Winnipeg's Gone Wacky - Winnipeg Free Press
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Monday, September 28, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Christmas in September
For about the past ten years my family on my father's side has been getting together annually for a Christmas gathering of INTENSE PROPORTION! My Dad was one of nine children - and so now our aunts, uncles, cousins, and their children, spouses, et cetera have added up to more people than can fit in any one person's house - or yard, for that matter.
We gather in Dugald where my uncle lives and use the community centre to have dinner, and visit. It's a great time - lots of kids, a baby once in a while if we're lucky, and the best part of the whole deal is I meet a new relative just about every time we gather.
The part of this get-together that I enjoy the most is the fact that we have extended the word ' family ' to mean , anyone that is important to us. We have had neighbours come to this party, ex-wives, adopted children of ex-wives, former cellmates of adopted children's ex-wives, you name it, they've attended Dugald Christmas.
I also love our ' Garage Sale Silent Auction', that essentially funds our party for the following year. Everyone brings a few things they aren't using anymore, or something they picked up cheap once and somehow never quite used, and the incredibly organized women put it out on tables in clever groupings like social prizes, then we all buy tickets to win our relatives' old stuff. It's awesome; one year I got a set of ear cuffs. If you can figure out what these are for, you are doing better than me. My kids love to bid on their old toys that I was trying to shuffle along to the next cousin. I've passed on many an adorable but impossible outfit that I was trying to get my kid to wear this way - that mini jean jacket? Off to the next kid!
I have the most incredible assortment of aunties who have this zest for life that only comes with age and loss - they are wise and make a killer potato salad. I love every single one of them, and save a special extra hug for my Auntie Elsie, who next year turns 65. Elsie grew up in the Portage Institution, having been born with cerebral palsy which made it difficult for my grandparents to look after her, especially with so many other children. No one expected she'd ever care for herself. Well, for over 30 years now, she has supported herself and lived independently, and is one of Winnipeg's biggest sport fans. She's pretty inspirational, and somehow manages to remember all the kids' birthdays and find little gifts for them. She has a knack for making others feel special.
So why have the party in September? Simply, life is busy. December is chockfull for most people, between school concerts, work parties and shopping and preparation for the season, then adding inclement weather, we have decided not to keep gathering at ACTUAL Christmas time. So forgive me, I know it's 25 Celcius ( ABOVE, not BELOW), but I need to go find my patchwork Christmas sweater now. I wonder if it goes with these shorts?
Ho Ho Holy cow I'm hot.
We gather in Dugald where my uncle lives and use the community centre to have dinner, and visit. It's a great time - lots of kids, a baby once in a while if we're lucky, and the best part of the whole deal is I meet a new relative just about every time we gather.
The part of this get-together that I enjoy the most is the fact that we have extended the word ' family ' to mean , anyone that is important to us. We have had neighbours come to this party, ex-wives, adopted children of ex-wives, former cellmates of adopted children's ex-wives, you name it, they've attended Dugald Christmas.
I also love our ' Garage Sale Silent Auction', that essentially funds our party for the following year. Everyone brings a few things they aren't using anymore, or something they picked up cheap once and somehow never quite used, and the incredibly organized women put it out on tables in clever groupings like social prizes, then we all buy tickets to win our relatives' old stuff. It's awesome; one year I got a set of ear cuffs. If you can figure out what these are for, you are doing better than me. My kids love to bid on their old toys that I was trying to shuffle along to the next cousin. I've passed on many an adorable but impossible outfit that I was trying to get my kid to wear this way - that mini jean jacket? Off to the next kid!
I have the most incredible assortment of aunties who have this zest for life that only comes with age and loss - they are wise and make a killer potato salad. I love every single one of them, and save a special extra hug for my Auntie Elsie, who next year turns 65. Elsie grew up in the Portage Institution, having been born with cerebral palsy which made it difficult for my grandparents to look after her, especially with so many other children. No one expected she'd ever care for herself. Well, for over 30 years now, she has supported herself and lived independently, and is one of Winnipeg's biggest sport fans. She's pretty inspirational, and somehow manages to remember all the kids' birthdays and find little gifts for them. She has a knack for making others feel special.
So why have the party in September? Simply, life is busy. December is chockfull for most people, between school concerts, work parties and shopping and preparation for the season, then adding inclement weather, we have decided not to keep gathering at ACTUAL Christmas time. So forgive me, I know it's 25 Celcius ( ABOVE, not BELOW), but I need to go find my patchwork Christmas sweater now. I wonder if it goes with these shorts?
Ho Ho Holy cow I'm hot.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Moonlight Madness Burlesque
I'm happy to announce our upcoming show :
Thursday October 29, 2009 at The Academy Bar ( Osborne & Stradbrook)
Moonlight Madness Burlesque shows feature a vaudeville style variety of oldtyme burlesque striptease, comedy, music and theatrical acts!
October's show features Miss La Muse, Heather ' Stella Starlight' Witherden, Mia Star Van Leeuwen & more acts TBA!
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