The Gift

Some time back - in late November or early December - the university I used to teach at held its annual retirement dinner to honor all those who had retired in the past year. I was unable to attend but one of my former colleagues made a point of picking up my retirement gifts and getting them to me. In addition to the proverbial gold watch from Birks for serving 20 years, and a lovely Mats Jonasson crystal sculpture, there was the university's traditional gift to its parting members - a caricature of the retiree with his/her non-academic hobbies, created by Fraser Valley artist Dennis Smith. While all the gifts are lovely, the caricature is the one I cherish most - it makes me smile every time I look at it:



It shall form the centre of an arrangement of framed photos of my critters, past and present, on my bedroom or office wall.

And, just in case you think I've fallen off the edge of the planet or drowned in our lovely bay - I likely won't be posting again until at least Sunday as I'm off to the mainland once more to visit mom, Emma, the piggies, and some friends. My critters, of course, will be in the very capable hands of their Auntie Else.