The other day I was having a conversation with a friend via text message. She and her wife were busy cleaning the preschool they opened this past year. One of her favourite things to do is play 20 questions to fill time, sure there are other games, but she loves learning about people so this version of 20 questions is a go to when killing time. So while they were cleaning they played the game.
Our conversation through texting, however, was directed at what I should write my column about for the week, she then asked me one of the questions they used in their game, “What are your three favourite things besides friends or family?” And although she told me to write about my third choice, I didn’t quite follow her suggestion for this column.
When asked what my three favourite things are besides family or friends, my first two came quickly and the third one I sat thinking about for awhile.
In the end I answered volleyball (coaching, playing, and simply enjoying watching games) and adventures (whether traveling internationally or just exploring a lake on a kayak in the immediate area).
I’ve played volleyball since grade four, I came from such a tiny school that in order to form a team our grades four to seven had to play together, and we got to take on the two elementary schools in Shaunavon and later Cadillac joined in the league too. Cadillac too formed their team out of extra grades, while the Shaunavon teams had enough between their grade six and seven classes.
It’s therefore something that’s always been in my life and though I enjoy playing immensely still, and am fortunate to be on one of the Carlyle ladies teams, coaching I’ve discovered is a great experience. The kids have all been fantastic over the last few years and the bunch I’m helping coach right now are great kids with work ethic, honesty, and integrity.
My second answer to my favourite things was adventures. I love driving to new places, going to the corn maze in Lethbridge was always entertaining, exploring the lakes around here by kayak, snowmobiling, etc… There are so many different ways to travel and so much in the world to see.
The third one I pondered for a time before deciding on food. I love cooking, I’m not overly fond of the tiny kitchen in my apartment, but I do very much enjoy getting to create things in the kitchen.
I find that between work and volleyball, there’s very little time to cook and I find myself missing working in the kitchen at Lac Pelletier in the restaurant there, Clancy’s on the Beach. It was always so much fun in there and I learned a lot.
One of the things I picked up was how to make some pretty good soups from lasagne soup to sausage vegetable. I, however, could never master any of the cream soups. I could never get the spices right and made essentially a salt soup one time, ruining the whole pot.
It is these mistakes and trying different things though that can be fun in the kitchen. It’s relaxing to be in there and I love the different tastes of foods, so being able to create something that can be enjoyed is a lot of fun.
So, besides family and friends, what are your three favourite things?
