Independence Day Dinner

Frederique de Gasquet, it turns out, was working at the CBC in 1979 as a television assistant, when I was here last time around. We didn't meet then but tonight we were both at the home of my Yk friends Aggie and Terry, who invited me to have dinner with a few people. Frederique lives in Aix en Provence, along with four sisters, all of whom have acreages on family property. I've been invited to visit should Brian and I realize our plan to go to France next year.



When Frederique was at the Orly airport, departing for Canada, she saw a guy in a beaded jacket and started to talk to him, figuring he was from the north. Turns out he's from Fort Providence, NWT, and offered up his car--and six year old--to deliver to Yellowknife. That's just how casual and trusting life is here north of 60.



Dinner included tasty barbequed bison steaks, and crisp for dessert, made with rhubarb from Aggie's garden.

Terry's brother Stephen has been in Yellowknife for four years and Diane Boudreau for seven years. Diane is also French speaking, and she's a biologist-turned-installation artist. She's done some large murals on buildings in town, and last summer floated a large cork insect on the lake beside the Visitor's Centre. Everyone has been collecting wine corks for her and she's now working on a large floating dragonfly, with the help of a fellow who is mentally challenged. Diane keeps such people employed by collecting and selling bottles. She has a dream of putting on some kind of raven and fox installation that involves eating cheese, in front of the Post Office. Ah, yes, this is the place of infinitite opportunities.