April 6, 2025v3

Yes, once more I had a busy Sunday, in more ways than one.  First, My alarm clock did not wake me at 6.30 am; having had an early night I woke up at 6.50am  and scrambled around eating a 1/2 breakfast whilst making a sandwich for lunch, snatching various items to put into a carry bag and waiting for the elevator, I finally drove out of the building @ 8:10am. Finally arriving at St.G's by 8:30.  

The Morning Service started @ 9am.  But... Because we now have the Rental "Orthodox" service @10.30 a few extra possabilities always arise. Today, I immediately saw that the Altar cloths had been folded up and half hanging to the floor. I needed another pair of hands to help but...I was alone, so just had to manage, quite well in the end.  Ashley arrived at the church hall with 5 dozen new eggs, I came home with 3 doz: 1 for me , the other 2doz are in my small fridge until 2 other couples return home sometime soon !  David Moat who took the Service this AM, always takes home 1 or 2doz.

Once I left the church Hall, I delivered my Income Tax papers to Our Accountant  who now lives on Gemmill St, Clayton having bought the property from Tony at the far end of our 25 acres. It was a dreary time for me this morning, I parked my car right in front of the now large tree, where we both decided that was not the best place to build our first Clayton house, there were already houses on the other side of the Street; so we built at the top end of the long shaped grounds amongst the trees, plus the 2nd house 6 years later, where Ashley and Stan live with their now 4 children.

Ashley's Parents bought our first house last Fall, which is a short distance through the trees.

Almonte has always been Home to me, that is why I decided to buy the Condo here, but .... Clayton will still be my favourite for the memories, children and grandchildren, also possibly next Spring a great grandchild (on North Vancouver Island). 

Oh dear, I have to retrieve my washed clothes and hang them on the special rack in my small sewing room (second bedroom!).

Good night.

Suzanne

April 6, 2025 v2

Yes, that is quite amazing, positively "humanoid"?  If you continue in the same vein you may end up with a swollen head!!

April 6, 2025

Hello Bill,  I just opened yesterday's Millstone, only to read the advertisement for a Tricycle,  which reminded me that you used one almost everyday.

Then the next above email was your "Retail". Eventually I had to laugh, I had not finished reading the Millstone so I then realised that the Trike Advert was yours ! It certainly was an easy way to sell at a good price, inspite of a sleepless night!  

Hopefully you will sleep better tonight.

Suzanne

April 5, 2025

Thank you for the picture of the Man on a Horse, in Victorian Attire!

When you were here, did you see the framed photo of Daddy riding "Starlight"? Maybe not, I found it a few weeks ago in an old box. It took place in Ceylon in 1913 when he and Starlight won a 12 hour race up and down  high mountains arriving at the finish line in perfect condition. Daddy received a large solid silver wine cooler, plus the usual bottle of Champagne, which he immediately poured into W Cooler and offered it to Starlight, who in

Daddy's own words (which he wrote on the back of the frame) "He drank the whole Bloody Lot".  This photo was taken the next day after they had won a "Flat" fast Race.

On the same kind of subject; What can I do with Daddy's "Hunting Pink Uniform" clothes, now in a suitcase, which he wore when his renowned artist brother in-law painted his picture, now hanging on my wall?

Unfortunately Uncle Edwin died a few days later, so his right hand fingers are not quite finished, also the painting could not be signed. Sir Edwin Ward had two paintings, King Edward V11 and King George V, hanging in Windsor Castle.Thankfully when W. Castle caught fire a few years ago, every painting, most furniture and carpets were saved.

All kinds of decisions, decisions to be made, and not too far ahead!  

Wintery weather has returned. This morning I purchased many food items at FreshCo in C.P. from many new countries . I saw several people put items back when they found it was from USA , it is already losing money!

Tomorrow, another early morning back to St. G's and then to deliver my Income Tax papers to the accountant. A lot of paperwork finally finished for another year.

Time for a cup of Tea!

Take care....Suzanne

April 4, 2025 v2

Thanks for the photo, something that I will keep. When I visit my old house I shall ask if I could have one tiny plant; it will multiply.

I am sure I was 4 years old when I began that effort, dear old Daddy planted the first ones and I grew up in the garden with him, when he wasn't riding one of his horses!!

April 4, 2025

I'm sure that once you finally regained the Appleton Sd road you knew that you were Home.

Yesterday afternoon I decided to take a long walk in the Spring sunshine, which I accomplished by walking to Country St. and returning on the longer way home.  To my surprise once in front of my old house @ 279, there was a glint of white under a front bush; naturally I moved closer avoiding puddles of water to find "Snow Drops" just about to open.

Those little flowers were the last thing that "Mummy" gave me before she had to move into the nearby Nursing Home.  In England, every February 7 (my birthday) I would pick a few Snow Drops to put in a tiny glass vase, which I still have, and then put it on Mummy's breakfast tray.

While walking home I know that in a few days I have to find one of the photo's of my old house as it looked when I first bought it in 1983;  It has changed hands 4 times since then each time being changed and enlarged. It was built in 1880, by a church Minister whose daytime "Job" was a carpenter. He built it in pine wooden "Balloon Framing" which is no longer allowed because of fire destruction.

 

Another long story, but a change from trying to finish my Income Tax etc!!

April 2, 2025 v2

You had a busy day after finally arriving home.

Thank you for the tip in the grocery store. I shall look out for the Black Triangles with a T inside, hopefully they are not on the few foods that I can purchase in the Independent store.

Life is changing so fast, how do we manage to keep up with it all?

At 10pm I shall watch the CBC news to hear what Trump has thrown at us, at 6pm his was his usual self talking vaguely about how every Country has been taking USA money away from their ownership, "Its just not Fair, so now we have to get it all back".

Is he a complete idiot not to understand how it will hurt both sides with his Tariffs, also he said "what a lovely word". He must be 6 years old!

Have a good sleep in your own bed!

Tomorrow I have to deal with Income tax papers, such is life! 

Suzanne

April 2, 2025

Thank you for the beautiful photo of the old "Queen Mary'. Just after WW2, I used to watch her leave The Solent, in Southampton, while staying with a school friend of mine during school holidays, they lived on a high hill overlooking The Solent.

She and the "New Queen Elizabeth "were troop ships back and forth to New York during the War. My Aunt Gladys (Daddy's sister) sailed in her on her Maiden Voyage; I also was given a cardboard model of showing every compartment on each floor all in the correct colours, the restaurants were large and showed each table. Unfortunately the weekend we moved into Almonte the sewers backed up into the basement where we lost many boxes of odds and ends.  That was on the corner of Farm ST. and Brae St., just behind the Bank of Montreal. A few days later the" Town discovered that our rented house had never been attached to the town's main sewers in the 1930's! 

Old Mr McGregor, who lived on the other side of Brae Stf, first response  when told the problem was "No wonder I always had such great Vegetables!"

That was August 1978!

April 1, 2025

Hopefully all will be as you expect. 

One "small"  difference, snow is forecast on Wednesday for Eastern Ontario.  Today is sunny and just below Freezing.

Take care, you are Almost Home.

Suzanne