Issue #914
Including:

From Lorne
From Carol & Sus
From Russ
The Ontarion

Hi All,

We use Apple FaceTime rather than Skype for ‘on screen’ communicating with various family members. It simply works better. Mind you, a Mac/Apple electronic device is needed as FaceTime is a Mac program. It makes long-distance visits with the granddaughters so easy that they take it for granted, as they take so many things for granted that the rest of us still struggle with. Usually, when the iPad mades the sound indicating a FaceTime call is trying to get our attention, its the kids calling. And, by simply looking at the screen we can tell who’s device is initiating the call. That info pops up on our screen letting us know. We then accept the call and up pops the person calling, in real time etc. Most of you know all of this and all about this. Its the way it is these day.

So, when our iPad started ringing the other evening, or boinging, or whatever that FaceTime sound is, we assumed it was one of the kids. To our surprise the ID said it was Carol. Hmmm, not sure if thats good or bad….because she usually calls over FaceTime when there is some sort of get-together in progress. However, when we accepted the call it was Nova Scotia Sus’s face that popped into view. Well, that was unexpected and different. Anyway, there in-sued a nice conversion with both her and Carol on one end and us on the other. These modern communication tools work so much better for that kind of thing than the old telephones ever did. The topic was of the visiting of family members that will have happened by the time this gets read, as most of you already know. We certainly wish we could be/have been there but hopefully next time.

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Ok, here we go again. To the delight of some and the consternation (interestingly, the autocorrect on my computer tried to change that word to constipation) of others, I’ve been playing around with another old tune. I don’t know whether this song came up through the folk music or the country music categories but I must have head it long ago because when I stumbled upon it a while back it sounded somewhat familiar. Its a rather morose song wherein the lyrics are being told from the point of view of a young man who had been executed about 10 years before he tells the story of the circumstances of his execution and why although innocent, he hadn’t defended himself in order to protect the honor of the woman he was with at the time of the crime. The song is called ‘Long Black Vail’ and can be listened to by following this link.

Long Black Vail

doug

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From Lorne

Always something to write about. This story started Wed about 11.30 am when the long awaited tree trimmers arrived to trim and remove dead or dying trees. I wanted to avoid branches crashing down during winter ice storms and doing damage or injury. These guys don't climb trees wearing metal spurs but use a huge army tank like that crawls across the lawn on large steel plates that are moved from back to front as the monster progresses at a crawl. Controlled by remote as the operator walks along watching where the tank like tracks are going. The name on it's flank says 'crawler78' and I will refer to it as '78'. When the required spot is reached, '78' extends 3 arms or outriggers, then raises up off it's tracks to give it a broader balance when the boom is lifted. At the end of the boom is a cage or basket that the operator rides in and from there does all the cutting. Some of these trees are 150 feet high and he removed all dead limbs and all limbs protruding over utility wires and buildings. All went well until '78' began on the West side of the house. That's the side the sun sets before 5pm these days. The operator enters the cage and up to the top of the first dying locust. He first cuts all the branches, then drops them in a clear spot so the crew can gather them to grind up in the chipper. Now we have the main trunk to work on down cutting and dropping until the bottom is reached. But the bottom is not reached. The operator from about 40 feet up made a bad choice and hit old '78' where it really hurt. Everything stopped leaving him stranded up there for about 1 3/4 hours. Now '78' has no bathroom and its getting colder as the sun is nearly setting. His crew is frantically trying to get the machine to run by removing part after part to no avail. Lots of shouts up and down. Finely they found a bar that can crank the cage and contents down but it moves so slowly like 1/2 inch at a time but finely the bucket is about 4 feet above one of the wood sheds. He was able to climb down to the roof then to the tarafirma.

Now poor old '78' is sitting here until the rain stops and a mechanic can be found to fix it. Will continue when more unravels whether in this issue or next. If I am asked why this monster is sitting in my side yard my only response can be 'well doesn't everyone have a 'crawler 78' somewhere ?

Time of reporting is 2PM Friday. No wood cutters. Old '78' still sitting pretty.

Lorne

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From Carol & Sus

It is amazing and wonderful that, even though we haven’t seen each other since Mom’s funeral, Sus and I can immediately start talking as if we just parted the day before. After reading last week’s Squamidian Sus thought it was time she came back to Ontario for a short visit to see all her uncles. Hugh picked her up from the airport Tuesday night and will take her back on Sunday. We have been together talking since Wednesday morning. Tomorrow we are picking up uncle Russel and there will be a gathering at the Homestead. I’m not happy that all 3 brothers are having some health issues but glad for the nudge this gave Sus to travel from Nova Scotia.

On a different note; my grandson turned 22 yesterday. Suddenly I am feeling old. 22 was the age Beth’s father was when she was born and Dad was only 21 when Gale was born. Nick might not think it is a good thing he doesn’t have a girlfriend but I’m relieved great-grandmotherhood is not in the immediate future. Of course Duncan is also 22 and Cam 27 so anything could happen. Mind you if I feel old now it will be even worse when Beth turns 50 next fall. (Sus is in shock just hearing now that Beth is 49) Back in the early 70s good jobs were easy to find, no one worried about the environment or the possibility that the good jobs would dry up or gun violence. Today is a scarier time for our youth, it is no wonder that marriage and parenthood is postponed.

Sus here… Carol just told me Beth is turning 50 next fall and I almost fell off my chair!! Beth you look so young, no where near 50!! Yes I decided to finally come to Kitchener feeling the need to see family and especially my 3 uncles who have been a big part of my life. And how lucky I am to have them. I have so many wonderful childhood memories coming out to Lorne and Vyvyan’s place. It was almost magical with the adventures we had in the woods behind their house. I remember Cool Off Creek and Raspberry hollow that I’m pretty sure Gale named them. She always had a way with words. Then later in our teens and young adults we gathered for corn roasts and tomato fries and just good company.

I still have the wood table we each built one from the huge tree that had to be cut down behind the house. Gary I think was in charge of that production. And Carol has always been my good friend. I think Doug and I were almost like twins growing up even though he is more than 3 months older. I still have the pictures that someone took of him dressed as grandpa and me as grandma sitting in a chair. It’s priceless.

We moved so many times being in Howard’s family that I always appreciated the fact you could always go to Grandma and Grampa B and the cousins across the road because they were always there. We were more like sisters and brothers than cousins. I remember Uncle Russell showing up in his police car and letting us sit in the back to find out there were no handles and we were trapped. I sure enjoy your stories every week in the Squamidian they are always so entertaining. And Wayne I have always looked up to you and tried to be successful like you in your business. And Lorne I have also enjoyed your weekly reports, getting to know you better. I did wonder why you left a sentence unfinished until you explained what you were up to. So I am the lucky one to have such a fun love-able family and you will be in my heart for ever.

Carol and Sus

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From Russ

About the get-together:

Usually I write about something that HAS happened, and usually something that happened long ago; but this time, I’m writing about something that has not yet happened. If that’s OK with you; because by the time you read this, it WILL have happened. Are you still with me?

Thanks to Carol Stephenson, there will be a get-together at The Old Homestead (Lorne’s place) this weekend. Nova Scotia Sue has flown in and would, Quote: like to see her three Uncles, together at the same time.

Sue and I spoke last night (Wed), and we had a fine chat, so am looking forward to visiting with her in person. Don’t get me wrong, I’m also very much looking forward to visiting with brothers Lorne and Wayne as well!

Carol has graciously offered to pick me up in Ripley and take me to Lorne’s, and Wayne and Sylvia are ‘putting me up Saturday night. How does this old man get back home you ask? My very kind Daughter-in-law will be doing that generous ‘round-trip’ deed. See, it pays to be a ‘nice old man’.

I can’t thank each of these kind people enough for making this unexpected, but most appreciated week-end happen.

Uncle Russ.

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THE ONTARION REPORT

Well, here we are at the end of another month and deeper into Winter if you can call it that. It’s the start of December tomorrow and we still don’t have any snow that’s sticking around. The American mid west is swamped with white stuff and it’s spoiled millions of American’s Thanks Giving! No driving, no flying and for the most part, no family gatherings to celebrate the occasion. Oh well, that’s just the way winter goes here in most of North America, not just here in Canada!

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I managed to disconnect the battery on the MGB the other day and the next day Adam helped me to put the convertible roof up for the winter. The MG is now officially in storage until Spring! We have all of our Christmas decorations up and looking mighty spiffy if I do say so myself. The one problem we’ve had so far is that the wind keeps blowing the real Christmas tree that we have on the front porch over, stand and all! I guess I’ll have to put a support from the porch railing to the tree to keep it upright during the windy times! Carole and I were out shopping all day and I completely forgot that I was supposed to meet a few friends at the theater complex on Ira Needles Dr tonight at 6:30pm to view “Ford VS Ferrari” the movie about the classic confrontation between Henry Ford and Enzo Ferrari back in the 50’s to see who would own the top spot in the international Race scene. It’s supposed to be quite a terrific and interesting movie so I guess I’ll have to go see it another time. Maybe Adam will go see this “Car Guy” movie with me before it’s out of theaters! If not, I’ll have to see it when it’s available on Net Flicks or some other streaming system on TV. Not a big deal but I’m sorry I missed my chance to watch it on the big screen tonight and with some old friends as well. Oh well, I’ll get to gather another time with the old friends. As far as the movie goes, maybe I’ll just have to buy a copy if the TV thing doesn’t work out! LOL!

In fact, seeing the old friends is exactly what I’ll be doing next Sunday when I attend a “celebration of life” for one of the old friends that passed away last weekend. They are holding a gathering for him next Sunday in the Linwood Community Centre to celebrate his life and passing. He died last week of ALS, a terrible disease that has affected other members of his family as well. Not just as it would affect one’s family emotionally but his uncle actually passed away from the same “Lou Gehrig’s Disease”. My friend was only 64 years of age and had a real zest for life. Too bad he couldn’t have lived well for another ten or twenty years like he had hoped to do. Oh well, when you’re time’s up it’s up! Wayne and his wife Lynn and their two children lived beside us when we lived in Linwood and were very good neighbours. They even allowed their 6-year-old daughter Olivia to be in the picture with me on the 1994 Waterloo Firefighter’s Calendar. At the time, she was the little girl that posed as the little girl I was saving from the house fire in the picture for the “Mr. January” issue of the fund raising Calendar. She’s a grown woman now and is a teacher I believe in a public school in Toronto. I’m sure she’ll really miss her dad after last week’s event! Although it’s a sad occasion it’ll be nice to see Olivia and her mum and brother again after all these years. It’s been over 20 years since we moved out of Linwood! Hard to believe it’s been that many years already.

Speaking of Winter, Doug mentioned to me that in all his years of plowing snow here in KW he found that when KW got an early blast of white stuff such as we had last month, that the rest of our winter in KW would often be very snowless! So far his prediction or observation seems to be coming true again this year. We haven’t had any snow since he wrote me to tell me of his observations over years gone by. I sure hope the trend continues and he’s correct about the amount of snow we’ll be getting this winter. LOL! Wouldn’t you know it, we have a veritable “Weather Man” right here amidst our Squamidian Group! Maybe Doug should sign up to be the CTV weather man here in Kitchener since he’s right more often than the weather girls they have on the air at the moment! Ha ha ha ha ……….!

I think I’ll call it quits for this week in the Ontarion.

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>
Some people are like a warming oven, always heating but never cooking!