As those of you who follow this column know, I’m a euchre virgin. I help host the DRA’s tournament luncheons in Dunvegan, but my fingers have yet to touch a euchre deck. Enthusiasts tell me it’s a relatively simple game to learn, but now I’m not so sure. To kick off this week’s column, I thought I’d lead with a euchre expression to set the tone. So I consulted Prof. Google. She spat out a ream of arcane terms that included everything from Passing Dirty, Two Suited and In the Barn… to Send a Boy, Jump the River and Shake the Bush. I’m not sure if these descriptors resonate with Glengarry County players, but I’ll be sure to ask this Friday, March 17th when the 2017 Euchre season gets under way in Dunvegan.
As this month’s luncheon falls smack on St. Patrick’s Day, I thought I’d serve up a piping hot pot of potato and leek soup, followed by trays of fresh sandwiches and sweets by dessert expert, Sandra Daigle. Admission for this afternoon of food and fun is still only $5.00. So please join us at 19053 County Road 24 from 12:00 noon to around 3:30 PM.
While we’re on the subject of activities at the Dunvegan Hall, I wanted to remind you of two other great ways to while away the time.
Celtic Thursday
The first is the “Ben Miller and Anita MacDonald” concert on March 16th. When I asked Ben Williams from the Dunvegan Recreation Association how this Celtic band from Cape Breton ended up in our wee hamlet, I was told they stumbled across us while searching for potential venues in the region. The band is booked to play a St. Paddy’s concert at La Grange de la Gatineau on Friday, March 17th and hold Celtic Music workshops at the same location on Saturday, March 18th from 1-3 PM.
The DRA’s Pre-Paddy’s Day Warm-up concert starts at 8:00 PM Thursday. Admission is $15 per person, on a first-come, first-served basis. So if you’re looking for a good seat, you might want to get there a few minutes early.
According to their web site, this exciting duo first met in 2013 at the Celtic Colours Festival. Anita is an accomplished musician, dancer, and Gaelic singer from Little Narrows, Cape Breton. And Ben hails from Queensbury, New York and holds a Master’s degree in Scottish Ethnology from the University of Edinburgh’s School of Scottish Studies. Guest musicians Tyson Chen from Ottawa and Zakk Cormier from PEI will join them on Thursday. Tyson plays the piano. And Zakk plays guitar and his feet. Yes, apparently “foot percussion” is a real thing.
Cinema Saturday
And the second is the Saturday Night Movie event on March 18th. This month, the DRA is screening the 1975 classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail starring Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle and the rest of the Monty Python regulars.
To give you a tiny taste of what’s in store when you join us for this wacky flick here’s a brief exchange between King Arthur (KA) and an Old Man (OM).
OM: Stop! WHAT is your name?
KA: It is Arthur, King of the Britons!
OM: WHAT is your quest?
KA: To seek the Holy Grail!
OM: WHAT is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?
KA: What do you mean? African or European swallow?
Admission and hot-buttered popcorn are free, but donations are always gratefully accepted. And don’t forget to bring your own liquid refreshments and a comfy cushion or chair.
Steaks in the Mirror
For the record, I am a great fan of the 1812 Steak Night fundraiser. The museum volunteers put in a lot of effort and the Windsor Tavern in Vankleek Hill is always extremely generous. Last Friday, for example, the Windsor contributed $400 from the sale of steak dinners. Add in $170 from 50/50 tickets and $232 from the door prize raffles, and the event made a total of $802.
However, I have heard rumblings of discontent. Some of the patrons at this year’s event were overheard expressing dissatisfaction with long waits for a seat and molasses-like service. I’m told a few would-be diners gave up entirely and left to sup at other nearby eateries… pledging never to return. So, in the interest of keeping this embryonic tradition alive, I offer a few humble suggestions.
First, it would be great if there were a few more servers. The crush of the 1812 dinner crowd seemed to overwhelm the two waitresses and one bartender on duty.
Second, table reservations for the 1812 dinner should be outlawed. The only reserved seating permitted should be a small section for the Windsor’s regulars. The rest of the seats should be on a first come, first served basis. I witnessed hungry people waiting in line for far too long, while tables with “reserved” signs stood empty. The whole idea with an event like this is “churn.” You want people to be seated, served and replaced with a new set of patrons as quickly as possible. This is NOT a fine-dining experience where you want people lingering for hours.
Third, I know the sophisticates north of the 417 dine at a more civilized hour than us plain Glengarry folk. However, as a goodly majority of the supporters of this event hail from south of the Prescott-Russell line, fire up that grill at least a half hour earlier. And order in few more boxes of steaks and sacks of spuds.
DNR… a cautionary tale
A reader of last week’s piece on EOL or End of Life planning offered some real world feedback that I thought I should share. For those who missed it, I mentioned that Living Wills with their DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) clauses might not be worth the paper they’re printed on. It would appear that the only DNR document with any real legal standing is the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Tem Care’s official “Do Not Resuscitate Confirmation Form.”
However, according to the reader I spoke with, even having an official DNR notice on file isn’t always enough. In his case, his mother suffered yet another stroke and the nurse on duty failed to consult the chart, overlooked the DNR order and called in a Code Blue. After heroic measures that neither the patient nor the family wanted, his mother was left a mere husk of her former self, with no quality of life.
The lesson here is that, like with all other aspects of health care, we must advocate for our loved ones and ourselves. It’s obviously not enough to ensure that the health care provider has the MOHLTC’s form. More visible clues are needed. One possibility is a Medic Alert bracelet for the patient with the letters “DNR” engraved on it, along with the certificate’s registration number. I’d also suggest having a couple of big tags printed up on brightly coloured cardboard that could be tied to the head and foot of your loved one’s bed.
Sesquicentennial shenanigans
The Glengarry Pioneer Museum’s celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary is fast approaching. If you haven’t purchased your ticket for this elegant fundraiser in support of the little Dunvegan museum, I urge you to do so soon. To allow organizers to plan, the deadline for ticket acquisition is March 29th.
The actual gala will be held on Saturday, April 8th, at the Glengarry Sports Palace in Alexandria. This evening will begin with cocktails at 5:30 PM, set to the music of Kim and Eric Little and featuring our signature drink, “The Last Spiked Punch.” As you nibble on an appetizer or two, you are invited to peruse the silent auction table. There, you’ll find glass-blown art by Eliska and Dean Smiley, ironware by blacksmith Pat Taylor, a Scottish gift basket and much more.
At 7:00 PM, you’ll join your table for a sumptuous meal followed by a live auction of several exciting items including a $500 travel voucher courtesy of VIA Rail and lunch on Parliament Hill hosted by Francis Drouin, MP. This will be followed by the musical segment of the evening featuring Ashley MacLeod and Paddy Kelly with some traditional Celtic music. The Country Lads will finish off the evening’s entertainment as the winning door prize and 50/50 entries are drawn.
Tickets can be purchased at Scotiabank’s Maxville Branch or by calling the museum at 613-527-5230 or visiting their web site: www.GlengarryPioneerMuseum.ca. Tickets are $60/person or $450 for a table of eight.
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