Congrats ...

Today on the Noon Show on CBC Radio One in Manitoba, Chipperfield Coffee Company was featured as a 'Must See' point on Stuart McLean and the Vinyl Cafe's tour stop in Minnedosa Manitoba, with proprietor and owner Ross M, sharing some of the delightful attributes of this corner of rural Manitoba.

I'd like to think I had a small part in helping make it happen with my invitation to Stuart on his last tour through Western Canada that saw him travelling from Saskatoon to Brandon (look on a map Hwy 16 goes right past Minnedosa!!). 'Stop in for a cup of coffee and a visit,' I urged him on behalf of the owners and staff of a once cherished place in my life ... and my call last week to CBC plugging Chipperfields as "a place for Stuart to visit." I wasn't alone in naming Chipperfields as the "must see" place ... but I started that campaign months and months and months ago ...

I honestly hope that Stuart takes time to stop in and meet the real life inspiration behind the character J--, who featured so prominently in my stories over a The Chipperfield Chronicles, and I hope Stuart gets a chance to see the many good things in Minnedosa, and meet some of the truly wonderful people who call that town home ...

I wish Ross and Bonnie well on this upcoming visit, and I hope it brings them and the good folks who stop by Chipperfields lots of good things ...

Chipperfields is still a place I miss deeply, and this wondrous coming together of one of my favourite radio programmes (complete with the books and cds) The Vinyl Cafe and one of my favourite places - Chipperfield Coffee Company, fills me with nothing but profound sadness that I simply can not be part of it ...

Such is the vagaries of life ... for now - Congrats Ross and Bonnie - I truly hope everything goes well!! You've earned it.