The Little Words Mean the Most

Maritas

From the Latin: "Conjugation."

Let it snow

We call her Stormy Sunday

Chicken little

My finger got a part in the Xmas pageant

My wounded digit, playing the role of the Virgin Finger.

Toronto AFP Congress - Dinner 1.b

Staid, yeah. A dinner for speakers, hosted at a Moroccan restaurant down the street from the convention center. The food: excellent. There were bellydancers. L-r: This big pointy thing outside our hotel window; J. Mark Hierlihy, CFRE, chair of the Toronto 2009 AFP Congress, alongside Judy Nichols, demographer extraordinaire, author of many books; the bellydancing begins, with fundraisers like June/UK taking part; monthly giving expert Harvey McKinnon breaks bread with Simone Joyaux; Laura Fredricks, author of The Ask, faces the flash alongside emergent star (and eyes closed) Nisia Hanson, specialist in getting boards to give; Simone again, with e-guru, Ted Hart; Laura Fredricks and moi.

Toronto AFP Congress - Dinner 2

L-r: the lamp above our table at Terroni on Queen St. in Toronto. Fabulous eatery. Guy Mallabone, one of Canada's top collegiate major gift fundraisers takes a call, beside Keep Your Donors co-author, Simone Joyaux; across the table, Tony Myers, internationally known man of major gift mystery laughs next to Sonia; fundraising strategist, Jon Duschinsky, formerly of Paris, now of Toronto, yucks it up with Kay Sprinkel Grace, author of lord who knows how many books, national television major gifts guru. Needless to say: mouth shut, ears open.

Twig ovens

Comes the snow. Then I can burn a year's worth of shorn brush. To prepare: build twig ovens. L-r: the mouth of a twig oven, where you shove the flaming clementines box stuffed with newspaper and fire-starter; the gauge makes sure the mouth opening is wide enough; I have my Valley Forge of twig ovens awaiting a change in season.

AFP Toronto Congress - Getting oriented

Our hotel: the Intercontinental. Cuisine (my favorite, anyway): the truck out front.

A visit to our Pearlie -- Toronto AFP fun #1

Pearl and Frank Veenema, friends from and for forever. They've stayed at the house in Valros (and had WAY too much fun). And they host us whenever possible on our frequent annual trips to speak at the Toronto Fundraisers' Congress, always in late November. We've celebrated American Thanksgiving at their Canadian home. Frank cooks: wow yummy. He is one of those people who is quite amazingly good at everything (including home renovation and neighbor-taking-care-of). On the left, a plate offering a fresh take on the Nativity tale, on display especially to tickle Simone (founder of a women's fund). On the right, Frank's seasonal butternut squash soup, served with beaujolais nouveau (it is that time of year).