Kids. Why do they (mine, anyway) crack up when I say in mock horror "What are you taking pictures of my big fat butt for?"

Everett thinks he's being a real clown when he gets out the digital camera and snaps photos of my behind when I'm working in the kitchen. And if I act a little shocked, he is really thrilled then.

Well, it's 8:52 a.m. and I have a funeral to attend at 10:00 for the father of a family of girls who grew up on a farm outside my home town. I haven't seen any of the daughters for many years but want to be there anyway. So it is time to go gussy up.

xoxo
etc

When I moved to Alberta some 14 years ago, one happy consequence was the close proximity to several old friends I hadn’t seen in many years. One of these was a woman I’d met at Luther College when I was in Grade 10. She was now a law professor living in the city, and we renewed our acquaintance in person, replacing postcards and letters with visits and telephone calls.

One summer, a weekend gathering of gal pals from my old friend’s social circle was convened. I was part of the Luther College contingent; there was representation from the law division; and several members of her choir were included. We met at a lakefront cabin well outside the city limits and spent two or three nights there. No kids, no men, just six to twelve of us (depending on how many brought sleeping bags) for a fabulous sharing of food and laughter. There was time to sit around and read novels. We shared bottles of wine. There were walks along the beach, and there were campfires and singalongs. One of the choir gals, Diana, sculpted a voluptuous woman in the heat and sand.

She could be found, first person up, each morning around six. I am sure she spent the first couple hours alone, cigarette in hand, out by the fire pit. I remember tanned legs in faded denim cutoffs, a pale bluejean shirt, a deep voice, and six feet of height.

Last year, Diana was offered a job in Banff. Dream come true, off she went. That’s when the Mild Women became the lucky recipients of newsletters from Diana’s Paradise. Recently she started posting the newsletters online, so go visit Diana’s Newsletter Thingy and see what regular life is like in Banff, one of the world’s winter vacation capitals.