Pied Piper of Breslau

by Wendy Donaldson

When I look back on it I can’t believe our little church choir made 4 CDs with Ed, and two more with our follow-up group, Hilariter. When Ed retired from CBC we thought, “Oh no, there goes our cd making!” But Ed said, “No..we can still do it. You will come to Elora for a day now and then and we will edit and have fun and you can stay for dinner!!” Okay…but what would Eva think of that arrangement?? We didn’t know her so well….

Well, I think the very next thing that happened was this: It was fall, and we wanted to do a short recording of a couple of things we needed to complete the cd to go along with our book of world song. Ed said he could book St. John’s Kilmarnock chapel to record…and then why didn’t we have a potluck supper at their place in Elora after? Like, the whole choir. Well, we all loved the idea (but what did Eva think?)

On the appointed Saturday we arrived at the school, casseroles in hand. Eva was there, with Ed, to meet us. The plan was that she would take all the food home and preserve it until supper time. (In fact, of course, she had the hot things heating and the cold things chilling when we arrived later).

Favourite memory of the day: Ed leading the cavalcade of cars through the fields, on all his favourite back roads, to arrive at #14. He was like the Pied Piper of Breslau County. We laughed and talked and ate and listened to stories..and someone was even sewing-which is Eva’s favourite memory, I think.

I could tell so many more stories…but this deep and abiding friendship we will miss the most. Thanks for all the love….Eva, too. ❤️

Wendy and Andrew Donaldson
Singers and Players of Beaches Presbyterian Church, Hilariter