Thursday, September 15, 2022
Cousins, I'm sorry for the loss of your mum. When I heard of Anut Rita's passing, naturally I reflected on those deep childhood and early teenage memories, long before geographical distance came between us and you were all just a short walk down the street. One of my earliest teachable moments was with Aunt Rita at Riverside Arena. She offered to buy me a chocolate bar. I chose a small one and she reminded me afterward that I could've got more bar for my buck if I chose a bigger bar at the same price. It's funny how that stuff sticks; it was my first introduction to bargain shopping and price per gram comparisons! Naturally, many of my memories with your family revolve around how welcome I felt sitting at the kitchen table playing games or, as my brother remarked, enjoying hot chocolate after a skate on that massive rink in your backyard (God bless, Uncle George)! Rita always made me feel welcome. It's funny what floats to mind: snippits of staying up late watching Good Rockin' Tonight with Blain and Dean; being babysat by Lee Ann (sorry!); or sitting with Nicole in the timekeeper booth at the arena. In my early, formative years, your family enriched my life and I am grateful for the experiences. I know I haven't seen any of you in decades but these flashes of fond memories connect me to you.