On Friday afternoon there was a celebration of life for Edith Bond held at the United Church. There were many friends and of course her wonderful family. Before the main service there was a family service at the grave sight, this was in the early afternoon with just family present.

Pastor Ed Peters conducted the service, giving an excellent address. Margaret Neave and Marie Hunter led the singing of Edith’s favourite songs; ‘How great thou art’ and ‘When Irish eyes are smiling.’ Grandson Nick Bond sang ‘Bridge over troubled waters.’ Alice Armstrong wrote such a moving poet dedicated to her mother and Ken Bond gave his mother’s eulogy. Edith was such a wonderful mother and also a great friend.

Her love of people and family has come down in this special family she has left behind. Although Edith leaves a big family behind there will always be a place proud to be a part of this very fine and loving family.

Nice visit

Last week Marie and Rick Hunter had Rick’s brother Ken and his wife Sharon from Kamloops drop in for a short visit. Ken and Sharon are very down to earth folks and I was also very fortunate to also visit them. Jo and I visited them many times some years ago when we visited Kamloops. It’s always nice to talk over old times with them. As they say time flies and it sure does.

When our daughter Marie was in training in Kamloops, this is also many years ago, we met many nice folks and Jo kept in contact but I am afraid I have slipped up.

Back in 1947 I had a taxi trip to Kamloops for Mr. and Mrs. Sugden. They wanted to get to Mr. Sugden’s brothers funeral. I had less than 12 hours to make it but I just made it. Gravel and washboard roads and dust and rock. I had a bit of sleep turned about and drove home. I sure wouldn’t tackle a drive like that anymore. It was pretty rough on a vehicle with those roads and twice as hard on the driver.

There was a little hang up on the way home going through Quesnel, I dropped a tie rod end left side. It was just about closing time so the G.M. garage took me in. They did not have a left hand tie rod end so he welded a right hand one to get me home with the promise I would change it when I got home as it was illegal to weld anything to do with the steering. The weld got me home and I never changed it I guess I forgot. Anyway the weld held and it was there when 100,000 miles came up and I sold it.

This was my first taxi and a Chev and the best car I think I ever had. It came from the G.M. garage in Smithers and we paid $700 for it.

It had a new motor and new tires. It was second hand but sure did us well. This was in 1947. It always passed the inspection test right up to the time I let her go.

The body was still good with no rust. They don’t make them like that today, but with all the miles I never put a scratch on it. We sold it to Mike and Mable Tetreau at Southbank, they drove it for some time and it did them well. They then sold the car to the Tommy Jack family, they took the body off and made a bennet buggy out of it.

They used to go by our place with a team of horses on it. I often said there was a car that really had a life. Cars had to be tough in those days as the rough gravel roads were a killer.

Through all my years in the taxi business was flat tires especially if you were catching the ferry or the train or any emergency, hospital or otherwise. I did have one bad blowout on a rear tire that almost gave me a bad scare as it pulled me into the ditch and almost turned me over, only one like that.

Old story

I have at hand an old magazine dated July 1954, quite awhile ago, almost 60 years. A number of ÑÇÖÞÌìÌà Lake stores are listed in it but have long gone. Here are the names for interest sake; The Lake Hotel, Star Motor Sale, Star Planer Mills, Beck Hardware, Larry’s Service, V and A Builders, D. Ralph Fleming, Accountant, Babine Lumber, Bill’s Shoe Repair, Funnel’s Variety Store, McConnell Machine Shop, last but not least Decker Lake Auto Camp.

I wonder how many of your oldtimers will remember these places now gone. I almost forgot ÑÇÖÞÌìÌà Lake Hardware is still here and going strong as Home Hardware. It’s still serving the Lakes District well.

This magazine is also very interesting with a story called Early Pioneers of Francois Lake written by Tommy Glen who at one time lived on the Brown Rd.

Then also there is a picture of the first car in Hazelton Oct. 5, 1911. Times have changed, we take them for granted now as our way of living. If anyone would like to see some of these old magazines stop in as some of them are priceless now.

Flower eating deer

I had a mystery that’s been bugging me for quite sometime and it’s this. On the veranda of our home I have two large buckets with lovely flowers. The last week or so I have noticed something is eating off all the flowers. This morning the mystery is solved. Two young deer (does) come up onto the veranda and are eating my flowers. They are just too tame but I guess they like a treat too. There is lots of nice green grass close by but my flowers taste better. They are so pretty who could hurt them.

I was just checking on the number of years Francois Lake has had a post office. Since 1910, 100 years right to the nose. Of those 100 years the Neave family have been postmasters for 70 of them. Hard to realize.

I will leave you with this blessing. May the trail rise up to meet you, may the wind be always at your back, may the sun shine warmly upon your face, may the snow fall softly on the hills around you, and till we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow of his hand. God will always love you and so do I.