PROVIDENCE BAY—Visiting my beloved Auntie Em in Providence Bay recently, I drove by the curling rink. Wow! Summer bright red paint! At the stop sign, I saw the overhead crane of Cranston Tree Services, two painters on the top of the building, and standing near me, two men, one whose beard was considerably brightened by the exact shade of red paint on the building.
My window’s down. “You wear red paint quite nicely!” I giggle, never shy. “Did you plan this?”
Standing with the young red bearded fellow is longtime resident Harold Dewar, cheerful and charming, who says, “Hello, Bonnie. Yup, we’re painting the town red! We cherish our curling rink. It’s important to keep it tip-top. We have an active junior curling program. You’re seeing two coats, so it won’t leak, take on water or rust—the same colour you see on my dear son-in-law’s beard. This is Rod Giroux from Mindemoya. He’s a hell of a painter, as you can see!”
“Pleased to meet you, Rod. May I take a picture?”
“You bet,” he smiles, grabbing Rod around his shoulder. “We’re all volunteers who care about Providence Bay. Our Coffee Club meets every morning. All are invited. While I’m retired, I am a certified coach and ice maker technician extraordinaire, if I do say so myself!”
And so we chatted, and I was thrilled to get this!
Ah, the fun of summer begins on Manitoulin!
