St. Luke鈥檚

One thing I wish for and that鈥檚 will we be able to open up our little St. Luke鈥檚 church. It鈥檚 a part of history for the Lakes District. This will be the second year that there was not a Christmas eve service. So many looked forward to these services. Regardless of face, race, colour, or greed, we all worshiped together as brothers and sisters. There was always a special feeling when we left this little church on Christmas eve.

There seemed to be a warmness that other churches did not have. So many have passed through these doors in the last 87 years.

Many, many have gone, but their memory is still there. Although our family never joined this little church we always felt a part of it as we attended for almost 60 years.

Although our father was a member of the society of friends (Quaker) he looked after the welfare of the church repairs and did the books for 60 years. Let鈥檚 hope and pray we may get the little church going again. Weather?

This winter seems to keep us all guessing, just what each day is going to give us. Seems wind and rain which is usual for our winters. Talking to Hoyt Burt some time ago and he remembers two winters with no snow. He talks about folks doing their plowing in January but the bad news was a very dry summer with no hay crop. I remember myself two years the lake stayed open, that was a surprise. Imagine no ice. I think the way to get into trouble is forecast the weather.

Birds

Our three swans come back for a visit every day or so. They are the same ones that keep coming back. Two adults and a youngster. They hang around the bay here, feed a while and move on. I think they are one of the most beautiful birds there are. I just love to watch them. They are quite tame too.

Good news

The good news is Dianne Van Zanten is on the way to recovery and will be home soon if not already. Dianne has been a pretty sick girl for some time so we are all to glad she is coming home.

Lots of folks reporting a nasty flu bug going around. Even with the shots, folks are getting this nasty bug. Milly Durban has been quite sick, but she is on the mend. There are also some reports of folks getting hurt on the ice.

I just read one of the most dangerous places to get hurt is getting out of a vehicle. One thing your boots are warm and you are at an odd angle. One guy I know slipped right under his vehicle. He had a job getting out from under. No bones broken or hurt just his dignity.

Parties

A number of New Year鈥檚 parties here and there. Must be careful now as our laws are pretty tough on drinking and driving, may be a good thing too. Trout Creek had their usual New Year鈥檚 Eve party and dance. The hall was full of party goers. All reported a great time and lots of good dancing. Trout Creek is known for it鈥檚 good New Year鈥檚 Eve parties. They have been holding for many years it never fails in popularity year after year.

Taxi

In our Dec. 28 paper, headline quote 鈥淚llegal taxi being investigated.鈥� This has always been something that goes with the taxi business. I know because I was in the taxi business for many years. I had a very good licence. During my years we had the provincial police. There were only two officers in the district but the two I was familiar with were Wally Strouts and Bill Titcomb. They were tough and I mean tough, no fooling. Any person who was trying to scam on the taxi business just did it once and they never tried again or they got hurt.

Bill Titcomb was the tough one. He weighed in at maybe 250 or more, well over six foot. He packed a 38 where it was seen, a black jack which is a leather bag with a pound of lead shot and a strap on it for easy handling and he could handle it.

I heard he had brass knuckles in his pocket too. I never saw him smile. When he looked in your car window you had better have some answers or you just might wish you had. When you pay big license fees you want protection and you should get it. We sure did in those days.

Sad news

On Dec. 30 close family, friends and old time neighbours gathered at the Island Gospel Church to pay their respects to Anne McGibbon another one of our pioneers. Paster Ed Peters conducted the service. Anne is laid to rest in the Palling cemetery beside her parents

The McGibbon family ranched at Grassy Plains and were well known for being such kind and good neighbours. It鈥檚 very sad to see another one of our pioneer families leaving us. As I look back in my memory bank I well remember going to Archie and Anne鈥檚 wedding dance in the old Grassy Plains Hall 66 years ago.

Anne leaves her loving family and so many friends from the Southside as well as in 亚洲天堂.

The time has almost come to take out the Christmas trees.  It always adds something special to see all the lights along the roads. Jan. 6 is Holy Three Kings night, the 12 days of Christmas.

When our family were all home we used to have a little celebration on that night. That was also the night we worked as a family and took out our Christmas tree. These are some of the wonderful memories that I have of those family times.

My Saskatchewan friend also says they have no snow and it looks like a dry year coming up. The ice that seems to be every where is so dangerous and by all reports it鈥檚 not over either. Lakes District Maintenance had better keep those sand trucks going as it seems sand is the answer to the ice roads.

By all reports we can expect prices to jump on almost everything. This will hurt us all especially those on fixed incomes and I鈥檓 one of them too.

No matter what comes God loves you and so do I so keep smiling.