Cast the Net Far and Wide

THE CASE OF THE VERY TALL HYACINTH I was teaching in Britt, Ontario and living in a cottage on a campground.  I had had one date with my future husband Rien in January, to celebrate both of our birthdays.  He, a recent widower, had taken a trip to Holland to visit relatives, and had now come up to visit his old friend Harold, my landlord, to help him around the campground and to pursue me - even bringing me a sweet little blue necklace from Holland.  I was avoiding him, not sure about this relationship, and had gone down to Parry Sound, a three-quarters-of- an-hour drive which I had to take to get groceries.  I was on a mission to get a hyacinth, my favourite spring flower, hoping its beauty and fragrance would hurry spring along – at least at  my cottage.  I was not dressed for a date, since I was expecting to be alone.  Well, guess who was in the grocery store, not slicked up either?  Yes, Rien!  On hearing my quest, he, a professional market gardener, determined kindly to help me.

  THE HAM (Memories of a new bride: having my parents-in-law over for dinner) We were living in Wainfleet, Ontario. I invited my mother- and father-in-law over for dinner.   Isn’t that what you do?   They were living in        .   At first, Opa said, ”No!”   But Oma said, “Why not?” And that was that! Meanwhile, more than nervous about the dinner, I was planning to serve ham: my father’s special recipe.   Dad was a gourmet cook, and had invented as wonderful recipe for ham, involving basting it with white wine and apple juice. Rien’s sister Jenny , serving as the go-between, informed me that her parents would be arriving at around 4:30 the day of the dinner. I think my nervousness came more from my own family background, as the Van Mils were much more casual about everything. On the day of the dinner, I had a scrumptious dessert made (this being what I am best at).   I was on the telephone throughout the cooking of the huge half ham in the oven.   Dad sensed that this was