March just about done and maybe spring has sprung, or at least some of the birds think so. The geese are flying in and busy looking for food. We have four robins around, also looking for something to eat. I would think it a bit tough to find any worms yet.
On Friday last, I was invited to a lovely lunch at the Cheslatta Carrier Nation. Their room is decorated with so many old time pictures, these are so well displayed.
You could spend hours going through them all. While at the dinner I had such a nice visit with two old-timers that I have known for almost a lifetime. Abel Peters and Hoyt Burt. We can all tell some great stories. Right from the teams and wagons to our modern vehicles of the present time.
Between Hoyt Burt and Abel Peters and myself we total 270 years. Not bad for three old boys.
Great performance
On Thursday March 17 was the first Annual Indigenous Festival of the Arts. By all reports this turned out just wonderful. Everyone that I have spoken to gave the whole program one hundred percent.
This has opened the door for so many and by all reports it will continue into the future. We have so much talent in our Lakes District.
Calving time
This time is always a busy time for the ranchers, their bread and butter so to speak, calving time. It鈥檚 always a busy time. With the close margin of profit you lose one calf, the profit of that cow is gone.
It takes lots of T.L.C. once the little calves hit the ground. We ran cattle in the Eyehill in Saskatchewan and I well remember as a kid going through the corral during the night with a smokey old barn lantern trying to figure out who was next. As they say, it takes a certain kind of guy to be a rancher.
On Tuesday evening last a number of us attended a meeting at the Southside conducted by Eve Issac on the subject: 鈥淒ealing with Grief鈥�.
There were seven there. Eve is such a caring person and she has also had her share of grief, so she understands. This helps me understand that there are others sharing the loss of someone very dear to them.
Everyone leaves the meeting with a special understanding she leaves with us.
John Keefe and I were traveling together and the vehicle we were driving quit on us right across from the Danskin Garage, a great place to break down. A very kind lady came along and helped us out and also took us up to the meeting. Thank you very much as we were in a real bind no fooling.
Question
Back about in the 50s and 60s Francois Lake had a very good country and western band called the 鈥楻amblers鈥�. They were very popular. The band members were Janet Shaffer, Gordie Funell, Clarence Corliss, Abe Peters and Roy Lord. I played guitar and sang with them at the start, but as I was in the taxi business, weekends were my busy times especially nights so as I was very unreliable to play with them, I dropped out.
What I am wondering is did anyone have any pictures of the 鈥淩amblers鈥�? I sure would appreciate it if anyone just might have one tucked away.
No OR
The front page of the local paper sure caught everyone鈥檚 attention and big time. A real bummer for want of a better word. Northern Health still say no to an operating room.
I just wonder if they even care about us, so once more we go back to having to take our emergency cases to either Vanderhoof or Prince George and have to travel on a busy highway. Hwy. 16 to most of us is a Trans Canada highway it鈥檚 a poor excuse for one. It鈥檚 worn out, narrow, and in no way can it handle the heavy traffic in the future.
So in an emergency, we will have to trust our loved ones to travel this busy highway rain or shine, snow or highway accidents that can close the highway for hours sometimes. This doesn鈥檛 sit good with me. I wonder if Northern Health has thought of this?
If we have an active OR in our hospital, we will get doctors, we did it before and we can do it again.
My remarks are my opinion and no reflection on either my family or this paper.
Nice visit
Dennis and Rose Jaycox from Cecil Lake have spent a week visiting family and fiends.
I just happened to bump into Dennis by the Royal Bank and what a surprise that was, Dennis and I used to sing together, now it鈥檚 a long time ago, but they are happy memories.
He also put the first shoes on my young saddle horse Copper, and also taught him to chase. These are all pleasant memories that have of Dennis. They all seem like yesterday but the years go by so fast.
Looking back
I have at hand a 1901 Eaton鈥檚 fall and winter catalogue. Its now over 100 years old. The prices in there would give you a shock.
For an example, a full rigged Mexican roping saddle was $17, a heavy duty regular double rigged roper was $35.
A heavy duty large cook stove for wood or coal was $45. Some where in my treasures I have a 32 Iver Johnson revolver (it鈥檚 legal) but it鈥檚 so well hidden I can鈥檛 locate it. Eaton鈥檚 catalogues sold them for $5.90. Any one could buy a revolver in those days.
Some of the women鈥檚 hats and dresses are out of this world the fashions are really something. A heavy pair of men鈥檚 boots were $1.25. I will pass this catalogue over to the museum sometime. It鈥檚 huge and just loaded. You could spend hours looking through this catalogue, I kid you not. This Eaton鈥檚 catalogue is a combined spring and summer and fall and winter.
Thought for the day
I don鈥檛 know why people change churches, what difference does it make which one you stay home from.
Take care and watch out for kids and deer. As the snow goes and the roads dry up, kids will be getting out bikes and folks will be walking. Always remember God loves you and so do I.
