All Saints Day

When we got to church today, there were five extra candles on the altar.

"What are those for?" Fiona asked. "Are we having five baptisms today?"

I pointed to the banner. "No, it's All Saints Day. That's the day that we honor the people who have died in the past year." I turned to the point in the bulletin where the prayers are written and showed her the paragraph. "See? Those five candles stand for these five people, whose names will be read during the service."

"How come Grandpa Bob's name isn't there?"

I gave her a hug, knowing how Fiona is still grieving for her grandfather. "He wasn't a member of our church, Fiona, but we still remember him on this day."

When the names were read at that point in the service, Fiona added under her breath, "And Grandpa Bob."

I hugged her again and leaned over to whisper, "Why don't we take that candle that Grandma Bev gave us at Grandpa Bob's funeral and light it when we get home?"

She brightened. "Yes, let's. And can we light it on November 23?"

I was touched at the realization that she remembered the exact date of his death. "Yes, of course."

For all of those of you remembering loved ones who died in the past year, we light our candle for you too, and offer you an All Saints Day blessing.

For all the saints, who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

Glare report 11/5/04 - 11/8/04: meeting with Bob Olsen, ice palace historian

I met with Bob Olsen at the Gingko Coffeehouse in St. Paul on Friday night.

I am incredibly lucky, because he lives locally, he is certainly a fountain of information, and he is very pleased to be a consultant for my book. He has been obsessed with ice palaces for forty years, he has helped build four of them, and he personally catalogued the Minnesota Historical Society's collection of materials on the St. Paul Winter Carnival ice palaces. We had a very pleasant hour and a half, talking about ice palaces, and my plans for the book. I felt sometimes a little incoherent trying to get my vision across at times, but he listened intently and seemed to get what I was trying to say immediately. Our minds seemed to click together really well.

The only disappointment, really, was that he confimed my hunch that I've unearthed just about all the published material available on the subject. But I think, since Bob has indicated his willingness to be available to answer questions, I can start writing with much more confidence. He told me little details that will be immensely helpful to make things seem realistic. The sound that the ice blocks make when they slide down the ramp and thump into another ice block, is like the sound between "d" and "t" in Russian; it's like the "t" sound in the word "cottage." That is the sort of detail you don't find in a book; you only get it from someone who knows everything about the subject.

I spent today writing up my notes from the interview. I didn't learn lots of new stuff, exactly, as much as confirm that I'm correct in how I've put together my understanding of what I've learned. All my reading made much of what he told me familiar.

Having him available to answer questions is really going to help, and will make me more confident.

Admit it, Peg. When you finish Icy Pleasures, you're gonna have to start writing again.