The Squamidian Report – Jan. 12 / 19
Issue #868
Including:
From Russ
From Lorne
The Ontarion
Hi All,
Darn near blew it earlier this week, by not blowing it. We were having
quite a snowstorm. It had spring up out of no where and suddenly we
were under a winter storm warning with a forecast of 8 or more inches
of snow expected to come down during the day and keep on right through
the night with perhaps another 2 inches or more if the storm track hit
just right. Several times during the day I had gone out and simply hand
shoveled two tracks down the driveway for ‘The Wife’s’ car so she could
make it back up the driveway when she got home from getting groceries.
(She seems to like going out shopping in snowstorms for some reason
thats beyond me). As evening drew late, I kept an eye on the weather,
mostly watching the type of snowflake and how they were falling. Our
snow out here has a bad habit of turning to rain and the usual strategy
is to clear said snow just as it starts to turn. That gives the best
results. Leave it too long and it can become a very big wet impossible
mess to deal with. However, by the end of the evening the snow had
indeed started to fall straight down, but it was still dry and I really
didn’t clue into the fact that the forecast was probably wrong, again.
Instead of going out and firing up the blower and clearing the drive I
headed off to bed. The sound of pouring rain on the roof woke me about
3am. “Crap” Well, I didn’t actually say crap, I said something else but
this is a family letter.
Needless to say, I slept fitfully, off and on for the rest of the
night, being wakened every time the rain ramped up to a higher and
louder volume. I was almost afraid to look out in the morning,
expecting to see half a foot of heavy, wet slush. Where the city
snowplow had gone down the street, little rivers of water were running.
The drive still looked white, perhaps 5 or 6 inches deep now but still
white. Thats a good sign. Our snow can get so wet it will look almost
blue and that gets very hard to deal with. It will splash when being
stepped in. And it was still pouring rain.
After breakfast we pulled on our rain gear and I pulled out the blower.
It started on the first pull as usual and with fingers crossed I
started into the snow. It blew, just fine. It was the consistency of
mashed potatoes but it was blowing good enough to be blown across the
drive and onto that strip of grass over there. That was a relief. Down
at the bottom by the street it was wetter and the old blower had to
chug a bit but she managed to clear even that slush along the curb. I
guess having the auger and shafts and bearings replaced last spring was
a good thing because last spring she could not have moved that half
foot of wet snow. Now if only the rain would stop, at least for a short
time. We’d all like that a lot.
doug
****
From Russ
I'M Free
First, let me thank all you Squamidians for your words of condolence in the sudden death of my great grandson, Glenn.
The community showed its support by turning up in droves to attend the
funeral. We expected maybe 40 people, when much to our pleasant
surprise twice that many were in attendance. The Service, which was
very personal, was conducted by Rev. Robert Hiscox, Rector of St’
Luke’s Anglican Church, Point Clark.(my family church). ‘Rob’ invited
everyone to attend the Committal Service which was to be held at the
cemetery beside the church. And everyone showed up!
The family had sked me to say something ‘fitting’ at the interment. The
following poem, which was read by my son Greg at the committal service
of his mother, my wife Barbara, in 2010, was read by yours truly:
Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free
I’m following the path God laid you see.
I took his hand when I heard him call
I turned my back and left it all.
I could not stay another day
To laugh, to love, to work, to play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way
I found that peace at the close of day.
If my parting has left a void
Then fill it with remembered joy.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss
Oh yes, these things I too will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow
I wish you sunshine of tomorrow.
My life’s been full, I savored much
Good friends, good times, a loved one’s touch.
Perhaps my time seemed all too brief
Don’t lengthen it now with undue grief
Lift up your hearts and peace to thee
God wanted me now; He set me free.
Uncle Russ.
****
From Lorne
My condolences to Russel, great grandfather, Greg Pitman,
grandfather, Coleen, mother to Glen. Do I have it right? Some of
the staff of the drug store at Stanley Park Mall attended the funeral
in Ripley.
I mentioned my visit to the mushroom farm and that the lady gave Gary
and I each a large box of her goodies. I have been eating them in
soups, omelets, raw, stir fry with a lot other stuff and there appears
to be more in the box than when I started. I think the spores are
having the time of their lives.
Middle of January and I have not used the tractor to blow snow. Another
2 months or so and the blower comes off and the mower mounted. Life is
good.
Lorne
****
THE ONTARION REPORT
Gee, it seems kind of funny to be writing 2019 these weeks!
Guess it’s like that at the start of every New Year!
Like always I’ll just have to get used to it. Each New Year I tend to
think back on some of the New Year’s Eves I’ve celebrated in the past.
One that comes to mind from when I had just turned 15 and spent the
evening with a few friends of mine of the same age. The host was a guy
by the name of Bob Baier. He lived on Sunset Place off of Union St near
the entrance to Breithaupt Park. We had decided to celebrate the
occasion by raiding his father’s bar while his parents were elseware
for the night’s festivities. Bob had invited about 8 other kids to his
place for the fun time and as you can imagine being all underage for
drinking we took advantage of the opportunity to imbibe as if we’d
never tried booze before. I’m almost ashamed to admit to doing this but
of course it was the 60’s and every kid I knew was sneaking alcohol
when the opportunity arose. We gathered at Bob’s place about 6pm and
spent the evening singing and carousing. I was a member of the Preston
Scout House Band back then and had brought my baritone bugle home for
the weekend. There was a street named Maplewood Place not too far from
Sunset Pl and they always had a display of Santa and his reindeer
strung out along the rooftops of 12 of the houses on that street. Since
it was only shortly after Christmas the display was still on the roofs
of those houses. Someone suggested that we take a walk up Maplewood and
sing Auld Lang Sine while parading up and down that street. I thought
that was a great idea since I had brought my bugle along for the
evening. So, off we went with the others singing at the top of their
lungs and me playing the tune on my bugle. We had many homeowners
popping their heads out onto their front porches to see just what was
going on as we paraded past.
Since I was only 15 years of age it was New Years 1964. Sheesh, it’s
hard to think of that far back! We had made it all the way to the top
of Maplewood and just about all the way back down to Union St when a
police cruiser came slinking around the corner onto Maplewood. Suddenly
his roof light came on and he motioned to us to stop in our tracks. We
never gave a thought to being half goofy until he stepped out of the
cruiser with a scowl on his face. I wish I could remember his name
since uncle Russ would likely still remember him from his policing
days. LOL! Anyway, he said with an ugly look on his face “Just what the
heck are you kids up to?” We all laughed and said in unison “Nothing
officer!” He stepped a little closer to the group and suddenly realized
that we had been drinking booze and for a moment I think he was lost
for words as all went silent! His next comment was “Have you kids been
drinking?” and of course we all replied “NO SIR!” Again he hesitated
and asked us where we were celebrating the occasion other than on the
street! Bob spoke up and said that we were only a few houses away from
his place, which was the original party spot. The officer kind of
chuckled at the looks on our faces and said with a grin, “Well since
you are not too far away why don’t you all let me follow you back to
this young man’s place?” Bob said “Yes Sir!” so we started walking
quickly toward Bob’s house with the cruiser and it’s flashing light
close behind.
Once we reached the house with the copper in tow we assembled in the
driveway and the cop got out of the cruiser and addressed us once more.
He told us to stay in the house and behave and not to venture out again
that night. He also lectured us on the evils of underage drinking and
then watched us parade into the house. His final words were “Now stay
inside and NO MORE DRINKING!” As he drove away we gathered at the front
window and laughed about our good fortune. We all agreed that there
were two good things that came of that evening. One, he didn’t tell our
parents about the incident and two, he didn’t confiscate Bob’s dad’s
booze! LOL! Nowadays we’d all be charged and so would our parents for
allowing us access to their bar contents! Such were the 60’s and thank
goodness for the liberal attitude of some of the Cops of those times!
I never did hear if Bob’s dad was angry about the loss of some of his
good booze but if he was we never heard about it. It’s been a long time
since I’ve gotten that carried away on a special occasion and I guess
that’s a good thing! Our New Year’s celebrations as adults have been
more civilized and controlled and of course for the most part done
legally! LOL! I’m not sure that this New Year’s celebration would have
included as much booze as in years gone by since the latest rage is
“pot parties” now that stinky weed is legal in Canada. Maybe it’ll take
a few years for weed to catch on as the hit of the special occasion
item but I’m sure it’ll eventually become more popular than it was in
the 60’s. If you ask me, I’d much rather enjoy the taste of a good
mixed drink than suck on a burning bundle of weed that smells like a
skunk’s rear end! It’s just too bad that my health prohibits me from
drinking these days so I’ll just have to do without on New Year’s Eves
in the future. It’s been 21 years since my last indulgence and I really
don’t miss alcoholic beverages all that much. I had choice to make back
in 1998 when I had my first heart problem and was advised not to
consume beer or booze anymore. I was told to enjoy one on a weekend but
figured I’d be better off just to discontinue that habit altogether. I
remember the days when I enjoyed a drink but I enjoy being alive
better! LOL! I think I made the right choice!
Don’t get me wrong, I never was a heavy drinker but when BBQing on a
weekend it was always nice to enjoy a cold beer. Nowadays it’s
falvoured water on ice and that’s just as enjoyable to me and much
cheaper too! LOL!
Hopefully I’ll be around for many more New Year’s Eves and have the chance to create more memories in doing so!
That’s about all for this week folks!
Thanks for tuning in and I’ll look forward to talking to you all again next time in The Ontarion Report!
Bye for now … Greg
PS: Something To Think About>
Man once subscribed to the theory of male superiority… Then woman cancelled his subscription!
****
Have a good one..
the doug
The Fine Print!
The articles in these issues are the sole property of the persons writing them and should be respected as such.
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