After a third day of driving eastward through the prairie landscape, now clothed in the warm colours of autumn, and under endlessly interesting clouds, we arrived in Winnipeg late afternoon Wednesday to a warm welcome at friend Bonnie Isaak’s house. This will be our base while here. We’ve known Bonnie since the beginning of both our marriages, and even earlier for H. and Bonnie’s late husband John. We settled our things into our room and then went to other friends for a delicious supper and catch-up. Life is packed with stories, and many get told in reunion visits!

Thursday, H. spent the day with his cousin, whom he calls his adopted brother, since they’re the only two of their respective Paraguay families who live in Canada. He made chipa — a cheesy Paraguayan biscuit  — with the cousin’s wife. From my sampling later, I can state that they turned out well. (H. is the chipa maker in our household.)

In the meanwhile, I had tea with friend Ruth and then headed to the MB Study Centre, needing to check the archives for several items related to another writing project I’m doing. I managed to get confused at Osborne’s Confusion Corner, but eventually got out of it and down Pembina, only to find Taylor blocked off by road repair. The streets are full of it. The old saw about Winnipeg having only two seasons — winter and road construction — obviously still holds. I found what I was looking for, or better said, the archivist/director found the papers, and thank goodness for copy machines, because conversations with former colleagues prevented my studying the page closely; I’ll do it later, at home.

Then it was off to the Turnstone Press offices. I remembered my way into the maze of one-way streets that is the Exchange District and managed to find a parking spot close by the Artspace building. Hugs and business chat with Jamis and Melissa. Publishing is a tough business nowadays — do we value books as much as we used to? — but Turnstone keeps at it, enticing readers with several new enticements every publishing season.

Another delicious supper, at the cousin’s, and that wrapped the day! Before shutting my  eyes, I read at Sacred Space and the text was the one in which Jesus sends his disciples out to tell good news. Whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace to this house!” Peace to the houses we entered today, and will enter tomorrow and following!