BADEK NEWS 57

One. Ralph Klein served as the 12th premier of Alberta from 1992 to 2006 died on Friday in a palliative-care centre in his sleep, surrounded by loved ones. He was born on November 1, 1942 and died at age of 70. “His forte was sing-along songs”, said Chuck Davis, the owner of San Francisco Watering hole “The Gold Dust Saloon”, “he loved that stuff”.

This is for you, Ralph:  Gordon Lightfoot, ALBERTA BOUND (live)

Ralph Klein was born on All Saints day and passed away on Good Friday, and he went to his grave believing the most important day on the Christian calendar was Parade Day to open the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede.

Preferring a lighthearted public memorial service to a formal state funeral, loved ones plan to celebrate the life of a former Alberta premier Ralph Klein this oncoming Friday in Jack Singer Concert Hall in Calgary. Former Saskatchewan premier Roy Romanov, one of Mr. Klein’s closest friends, will be among the speakers at the service. In Ottawa, Prime Minister  Steven Harper will attend the ceremony on Sunday.

The Globe and Mail, Monday, April 1, 2013.

Two. Vancouver theatre veteran Jane Heyman,69, and her daughter Jessie Johnston, 31, once talked about the production of Anton Chekhov’ play “Three Sisters”. The daughter was launching a campaign on crowdfunding site Indiegogo. With the goal of $7,000, the project ultimately raise $10,000 online, plus about $4,000 more from individuals (and  a $1,500 corporate sponsorship). In all, more than 200 people kicked in – ranging from big names in theatre to individuals from as far away as Britain and Australia. The crowdfunding meant that the show could go on – and the actors and other creators wouldn’t have to put up their own money to do it.Playwright Amiel Gladstone wrote a new adaptation of the Chekhov masterpiece while visiting Thailand.

“Three Sisters” is at the Vancity Culture Lab at the Culch in Vancouver, March 30 to April 20. Welcome to Calgary, friends!

‘The Globe and Mail”, Monday, April 1, 2013.

Three. Canada’s decision to be the first country in the world to withdraw from the United Nations convention to combat drought is being justified as a cost-savings measure involving an organization that Forein Affairs Minister John Baird calls a bureaucratic “talkfest” and International Co-operation Minister Julian Fantino says has shown “few results, if any, for the environment”. Let’s hope it is not an irreversible move.

“The Globe and Mail@, Monday, April 1, 2013.

Four. Carol Friesen will be speaking about self-healing from April 5 to 7, at Big Four Building, Stampede Park.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

“The more we understand what the body is telling us through its formation, the more we can correct the negatives and stand up and be proud of who we are”, Friesen explains.

“Calgary Herald”, Thursday, March 28, 2013.

Five. Happy Easter to all Catholics, and other people who celebrate this spring feast. The most festive and seasonal food item we can think of is the hot cross bun. For the month or so leading up to Good Friday, bakeries begin to produce the small, sweet pillows of dough, glazed and decorated with a frosting cross. The tradition of baking spiced, fruited buns at home has waned but it seems the Easter long weekend is prime time for home made cinnamon buns, as families gather for brunch. This is the recipe: dough- 1 cup of milk, 1/4 cup of sugar or splenda, 2 tsp of active dry yeast, 3-3/2 cups of any flour, no salt, 1 egg, 1/4 cup of butter; filling: currants, cinnamon; stickiness: maple syrup,butter. Enjoy, please.