Hubster may be going up to Baffin Island for his work. We don't know when or how long he will be away (Not too long, we would miss him too much, or get along without him too well.), but he expects to be well-paid. I hope he will get to see some of the unique wildlife there, and take lots of pictures.

Our Homestay from Quebec was emailing about his sports adventures, including kayak in the rapids. I tried kayaking - it's a hard vessel to control! I have a stronger right arm, so I fight the tendency to go in circles. I never tried rapids yet!

There are only four days until the Summer Olympic Games open. No-one has replied to my invitation to discuss the Games.
Too busy...
I am hopeful that our Canadian competitors do well, in spite of being pitifully under-funded. Here is the New York Times collection of articles on the Olympics. Their view is quite "Ameri-centric". Have you seen any good sites on our Canadian teams?

http://www.nytimes.com/pages/sports/olympics/index.html?th

Here is the rather lacklustre CBC site. Please email the link if you know of a better site:

http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/

Last week on Wednesday, our Japanese guest, Ron and I visited three Folklorama Pavilions. (our guest is 42, mother of an 11 year old son, and a Professor at Tokyo University, presently studying North American aboriginal culture.)
You will want to be sure your next visit to Winnipeg coincides with this great festival!

http://www.folklorama.ca/

Our first stop was at the Canadien Francaise location at the Franco-Manitoban Cultural Centre, where we tasted bannock and tortier. We enjoyed clogging, terrific fiddling and the highlight was a female vocal quintet called Madrigal. Striking harmonics!
Then we saw the Tropical Paradise pavilion, where we tasted mango ices and enjoyed the dance and music of India as it evolved in the Caribbean.
Lastly, we visited the Australian/New Zealand pavilion, where we met Australian aborigines in their authentic costumes.
To end the evening, we showed our guest the Cathedral St. Boniface, beautifully floodlit, and walked to the Forks over the Esplanade Riel.

Friday, I took our guest, my mother, my brother and my oldest son out to the cottages at the lake. We went up via Gimli, visited my second son at Camp Arnes, then went west through Arborg to Lundar. Here is a map that shows our route.

http://www.travelmanitoba.com/maps/interlake.html

Saturday morning our guest and I visited the Dog Creek reservation. It is good Interlake land. They fish, grow hay, wild rice and grain crops and raise horses, sheep, dairy cows and cattle. It was a funeral day, so we did not interfere with their grief, but visited St. Laurent for lunch later in the day. There is a large, friendly Metis population, and we had just missed the Metis Days with jigging, fiddling, food and fun.

Sunday after church, our guest and I went to St.-Andrew-on-the-Red, the Rectory, Captain Kennedy's teahouse and Lower Fort Garry. Later that night, our guest, Hubster and I went to the Metis pavilion where Sierra Noble fiddled for us, and enjoyed square dancing, reels and the Red River jig performed by childrens' and s' groups. We tasted buffalo stew, wild rice and more bannock. Next we visited the German pavilion, and tasted tortes. Years ago, I used to be a Folklorama volunteer at the German pavilion, and took my ballroom dancing lessons at the German Club there. I used to win prizes dancing. However, Hubbo will NOT dance, not even a Polka!
Maybe one day...
with the right music...

ah, well...

maybe not.