On Friday afternoon the residents of the Pines were invited to the Tweedsmuir House for a social afternoon.

They played games, visited and were served coffee. You could tell it was enjoyed by all. A big thanks to the bus drivers who were so very kind and patient.

Ice contest

Last week I wrote about the long gone days when we used to bet on the time and date when the lake would be clear of ice, that would be free from dock to dock, a dollar a guess.

Our dad and Joe Sudgen were the judges. When all was said and done there would be quite a pot.

This little story does back a long time when the smaller ferry was running and the lake had frozen over with good ice.

The lake was almost clear of ice but there was one big floating ice between the ferry docks and no wind so it just stayed there so the lake was classed as not free of ice.

This big float just stayed. A couple of guys decided they would get a small boat and move this ice float so the lake would be ice free. So about midnight out they went, got the big float moving and a nice breeze came up from the west so they were happy.

Maybe the pot would go to them. But their motor stopped and so they had to row in but the ice was moving out. Some body had let the cat out of the bag and so when they landed on shore there happened to be about six guys waiting for them and not too happy. They were close to getting the pot so they lost it. They were the joke of the landing for a while and some red faces.

We would watch the ice float going by and one thing we noticed was the number of dead moose on the ice. They no doubt were trying to cross the lake on the bad ice.

One year we counted a dozen dead moose bodies on the floating ice chunks. In the years I鈥檓 talking about 亚洲天堂 Lake used to put a car out on the ice and then bet on the time it would go through. This was quite a contest. Lots of bets on that one.

Gospel music

On Sunday last we had the pleasure of the Grassy Plains church drop in for an hour of good gospel music. We always enjoy them very much. Gospel music and singing comes right from the heart. So that鈥檚 why it鈥檚 so special.

100 years

Yesterday I received a very interesting letter and some cuttings from Lois Bishop.

In her letter Lois reminded me that this year is the 100 anniversary of the driving of the spike.

The railway made such a change in everyone鈥檚 life. I quote from her letter 鈥淚t鈥檚 very interesting to know that they had as warm of a winter as we did this year. Can not blame that on global warming as this was 1913.鈥�

This was over 100 years ago. These clippings came from the Bella Coola Courier. Very interesting. Thank you Lois Bishop and Jean Giesbrecht (Clark).

This is very much down my alley when it comes to the old days. It鈥檚 going to take me a few days to sort these stories out as to dates etc.

When we came to Francois Lake we thought we had left the skunks and the porcupines behind but no such luck they were here too.

Running cattle back on the prairie an average once a year we would have a range cow come in with quills in her face and having to get them out was a nightmare and big time.

Then a young mare with a colt strike a porcupine and get quills in her front legs, only once this happened. Then the skunks they would raid the chicken house that was another job getting the skunks.

We always had a dog come in loaded with quills. When we came to B.C. the skunks and the porcupines followed us here. It鈥檚 a long time since I have seen either. Seems to have moved on.

Hen house

It鈥檚 years ago now but a good memory serves me well. My wife Jo always kept laying hens and sold eggs through the store, she had a good business. One morning Jo said to me with the news her egg count was going down so I went tracking and found a skunk living under the chicken house.

So it had to go. So I got the 30-30 and crawled as close as I dare as all I could see was its back so I drew a bead and shot. I knew I had hit it by the stink that came out.

So I had a coffee then went under the chicken house to fish out the skunk.

I put the skunk in a bag and went to the house. Jo met me and said you stay in the back yard you smell terrible. So she got a wash tub and made me strip off and I got into the tub and soaked for a while. We had some cousins from England out and they got quite a kick out of it all.

Little joke

This little joke is from reader鈥檚 Digest.

Lying on his deathbed, a loving husband was wavering between life and death when he thought he smelled chocolate chip cookies baking. They were his very favourite, so he dragged himself out of bed, crawled to the kitchen and was just reaching up to take a cookie off the plate when his wife slapped his hand with a spatula.

鈥淒on鈥檛 touch!鈥� she commanded. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e for the funeral.鈥�

Always remember God loves you and so do I.

P.S.

My type writer machine has broken down, they are sending repairs. It鈥檚 an old machine.