Beautiful Friend

GOH POH SENG

My beloved friend Poh Seng died yesterday. He was a wonderful poet, doctor, husband, father and friend. Our friendship goes back to 1988 when I returned home from Law School. My husband brought him to our house. He had gotten Al's name from a writer in Vancouver. Poh Seng had just moved to Cow Head from Vancouver and earlier from Singapore. His wife and family had not yet joined him. When they did, our families became friends. They had four sons and we had two daughters.
We often visited them in Cow Head. We would forage for food, and prepare the most fabulous meals of fresh mussels,lobster, trout and what ever else we found. Our times together were filled with art, great conversation and merriment.
They returned to Vancouver to live a year or so after we met them. We stayed in touch by phone and letters. When my eldest daughter married they returned for her wedding . They rekindled their love for Newfoundland. And within not too many years they had bought a summer home in a little village around the bay. For many years they returned to the Island in late spring and stay until mid October. They were much beloved by everyone in the small close knit communtiiy.
They hosted many parties and poetry readings throughout the summer. Poh Seng turned an old garage into a wonderful studio. Margaret collected rocks and painted wonderful pictures.
Then Poh Seng was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. He didn't let that slow him down. He still foraged for mushrooms and combed the beach everyday. He and Margaret never had a car, but managed to take wonderful trips to places like Burgeo and the Great Northern Peninsula.
They were an amazing couple. Margaret was his editor. She typed out his manuscripts and help him look for publishers. He was a prolific and very discliplined writer with enormous talent. He was a modest man, a gentle man and a true friend. I am going to miss you my dearest.

Cookie

My old Cat is spending her last day on earth. I don't like having the power to determine that. She is almost 18 years old and is very frail. I've consulted my friends who have gone through this and done a lot of soul searching. This is the right thing to do. It doesn't make it any easier though.
Our relationship is longer than most marriages today. Cookie came to us in 1993.My daughter's boyfriend was staying with us that summer. He worked as a mascot for the city. He was Captain Cook. On his way to work one day, he heard mewing coming from a dumpster behind a building. He checked into it and found a frightened white kitten. He called me and asked if I would mind if her brought her home. He assured me that he would take it with him when he left at the end of summer. I agreed.
He wanted to call her "Justice". I said no way, as I didn't want to be singing out: "Justice where are you ?". I named her "Cookie" after his role as Captain Cook.
Well he left the cat (and my daughter) at the end of summer. Cookie has been a fixture in our home ever since. She is a rather unloveable cat. She reminds me of someone I know, very vocal about getting her needs met, especially at 5am. I have lost a ton of sleep because of Cookie. She is very lacking in personal hygiene. He bum is always got poop on it, and her eyes are goopy. She is only interested in eating and is devoid of personality.
I didn't think I loved her until yesterday, when I called the vet to make inquiries about having her put down. Then I spent the rest of the day crying.
This morning I tried to cuddle her and tell her I love her. She was dismissive and not interested in my overtures. It has always been on her terms. If it were summer, this decision would be hers , but it's winter, she's cold, and I'm afraid she may get out when people are coming and going during Christmas. My Buddhist practice says 'no killing'. However I don't believe in suffering needlessly. I like to think this is the compassionate choice.
I will miss you dear Cookie!

Jiggs Dinner

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Originally uploaded by Kyran P.

This is what I'm planning to cook today. It's Labour Day and I feel the need to do something special. Everyone I love (well, almost everyone) is out of town. It's an absolutely gorgeous day! This must be our seventh day of sunshine. A little cool ,but so brilliant!
Jiggs Dinner is most appropriate meal for "labour" day. It was originally a fisherman's dinner. The beef was preserved in brine. Not the lean corn beef kind I grew up with in New England/New Brunswick .This was the fattest cut of beef.When I first saw it over forty years ago, I was aghast! My mother-in-law laid this fatty skinny piece of overcooked blob of meat on the table, I nearly gagged. When I was little the mere sight of fat made me ill.
Over the years, like a lot of Newfoundland fare, I have grown fond of jiggs dinner.Here's how it goes. Buy a piece of salt beef at the local store (even Sobey's and Dominion now carry salt beef). Gather up all the veggies at the local farmer's marker (or home grown ). You will need new poatotoes, fresh carrots and turnip. Oh yes cabbage or if early in the summer, "turnip tops". When I made it this summer for my visiting daughter, she lamented; "where's the cabbage?"
The salt beef which can be big blobs or riblets (my personal favourite) needs to be soaked over night. The next morning put the piece of salt beef in a large pot with fresh water.
I almost forgot the best part. The peas pudding! You will need a pudding bag, which can be purchased locally or if you aren't local , just a 10-12 inch square of white cotton or muslin(not Muslim) will do. You will need some cotton twine to tie it up. Place the dry yellow peas, I forgot to tell you to buy in the pudding bag, along with a few small diced pieces of fat back pork and some freshly ground pepper. tie the bag tight and place it in the pot over the salt beef.
Bring to a rolling boil and let cook for the whole afternoon. Have the turnip, potaotes, carrots and cabbage cut in large chunks. Remove the peas pudding before you introduce the veggies, They will be placed in the pot in order about 10 minutes apart.Cover and cook for about one hour.The cabbage should be cut in wedges and placed on top of the other vegetables.
In the meantime , take the peas pudding out of the bag, Dump it in an oven proof bowl. Smooth the surface of he pudding with a fork. Put a big pat of fresh butter on the top and a sprinking of pepper. Keep in a warm oven until ready to serve.
When the vegetables are tender , take the salt beef out and place on a platter. Surround the beef with the vegetables.Don't forget the peas pudding in the oven . And above all else don't forget the mustard pickles!
Enjoy! I know I am going to enjoy mine as soon as I find someone to eat it with....

Writer's Festival

I just had the most incredible week! Totally unexpected, a dear friend called to invite me to the Writer's Festival in Woody Point. She had extra tickets and a bed for me.

It was five straight days of wonderful readings, great music in the most gorgous setting on the face of the planet!

Woody Point is a little town in beautiful Bonne Bay. It is smack in the middle of a World Hertitage site. It is surrounded by green mountains which slope gently to the sea.The backdrop is the Tableland Mountains, which are flat topped and rusty looking. No vegetation at all. It looks like a moonscape or a scene out of an old western movie.

We heard some fantastic authors. My favourite was a little wisp of a girl by the name of Jessica Grant. She is a fresh new voice. Her debut novel is "Come Thou Tortoise" And I loved Paul Quarrington. He's from Hamilton and has quite a few books under his belt. He sat on the stage strumming on the guitar and told the funniest story about his wife finding "Jesus" in a public washroom. It was so funny and poignant.

David Adams Richard read from "The Lost Highway. It was very moving and so familar.David grew up on the Mirimichi in New Brunswick. I am related to his characters! Greg Malone recieved the warmest and most loving welcome from the audience. It was very emotional. Like Ron Hynes , Greg is revered in Newfoundland.

The music was tremendous.Anita Best did a beautiful rendition of "Atlantic Blue". I never thought anyone but Ron Hynes should sing that song. Anita did a very different arrangement. Hearing the song about the Ocean Ranger from a woman had it's own soulful magic.Sandy Morris. of "Land and Sea" fame , Duane Andrews who is a guitar virtuoso and who now plays a fiddle ,Des Walsh, Ameila Curran who writes as well as Leonard Cohen and sings like an angel and the wonderful Kathleen Edwards made for a most memorable time. My soul is quenched!

Next year I'll be there again. I've missed too many wonderful moments...and life is short.

Summertime

They were here and now they're gone. Summer goes by too fast. It seems like a dream.

Waiting so long , then it whizzes by. But I have to say we enjoyed every second. It was a wonderful visit. Having my grandchildren in the same place was a marvel. They bonded immediately.Everyday was an adventure.

I loved seeing the recognition of place and people on the older boys faces. It must be like going to Ireland, Iceland or China and knowing these are "my people". I had that feeling when I visited Norway.The faces were so familiar. It was thought I had found my clan.

My little house is lonely. The animals are keeping me occuppied as they have all been sick. Perhaps it's a delayed reaction to stress.The Vet bills have been astronomical! Pet owners need to lobby for "medicare " for animals. It sometimes comes down to cost versus a beloved pet's life.

What will the rest of summer hold. I am missing a trip to the Bay of Fundy. This may be the first year I haven't gone home.

I'm sure there are a few more surprises left before Labour Day... there always is .

Good Friends

I am blessed to have good friends. Yesterday these two came to plant my flowers. I broke my wrist and haven't been able to do much of anything.
We have been friends for over thirty years.We met when we were young wives and mothers.We raised our families together.
Today we are grandmothers . We love to share stories of our wonderful grandchildren.We are so proud of our daughters,who in turn are wonderful mothers. I like to think they learned it all from us. I only hope they are blessed with such wonderful friends.

Secrets

This is my Christmas lad "Stiff-legs" He was a gift from Mo'a Romig-Boyles,a wonderful artist/blogger . It's Victoria Day and we are having a quiet day at home. He sits on my desk with a little Buddha I bought when I was on retreat with Thich Nhat Hann.
What is the secret you ask? Well if I told you it wouldn't be much of a secret now would it?
I'm a pretty good secret keeper. Having chosen careers where others trusted me with their most intimate secrets, it's an honour I don't take lightly.
Do you remember the book "The Secret Garden"? It remains one of my favourite books of all times. The lovely overgrown garden with a tragic story.
We're all a bit like that. We all have our own secrets don't we? I'm trying not to have secrets. I want my life to be fairly transparent. I don't believe that's entirely possible, but I think a lot of secrets are based in shame.
I grew up with a lot of shame. Mostly for things that were beyond my control. Grown-ups choices which affected me profoundly. Secrets about our family.
It' s so freeing to bring the dark secrets to light. Then they have no power over us. Sometimes it's a little complicated to explain, but I try to be honest. Perhaps the other person doesn't need more information. Just a simple explanation.
That's not to say mystery isn't good. I think a little mystery adds a little spice to life.

What secret are you keeping today?