It's an annual event we look forward to, and invariably plan to attend. Apart from advertisements appearing in the newspapers, we receive email notifications that it's pending. It's pure entertainment for us, to stroll about among the offerings at this yearly event. We've been attending these events for quite a long time, and as a result know a good many of the dealers. Either through having purchased objects from them, or simply through friendly conversations, sans purchase.

And, for those antique dealers who are located right in Ottawa, previous acquaintance through having meandered into their shops, from time to time, both to acquire and simply to look around at what happens currently to be on the market.

This year's event was not unlike all the others. A large representation of people selling jewellery, and bits and pieces that can hardly be called antique, but which have nostalgic value for many, and appeal for those who simply like to collect. Whatever one's inclination is, it's fairly certain to be satisfied, noodling along, looking at the offerings.

We made happy re-acquaintance with people coming from Montreal, Toronto, Exeter, London and all points in between, whom we've got to know over the years. Initially they would recognize us because we always have our two little dogs in shoulder bags, with us. That initial foray with one little dog dates back almost two decades.

In any event, spirited conversations always take place when we hail each other, catching up on what's been happening with one another, and it's a certainly gracious occasion, a personal footnote to a commercial transaction.

When our business and re-acquaintance was completed for the time in question, we were on the cusp of leaving when a stranger accosted us, to ask of my husband, carrying a water-colour he had bought, whether it was a Canadian, Quebec-based, prolific-output artist who painted in the first half of the 20th Century. As indeed it was one of his works. Which led the stranger to expound knowledgeably on the professional and personal life of the artist in question.

Revealing in the process that he had curated a retrospective of this artist at the National Gallery, which led to conversations of another, better-known Canadian artist who also painted in Quebec, much underrated as a Canadian artist whose life story and oeuvre this man also was well acquainted with, having produced a show commemorating this man's work as well, and an accompanying catalogue, a copy of which my husband just happens to have in his art library.

The conversation was prolonged and interesting. It fell by the wayside only when our interlocutor expressed bitterness related to this country's politics and current government, his conclusions not quite shared by us. Interesting, nonetheless.