October 11, 2015 – Canadian Thanksgiving

What a wonderful day!  I got to sleep in as long as I wanted and had a totally lazy morning. It was fabulous… I had a good breakfast and lunch and was ready to go and eat a great meal at the Allin’s for Thanksgiving.  It was windy but you could feel warm in the sun and it was very pleasant.  Mike and Cheryl picked me up at 2:30 and we were off to Loughborough Lake.

We first stopped at Ferg and Carols to see the latest work on the farm house.  They have fixed up the bathroom from it’s 1950’s style to quite a lovely white and blue stripes.  Interesting when I was there this summer and went it to use the Loo – I was thinking about being there as a teenager and seeing that it was all the same and wondering if sometime it would change. Well, it has and to the better.  So another generation of young kids will spend their summers there swimming, playing in the fields and with their cousins just like we did.

Then Cheryl and I went down to the Allin’s and were greeted by kids on motorized machinery going up and down the road. Not being use to that stuff I was like – looks like great fun, not my kids so stop worrying about whether it is safe or not.  They were being well watched by their parents so just grin and enjoy it.  They were all so happy and having a grand time.

Did much visiting and sitting out on the deck. it was lovely to say the least.  They had a little hand operated machine that cut potatoes into wonderful sized french fries which were cooked in the deep fryer outside.  I knew I should control myself but they were really good. But after a cup of coffee and some more chatting it was time for an incredible dinner.  The turkey took about 90 minutes to cook in that deep fryer outside and it was moist and wonderful.  All the various veggies were good too. Carol and Ferg had backed a whole bunch of pies and I could hardly eat them I was so stuffed but of course ate as much as I could.

Then it was time for fireworks out on the deck. They had a great bunch this year and they were fun. The kids seemed to really enjoy it. And then it was time to go home.  Every time I spend a Thanksgiving Day my gratitude is for the extended family I am so lucky to be a part of. I missed not having Denis there and will try and have him come up next year with me. It is just a loving, caring wonderful day.  Being there with people I grew up with and felt safe with and seeing their children and grandchildren just makes me know how fortunate I am.  I hope everyone celebrating Thanksgiving this weekend had good family time or time with loved ones.

September 1899

Sept 1 – Threshers arrive.
Sept 2 – finished threshing at noon. 50 bus wheat, 36 oats, 10 barley and 25 of peas.
Sept 3 – Fergus and I go to Mass
Sept 4 – Helped Jim Townsend thresh.
Sept 5 – Helped Dave Townsend Thresh.
Sept 6 – Mrs Haver’s (Edith Lee) baby died today.
Sept 7 – went to wake. Baby like a pretty doll waiting for father to come.
Sept 8 – Went to Gan for Lees this morn and again to Jim Wings for Lee. Funeral today. Carried wee casket across road to small lot and grave. Madeline getting in on many funerals for one of her age.
Sept 9 – Fergus went to Athens.
Sept 10 – John Haver, Edith and Mrs Lee here. Annie McDonald came to stay for visit.
Sept 11 – Let Lee have horse to drive Havers to Gan.
Sept 12 – Annie and Ellen here for tea.
Sept 13 – Rainy then graded around pump.
Sept 14 – Fergus _____?????. Ellen and Annie to Slacks.
Sept 15 – Emily, Ellen and Annie at Chapmans.
Sept 16 – Cut corn. John McDonald here.
Sept 17 – Emily, Madeline and I go to Donnellys
Sept 18 – Bell (mare) ran away with Jonathan Taylor. Ferg gets her at Kelsey’s alright and he goes to Lyndhurst milk money $16.00. I insure Mrs. Burn’s house and barn.
Sept 19 – Best rain yet. Take Fergus to school stopped at John Slacks.
Sept 20 – Wet day. Cleaned grass seed.
Sept 21 – went after Fergus. Too wet for wheeling.
Sept 22 – helped LaRose thresh but come home for my meals.
Sept 23 – Emily, Madeline and I go to Gan and I buy keg of nails. Nellie Richardson comes home with us. Great talker. (Margaret Richardson’s daughter. Michael O’Connor’s stepdaughter.)
Sept 24 – Very rainy
Sept 25 – Fergus drove to school.
Sept 26 – Wet day again.
Sept 27 – Hunt for sheep all day as Singleton got after them.
Sept 28 – Helped H Burns thresh.
Sept 30 – Very hot. Take Nellie Richardson to Gan.

October 1899

Oct 1 – Asher Lee here for tea. He and Fergus have pictures taken by George. Later in eve W Moorhead and I go to John McArdles.
Oct 2 – dug potatoes
Oct 3 – Went to Lyndhurst fair and on to Delta to Etta Flood and Jim Venney wedding. Good time and real fun. John McDonald chucked.
Oct 4 – Got home at 6 in morn. Rested all day and reminisced. Ellen mad at John.
Oct 5 – Fine day. Kate Bass here all day.
Oct 6 – Dug potatoes. Madeline tries to pick up but she soon tires.
Oct 7 – Fergus went to South Lake to Featherstones.
Oct 8 – W. Moorehead here all day. Ellen goes to Delta with Lena and Frank who have dinner with us.
Oct 9 – Wet morn. Took Fergus to school.
Oct 10 – Went to see Tom Bryan who is sick then husked corn.
Oct 11 – Went to Gan. Roads bad.
Oct 12 – dug potatoes.
Oct 13 – Mike Slack helps today
Oct 14 – took grain to Lyndhurst to get it ground. Let Mike Slack have 115 lbs of provinder for helping me.
Oct 15 – Went to Mass.
Oct 16 – Went to church again today. Jubilee Mass. Home at noon.
Oct 17 – Lee and Mike Slack work at house.
Oct 18 – wet so take Fergus. Lee and Mike working here at Kitchen. Got clapboards 77 pieces.
Oct 19 – Thanksgiving Day – Mary Ann and Florence McArdle come to visit.
Oct 20 – Help Mike at building.
Oct 21 – Fergus goes to Sand Bay for lime and draw 2 loads of sand.
Oct 22 – Fergus Madeline and I gather walnuts. Allen Donnelly comes for tea and eve.
Oct 23 – Mike works at kitchen and I at cellar wall. Kate Bas here.
Oct 24 – Drew load of stone from Greens
Oct 25 – Go to Lyndhurst. Milk pay $18.00
Oct 26 – Started to plough. John Gavin here with 2 nuns from House of Providence. Give 2 bags of potatoes. Mike starts clap boarding.
Oct 27 – Rainy. Went for Fergus.
Oct 28 – More rain. Fergus goes to Lyndhurst.
Oct 29 – went to Ellens for day. Allan McDonald and mother there.
Oct 30 – Took Fergus to Woodvale. Bought watch from Horace Warren. Letter from sister Mary Desmond wanting Fergus to come for Christmas.
Oct 31 – Fine day. Ploughed.