Friends and memories…

Tomorrow is January 26^th and I will be remembering my friend Neil Anderson, gone since 2008 and my mother-in-law Vera, gone since 2009. 

Neil and I attended school together in Airdrietown back so many years ago.  We weren’t really friends though, as we travelled in different circles.  Now, Airdrietown only had five hundred or so people back then so most circles interacted somewhat…but the fact of the matter was our paths never seemed to cross too much, until after we’d married and started raising families.  I can still remember being somewhat puzzled after getting a phone call from Neil asking me if I’d be interested in seeing a business opportunity.   “Why would Neil Anderson be phoning me?” 

Now, the business opportunity was an MLM venture called Amway and usually you tend to call people outside your circle of close friends just because if any noses get out of joint (those kinds of businesses tend to do that) you no doubt won’t see them again soon.  We did agree to come out to see the program and ultimately joined up with Neil & Geraldine.  The business didn’t last but the friendship blossomed!  Interesting how things work out.

Our two families shared a lot over the years…not unlike any other friendship that’s 30 years in the making but something unique brought Neil & I just a little closer several years into our budding friendship…and that was golf!

We found our own little paradise called Water Valley for our insatiable appetite.  We grew with that little golf course, from the nine hole cow pasture with a modular clubhouse to their present day 18 hole extravaganza with all the ‘Bells & Whistles’ one would expect!

We laughed and snorted our way around that course.  We became masters at holding our tongues just right with arched backs swayed waaaaaay over in an effort to coax that ball out of those darn trees and the odd ‘helicopter sighting’ was to be expected.  We tended to invent our own game within the game if you will. Mulligan’s were common place and ‘Reloads’ (Because the darn cows mooed just as we swung) ran rampant.  Our game did improve over the years…however slightly but the anticipation and excitement on those lazy Sunday mornings were heaven sent!

I could go in depth describing all my friend Neil’s attributes and strengths but alas what I remember most was our shared enjoyment of early Tee times and if we could be the first off in the morning, all the better.  The ¾ hour drive out to Water Valley served as the perfect buffer for us to solve the world’s problems and discuss new golfing tips designed to confound us even further. 

I’ll be making the trip out to Water Valley again on May 30th, as that was Neil’s birthday and it usually marked the official start of the golf season for us. I’ll enjoy soaking up all the ambiences including the  cows mooing, sunshine streaming through the trees and the shadows dancing lazily across the fairway.  I’ll no doubt be hitting the perfect drive… with my tongue held just right and my arched back swayed waaaaaay over….thankyou my friend, it was and is my pleasure!

Interesting how my mom and my future mother-in-law met before Pat and I ever laid eyes on each other.  Back in the summer of ’71, Vera was engaged to a Ted Kinniburgh, a single farmer residing east of Airdrie.  The problem was they weren’t getting married until November and what to do with Pat in the meantime.  Her school in Calgary did not have semesters like Airdrie,  so the decision was made to have Pat room & board in Airdrie until the big day.  When Vera queried as to how they would find someone Ted replied, ‘Marge La Marsh!’  Mom knew the perfect place and from there Pat and I would magically meet on the first day of school.  Thankyou Vera, t'was a very good decision you made.  Vera was a great mother-in-law and over the years we had many excellent times sprinkled with just enough hiccups to keep things interesting and on an even keel!  Vera would eventually move out to Victoria and she was extremely interested in keeping us advised as to the current trend of “February flower blooming!”  She was quick to remind us of our sub zero temperatures out Alberta way!  I loved the fact that Vera always took an interest in my cartooning and she loooooooooooooved getting a good game of cards going.  She was one competitive gal and we both took great delight in teasing each other over failed tricks in ‘Bid Whist’ or that damn queen of spades in ‘Hearts!’ 

Visits to Victoria and a great game of cards just haven’t been the same since but the memories are priceless.  Thankyou Vera, it was indeed my pleasure!