Easter Sunday

At my house.

Stephanie and Erik were down from Sudbury. Cheyenne and Abigail were here with Lindsay. Stephanie gave them bubbles and skipping ropes and just a little bit of chocolate. I bought a huge bag of candy coated Cadbury eggs and everybody had some to nibble.

Michael brought Dara, his girl friend to join the circle. Patrick was down from Ottawa.

The day was beautiful. We filled and spilled out of the house on to the deck and down in the sunshine. Shiny bubbles floated and burst among us. Adam poked them with his finger and made the little girls laugh. The girls showed off amazing skill with the skipping rope. Stephanie did too.

Stephen's two golden labs, companions of many years have departed this world. So, Stephen and Mary didn't have to leave early to release them from confinement in the garage.

Frank and Lorna on the other hand, had horses to feed.

It's Frank's birthday today. Several others are close. As the family grew we didn't have birthday parties or presents. We were too many. If they were deprived, there's no sign of it now.

There was always a cake though. Everyone was reminded to be home. We sang a chorus of Happy Birthday, candles were blown out, then For He's a Jolly Good Fellow and So Say All of Us and three rip-roaring cheers with rousing conviction.

The growing number of voices make the choruses and cheers sound like a Welsh miners' choir.

When we get together now, there's always a birthday or four in the offing. Robyn bakes the cake from scratch It gets bigger every year.

This year Marnie brought an exotic dessert with nut crust, dense chocolate centre topped with strawberries premarinated in balsamic vinegar and whipped cream.

Rhonda brought an Italian Easter Bread Wreath and Stephen and Mary brought a gigantic apple pie.

Storm brought mushroom appetisers stuffed with cheeses and sausage, baked and served straight from the oven. Stephanie makes an excellent guacamole.

Theresa and myself rose early and got the beef and pork into the oven in good time. The meatballs were cooked and into the crock pot to stay warm for the feast.Heather brought fresh-baked buns.

Conversation was about the twins, a trip just taken to Tacoma, and one planned to co-ordinate the twins and Vanessa's return to Canada for the summer.

Cameron of the Barrie Bucks was in Vancouver for the Olympics.

Mexico and Florida trips were recounted, and a lengthy discussion about a summer golf event
with cousins from London, Cobden,Ottawa,Barrie,Kitchener.Aurora, Newmarket and Keswick.

Since Martin stopped coaching minor hockey, he and Marnie take frequent trips around Ontario to places they have never been.

When the sun went down, the temperature cooled and we donned sweaters.
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Finally it was dark and time for big hugs and kisses all around, as each family drifted off home.

Until the next time.