A full house

Two Japanese ladies with Petra from Germany

On Friday morning I was one of a big crowd at the residence of the Ambassador of Peru, on Island Park Drive, with a park opposite where most of us went for a walk on snowshoes before coming in for the refreshments.

It's a house with a history. During the second World War the Canadian family who lived there then looked after a dozen evacuee children who had crossed the Atlantic from Britain. In the reception room there's a photo of the children standing on the curved staircase. Our hostess (Mrs. Rosa Luz Garcia Rosell de Bellina) told us that three of them had come back for an emotional visit to their place of refuge very recently; they had been well cared for, here.

Fran and me, photo by Barbara Miles

Fran, telling everyone about her book

At our après snowshoe gatherings, the atmosphere is very informal. It's bound to be; with everyone in their casual clothes and woolly socks, the diplomats' wives and Canadians get to know one another more intimately than at the usual diplomatic receptions. On this occasion, Fran was encouraged to tell everyone about the book she has brought out, the one I mentioned recently, and a few of the company bought a copy from her. In another room, I sold photos and the photo-cards I make––the profits go towards the upkeep and replacement of the snowshoes and mukluks used by our group.

Our buffet table at the Residence

The splendid lunch shown here is a "pot luck" affair; we all bring something and volunteers set the table in an artistic manner. There's Yumiko, the tall lady with the long dark hair, who makes the Ikebana flower arrangements for us. (She's going to be demonstrating her skills at the National Library and Archives tomorrow.)

On Friday evening there weren't as many people as this at our own house, only Elva and Laurie this week, and a very relaxing evening it was, too. This Thursday though I'm expecting a larger than usual group of German speakers to come round, maybe 16 or more. I hope I can find enough chairs ... and had better get on with the preparation of snacks right away. Then next Saturday Chris and I will have a group of 10 or so friends here for supper and to do some singing of madrigals and rounds. We're looking forward to that.