oil and seized engine. Brake fluid? Tranny fluid? Drove running engine uphill, coasting down, about 8 mi. to the church to have coffee with the old guys. No trail anywhere near where I entered the parking lot or under the car. Drove to the other church, 5 mi. or so, to tell the minister of an interesting speaker, Naomi Klein, on climate change and our current world situation in town tonight. I was noticing that the gas gauge seemed to be dropping much more quickly than usual. No residue trails visible ... but I'd coasted in. Drove ... carefully, through town, in case the droppings were brake fluid ... to the garage. Fuel filter rusted out, must be replaced, along with some of the gas line. Fifteen minute walk to the library, to talk to you guys ... and it's about time to wander back, as they may have the car fixed. Good thing I visited the bank yesterday, as I was almost broke, before. Thanks again for all of your good wishes - I value my relationship with you folks, some of whom I've met IRL. ole joyfuelled ... with a bit o' fuelling help from gasoline ... and furnace oil