Small World

I am kicking myself for not taking a photo of today's Small World Event, but I guess words will have to suffice.

My Mom and I went to the Art Centre in downtown Christchurch today for their weekend Art Fair and firstly, I got a parking spot on Worchester Street, which is like, right next to the Art Centre. For those who know the city, it's practically impossible to get a spot on this street. We conjured Mother Boniface, the Patroness of parking spaces and she came through for us YET AGAIN. Mother Boniface rocks!

Anyway, after paying the pay and display parking fee, I told my mother that I just KNEW I would run into someone I know at the fair. Just a feeling, ya know. Hours later, we had just finished our souvlaki and were getting ready to leave when who do I run into, but Lisa-Jane Harvey! I just posted about her in my last post about the lampwork gallery showing in Akaroa a couple of days ago. She is the bead artist that I took a weekend course from in Auckland a couple of years ago. She taught me how to do it. Such a small world! She lives in Auckland but is just tiki-touring around the South Island with some family. She was only to be in ChCh one day, today, and we ran into each other. We made quite a scene amongst the crowds; high-pitched squealing and jumping up and down. I am certain people were staring. But oh well, life is all about the cool things that happen and that is something to get excited about.

There you go. It's a Small World after all.


The Story of Mother Boniface (except from this link)

One morning, we left the Cenacle at Wynnefield Avenue, Philadelphia, to make our rounds with the banks. We lost everything in the fire at Holy Trinity, except the debt. Mother Boniface, a small town country school teacher, now had to go from bank to bank, looking for credit. Depositing here, only to cash at another bank; establishing credit because our limited lease and temporary shelter would soon be up. She got out and told me to go around the block; she wouldn't be long. I went around once and the second time she was waiting. When she got in the car, I said, "Mother, you can't go around a block in Philadelphia; you have to go around four blocks; they call it a Square; they are all one way streets. Patting my leg, she said laughing: "Francis Damien, when I get to Heaven, I am going to be the Patroness of Parking. We do already have a Patron for Drivers, but they have no idea what it is like down here, and you remember that. It was August, 1931, and in November, she was dead at forty-six. [end excerpt]

All you have to do is ask Mother Boniface for help with a parking space. And don't forget to thank her!