Sofie and Ann

Is this 630 Henderson?
Uh, hello? Pardon?
Is this 630 Henderson? No, this is 6I'm looking for 630 Henderson and that house over there is 640 and nobody's home over there is this 630?
No! But would you like to come in? You look absolutely chilled.
Oh yes. Thank you. So this isn't 630 Henderson?

So began a most interesting visit with a couple of delightful elderly ladies. Anne and Sofie are 2 Ukranian spinster sisters who were out yesterday looking for a non-existent house and ended up at my place. They had been walking around the neighbourhood, knocking on doors looking for an address and in the process, were approaching hypothermia. I had to invite them in.

My own sister Michele (you can read her version of this story here) just happened to be over for a visit too so we sat back and watched with pleasure, a most interesting show. Ann, the younger sister at 78, was definitely the talker of the two.

I worked at CN for 35 years and then I decided to retire at 55. I figured I had worked long enough and it was time for me to relax!
And what kind of work were you in Sofie?
Well, I used to...Sofie's had trouble all her life. She's only worked minimum wage paying jobs. We just got the roof fixed on our house. Sofie, do you have the pictures of the house? I think they're in my purse Ann. I'll see if I canLet me look. You can never find anything in that purse.

And so went the afternoon. We learned that Ann and Sofie were the youngest of 7 and that everyone was dead now, several as a result of tragic circumstances, although they had a lot of nieces and nephews that they visited regularly, and they have a nephew who owns a hotdog stand in Grand Marais who always gives them hotdogs for free because every Christmas they buy him slippers even though he can afford to buy his own slippers. They have lived in their house for 27 years, mow their own lawn and shovel their own driveway. They recently had the roof replaced because it was leaking.

They are looking for an apartment for Sofie but she can't afford the one they liked. I asked why they were not looking for a place that they could share and Ann told me that they were getting on each other's nerves and had decided that they should each have their own place.

At one point the conversation turned to dogs and I learned that Ann and Sofie had a dog who died of cancer (what else) on Valentines Day, 2003. Sofie, you've got the pictures. I know you have. Here let me look. I can find things in your purse faster than you.

It took a while but Sofie did find the pictures of Candy, the cockapoo. The pictures were of Candy's funeral, complete with satin-lined casket (they found the perfect piece of satin at Mitchell's Fabrics); the freshly covered grave and head stone. They loved that puppy.

It wasn't long before the ladies were on their way. The tea had warmed their bodies and our conversation had warmed my heart.

One thing that Ann did concede was that Sofie was a good cook. I asked if she could make perogies and was assured that hers were excellent. Just write your name and phone number on a piece of paper and we'll have you and Michele over for perogies. Oh I'm not that great a cook but I'd like to have you over.

I should have taken a picture. I'm so glad Michele happened to be visiting because an experience like this has to be shared. I think if I was alone I might have woken up the next day and wondered if I'd dreamt the whole thing.

I hope Ann doesn't lose the little piece of paper with my name and address. I'd love to visit with them again.