Finding a Voice

My mom and I spent the morning delivering singing telegrams as a Valentine's Day fundraiser for the seniors' lodge where my grandmother lives. Starting at 8:30, we drove around town -- and even out of town -- to deliver a different telegram every 15 minutes, sometimes not exactly sure where we were going. What a panic! There were five of us for the first round: Yvette, the lodge Activities Coordinator; Linda, a nurse at the lodge; Nora, a senior lady from the community; Mom; and me. That group popped in and out of Yvette's van until 1:30, and I got to see places in Spiritwood that I otherwise may never have seen: the Spiritwood Stockyards, the Beaulac Funeral Home, and Fast Genetics, as well as other offices, restaurants, and various homes. Some people wanted to hide, some people cried, and some just laughed. Additionally, I'm getting a real education in old standard tunes, which is very good for the repertoire. Favorites today included:

- Can't Help Falling in Love
- Love Me Tender
- Down in the Valley
- Let Me Call You Sweetheart
- Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?
- Let the Sun Shine In
- Side by Side ("We ain't got a barrel of money ...")

I left the crew for a home care meeting at 1:30, but I helped sing the last two telegrams at 7:15 and 7:30. Someone had backed out at the last minute, so my poor Mom agreed to stay on until the end! She was exhausted when Dad and I met her for the delicious Valentine's Day smorg at Marion's Burger Bar.