So much time has passed since I last posted that I feel a sea change has taken place. How do I catch up? I can't I guess so we'll look back from today's vantage point.
On the 15th of March I celebrated yet another birthday with a few of my nearest and dearest friends. Maya and Glenn were unable to come so only about 18 friends came to my Pot Luck party. I cooked for about three days and provided the bulk of the main meal, augmented by salad, side dishes and desserts from friends. A really good time was had by all and I went to bed at three AM exhausted but happy. Why do I celebrate turning 71? Because I'm so happy to be alive.
Market Hall Performance Centre officially opened with a posh affair and we who have been working on this for several years were moved to tears by the beauty of our new "old" theatre. The architects have so thoroughly respected the historic features of the old market building while creating a thoroughly modern theatre space. Beautiful, beautiful! The fund-raising work is not done yet, but now people can see what they are donating for.
Maya was unable to come home for the Passover Seder, so I postponed it till Easter Sunday and we had an Eastover Seder instead. She was able to come for the Easter long weekend and we were joined by friends to celebrate that most traditional and historic meal together. Christians forget (or never were taught) that the Passover Seder is the Last Supper. All the symbolic foods the Seder plate today are exactly as they would have been for Jesus at the Last Supper. As a semi-Christian, I'm always deeply moved by that. It adds so much depth to my spiritual observance to be able to partake in both faiths and I feel truly fortunate. I'm sorry Glenn was unable to get the long weekend off because he missed being part of this most important tradition. I hope Maya carries it on when I am gone. The Seder symbolically defines our family Judeo/Christian values.
My student boarder Kathleen has moved out and on in her new life, taking up an internship at the Manitoba Art Gallery. She was a wonderful housemate and I'm missing her daily. We had a very warm and amicable relationship. Willy misses her too. She was so sweet with him and he adored her. Now he's stuck with boring old me. Fortunately, the weather has become more spring than winter and he can go out. He can enjoy many cat activities in the garden that distract and wear him out. We wish Kathleen well and hope for her success in the museum world.
And for all you jaded anti-monarchists and historic cynics out there - yes, I was up at three a.m. to watch William and Kate get married. It's a great spectacle, with pageantry, glitz, history, continuity and HORSES. Lots of great horses. Didn't you know? I love horses. It runs in the Hogenkamp blood. My father was a military horseman, so I can imagine him in uniform, as out rider to a royal landau. Only my father was in the Dutch army - small detail. While everyone else was oohing and aahing over the wedding dress, Maya and I were on the phone together extolling the tributes of the great horses. The dress was not too shabby either. Yes, it cost a fortune - enough to feed an African village for a year - it was worth it, to give the people a sense of pride, hope and the reassurance that only tradition is capable of providing. England and the remaining Commonwealth can still well afford to feed that African village if only the political will was there.
Which brings me to our recent general election. The political will to feed African villages or Innuit and First Nation villages, for that matter, may not be there for quite some time now. Canadians, in their infinite wisdom, have reelected the Harper Conservatives to another five years with a majority this time. I am no fan of Conservative government-particularly this one. I have serious concerns about our democratic institutions like free speech, freedom of assembly,
human rights and womens' abortion rights. They have already demonstrated their disdain for these rights as a minority government. I'm also worried about the erosion of civility and accountability, and Arts, Culture and the CBC will be entering the dark ages. Social democrats, liberals and trade unionists are in for a bumpy ride. Heaven, give us strength and give the new official opposition the NDP the wit and will to push back when it's needed.
So all my like-minded friends, lets relax, and deep breathe. Canada is resilient and so are we.
The sun will come out tomorrow.
