# 01. LOUIS AND CLARA (LESSARD) ALAIN

Source: Printed pages 17-80 | Source scans 24-87

Narration note: This script is prepared for an Onward-style family audiobook. Dense genealogy tables, indexes, source lists, and personal-record forms are intentionally kept out of the audio lane and remain available in the website and PDFs.

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LOUIS AND CLARA (LESSARD) ALAIN

For the most part their story is written down as it was given to me. However, some members of their families, Lessard and Alain, have also contributed.

Louis Alfred Alain was born on March 6, 1909, to Alma and Henri Alain in Ruddell, Saskatchewan. Ruddell is situated on the C.N.R. line about 22 miles southeast of North Battleford. In the February 1907 issue of the newly published local newspaper, The Ruddell News, Ruddell was described as part of the "vast prairie with fertile soil lying along the great North Saskatchewan River with here and there an occasional bluff." It was here that Louis' father brought his bride in 1907 and here on their farm that Louis began his days.

It was his father's practice to go to Delmas for supplies following the spring breakup. Henri would register Louis' birth at this time. Whether the spring was exceedingly late or whether other thoughts filled Henri's mind is not known but the registration never took place. Some sixty years later, Alma filled in a parent affidavit testifying to Louis' birth.

Older members of his mother's family recall that, as a youngster, Louis was one of a kind and had a mind of his own as demonstrated in the following incident. Edith Pichette, a cousin who had been hired as a housekeeper, took great pride in having well-washed floors. Now, having just done the floors one day, she had warned Louis, who was pestering to come inside, that he should wait a few minutes until the floor had dried completely. However, to test her he decided to take a chance and walked bravely into the room – only to be met by the one and only Edith who proceeded to take him over her knee. That day Louis met "the Board of Education" -- words that he used when disciplining his own children years later.

While Louis was still a toddler, Henri moved the family to Delmas where he purchased land. Louis attended the small two-room school and was taught by the Sisters. He enjoyed playing football and horseback riding. He remembers, "I learned to ride when I was seven years old. We had free range cattle and it was my job to round them up."

However, Louis' fondness for horses sometimes got him into trouble. His sister, Yvonne, relates:

"He would rather ride horses than attend catechism on Sunday afternoons. He and our cousin, Phillippe (we used to call them the two Apostles), would ride out on the prairies and look for stray horses. They were like two desperadoes galloping with the wind, not a care in the world until old Father Wattell got hold of our dear old, good-natured, Dad and that was the end of their little escapades."

Then there were times when Louis and his older brother, Smokey, got into trouble together. Smokey tells us:

"One fall Dad and a big crew of men were threshing about one-quarter mile from our house. Louis and I wanted to help pitch sheaves but the men wouldn't leave us in the rack. So I told Louis, 'Let's wait till noon and as soon as they are gone for dinner, we'll start the engine.' When Dad had turned around and was far enough away, we started the engine by pulling on the belt. Sure enough it started – putt, putt, putt – away it went! We were both so excited we were jumping up and down. Then we laid out our plan. Each of us would be in a wagon and we would take turns pitching in sheaves. This way we wouldn't plug the belt up."

"Now when Dad reached home, Mother questioned him as to where the boys were. Dad glanced through the window and answered surprised, 'Why they're threshing, those little beggars – they've started the engine!'"

"As soon as we had threshed each of our loads, we stopped the engine and ran proudly towards home where we told everyone what we'd done. Dad just turned to us and said, 'Yes, I know what you've been doing – you've been threshing!' It sure was a good thing everything went well!"

In time the boys grew to be more responsible and were a big help on the farm after school. When Louis was 14, his father taught him how to drive the binder. From this time on he stayed home in the fall to help with harvest.

About this time Louis attended Gravelbourg College for one year with his brother, Smokey. However, the little cowboy soon returned to the farm, his horses and riding. Louis often helped his uncles to break horses as they felt he had a special way with horses. He rode well and one year after the family moved - in either 1928 or '29 - Louis took all firsts in the racing events held at Hudson Bay's Sports Day.

But the day was coming when the horse would be replaced by the car and, on the farms, by the tractor. Henri already had both -- a car and a tractor.

On a fall day in 1921 just after Louis' youngest brother, Paul, was born, his father asked Smokey and Louis if they wished to accompany him to Battleford. And so the three of them set off. Louis tells us about the events that followed:

“After Dad's visit with Mother in the hospital, we left for home. Joe Duvald caught a ride home with us. On the way, the car broke down so the four of us began walking. Dad set quite a pace for he was a good walker. Smokey didn't have much trouble keeping up but it was different for me as I had a bad hip at the time. Joe trailed behind carrying a bottle and occasionally hollering ahead, 'Henri, stop! We'll have a drink!' But Dad was not to be sidetracked for he hoped we would meet up with the evening train known as the Battleford Jet. After walking about eight miles across country, Dad was able to phone Battleford to see if the train had gone by. You can imagine our disappointment when he told us it had left Battleford four hours ago. By this time it was 2:30 a.m. so Dad decided we'd spend the night with a family by the name of Prince. They lived about a half mile from the track. Later that morning we caught the train and returned to Battleford where Dad hired the taxi to take us back to Delmas, but not before making arrangements to have the car towed to a garage.”

Prior to the spring of 1928, Louis and his father went to the White Poplar Settlement where they built a house. The rest of the family moved in April. Henri and Smokey each applied for a homestead. Louis applied for his 160 acres in January 1929. It was the northwest quarter of Section 21 and was 2 miles north of the Siding which was now known as Veillardville.

The next few years were busy ones for Louis. He cleared land, worked at his father's sawmill, and built a road with Smokey north to their farms. Also during these years, Louis returned to Delmas to help with harvest. In the winter of 1932-33 he went to Flin Flon, Manitoba, where he hauled firewood. In 1934 Louis began working as a mechanic for the Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Company in Flin Flon.

Although Louis was kept busy during these years he still found time for the fairer sex. In Yvonne's words, “Louis met one of the local belles, namely Irene Walton. Of course, what attracted him to her was her beautiful horse, Sandy. They entered Sandy in a few races; needless to say, Sandy won.” But, in the long run, it was another of the local “belles” who won Louis' heart.

Clara Lessard, at sixteen, was blossoming into a striking young lady with her brown eyes and chestnut brown hair. Up until their brief but meaningful encounter one summer night, Louis had given Clara little notice. Perhaps it had something to do with the difference in their ages.

Clara's family had moved to Veillardville from Delmas the same year as Louis' family had come. Born in Meota on November 24, 1919, to Rachel and Joe Lessard, Clara Edith was their fourth child. Her earliest recollections are of the carefree times she spent running and playing on their farm in the Meota District which bordered Delmas on the north.

However, these pleasant memories are shadowed with the tragic loss of her father and oldest brother, George, when she was four and a half years old. She shares some of the events of that spring day in 1924:

“I remember Martin, Gene and I following Mother to the barn to milk the cows 'cause Dad was on the other farm. It was seeding time and George had gone with him. He had helped Dad by driving one team of horses while Dad drove the other. Also, from the other farm, George would be closer to school.”

“When we returned from the barn, there was a car pulling into the yard. It was the Doctor and he asked Mother, 'Where is Joe?' After she told the Doctor that Dad was on the other farm, he wheeled around and left, telling her only that there had been an accident.”

“So then Mother got Joe out of bed; he was just a baby. She got us dressed and we went over to Iversons where Mother phoned Dad's brother, Uncle Fred. She learned that both Dad and George had been badly burned when the wood stove exploded inside the granary where they spent the night. After Dad lit the fire he went out to feed the horses and when he returned, he found the fire had almost gone out. He took what he thought was a coal oil can from outside the door. When he poured some on the fire it exploded. The fall before, Dad had some Indians working for him; they had bought gas and put it in the coal oil can. Of course, Dad had no way of knowing. Although both he and George were badly burned, they managed to walk to Uncle Fred's.

“By the time that Mr. Iverson drove us over to Uncle Fred's, the Doctor had realized the severity of Dad and George's burns and had phoned for the ambulance. Everyone was very quiet and, while most of the adults were in the bedroom where George lay, I sneaked upstairs. I remember wondering why everyone was talking quietly. Dad was in the first room at the top of the stairs. I went in and looked at him; he was just lying there as if he were sleeping. In my little mind I questioned what all the fuss was about.”

“Shortly after, the ambulance came and took Dad and George to the hospital in North Battleford. Dad died the next morning and George about two weeks later. Even after several weeks I did not fully understand what had happened. I remember asking my mother when Dad would be back. She broke down and cried. It was a very difficult time for her.”

Clara continues to tell us about those early years:

“We stayed on the farm that summer. Then, when the garden and crop were harvested, we moved to Delmas into a little house which had just been built for us. Ma rented the farm and we took a cow and a few chickens to town with us. We even raised a pig or two. We sold milk every day 'cause I remember Gene and I used to take the milk at night to a couple of farms. One family had eight or nine kids and we used to take them a couple pails of milk each evening. I don't remember how much money Ma got -- it couldn't have been very much, but things weren't so high so even twenty cents a day would buy enough flour to bake for the whole family. So, with Ma's rent from the farm and the bit of income we made in Delmas, we managed.”

“Then Ma married again, this time to Louis Strasser. He had come to Delmas from Cudworth -- it may have been in the Cudworth area that Louis had first met John Diefenbaker. This was a relationship that was rekindled, even if briefly, some twenty years later. Anyway, Strasser arrived in Delmas with Charlie Paradis. Ma and Strasser were married in the summer of '27 and, in the spring of 1928, we moved to Veillardville.”

“It was not all work -- we used to play a lot and run around. Sometimes we played with Edithe, Berthe and Paul Alain. They had older brothers and sisters but I don't really remember them. Usually, Martin and I played together; one time, though, we got into trouble. We were going to fry bananas so we made a little fire right near some straw. It was somebody's load of straw to bed their cattle for the winter but it was outside. When the straw caught fire, everyone in town came running. I sure got heck and I remember that Ma had been sewing a dress for me at that time. After the fire, the dress was put away and I didn't get it for quite a while.”

“When we left Delmas, I couldn't figure out why we were moving. I was very satisfied with my little life. When we moved to Veillardville we saw a lot of bush -- it was nothing like Delmas. We bought the farm that had belonged to Moodies for a thousand dollars. It was supposed to have four acres broke but I don't really know where it was. Instead of taking the trail or path, we would jump from stump to stump to go to Quinns, our neighbors. The farm was a quarter section with a twenty-four by twenty-four foot log house, and a couple of old barns.”

“That first summer we had a sow with little pigs and one morning Ma got everyone up in a hurry. The pigs were swimming! It had rained so heavily that the creek had overflowed. The meadow was covered with water; even the pig house was floating toward the creek. Later, we found we could go rafting -- a great way to have fun!"

"Things were not going smoothly at home with Ma and Strasser. There was a lot of friction; finally, they split up. That winter Ma moved into Hudson Bay: things were really bad. The school was closed in Veillardville as no one had been able to pay their taxes."

"It was about this time that I started working steady for the Eyford family in Hudson Bay. They were one of Ma's customers while we lived on the farm -- buying our farm products and, in the summer when the roads were good, they drove out and picked fresh vegetables as they were ready. Sometimes Mrs. Eyford would ask Ma to let me go back with them. At first, I went more for fun than anything else. Then Mrs. Eyford asked me to go for a weekend, later requesting my help for a week, explaining she needed me to do some housecleaning. It was fun for me 'cause it was such easy work compared to chores on the farm."

"Mr. Eyford worked for the C.N.R. so the family lived in the station house. They had electricity and hot water. There was a well behind the station so, on wash days, you just filled the machine with this hot, soft water. We needed to carry the water out but, on the farm, we had to melt the snow and stoke the fire. Mr. and Mrs. Eyford were very good to me and even wanted to adopt me."

Mr. Eyford recalls Clara and the first years she stayed with them:

"Those were Depression years -- very tough times, even clothing was scarce. The Strasser family was no different; they were going thru bad times like everyone else. Clara was eleven or twelve years old. She was a small girl and very pretty. It was winter time and she was wearing knee length rubber boots. She was a very nice girl -- very thankful for everything. And she was a godsend to us at that time for our boy who was five or six had had an accident -- his eye had been poked out -- so we wanted Clara to keep Glen company. She stayed four or five months and went to school. She was very good to Glen and a very good worker."

It was during these years when Clara was sixteen that a particular incident occurred which would affect her future. The young people often gathered at Veillard's store on mail nights and, one particular night, one of the young ladies, Maria, whom Louis Alain had previously courted, was in the group of girls along with Clara and Edithe. Maria knew that Louis was coming home that night on the train from Flin Flon, so she suggested, "Let's surprise him and all kiss him when he gets off the train."

Following this, Louis found his way to the Strasser home a time or two before returning to Flin Flon to work with his team hauling wood. Undeterred by the distance separating them, the young couple corresponded the best part of a year. Then, in February of 1937, at the request of Louis, Clara travelled to Flin Flon accompanied by her mother. It was at this time that Louis proposed to Clara. He presented her with a diamond at his sister Yvonne's home and that evening they made plans to be married on April 12.

Mrs. Strasser and her daughter returned home -- there was much to be done in the coming weeks. During this time, Frances Fransky helped Rachel for, as she said, "Clara's head was in the clouds." Mrs. Rose Burgess of Hudson Bay sewed Clara's wedding dress, which was left at the Eyford home.

So, the evening before her special day, Clara went to Hudson Bay and stayed one more night with this good family. In the morning she dressed in her long gown of white satin and rode to church with Eyfords. Her dress featured a softly rounded neckline and the skirt was pleated. A long-sleeved jacket with lapels and a peplum was worn over this. Her headpiece consisted of a narrow lace bandeau, fitting closely over her hair. The veil was attached to this in a ruffle which gave added height and then fell softly to the floor.

She carried a bouquet of long-stemmed red roses with lily of the valley tied with a large bow as she walked down the aisle on the arm of her brother, Gene. Bridesmaid, Yvonne Veillard, wore a pale green gown. Rolland, Louis' younger brother, was best man. Father Anciaux performed the ceremony in St. Dominic's. During the singing of "On this day, O Beautiful Mother" by Henri Alain and the Church choir, Clara in the traditional custom removed her crown and placed it before the statue of Our Lady.

Following their marriage, which took place in the morning, the couple along with family and guests went to Marcotte's Hotel for a reception which was a complete surprise to the bride and groom. Wine and cake were served by Mr. and

Mrs. Alcide Marcotte in their living room. It was a very kind gesture on their part for the bridal party and guests had about eight miles to travel to the bride's home for the wedding supper. About half the people travelled in sleighs and the other half with buggies or wagons. There was mud and snow on the roads that spring day and, while the day itself started out sunny, it turned cold and it snowed a bit before the day was over. Before reaching the farm, the bridal party stopped at the Alain home to see Louis' mother who was not well and was in bed. At the farm, chicken, vege-tables and salads were served. And there was the wedding cake -- four or five layers high, it was a fruit cake baked and tastefully decorated by Louis Godin's Bakery in La Pas. Later, with the meal cleared away, everyone journeyed to the hall at Veillardville for the wedding dance at which Albert Bernier, Clara's uncle, played the violin. The bridal couple danced till the train came in which they boarded and were off on their honeymoon. First they went to Winnipeg where they had their wedding photographs taken, then they left for Minnesota, U.S.A., where they vis-ited many of Clara's relatives: Lessards and Ber-niers.

On their return from the States, the new-lyweds stopped briefly in Hudson Bay, then journeyed to Flin Flon where Louis' job as mechanic at the Hudson Bay Mining and Smelt-ing Company awaited him. They lived in a little house Louis had built. Clara describes it:

"It was a one-room shack about a mile out-side Flin Flon. Many of those little houses were called shacks. Ours was a little log building with building paper tacked on the studs inside. It was nice and warm, not like the little house we lived in right after, which we bought from Harry Poitras. For $250, we bought the house and furniture. There were sixteen chairs -- all of a sudden, there were chairs everywhere!"

That spring, when Clara learned that her mother and the rest of the family were planning a move to Ontario, she went home to say good-bye. It was then that Mrs. Strasser suggested that Louis rent her farm for he had always said he'd like to farm. This was quite a decision for the young couple to make: to leave 46¢ an hour -- cash -- to return to a life of uncertainty on the farm. Immediately, Clara sent a letter off to her husband telling him of her mother's proposal. Louis wrote back, "Yes." So Clara hurried back to Manitoba to pack and, one year from the day they were married, Louis and Clara were again returning to Clara's home, this time to make it their home. They only had a bit of land in crop that summer; then along with a couple head of cattle left by Mrs. Strasser, they bought a big sow. That summer, on August 21, 1938, their first child, Marlyne Marie, was born.

During the winter Louis and John Levesque hauled firewood for Louis, then they hauled sawdust for Louis' father. The sawdust was used for grasshopper bait which was badly needed on the prairies. Louis took his father's old car as payment for hauling the sawdust.

On the first of July, 1939, Louis was hailed out. The young couple had nothing to fall back on. Then a frightening incident -- it was after supper and Louis and Clara were going to go for a walk with their little girl. After milking the cow, they stopped to feed the calf and give the rest of the milk to the pig. Clara had set Marlyne down -- she was now sitting up at ten months of age. The old sow, soon to farrow, must have smelled the milk for when Clara turned around she saw the sow sniffing at the little girl's arm. For-tunately, Marlyne was rescued unharmed. This near disaster only further convinced them that the farm held little promise for them at this time.

By the seventeenth of July, they had loaded their few belongings into the old car and were on their way to Ontario. Clara didn't feel too confident about Louis' driving skills in difficult situations so, when they reached Qu'Appelle and saw the deep valley, she was convinced the car would roll backwards. So, with Marlyne in her arms, she walked up the hill -- quite a task considering she was seven months pregnant. Their trip took them through Minnesota, Michigan and back into Canada, finally arriving in Tillsonburg, Ontario, some fifteen miles from London. Shortly after, their second daughter, Maxine Therese, was born.

In Tillsonburg, Louis found work tying and stacking hands of tobacco in a tobacco factory during the summer and, in the fall, he picked sugar beets. He also worked with his brother-in-law, Martin Lessard, building forms and mixing cement for 25¢ an hour.

However, no job was steady so, together, they decided to move to Malartic, Quebec, where Louis' brother Rolland was employed. Louis was hired right away because he could speak English and French. Again he worked in the mines, this time receiving 56¢ an hour. The days were twelve hours with a seven-day work week. This didn't leave the young couple much time for being together. But Clara didn't let it get the best of her. That Christmas she cooked her Christmas dinner and, with it and the two little girls, she went to the mine. Together with Louis in the furnace room, they ate their dinner. They built a small house and remained in Malartic for three years.

In 1942, they moved back to the Veillardville district to farm. The first few winters Louis worked for his dad at his sawmill and, from spring till fall, worked at opening up his farm along with farming it. Then Louis started farming full time, gradually building up the farm until he had 700 acres in production.

Clara was also busy during these years raising their family; by 1959 they had eight children. She sewed most of their clothes. One of the older daughters relates, "I never had a store-bought coat until I was in high school. Mom worked hard especially in the early years, ripping second-hand clothes apart to make over, always striving to see that our clothes fit well, were practical and, above all, were warm in the winter. She taught us how to care for our clothes and to take pride in our appearance."

Summers were busy times for Clara for she always had a large garden and a fair sized raspberry crop, too. She raised chickens each year, always donating three roasted chickens for the church fowl supper come fall. Along with the other Catholic ladies, Clara worked hard for the fowl supper; each donated a large pot of mashed potatoes and another of peas and carrots. As well, each of them took three pies. There was little time for leisure -- only a few snatched moments to read the farm papers: the Western Producer and Country Guide, and the locally-produced weekly, the Hudson Bay Post.

Both Louis and Clara were community-minded citizens, participating and holding office, if asked, on the various boards and service clubs. Louis was active on the School and Church Boards while Clara took an interest in the Community Club, Co-Op Guild, the C.W.L. and St. Anthony's Altar Society.

In November of 1958, while out cutting wood for the winter, Louis slipped and fell on the chain saw. His face was badly cut and required many, many stitches. Fortunately a neighbor, Wilfred Nicholls, was with Louis in the bush at the time so he drove Louis to the hospital in Hudson Bay where Dr. J.B. Silver worked with care to stitch Louis' face. He did a fine job; the scars are almost invisible today. This was just one more of the many times the Alain family was indebted to Dr. Silver for his care and dedication.

It was this same doctor that recommended to Clara, a few years later when Louis suffered carbon monoxide poisoning, that Louis ought to consider other work. In the fall of '62 Louis and Clara visited B.C. They were partial to the Okanagan, feeling that they had endured the cold winters of Saskatchewan long enough. So, in the spring of 1963, they sold their farm and cattle, auctioned off their machinery, shop tools, and some of the household belongings, and moved to Vernon, B.C.

We shall let Clara tell us about both the move and the country in which they chose to begin a new life; she shares with us through her Christmas letter of 1963:

"Easter Monday was a day we'll all long remember as it was actually the last day of real living in our house, that we'd been in since 1943. The next day was very hectic as we had to get everything ready for the sale and then the sale itself. It was a blessing we were so busy that day or we may have called it off!"

"Leaving our relatives and old friends was hard to do, especially after the nice farewell and the beautiful gifts from the whole district and the women's organizations. We have lovely neighbours and friends here already but there is nothing like old friends, of that we all agree I'm sure."

"Anyway we left Bernadette and Rachelle at the convent at Zenon Park to finish the school term and we took Michelle and Joey with us. (Michelle had had her tonsils out and would be out of school for quite a spell anyway.) Our good friend Ray Smith drove our little truck, loaded to the very top, and with us following, we left for B.C. We got to Salmon Arm the next night tired but happy too, to start our new adventure."

"We'll always be grateful to old friends Harry and Gabrielle Poitras who accommodated us while we were looking to get settled."

"We bought a duplex (almost new) which would give us some revenue and then started to look for a small acreage for us to settle on -- we didn't want to live in town. We saw some nice places, some not so nice, and some extra nice, but finally settled for a little (5) acreage which had a little house plus 32 fruit trees -- just 1½ miles from city centre. The house was a little too small for us so we decided to build next to it. We have built ourselves a very comfortable home, and we are quite proud of it, seeing as we did it all ourselves. We rent the little house to a nice young teacher with a wife and 2 cute little boys. We are still doing finishing inside and still have to finish the carport outside and of course there's scads of work in landscaping, etc., waiting for us in the spring but in time it will all be finished and we'll take it a little easier."

"We had oodles of prune plums, pears, and MacIntosh and Delicious apples plus an early variety for summer. I never thought I'd see the day when I'd throw apples in the field but that's what we did. You see, every day there are apples that fall on the ground and we couldn't possibly use them all up. I fed the family apple pie, apple sauce, apple betty, baked apples, etc. till we all had apples coming out of our ears and there were still apples on the lawn -- so we gave away all we could, but still there were apples, so we just had to pick them off the lawn and throw them out in the field (they say they make good fertilizer). It seems such a waste when so many people on the prairies could use them."

"Fruit is really very cheap here. We got lovely cherries for 10 cents a pound, Bartlett pears are $1 a box; so are apples -- even peaches are only $1.50 a box. (I mean the big apple boxes too.) We all ate fruit to our hearts content, believe me."

"Gardens and small fruit grow very well here and they produce too much. We only had 12 tomato plants and we had ripe tomatoes from the 25th of July and are still eating some of the last ones and we ate a lot, 3 meals a day all we wanted and I canned over 20 quarts and gave oodles away besides. We have irrigation so it's nothing to turn the hose on, and with all the sunshine we have -- things just have to grow."

"This is really a beautiful valley and, with all the lakes around, summer is a veritable camper's playground. One of the most beautiful lakes we've ever seen is Kalamalka Lake (means Lake of Many Colours) and it is really true to its name. Driving along its shore overlooking the lake one marvels at all the beautiful colours, from pale blue to dark and on to pink and mauve to yellowish green, etc.; it's really lovely. The beaches are all fine sand and you can wade in a long way. The kids and Louis were after me to get a bathing suit for over a month so I finally broke down and got one. (My old suit and I had parted company long ago -- I got too big and it got too small -- ha ha.) Anyway I spent every chance I had in the water after that and Louis and I both had a lovely tan. When we go to the beach we really relax -- as there are no mosquitoes or sand flies or bull dogs either. I can hardly wait for summer to come again and needless to say the kids thought it was wonderful."

"I worked in the cannery this fall for 6 weeks or so and I really enjoyed it too. The work was something I had never done and moving from job to job proved a real challenge. I even operated a lid-closing machine for 2 weeks and just the fact I met so many ladies and that I can now go downtown and say hello to some of my fellow workers means a lot. Louis hopes to get on there, also, for next spring."

The children still at home, Bernadette, Rachelle, Michelle and Joey liked their new country, climate and home and even adjusted quickly to the urban life style. Clara goes on to tell us about Joey and what he thinks about their B.C. winter:

"Joey is still our little boy -- even tho he'll be 5 in February. He has a trike and so has the neighbours' boy, Brian, and the two are insep-arable. They are together from morn till nite and get along just swell. He still talks about Saskatchewan and when we got the first snow fall on the mountains he was bound we'd go up there and play in the snow. Says 'back home when it snowed there was snow all over'! We're to go up to the Silver Star (ski resort) 12 miles from here next Sunday to let him play in snow. Lawns are still green down here."

It has been said that you can take the farmer off the farm but you can't take the farm out of the farmer. Perhaps this is true, for as Clara relates:

"We miss the farm enough that we bought a cow and calf -- had 7 hens all summer (just killed them off plus 30 others). We also bought half a pig so we're really still farmers at heart. How-ever, the worries of this kind of farming are small and I'm sure Louis' nerves will benefit. T'was a gamble we had to take as the stakes were too high and we're hoping and praying that we all benefit from this move."

Neither was the move to Vernon the last of their moves. They went to Golden, B.C. where

Louis worked as a millwright for one and a half years, later returning to Vernon. They sub-divided their five acres and even had their own road; it was named Alain Road. They continued to buy, renovate and sell homes in addition to the two they built. Yet they felt it was an easier life, for as Louis remarked one day, "It was kind of a slow ease into retirement." Although Louis retired as sixty-four, he and Clara have kept busy for they feel this is the key to a successful and happy retirement.

They've travelled much of our country to visit family, friends and numerous cousins. They have seen most of British Columbia and even gone south where they've spent four winters in Ari-zona. For a few years Clara experienced back problems so they decided to make Vernon their home twelve months of the year. In 1980, they sold their property, then moved into Morris Manor where they still live. Louis at 78 spends most of his spare time playing billiards and crib-bage at the Schubert Centre, while Clara at 67 enjoys walking, riding her bicycle, and volun-teers several hours each week at the Centre. The Schubert Centre was constructed in 1983 and is a recreation and social centre for Vernon Seniors. Both Clara and Louis maintain an active interest in and voluntarily contribute part of their leisure hours each week to the various activities held at the Centre. And, as Clara says, "One thing for sure, we're not bored."

Throughout the years, Louis and Clara's lives have been people-centred with family claiming the lion's share of their time and interest -- perhaps this explains why they made 23 trips back to Saskatchewan in the first 21 years following their move to B.C. This is also at the heart of their involvement and interest in their fellow residents at Morris Manor. It really doesn't matter whether someone simply needs a visit or a ride to the clinic, Louis and Clara are ready to oblige and they are just thankful that their own health allows them to do for others less fortunate.

"I have loved people, country-wise and good, Who tread the simple quiet ways of earth, Acquainted with the sunrise and the night. Aware of death .... of tragedy and birth. People whose hearts are somehow closely knit. With God's good world and all the joy of it."

Edna Jacques in "Ontario Countryside", taken from The Best of Edna Jacques

MARLYNE (ALAIN) REINDL

I, Marlyne Marie, was brought into this world on August 21, 1938 in the Red Cross House in Hudson Bay Junction by Dr. J.B. Silver. Mom told me that my teeth were slow in coming and she even took me to the good doctor to see what was the matter. He reassured her that I would have teeth -- just have patience! Sure enough at the age of thirteen months my first tooth appeared. I can imagine Mom's joy in knowing that I was normal.

My early childhood was spent playing with my closest friend and sister, Maxine. Being only a year and a week apart had its benefits. I do not remember living down east but stories have it that Maxine and I had a large number of dolls complete with a glass tea set and a sleigh. When we moved to Grandpa Alain's sawmill south of Veillardville, I can remember him promising Maxine and me a chew of his plug of tobacco if we could move the old steel tractor wheel which was frozen deep in the snow. Even though we were small our determination to get an honest chew prevailed as we got dressed in our warm woolies and scarves. We took our leather shoe lace and headed for the wheel. To this date I know we never moved the wheel but I honestly don't recall getting a chew either. Grandpa meant and kept his word. I remember a bit of the life in that bunkhouse where Mom cooked for the sawmill crew. We slept in a bunk that had a straw mattress. No doubt my fear of mice began around this time and has continued to the present time. One Christmas, years later, Maxine and I were given small penlight flashlights, a gift from Uncle Joe and Aunt Helen. We were so proud of them as we could investigate many things under the cover of darkness, which included doing a bit of reading without Mom and Dad knowing about it. It seems a mouse was making a nest out of tissue paper in the bottom of the container holding up the tree. After everyone had gone to bed and it was quiet, this mouse would do its work and make a funny noise. We never caught him in the act but he did jump on me while I was sleeping! Of course I screamed loudly and soon Mom came to see who had been killed and there I was, just scared silly and not wanting to go back to bed till she had checked the whole room for it. We never found him but, knowing that my Mom had checked the room, was all I needed. It seems that I have always been afraid of mice and yet I've been in many situations where mice were present -- stooking, making hay and camping.

I can still remember the day that the bulldozer cleared the land in front of our house and seeing Dad black as coal from pulling out the stumps and roots. As we grew older we did what work we could to help him. It seemed that Saturday was THE day to pick stones and, oh, how we hated that job of walking behind a slowly moving tractor and stoneboat or a trailer. Dad would place us evenly on each side and direct us as our eyes deliberately avoided seeing many stones. I can still hear him call, "Hey, there's one over there."

We appreciated help and especially when a Jaszan boy came out one Saturday. After Dad told him where a stone was (as if he didn't know) Dad proceeded to tell him that if this stone wasn't picked now it would be bigger next year. We knew full well how important it was to have clean fields for seeding, cultivating and combining, yet we also knew that stones wouldn't grow -- however we never told Dad!

It was not all work -- there was lots of fun riding on the tractor with Dad. He would tell us stories and talk about life in general or he'd sing some funny French songs. One very hot day we were driving home from the homestead and had a hired man with us who was complaining about having to work in the heat. Dad promised him a swim when we reached the water in the distance. We were all terribly disappointed as there was no water -- just a field of flax in bloom. It wasn't long till we were home and were all treated to one of Mom's ice cream cones. Now, that was a treat!

Most Saturdays we had an early supper, bathed and got all dressed up so we could go to town. That was a big event for most people. While Mom and Dad shopped we walked up and down the streets -- hoping to see school friends, cousins and have a peek at the boys, too. Many times we were given money to go to a show which cost 10¢ at that time. That was a lot of money in those days and I remember Dad gave us a nickel once...it was all he had to spare and so it meant us saving it till next Saturday, if we really wanted to see a movie.

During those years Mom was busy sewing for us. She could make blouses, dresses and coats faster and better than anyone I knew. We kids tried on and tried on and pranced in front of Dad for a word of approval many times. We girls must have had more clothes than whole families put together. I was always proud to wear my clothes as they were in style and colors were well suited to me. When I think back I wonder how Mom did it all -- looked after a big garden (complete with tons of raspberries), doing chores, baking, cooking, and still she had time to sew for all of us. She also understood what kids liked and, for one of our birthdays, treated Maxine and me to a banana split. We nearly split as it was so filling -- there was more for 40¢ then than now for $1.99.

I attended White Poplar School #4269 from grades one through eight and I remember having the following teachers: Ruth Kosher, Helen Howse, Arlene Carnahan and Mrs. Smith. A ride to school with Joyce and Heather May with their horse and buggy or cutter was fun for me and a relief to Mom knowing that I had made it both ways as two and a half miles was a long way for a six year old. I remember having good lunches as we could always trade with someone else for a variety. During the winter, our teachers used to heat a boiler of water on the stove and we'd bring jars of soup, cocoa, and pork and beans to heat up. What a treat! This was really living! Of course it also meant we could interrupt the teacher by asking permission to put our jar in the water to heat up. That excuse was used more than once. Something else I'll never forget was the outdoor biffy which seemed to be a mile away.

Christmas concerts and practicing go together very well. One year Miss Carnahan, a teacher who enjoyed sports of all kinds, decided that our school would learn to dance as well as do gymnastics for the concert. And so we did the Irish Jig, square dancing, and lots of tumbling which ended with a pyramid. Talk about fun!

During my grade eight, I was sick with mumps, chicken pox and measles one after the other. That year I wasn't in the concert. However, I attended it and wore a new taffeta dress which Mom had made while I was sick at home. I managed to pass my grade even though I had missed so much school.

I took my grade nine in Hudson Bay where I boarded with Grandma Strasser. That year I nearly failed and was not too disappointed when Mom and Dad announced that Maxine and I would be going to the convent in Zenon Park that fall. Zenon Park was 70 to 80 miles away and meant only coming home for Christmas and Easter holidays. After a while I didn't want to go home as I had a boyfriend and wanted to spend free time or holidays near him.

One Easter we came home on the train and it took hours and hours to go from Zenon Park to Veillardville. We stopped at every station and picked up everything, including cattle. Other times we stopped to wait for the snow plow because there was too much snow on the rails. The conductor and trainmen would tease Maxine and me about the engine running out of fuel. I doubt if we were really worried because we had enough lunch to feed the whole crew...the Sisters were very generous. When at last we arrived at Veillardville, the train stopped and we got off into 3 feet of fresh snow. We started to walk quickly as we were excited and happy to be nearly home. However, we soon slowed down because the snow was so deep. It didn't take us long to discover that the banks made by the snow plow was the best place to walk, as we were up high and the peaks were hard. We were warmly welcomed as everyone thought we wouldn't be coming home as it was getting late. We ate a warm breakfast and went to bed. Our arms were ever so tired from carrying those heavy suitcases. We hadn't learned to travel light.

I graduated from grade twelve in 1956 and, that summer, I worked at Sinclair Drugs in Hudson Bay and found it to be a great experience. Jo Soules and Sinc were very patient with and kind to me.

In the fall of 1956 I was off to Teachers College in Saskatoon where I boarded with Aunt Mae and Uncle Bernie and their family. After practice teaching at Aberdeen and Allan and completing numerous assignments, I received my teaching certificate. I taught in Ile a La Crosse in northern Saskatchewan. This is a beautiful small community at the tip of a peninsula. In those days the road was not very good and so most people flew in or took the road so far and boated across the small narrows to land. I was hired to teach but had not been assigned a class and when I got to this landing some of the other teachers were there waiting for the barge to take them across. There were 4 new teachers and 4 positions empty. We chose our class by drawing straws. Mine being the shortest, I was given grade one -- 26 little Native children. What a challenge and, yes, a disappointment too as I had not been prepared for grade one. However, I didn't mind too much as it was here that I met Adolf. A new hospital was being constructed and Adolf was the terrazzo floor finisher and a real good one, too.

Adolf was born April 22, 1938, in Salzburg, Austria to Franz Reindl and Theresia Dollberger. In his search for a better life Adolf came to Canada September 17, 1956. Our friendship developed into love and shortly after, we began to make wedding plans.

Adolf and I were married in Meadow Lake on May 24, 1958. Our witnesses were my sister, Maxine, and Benny Colasimone, a friend of Adolf's. Following a small lunch, we drove to Veillardville for a surprise wedding reception. I still have the red scribbler which was used as a guest register and gift book. I read it occasionally and reminisce about all those who signed it.

We moved to Saskatoon where Adolf sold pots and pans and did anything to make a living as he was laid off at the same time we were married. What a way to begin married life but, being young and in love, we didn't mind. However, Bob was born September 30 the same year and, with winter settling in and rent to be paid, it was necessary for one of us to find work. I answered an ad for a teaching position in the Muskeegan area (close to Prairie River) and much to my surprise I was hired. So once again I was teaching but it was different as I now had a country school, grades one to nine with sixteen children in all.

We lived in the one bedroom, two-room teacherage in the school yard, no power and no running water. When I look back I don't know how we did it as we'd gotten so accustomed to these luxuries and, with a baby, there was always diapers to wash and no place to hang them except on lines strung from wall to wall. Of course that meant you couldn't have company with diapers hanging over your head. But we did spend many evenings playing cards and visiting neighbors, John and Mary Belanko.

That spring I planted my first garden and was extremely proud of it, too, until Mom and Dad came for a Sunday visit and they discovered that all my onion tops had curls in them. Yes, I had planted them upside down. During the winter Adolf worked in the bush camp close to Muskeegan. Once spring arrived he was fortunate in getting farm work at Thode's farm south of Veillardville and, by then, school was over so we moved close to Mom and Dad's where we stayed till the end of August.

We were expecting our second child and were wondering if Adolf would ever get steady work to support our growing family. Luck was with us as he was called to Lynn Lake; however, that left me alone and it was only a short time until Geraldine would be born. Grandpa Alain helped me move our few belongings to a rented suite in Hudson Bay. Geraldine was born October 8, 1959; baptized at home by Father Dubois, who insisted that it was not right to baptize at home but he did say it was okay for royalty. So I proceeded to tell him to pretend she was our little Indian Princess, which she was and still is today. She was baptized!

Early in November we moved up north to Lynn Lake where we shared a house with a family whose mother was away and so I looked after their four children and our own two, which gave me six under six. Mind you, we now had running water. electricity and a warm house. Our first Christmas away from home was different -- especially when Adolf found the perfect tree from the bush which only had branches on three sides so he drilled holes and put branches in. It was always a challenge to find a tree with branches on all sides up there. But we never gave up.

Life in the North was great -- nice summers and long cold winters. It wasn't long till we had a lovely addition to our family when Louella was born on April 14, 1961 followed by Mark on September 13, 1962. They were all good babies and loved to travel. In the spring of 1963, Mom and Dad sold their farm and moved to B.C., so we planned to take our holidays and visit them. They had just moved there and were still in the midst of moving into their little house and, with our four children, it didn't help much but it was grand being all together once again. We slept upstairs where there was no trap door on the floor opening and two-year-old Louella fell down to the kitchen floor the first day we were there and again the morning we left. Fortunately, she wasn't hurt either time.

We loved the North but we didn't want to spend our whole life there and, with Bob now five years old, we decided that if we were to move south before the children started school we should do it now; so we sold our house and moved to our present home in Saskatoon in November 1963. Adolf saw that his family was well settled and then returned to Lynn Lake to work. In the meantime, I started to write to the Potash Company of America mine reminding them that Adolf would like to work for them. It took a while for results but it paid off and, in March 1965, Adolf was hired. The bosses knew him as they referred to him as their "Pen Pal." We didn't care as long as he had work close to home. He has been employed with PCA for over twenty years and loves his work. He started as shaft and bin man, then trained as hoist operator. Like Adolf says, "Where else can you read to your heart's content and still get paid, too?" With Adolf working steady, our life began to take on a sense of normalcy.

Once the children were in school, I had more free time. I was active with the Girl Guides, Home and School, and Catholic Women's League. There was committee work to assist with the cultural exchange trips to Quebec and likewise when Bob was in Track and Field. The years went by quickly and soon all the children had graduated from high school and slowly they started to venture out on their own.

The next five years our family started to grow. Bob was the first to marry, in October 1980, to his track and field sweetheart, Caren Rathie. Shortly after that, in May 1981, Geraldine married her sweetheart from Calgary, Brian Law. Then, in February 1983, our first grandson, Ryan, was born to Brian and Gerri. Then, in April 1984, Louella married her high school beau, Brad Sim. That same year, in the month of May, our second grandson, Jason, was born to Bob and Caren. Then, to finish the year off, our first granddaughter, Breanne, was born to Brian and Gerri. In July 1985, Mark married a Saskatoon girl, Keeran Reed. The following month, August, brought our second Reindl boy, Kyle, born to Bob and Caren.

It has been a wonderful life with a good and faithful husband and father along with four interesting and lively children who made me feel good about staying home and being a full-time mother -- something I have never regretted.

Our children have insisted that we, as a family, spend time together even though they have families of their own. We are deeply proud of them and hope they will continue this tradition with their own families. We have many hours of fun plus an opportunity to get to know and understand each other. My parents always enjoyed having family around or visiting them -- a value which is now being passed on.

Adolf and I are enjoying our middle years camping, travelling and visiting with our grand-children. We are home to anyone wishing to visit and look forward to these special times. Adolf still finds time for home renovations and painting when called upon, and hauling and splitting wood for our two fireplaces while I have taken on various positions with the C.W.L., the latest one being Diocesan President. We never seem to be bored as there is always something to be done at home or for someone else.

ROBERT REINDL

My name is Robert Lee Reindl. I am the eldest son of Marlyne and Adolf Reindl of Saskatoon. I was born on September 30, 1958 in Saskatoon.

I went to St. Paul's Elementary School, then to E.D. Feehan High School for one year. Then I transferred to City Park Collegiate where I grad-uated in 1976.

Unlike most other young teenagers, my life was full of travel and competitions as I was an international track runner.

I started track and field in 1974 with the Saskatoon Riversdale Track and Field Club. From then on, my life was exciting and very fulfilling. In 1977 I was the Canada Summer Games winner in the 800m. and also the Cana-dian Champion in the 800m.

From there I went to run in Europe, Los Angeles and, that winter, to Australia. Also, that year I was voted Saskatoon's Top Male Athlete of the Year.

Track is special to me for another reason as that is where I met my future wife, Caren Joan Rathie. She, too, was a runner and an interna-tional competitor. We travelled and ran together for many years and then, in February 1980, we got engaged and that year, on October 11, we were married.

From then on for two years I worked at Woolco and, in November 1983, I bought into a delivery business. My wife has been running a Family Daycare Home for the last five years.

Then the most beautiful happening took place on May 21, 1984 -- the birth of our first son, Jason Adam Louis Reindl. Our second son, Kyle Matthew, was born on August 8, 1985.

In July 1984 we purchased our first home at 217 Simon Fraser Crescent, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, where we are currently residing, and Living Happily Ever After!

GERALDINE (REINDL) LAW

I was born to Adolf and Marlyne Reindl on October 8, 1959 in Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan. My name was so hard for Bob, my brother, to say that he just called me Dee-Dee. To this day my grandparents and some of the older neighbours in Mom and Dad's area still call me that.

I remember going up to Hudson Bay for many summers to stay at Uncle Rolland's farm and help out. But the first requirement of Uncle Rolland was that if we were going to cry when our parents left or during our stay, then we could pack our bags and leave with them. I learned how to pick rocks out of the summer fallow, pick up bales of hay and paint the barns.

In grade seven, we (our class and 84 others) made an exchange program down East to Hull, Quebec. We were gone twenty-one days and went by train and visited Montreal and Quebec City. It was very educational and exciting, being my first trip away from home. The following summer our family went on holidays down East and we toured the places that I had been to.

Our family went camping every year in either Saskatchewan or in parts of British Columbia. Our holidays were always filled with fun and good times!

I did lots of babysitting, house cleaning and one family in particular gave me the experience to do trial balancing of accounts which would later on help me in finding real work.

In grade ten I made a big trip by flying stand-by to Sydney, Nova Scotia, to babysit for Aunt Marcella and Uncle Richard. I toured with them through the Maritimes and went to Newfoundland with a friend that I met there. This trip helped me prepare for my future of living away from home and not feeling too homesick.

The following year I got my first job in a grocery store. I worked there for the summer months and was able to make my first big purchase of a pair of contact lenses (much to Mom and Dad's dislike). From here I went to work at the University Hospital. I worked as a Dietary Aide in the old Snack Bar and, as well, on the wards serving meals.

I dated quite a bit through the next couple of years and then I met my future husband, Brian Law. He was my escort to graduation in 1977 from City Park Collegiate.

Brian was born to Al and Jean Law of Calgary, Alberta. He lived in Calgary all of his life and played hockey. Brian went to school in Calgary until his 12th year when he attended Camrose Lutheran College in Camrose, Alberta. He was awarded a Hockey Scholarship to Princeton University in the United States. He made a trip down there to explore the campus, dormitories, and curricular agenda but, due to financial reasons, he was never able to go and pursue this scholarship. Brian worked summer jobs between hockey careers in the winter. He has travelled and played hockey in places such as: Czechoslovakia, Germany, Finland and the United States.

Brian played hockey for the Saskatoon Blades and stayed here until October 1977. He was traded to Calgary and, in December 1977, I landed a job at Eaton's in Calgary and moved within three days of Christmas.

In December 1979, Brian and I were engaged. We decided, in May of 1981, we would marry in Saskatoon at St. Paul's Cathedral. We moved back to Saskatoon in the same year as Brian got work with the Potash Company of America in December. I started working at the Ambulance Company and we later purchased our first home in the Confederation Park area.

On February 13, 1983, Dad's Mother's birthday, our first pride and joy, our son Ryan Alexander was born. He is still, to this day, the carbon copy of his dad in looks!

I continued to stay at home after Ryan was born. I worked part-time and did some babysitting for friends. Then on November 10, 1984, the first great-granddaughter and granddaughter, Breanne Jean Marie was born. She not only looks like her mom but also has the Reindl temper!

I am presently involved with our Neighbourhood Watch program, being the Area Co-ordinator for Confederation Park. I enjoy setting up meetings, doing presentations for our area and surrounding areas. This keeps me very busy. I am also working for a Temporary Secretarial Agency. I have picked up various skills such as word processing, computer work, Telex experience, etc.

We are going to be going on our first camping experience with our family this summer. We do enjoy the outdoors, sports of all kinds and just generally watching our children grow up. We invite anyone to drop by and see us as we always have room for company.

LOUELLA MAE (REINDL) SIM

My glorious entrance into the world took place in the early morning of April 14, 1961 in the northern hospital at Lynn Lake, Manitoba. My mother tells me Dr. McMahon never made it to the hospital for my birth. He couldn't get out of his house and, after much pushing and shoving, he reached his car but found all the car doors were frozen over. During the night a light rain fell and then it froze. It looked like a skating rink everywhere.

Two events in my early life which I remember quite vividly are when I was confirmed at St. Paul's Cathedral and Oma (Dad's mother) was here from Austria to help celebrate but, before then, I made my First Communion in Vernon, B.C. with my grandparents, and Aunt Michelle and Uncle Joe. Our family was celebrating Christmas with Grandpa and Grandma. This was when I was in Grade two and later that spring I had a tonsillectomy.

I had lots of friends on the block. Two of them were Lori Webster and Merrilee Wilkins. Sometimes we didn't always see eye to eye. One day Lori and Merrilee were skipping across the street when Mom said, "Go outside and play with them." This was around Easter time and Lori had a lot of Easter eggs and Merrilee and I each wanted some. We played with Lori till the eggs were all gone and then so was Lori! We weren't very nice -- just kids.

We had lots of pets -- cat, turtle, fish, hamster, guinea pig and gerbils. Mom enjoyed (actually she disliked them) all our pets -- especially the furry ones! Sometimes they'd get out and we couldn't find them. We wouldn't tell her but when we heard a loud shriek we knew she'd found them.

In Grade seven, I was fortunate enough to take part in a student exchange program with French students from Hull, Quebec. It was the first real trip away from home and it was a terrific learning experience. While in Quebec we toured a number of places like the Parliament Buildings, Upper Canada Village and the War Memorial. At Mount Royal in Montreal we viewed the Miss Quebec Pageant. Once I returned home, my billet, Sylvia Dupuis, and her school class visited Saskatoon and area. It was a fun time as we had lots of things to do and see together.

During Grades six, seven and eight I was active with School Safety Patrol and was captain for two years. I enjoyed this and found it was a good excuse to get to school early and return home a bit later. I finished my Grade eight by having an appendectomy and thus managed to avoid writing all of my exams -- but I passed anyways.

I attended City Park High School for Grades nine, ten, eleven and twelve where I was involved by playing volleyball and basketball. I was also class House Representative and on the Student Representative Council so I was busy. It was here that I met my future husband, Brad Sim.

I had known Brad for a long time as Brad's older brother, Jay, played hockey with my brother, Bob. Brad and I would attend their games as spectators.

One night our family was preparing for bed -- Dad had just put out the lights and was walking upstairs -- when suddenly a marble came

shooting through my bedroom window. I screamed and ran for the door. After some investigating, we discovered the marble had come from across the back lane and been shot by an old man. We named him the "Marble Man". But that night I was so scared I slept on the floor beside Mom and Dad's bed. I was 16 years old! It took me a long time to get over that. We found marbles for a long time all over the yard. The Marble Man has since moved away and everyone is relieved.

During the later part of my Grade twelve, I landed my first job at McDonald's where I still work today. Oh, yes I do deserve a break! When I first started at McDonald's it was part-time and gradually I was promoted to Assistant Breakfast Co-ordinator. Approximately three years ago a new store opened north of our place and I was transferred and received a promotion to Breakfast Co-ordinator. Not long after I was made a Manager. My job keeps me busy but I enjoy it, especially when my friends and family come to see me working -- maybe it's because I promo their meals once in a while.

Brad and I were married April 28, 1984 in Saskatoon and, just previous to our wedding, we filled in thousands of entry forms for a contest to win $1,000.00 of new furniture. We couldn't believe it when I received a call to say we'd won! It was a grand beginning and much appreciated as we didn't have much furniture.

Brad was born in Saskatoon on October 16, 1961 and lived on a farm near Langham, Saskatchewan, for his first three years. After this time his family moved into Saskatoon where he attended public and high school. Brad enjoyed participating in sports, namely football, baseball and hockey which he still enjoys playing. He has had a number of jobs but at the present is a carpet layer for Reindl Flooring, my Uncle Frank's business.

We spend our spare time camping, playing cards, golfing, entertaining and gardening. At the moment my brother is our landlord and so we see some of our family quite often, which we like.

MARK REINDL

My name is Mark Anthony Reindl and I was born September 13, 1962 in a little out-of-the-way hospital in Lynn Lake, Manitoba. Where were you in '62? We lived in Lynn Lake till I was one and then our family made the big move to Saskatoon.

Being the youngest, my sister Louella and I were the best of buddies. We used to go and do everything together. One day we were playing house and the toys we wanted were upstairs, where we usually played, but Louella decided she wanted to have a tea party downstairs. I carried the chair and Louella was right behind me with the tea set. Well, my sister must have given me a little push because, before you knew it, I went tumbling down the stairs. Boy, did she get heck and there were no more tea parties downstairs.

When my sister would get too rough with me, I would go play with my neighbor across the street, Alison Wilkins. What a fox! We were only five or six but we played all kinds of games. One day I lost a tooth and went over to show Alison. Shortly after, I saw my Dad come home from work and I was really anxious to show him, too. I ran to the curb, looked one way and ran. Well, I didn't look the other way and so I didn't see the bus coming. Before I knew it I was under the bus, very scared and very shaken up. Dad took me straight to the hospital to get looked at. Lucky for me, nothing was wrong -- just a few cuts and bruises. Meanwhile, Louella was trying to tell Mom that I had been hit by a bus. Mom told her to stop kidding around. Mom really didn't believe Louella until Dad and I got home.

I went to St. Paul's school for eight years. I think when I was finished grade eight there were a lot of relieved teachers. They put up with us Reindl kids for many years, but look out -- Bob and Gerri's children are almost ready for grade one. My high school years were spent at City Park Collegiate Institute. I played football, soccer, wrestled and, yes, I even did a little track and field. However, I didn't push myself at that sport. I felt one track star was all we needed in our family.

During my grade nine I met Ab and Alice Southam who own and operate a meat store, Kava Meats, in our neighborhood. I used to spend lots of time visiting them. One thing led to another and the next thing I knew, I was employed by them. It proved to be a great learning experience as I learned how to cut meat, make sausage, and how to drive.

In my eleventh grade at City Park, I was visiting with some of my friends in the gym. We were talking about the girls and who the new ones were. Well, one of the new ones just happened to walk in at that point. I later learned her name was Keeran Heather Reed and she had just moved to Saskatoon with her mother, father and sister from Richmond, B.C. One of my friends said Keeran was a little stuck up and so I said, "Maybe we should show her a Saskatoon welcome." I picked up the apple core from the floor and YES, I threw it at Keeran as she was studying in the balcony of the gym. What I guy I was! I missed her. Thank goodness or we probably wouldn't have met. I was always doing things like that but was a polite student with the teachers and my friends.

Summer holiday time seemed extra long when there was nothing to do, which didn't happen too often. I was fortunate in being able to work during three summers at the Coca-Cola plant, on the bottling line.

When I graduated from City Park in 1981, I didn't think I'd be back until my High School Reunion. One night I went to a party and met this good-looking blonde. Her name was Keeran Reed. Sound familiar? Guess what she did? She asked me to be her escort at her graduation. It must have been love at first sight when I threw that apple at her as we started to date.

Keeran was born March 10, 1964 in Edmonton, Alberta. First of all, you may be wondering where she got her name. Well, her mother lived in Ireland for seven years when she was young in a small mountain village called Keeran. I guess the name stuck with her mom.

Keeran's parents are Margaret and Don Reed.

Her sister is Kelly. The family has lived all across Canada and in every province. Her father works for the Bank of Nova Scotia and so they have been transferred all over. Her parents are presently living in Toronto, Ontario, where he is a Senior Vice-President for the bank.

Keeran is following in her dad's footsteps and is also working for the Bank of Nova Scotia, where she has been for nearly seven years. Presently, she is in the Consumer Credit Department. She attended the University of Saskatchewan for two years, taking one year of Arts and Science and one in nursing. At this time, she is taking night classes at the U. of S.

We dated for three and a half years before we decided to get married and, on July 27, 1985, we became husband and wife. We have bought and sold our first home and are planning on buying again in the fall of 1987. We also plan to start our family in the next year or so.

At the moment I am working at the Potash Company of America and have been there for six years with my Dad, who has been there twenty-two years. It's not a bad job and, if something comes along for me, my Dad and I will have to separate from our mining. In the fall of 1986, I got my hoisting papers just like Dad. It must be in the genes!

Keeran and I are very happy and look forward to growing old together. We hope we haven't bored you to tears with our story and hope you learned a little bit about ourselves.

MAXINE THERESA (ALAIN) PRENTICE

I was born in the town of Tillsonburg, of the county of Oxford, Ontario on August 28, 1939. It was about midnight when the doctor arrived at Grandma Rachel Strasser's house on Rodgers Street and, by 1:00 a.m., he was ready to leave. I was the second child born to Louis and Clara (Lessard) Alain. Less than a month after my arrival, I was taken to St. Mary's in Tillsonburg. There I was baptized into the Roman Catholic faith by Reverend J.H. O'Neill with Joseph and Theresa Lessard, my mother's brother and sister, as my godparents. And so my life began.

Some of my early memories are of a hard-working father, a caring mother and tea parties with a sister. As she was just one year and one week older than I, it seemed as if she were made to order, both as playmate and friend. Together we played house, put on concerts and had our fights but, always, we were pals. The summer of 1942 my family moved back to Saskatchewan to farm at Veillardville.

My preschool years ended in illness, and again I was bothered in the primary grades, so there were various stays in hospitals -- Hudson Bay, Tisdale and The Pas. A few memories from this time stand out vividly; a little Eskimo girl's friendship and her courage in the face of tremendous suffering; "happy-go-Lester", a young boy from Veillardville -- both had been badly burned; and, back home, Dad's forbidding words uttered each winter over snow angels. A fresh snow fall in the middle of winter was always an invitation to fall backwards into an unmarked patch of the yard, sinking into the soft cushion of snow built up over many weeks. Then, with a sideways motion of our legs and arms, we each made our own distinct snow angel. We had to rise with care not to disturb the pattern. I missed making the snow angels but I understood; Dad was concerned and didn't wish me to risk another bout of illness.

Some pleasurable experiences which took place in the summer were my visits to Grandma and Grandpa Alain's for, once there, I would enjoy their lawn swing. In later years I learned that Uncle Rolland had built it while the younger Alains were still at home, probably in the early Thirties. It was a large swing which Rolland had built in his dad's hayloft. When it was finished, he had quite a time to get it out. Finally, he had to knock out one end of the barn. The swing was enjoyed by many of their grandchildren throughout the years and by the adults as well.

We also liked to swim in the summer -- on the really warm days -- but lived miles from a lake. However, we had a little creek which ran just back of our house. During our earlier years, we enjoyed many hours of fun in its cool waters. The creek even has its own name, Nonsuch River -- so titled on a Prairie River map, and discovered by Yvonne Alain when compiling the Veillardville history book, Valley Echoes. Other fun-filled times were the trips to Flin Flon where we spent a couple of weeks with our Marsollier and Menzies cousins, swam in Phantom Lake and enjoyed many bottles of Aunt Bertha's homemade root beer. A highlight of each summer was the special treat Mom gave to us. I believe it was her way of saying thank you to us for helping around the house, with the gardening, canning, and so forth. Marlyne and I, each in turn, were given a couple of afternoons to visit with our aunts, often arriving when they were in the middle of shelling peas or a similar task. We just pitched in; we didn't mind. Our chats were interesting, and we got to know them better. I came to treasure these annual summer visits, so I missed them when I took on a summer job away from home.

In the fall of 1953, Marlyne and I became boarders at Sacred Heart Convent at Zenon Park. With no high school offered at White Poplar, and school buses not yet established to travel to Hudson Bay, it meant that students needed to leave home to obtain their high school education. Besides, Mom and Dad wanted us to be schooled in our religion and to learn French.

The four years spent at Zenon were good ones. We met many girls from the western provinces with whom we forged friendships as we studied, played and prayed together. Memorable moments include tears in the Convent parlor when Mom and Dad left us each fall (later, I was to learn that in their compassion for the families, the Sisters also wept); Saturday bath times with the limit of one gallon of water per student -- Zenon had no water supply of its own; Sunday walks; kitchen duties for free piano lessons; and monthly outings to the Favreau home -- as delightful and welcome as Pauline and Rose-anne's special friendship. All were learning experiences.

Then, before I realized, it was June 1957, grade twelve departmentals and time to make decisions. I owe much to Marion Smith, Hughena McLean, Sisters Clare and Angelina -- all fine teachers -- who challenged me, instilled a love of reading and a thirst for knowledge, and who, no doubt, influenced me to consider a teaching career.

But I am getting ahead of myself. My senior high school years and the couple which followed held a variety of work experiences -- all in Saskatchewan. Marlyne and I had been employed at Tisdale Hospital a couple of summers; later we worked at Sinclair Drugs in Hudson Bay; I did some housework and worked in a hardware store. I shall always be grateful to these employers for giving me valuable work experience. Then, in my search of vocation, I entered the convent. Although my stay was brief, it offered valuable insight. Sandwiched in between were four months of teaching at Smokey Ridge. I was hired directly from grade twelve, as a Study Supervisor for grades one through nine. Correspondence courses were provided which I never used except for the one high school student. In these few months, I discovered the joy of teaching.

In the spring of 1959 I received my teaching certificate in Saskatoon from the Saskatchewan Teachers College. That fall, I began teaching grade one in Hudson Bay. Then, due to the kindness and patience of an old "pro", Mrs. McLeay, many mistakes were averted on my part, and my first year of teaching proved acceptable. Since Marlyne had taught at Ile La Crosse, I had entertained notions of teaching in the far North and, in particular, at Uranium City. Having met Lynne Bowen at S.T.C., I now shared my dream with her. We met in Prince Albert that Easter and I made my decision ... to join Lynne in the southcentral part of our province. A few months later, I was hired to fill the grade two and three teaching position recently vacated at Macrorie.

I took the train to Macrorie at the end of August and discovered the prairie. A far cry from the bush, the wandering creeks and the stillness of Veillardville, it nonetheless had its own unique attraction. That fall I fell in love with the beauty of the coulees and the hills that interrupt the long stretches of this wind-swept land.

The prairies held another attraction for me. Macrorie had little social life to offer the young folks apart from the Saturday night dances held weekly. So I went with Lynne. Shortly after our arrival, at that first dance, I noticed a young man dressed in cowboy attire ... from his smart-looking boots to his western string tie. Lynne introduced us, and that evening he took me home via the East-half -- as this parcel of his dad's land was commonly referred to. I'm not certain whether it was his cute smile, sense of humor and easy-going manner that attracted me or if it was the homey, comfortable feeling I experienced when we were together. It really didn't matter. Elliott Prentice had definitely made an impression on me. We dated during the best part of a year and, on Holy Thursday the following spring, we were engaged to be married. During Easter week, after borrowing his dad's car, we drove home to tell my folks and to discuss our wedding plans.

We were married on October 28, 1961 in St. Anthony's Catholic Church at Veillardville. Lynne (Bowen) and Norman Cooper, married two weeks previously, were our attendants, along with my sisters, Bernadette and Michelle, and my cousin, Lee Lessard. A brief honeymoon to Medicine Hat, Alberta, then home to our new house (24 x 26 feet) which Elliott, his father and brother Alvin had built just weeks before. That first night was spent at Mom and Dad Prentice's because our oil stove had gone out.

At that time, Mom and Dad Prentice had been married fifty years. Norman Elliott Prentice, better known as Norm, had been born February 13, 1894 in the county of Dufferin, east of Honeywood, Ontario. Mom Prentice, commonly called “Grandma”, had been born Ina Hunt on October 6, 1894 in Mulmur Township, county of Dufferin, Ontario. She and Norm had come to know each other while attending the same school and had been married on August 11, 1911 in Toronto, Ontario.

Norm first came West on a Harvest Excursion only a few days after their wedding. He returned to Toronto that fall to his young bride. The following spring of 1912, they came west together and settled in the Ardath district. In 1916 they moved to the Macrorie district, later settling on the Doc Harrison farm in 1934.

It was here that they remained and here that I first met them and their large family of fourteen children, of which Elliott was the youngest. He was born on April 11, 1938 in Outlook, Saskatchewan, and was named Charles Elliott. He took his twelve years of schooling at Macrorie after which he worked on the C.N.R. with the section crew for a couple of summers. Then he began to farm full time with his dad. They each had their own machinery and they worked well together.

During the first five years of our marriage, we were blessed with four healthy, beautiful children: Joseph Loren Elliott, Therese Adelle, Norman Blair and Cory Lee. They were good company for each other in spite of their occasional scraps.

A large part of our children’s lives centred around their Grandma and Grandpa living next door. Loren enjoyed T.V. and, at age 5, “Batman” was tops for him. Now, Grandpa Prentice enjoyed getting a rise out of Loren. All he needed to do was to tell him that if Popeye ate a bit of spinach, he could clean up on Batman. Blair was always our “live wire” and observant, too. One time, when he was not yet in school, he remarked after his bath that his hands were wrinkled and “just like old people’s.” Cory has always been good natured -- much like his Grandpa Prentice. But, as easy-going as Cory was, there was one thing he would not tolerate. Mysteriously, we discovered him sleeping on the floor one morning, only to learn later that our cat had moved in on him during the night. Through the years, Adelle provided the feminine influence and she has always been caring -- even as a little gal. One morning she had slipped over to visit her grandparents. As she watched Pop plug his one sore ear with cotton, she glanced out the window then, turning to him, she remarked, “Better plug the other one, too, Pop -- here come the boys!”

The four children kept us busy; some days I wondered if there would ever be an end to bottles and diapers. Then one day in the fall of ‘71 Cory boarded the school bus, and I was alone! But not for long. On September 26, 1973, Sean Allan was born. This time I wasn’t as busy -- having only one baby instead of a couple -- so I enjoyed Sean, at least, most days. He has been a gift of surprises through the years. He was lost several times as a preschooler, while we were shopping in the malls in Saskatoon, yet he always knew where he was, and would ask a clerk to help him find Mom and Dad.

Like every other young couple starting out with high hopes and great dreams, Elliott and I found that life is not always easy; some years hold more than their share of difficulties. Nineteen seventy-four was one such time. About 1:00 p.m. on a March afternoon, we received a call from the principal at our little school: “Your son has been hurt on the playground and we suspect he may have a broken leg.” We told him we’d be right down. When we arrived we found ten-year-old Blair lying on a snowbank, covered with jackets. There was a raw wind blowing from the west. We tried to shield our boy the best we could, and we chatted to bolster his spirits. The ambulance had been called but, unknown to us, had been on the hoist in the garage and would not arrive for almost an hour and a half. The ride into Outlook was very rough as the roads were heavy with a build-up of snow and, with a recent thaw, they were breaking up. There were many potholes. When we arrived, Blair was taken to X-ray where it was learned that he had suffered a comminuted fracture of his thigh bone. He would need to be in traction for some time. Blair’s stay in hospital lasted nine and a half weeks.

During this time Sean was hospitalized at University Hospital in Saskatoon. He was not able to tolerate milk, soya-based milk or beef broth. Some cereals also upset him. Then, because of an oversight and poor communication, Sean’s condition deteriorated severely. Acting on an uneasy premonition, I drove to Saskatoon to see how he was doing. His eyes were sunken, his breathing shallow. He was so weak that he could neither cry nor make any movement. He simply lay there. The nurse was chang-ing another soiled diaper. I asked her a couple of questions, then went to the nursing station and dialed our son's pediatrician and asked him, "What have you done to my baby?" He was in the ward within minutes. Sean's recovery began that day. I remained in Saskatoon to be with him, spending the nights at Marlyne's. The strain began to take its toll; I was hospitalized in Milden. That spring seeding was late due to the heavy snowfall and spring rains and, in a feeling of desperation, I telephoned Mom. Bless her! She never hesitated. That evening she was on the bus for Saskatchewan. She took over at home tend-ing to the children and the meals. Elliott was free to put in the crop and visit Blair evenings, while I concentrated on getting well. When I came home from hospital that last time, the sun was shining on a bowl of roses sitting in the middle of the kitchen table. Someone cared! And best of all was Elliott's news that both Sean and Blair were well on the road to recovery.

During the years when the children were young I needed an outlet and some outside inter-ests. When Loren was born, I had quit teaching except for a little substitute teaching so, in response to the need in 1967, I began a private kindergarten in Macrorie. I taught over a period of twelve years -- at first one morning a week, then twice a week. Later, I took some classes in ceramics, furniture upholstery and wood refinishing, the latter two from the local commu-nity college.

Living in any community carries its own duties and responsibilities. Our small village of Macrorie is no different. Our new arena, which was built in 1967, was constructed with local volunteer help. Yearly operating expenses are mostly met with income received through the rink kitchen. This means that the women and -- in recent years -- the men, too, must take a turn at working. The ladies are canvassed for pies, soup, chili and other things. Elliott has always been very active in the field of sports -- coaching, managing and as a participant. Working and playing together strengthens a community and the same is true of the Church. We belong to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Parish in Outlook where my greater interest and involve-ment, through the years, has been in the field of catechetics.

About the time Sean started school I began to consider resuming my education. This only lasted a couple of years, as I became involved in the

development of a volunteer program for the elderly, the handicapped and the shut-in. While the project has been challenging, it has given me a greater sense of fulfillment than any other work I have undertaken.

This fall of 1986 Elliott and I celebrated our Silver Wedding Anniversary. It was an oppor-tunity to reflect, to be thankful and to celebrate God's goodness to us not only through each other but also through the many others He has given to us over the years -- our five children, wee Bran-don and Brandi Rae, our families (Prentice and Alain) and many good friends. We have received much in the way of love, care, support and inspiration. With the years, we have been given a rainbow of memories to cherish.

ADELLE PRENTICE

(Our daughter, Adelle, shares her story and that of her brothers.)

Charles Elliott Prentice took the hand of Maxine Theresa Alain on October 28, 1961. Nine months later their first child, a baby boy, was born. This is the story of this child and of the other four children that followed.

Joseph Loren Elliott was born on July 28, 1962. Loren was quite an organized and tidy little boy -- much to Mother's joy. In later years he proved to be an A student. As time went on, he developed a love for sports, taking after his father.

Through the years he participated in many sports, some of his favorite being hockey, baseball and golf. Today his work involves one of his favorite sports -- racquetball. After high school his first job was at a racquetball court in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Presently he manages House of Courts, a racquetball and fitness centre in Saskatoon. Loren also has a musical ear and played guitar for a number of years as a youth. He was active in the 4-H Club for five years.

Today Loren and Carol Anne Jacobson live in Saskatoon. Their tiny daughter, Brandi Rae, was born to them on May 17, 1986.

On August 17, 1963, I (Therese Adelle) was born to Elliott and Maxine. I was a preemie and required more care during my first weeks.

As I grew up, I developed an interest in music and I took piano and accordion lessons. Dance was also a part of my youth. Mom and Dad were kept busy running to lessons and recitals. Like my brothers, I took my high school education in Outlook. In my senior years I found that I enjoyed writing so, in my spare time, I began to write short stories and poetry. Two years out of high school, I took a creative writing class and hope to pursue this interest in the future. I was actively involved in 4-H for six years and also enjoyed teaching religion classes for preschoolers for a year.

I began working part-time at the Outlook Printers in grade nine and continued there until graduation, at which time I pursued my career as a typesetter in Saskatoon. I have continued to work in various print shops through the years and am presently working at the Rosetown Eagle as an advertising sales rep. and a graphic arts designer.

Norman Blair, third child of Elliott and Maxine, was born on August 15, 1964. Blair was a child full of energy and action -- constantly on the go. As the years passed, he spent his energy on hockey, baseball and other sports through school such as soccer, football and golf. Today he follows his older brother's interest in racquetball and is a frequent visitor at Loren's club. Blair also was a 4-H member for a number of years.

Leaving school, he went first to Medicine Hat in search of work. While there, he worked for Medican, B-Law Construction, Medicine Hat Concrete, and the Hat Pipeline. Later he moved back home and worked for the C.N.R. for four months. When he was laid off, he went to Lake Louise where he worked at the Chateau for several months.

At the present time he is in Saskatoon, working at Primco, a large warehouse, where he has been since September of 1985.

Cory Lee was born on October 7, 1965. He was happy-go-lucky as a baby and has retained this quality. Cory evened up the score when it came to football and baseball "teams" in the backyard. He, too, was a 4-H member. He played baseball and hockey, switching from the latter to curl. He became Dad's right-hand man, playing third on the curling ice.

When the time came for decisions after high school, Cory chose to participate in the Katimavik program. This took him across Canada to three provinces where he spent three months in each of the following places: Gaspe, Quebec; Courtney, B.C.; and Petersborough, Ontario. Finishing his last rotation at the latter, he began working for a construction company. When he was laid off, he moved home. Then, before long, he was hired by the Patterson Grain Company which was building an elevator annex in Wolseley, Saskatchewan. Following this, Cory went to Slave Lake, Alberta, where he worked on the maintenance staff at the local hotel for six months. Home for a holiday, he went to see Blair in Saskatoon and was hired by Primco "on-the-spot". He is presently living in Saskatoon with Blair.

Sean Allan, the fifth and last child, was born on September 26, 1973. From five months of age, Sean had problems with allergies. Finding a suitable formula proved more difficult as time went on. After five weeks in University Hospital in Saskatoon, Elliott and Maxine brought their baby home much to the delight of three brothers and one sister ready to play mother. The whole family found much delight in little Sean, teaching him all kinds of wonderful things -- new words, games and to rough-house.

Sean was a quick, perceptive child. Helped along by four teenagers, some claimed Sean was wise beyond his years. He is now taking his grade eight at Macrorie Elementary School with the same teacher, Mr. Dean Corbett, as the rest of us had. Sean is active in the school band and won an award for Proficiency. He has proved himself a money-manager, saving his egg and pop-bottle money to purchase his own motorbike and part of his computer. He makes up some of his programs, combining studying and playing on the computer to make learning more fun.

Sean, like his brothers and father, enjoys his sports of baseball, hockey and golf. He has a keen interest in racquetball and is very happy when he can get to the city to play. Recently he has become interested in curling -- playing with Dad, the school team, and 4-H members.

Through our childhood, our Grandma and Grandpa Prentice played a very important and special role in our lives. I remember Grandma's big cookies fresh out of the oven and the line-up of little hands eagerly outstretched for these tasty favorites. Grandpa was a special storyteller and he could keep our interest for hours on end with his yarns. Each spring we would wait in excited anticipation for their return from Victoria, B.C. I remember how we used to count the days and, when they arrived, it was always a joyous occasion.

Visits from Grandma and Grandpa Alain were also held dear -- perhaps more so -- for the visits were few and far between as they lived far away.

Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving ... all the holidays were and still are happy family times, with everyone gathering together to share good food (Mom has always been a terrific cook) and lots of good fun! On many of these occasions, the Storebo and Reindl families are there to share in the festivities. My memories of childhood and growing up will always be happy ones -- the family picnics, the sport functions, the birthday parties and the summer vacations. Our parents have done much for us through the years to help us grow into caring, responsible adults. We shall always be grateful to them.

MARCELLA (ALAIN) SEVIGNY

I was born in Hudson Bay Junction Union Hospital, April 5, 1944. I was baptized by Father Van Vynk at the Rectory on April 11. Hector Maynard and Grandma Strasser were in attendance as proxy godparents for Aunt Berthe and Uncle Paul Marsollier who resided in Flin Flon, Manitoba.

In 1948, at the age of four, I remember boarding a train for Saskatoon where I was to be a flower girl for my Aunt Mae Strasser's wedding. Since there was no station agent in Veillardville, we had to flag the train down. Aunt Mae was married on October 9th. (That date never rang a bell till my own wedding on the same date twenty-three years later - 1971.)

Two years later saw me starting school with four cousins: three of them Alains - Lorne, Simone and Lynn; and one Lessard - Susan.

What a year Miss Carnahan had with ten of us in grade one, and I was related to four of them! Of course, this was all in a one room school. That year, as part of the Christmas concert, we sang "Ten Little Indians".

For those of you who remember, Simone Alain and I went to school in a little cart pulled by her horse, Tony. My contribution was his feed which consisted of a bag of chopped oats or chop, as we called it. Tony was always so slow and pokey; Marlyne and Maxine would walk and get to school before us. However, one day a train went by just before we got to the crossing in Veillardville and it spooked Tony. Well, he reared and took off galloping with Simone and I in tow, yelling and screaming our heads off. Marlyne, who had been walking behind us, ran and helped calm Tony down, along with Arnold Sauer and a couple of other men who worked on the tracks. When we arrived at school, everyone mentioned how pale we looked.

I vividly recall a big snowstorm in February of that year. We had gone to school with Wayne Barry, a nephew of our neighbours, Ed and Lil Barry. Wayne was driving a horse which was pulling a stoneboat. Huge fluffy snowflakes were falling that morning. Coming home from school early, for the teacher dismissed us around 2:00 p.m. instead of the usual 3:30, we had to unhitch the stoneboat at Uncle Smokey's store and hoof it. As Maxine and I were the smallest, we got to ride horseback for half a mile. After that, the drifts got so deep the horse couldn't jump them so Wayne and Marlyne made Maxine get off the horse and I alone was left to ride. When we got to the last quarter of a mile, we abandoned the road and walked in Thrussell's field where the snow was still deep but at least hadn't drifted. It was quite a relief to make it home safe and sound. I remember thinking how brave Wayne, Marlyne and Maxine were to keep going. Being only six years old, I would have preferred to stop and rest for a while in the field. Only years later did I realize their wisdom and accuracy of judgment.

The winter I was nine years old, Mom paid for ten piano lessons for me as well as ten tap dancing lessons. I remember how much I enjoyed those lessons, especially the tap dancing ones. (I was able to pursue my music lessons when I was in grade nine as a trade-off for doing dishes in the kitchen of the boarding school I attended.) It must have been a real sacrifice for Mom to pay for those lessons. The first two weeks she told me to tap in the basement on the cement floor so Dad wouldn't know I was taking the lessons. I imag-ine Mom didn't want Dad to get upset over spending money in that fashion.

In May of that year, the day of the recital, I walked from White Poplar School to Hudson Bay. Dad was seeding and Mom couldn't drive the car. It was close to 90° F. and the five miles seemed like an eternity. I finally arrived at Grandma Strasser's home, dusty and perspiring. The first thing she did was put me in the tub for a warm bath. That was a real thrill because we didn't have running water, much less a built-in tub at home. I think Mom may have gotten a ride into town with Aunt Yvonne that night because she was there to see me perform.

One experience I would like to relive from my childhood is walking on the road in my bare feet while it was raining. We would sort of "skate" on the road and look at our funny tracks, all the while enjoying the feel of mud squishing through our toes. That was a really enjoyable experience. As our roads had no pavement, not even gravel on them, they were very smooth with only the odd little stone to scratch our feet.

We had a lot of snow one year and the spring run-off was particularly heavy. As the snow melted and the water drained into the creek, the latter became very swollen and began washing away the bridge near our home. One afternoon Mom couldn't find Bruce. Walking as far as the bridge, she panicked when she saw how much earth had been washed away beside the bridge. Fearing the worst, that Bruce had been swept away in the flood waters, she asked me to jump the crevasse and run to Uncle Rolland's, the distance of a mile, to see if Bruce might have gone there. I don't remember stopping once to walk. I just ran hoping and praying that I would find him. As I turned into Uncle Rolland's driveway, I could see Bruce sitting on the steps with Aunt Yvonne and Gordon Menzies looking through the pages of the new Eatons or Simpsons-Sears Spring and Summer catalogue. I remember feel-ing absolutely enraged at his calmness. Natu-rally, he had no idea I was so upset. Running back home, we made the dreadful error of run-ning one behind the other. Mom could only see one person so she was sure her worst fears were confirmed, yet she stayed by the bridge, waiting. You should have seen the look on her face when she finally made the two of us out. When we arrived at the bridge she instructed us to remove our boots and throw them across. Being lighter, we could then run and jump over the washed out

section which, by then, was two to two-and-a-half feet wide with water hissing and gushing rapidly through that section of the road. Being the younger of the two, Bruce threw his boots across first. His aim was poor and one of his boots landed in the angry water and was instantly washed downstream. That upset Mom but hav-ing Bruce back home safe and sound was better than the loss of one rubber boot.

Little traditions that remain in my mind were the Saturday evening bath – one after the other, beginning with the baby all the way up to Mom and Dad. As the water cooled with each suc-cessive bath, we added more hot water which had been heated on the woodstove. A treat of pop-corn or fudge always followed our bath in the winter. Grandpa Alain would walk to our place – three-quarters of a mile – to listen to the hockey game on the radio. He was hard of hearing so consequently the volume was turned up quite high. In the summer, we would polish everyone's shoes and have our bath just before supper. We would go to town right after. Sometimes we would peddle raspberries for 25¢ a basket. Other times, we would sell butter, eggs or cream. In those days, when we had too much cream, we would ship it to Prince Albert on the train in big cream cans. Then Mom would receive a small cheque in the mail later. That was her only income along with the berries, butter and egg money combined with the Family Allowance.

When in town on Saturday we would go to the locker plant and, with our own key, we would take out all the meat we would need for the following week. This, of course, preceded 1957, the year in which power came to our area.

My childhood was pretty uneventful except for the occasions when Dad would get me to peel green fence posts for 3¢ a post. The idea of earning money always spurred me on. Then, if that became too boring, Dad could always think of other chores needing to be done: cows to chase out of the wheat field, a fence to mend, grain to shovel or tools to pick up and put in the shed. Early on I had made up my mind to work outside with Dad rather than stay in the house doing housework with Mom. To this day, making meals is not one of my priorities. However, to reward us for all the hard work, I got to go to the Melfort Fair and the Saskatoon Exhibition once. When we went to Saskatoon Mom and Dad took Norbert Marsollier, my cousin, with us. I was nine or ten years old then. While in Saskatoon, Norbert took me to my first three-dimensional movie. What an experience that was, wearing those funny little glasses. I also recall visiting Mr. and Mrs. Henri Dinelle, family friends, who used to live on Uncle Rolland's farm.

Each year, at the end of June, for passing our grade Dad would present us with a new pair of leather gloves to make hay with. Our summers were spent picking wild strawberries - enough so Mom could can one hundred jars of wild straw berry jam every year. From 8 a.m. till 9 a.m. we would pick stones in the fields, then come home and make hay till suppertime. Then at night we picked stones from 8 till 9 p.m. Exhausted, we had no trouble going to sleep which was often to the sounds of frogs croaking or the beavers slap ping their tails on the water in the creek behind our house.

When any of the machinery broke down, Bruce and I would sometimes have to stay in a field and wait for Dad to come back. To fill in the time, we would build a lean-to, examine field mice nests or compare tans and muscle size. When Dad would come back from changing fields, from a repair or to pick us up from stook ing, he would examine what we had done. If it didn't meet his standards, we knew about it. One time we had stooked a big field and a powerful wind came and knocked over most of our stooks. I always said Bruce's stooks were the ones that fell down, not mine! Nevertheless, we both had to re-stook the field.

A special event most summers was to have our Marsollier and Menzies cousins arrive from Flin Flon, Manitoba, to visit. They were real city folk to us. The little contact we had with them in those days helped to keep family ties together. We picked names for Christmas gifts on both sides of the family and, to this day, I still remember the excitement of receiving a gift from a cousin who lived in the city, whether it be Hamilton or Flin Flon.

At the age of seven, Mom took Bernie and me to Flin Flon for Easter. Bernie was only two and a half years old and it was her first train ride. She stuttered when she talked and, when she woke up the next morning, she looked out the window. As the train sped by, she said in her little excited voice, "MMMommy, ttttthe tttttrees aaare rrrr running." Everyone in the coach started to laugh. While we were gone Dad couldn't find the Easter eggs Mom had hidden. In fact, she had hid them so well, it took a full two years to find them.

I made the trip to Flin Flon once more at the age of twelve with my cousin Simone. To help

with the burden of feeding us during our visit, Mom sent a shopping bag full of meat which I was instructed to leave between the cars on the train so it would stay frozen. I remember being embarrassed to ask the trainman if I could and he did not object.

A highlight of each year was the track and field sports day in Hudson Bay. Simone and I were almost always in the same races and jump ing contests: broad jump, high jump and hop step-and-jump. She was usually first and I was often second. Occasionally we got to advance to Porcupine Plains or Somme for another meet. But just going to Hudson Bay was a big thrill. White Poplar often won the prize for the best banner and school yell. One year when Mrs. L. Smith taught, the yell included some of the fol lowing words: "Busy Bees, Busy Bees; We are workers, never shirkers; Busy Bees, Busy Bees." We won first that year.

Another highpoint I should mention was the annual Christmas concert. Dad would come to school in early December and set up the stage which would remain till the Christmas holidays. Those concerts sported standing room only. They always held a kind of magical spell over me and culminated with the appearance of Santa Claus. One year, when Bernadette was a baby, Mom had her in her arms standing just behind Mr. Veillard who was on the short side. Bernie would drool on his bald head, put her pudgey hands in it and rub it all over his crown. Mom would get upset and try to stop her but Mr. Veillard said, "Let her be, it's keeping her quiet."

A favorite pastime Bruce and I had as chil dren was to play on one of Dad's old binders. There, nestled in an old spool of binder twine, we would often find robins' nests and, sometimes, even eggs. We also played in the old caboose and sometimes in the buggy under the trees behind the chicken coop. We were always fascinated by birds' nests, whether they were in the barn, in the rafters of the granaries or in the garage. On rainy days, Bruce and I would close the door to our bedroom and out would come the Monopoly game which would occupy us for hours.

One game I vividly recall playing as a child was Anti-Anti-I-Over. It was played by throw ing a ball over the house. One had to catch the ball and try to get to the other side of the house without being touched or tagged. It was usually played in teams. If you were tagged with the ball, you had to join forces with the other team. One day Bruce broke Mom and Dad's bedroom window. We all vowed not to tell who did it. Bernie suggested we go inside and pray that we wouldn't be punished.

Dad, I think, missed playing ball and one year, he bought Bruce a right-handed glove and a left-handed one for himself. He used to play catch with us when he had the time. When we got better at the sport, he eventually gave me his glove and Bruce and I played together.

I have some fond memories of Grandpa Alain. The job he held in his later years was that of watching out for fires from a high tower up north. He travelled to and from work in his old Model T Ford. He would toot his horn when he went past our place. It had a unique sound. On special occasions, he would let us ride in the rumble seat. Mom and Dad thought he was a little too permissive but we loved him for it. One day he took Simone, Lynn and Gabrielle to Ruby Lake for a swim. It was very hot that summer. He also asked me to go along but I had to make hay. Needless to say, I was jealous of those who got to go.

As I mentioned earlier, Grandpa was quite deaf in later years. Well, one day I was out in his car with him and the two of us nearly got hit by a train at the Veillardville crossing. Grandpa hadn't heard the whistle and I was telling him to stop but he kept on going. The train sped over the siding just seconds after we crossed it. Grandpa was always singing or humming. He always appeared to be in a good mood. He sang in the church choir with three of his children, Smokey, Rolland and Edithe.

Once a week after school I would wash Grandma Alain's kitchen floor. She would give me a big rubber pad inside a brown bag to put under my knees. This, I thought, was rather nifty as I didn't have such comfort while working at home. Lynn would invariably come over and the two of us would giggle and giggle as Grandma gave us our traditional glass of tomato juice to drink. She often kept me for supper those nights which was a real thrill for me.

At the age of thirteen, I left home to go to boarding school in Zenon Park, Saskatchewan, for grade nine. After grade ten, at the age of fifteen, I entered the Order of French Sisters who taught in Zenon Park: Les Soeurs de la Charité de Notre Dame D'Evron. While with the Sisters, I completed my high school and attended College St. Jean and the University of Alberta. I then taught at St. Thomas d'Aquin Elementary School in Edmonton for two years. After nine years with the Sisters, I decided it really was not my vocation and I left the Order in June 1968.

I continued teaching, this time at St. Nicholas and finished my Bachelor of Education at the University of Alberta in 1970. I then taught Music and Family Life at St. Nicholas and at St. Cecilia Junior High Schools. On October 9, 1971, I married Richard Sévigny. A year after our marriage we both returned to university to do the course work for our Masters degrees. It was a year neither of us will ever forget: taking the courses, struggling through statistics and exams together.

Richard is a native Edmontonian, born July 17, 1948, of French-Canadian ancestry. In high school he attended Holy Redeemer College with the Redemptorists and went to Winnipeg for his B.A. under their tutelage. He majored in Philosophy and Sociology. His parents, Arthur and Alice, still reside in Edmonton.

January 1, 1975, saw us move to Sydney, Nova Scotia, where we have resided ever since. In 1976, after a lot of hard work, I finally obtained a Masters degree in Science (M.Sc.) in Family Studies from the University of Alberta and Richard obtained his in 1978. For four years, the two of us worked as the Family Life Coordinator couple for Family Service of Eastern Nova Scotia. Richard worked by himself for a few years after I resigned; then in 1982 he was named Executive Director of the agency. That year I began to teach Music For Young Children in our home. Today I teach an average of thirty students a week from the ages of 3½ to 9, comprised of six or seven classes.

My other interests and activities have been with the C.W.L., Right to Life, and SERENA where, along with Richard, we teach other couples Natural Family Planning. For eight years we both taught Childbirth Education classes (Lamaze). I also taught French Immersion for two years here in Sydney.

We have been blessed with three boys: Paul René, born July 30, 1974; Camille Alain, born September 15, 1977; and Martin Thomas, who was adopted by us in March 1979, was born December 21, 1978. At the present time all three boys are involved in music, elocution, Beavers, Cubs, swimming, soccer, and hockey.

BRUCE ALAIN

I was born in Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan, on November 12, 1946. Many things happened to me as a youngster – some events that I personally recall follow.

When I was quite young I would follow my father behind the plough in the field directly in front of our place. The plough was a regular two-bottom plough that my dad pulled behind the old McCormick and it had a big throw which would turn the dirt over. Because he didn't have enough power or speed, the furrow would fall right over and flop back. I remember getting caught in the furrow and losing my rubber boot.

Once, when I was between three and four years old, there was a huge snow storm when we were out in the cutter. The cutter was like a big motorhome except it was drawn by horses. It had a windshield and inside was a woodstove for heat, a vent, a table and a place to sit down. One Saturday, we were being pulled home from Veillardville which was about three-quarters of a mile away. To me it seemed like an eternity that we were in the cutter with the coal oil lantern swinging back and forth from the ceiling.

At about age four an incident that I remember more clearly than any other was getting my first pair of hockey gloves for Christmas. In those days Grandpa Alain used to come by and tease me about "Rocket" Richard. That pair of hockey gloves was a gift I was proud of for a long time.

An interesting experience happened to me in school, probably about Grade 5. I was able to take a joke as well as give one. One day my cousins and a few other school kids wrapped up a steel ball bearing, which was about three inches in diameter, with some white tape. I used to ride my bike to play scrub in the morning and, that morning, I hit the steel ball with the bat from a very close range – of course, it was their idea of a joke. Later in school, for about two hours after hitting this "ball", my hands were unable to hold a pen or pencil. My teacher wasn't too excited about that.

We used to plug gopher holes at school with broken bats and then flush out the gophers with the slop water from the school. This was part of school in those days.

In the winter time Rachelle, Bernie and I would hitch up my two dogs, Rusty and Pup, and they would pull us to school. I enjoyed those years. My dogs were great and I went everywhere with them. I probably shot as many as a hundred squirrels in winter. I never caught a mink though I always wanted to. I got quite a few weasels but squirrels were the big thing – you got about two bits a squirrel. There was never a moment when there was nothing to do. If you couldn't do something sensible, you could always do something irrational and I had a chance to do both at an early age.

On the farm just about every Saturday in the spring, when it got dry enough to go on the land, my dad would get us kids together and hook a stone boat up and we would have to go out and pick all the rocks that had bared themselves after the winter snow. They were easy to see and pick. Marcella and I and sometimes the other kids would run from the wagon or from the stone boat, left and right. Marlyne's husband, Adolf, had his turn picking rocks with us, too. We had some pretty entertaining days out there with Dad in the captain's seat pointing out the rocks for us to leap out and pick.

I was fairly mechanical and, with the help of my Uncle Rolland, I designed my first motorbike. It was an old Briggs & Stratton washing machine engine that was stuck on the side of the bike. I had it for two or three summers, that I can remember, and it was quite a sight to see.

When I was in Grade 8 or 9, I started going to the town school. The school was more than one room and had lots of teachers. That was the first year my Uncle Rolland drove the bus, and marked the change for me, from farm life to city life. It was a major change in my life, I feel, because life on the farm wasn't the same anymore after experiencing town life.

After a couple of years in town school, I didn't like school anymore and I struck off with a friend, a man we knew from Hudson Bay. His name was Leo Budnick, and he took me to Calgary. There I embarked on a career, that of a jockey. Half a year later I was fortunate enough to paddock a horse called Wood's Wish at the Queen's Play at Woodbine in Ontario. I rode many thoroughbreds and did come out of the starting gate. It was very eventful at the track. We had to go by train with the horses from Edmonton to Toronto. On one trip, on the second day, I was mucking the stables out and thought the only way to get rid of the stuff was to throw it out the train door - so I did! Well, what I didn't know was that the car right behind ours was the dining car. I guess it was a pretty shitty view!

I looked after a horse farm in Toronto and that led me to my second job which was working at a funeral home in Toronto called Lyonnete Funeral Parlor. There I would deliver flowers and wash the new cars - I didn't have much to do with the actual embalming of bodies.

I then came West. My parents had sold the farm and eventually moved to Golden, B.C. where Dad was working in a sawmill. I ran into my brother-in-law, Don Adrian, and some others who had already taken a welding course and they all suggested that I go to welding school in Kelowna and learn a trade. My cousin, Lloyd Alain, and I did go to welding school in Kelowna and took our welding papers and both joined the Iron Workers. Lloyd is currently working as an iron worker. I spent ten years in the field, putting up iron in Saskatchewan, Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Wyoming, California, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico.

I then took up freestyle ski judging when the sport was very young. I took that sport from a very early age of freestyle skiing - in fact, I was involved in the third freestyle contest ever held. I started judging and worked my way up to be the general manager and chief organizer for Canada. This took about eight years of total dedication to the sport, seven months of each year. In the summer time I helped a couple of my buddies build homes. While I was doing the freestyle skiing, I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel to many European countries - Yugoslavia, Austria, Germany, Italy, France, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. I was even in Japan for ten days which was probably one of the highlights of my freestyle skiing career.

I then took up contracting full time and, with a partner, have been quite busy in the Vernon area building custom homes.

I married Gaila Kanester on November 8, 1986, in Vernon, B.C., having first met her and her two young daughters, Tiara and Hailey, back in 1983. We live in Vernon, B.C., and quite enjoy life here.

BERNADETTE MICHELLE (ALAIN) ADRIAN

I was given my name by my godmother, Yvonne (Veillard) Alain. My mother wanted to call me Michelle but my dad refused so she used it as a middle name. Later she got her way - when her sixth daughter arrived, she named her Michelle.

I was born June 5, 1948, in Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan. I lived on the farm in Veillardville which was a great place. I don't remember many things from my childhood. Aside from the regular play and farm life, my life as a youngster never held much more excitement.

I went to White Poplar School till grade seven. My grade one teacher was Mrs. Lee, of whom I was very fond. My recollection in grade one was her asking if I could print my name and I said, "Yes." She asked me to then print it and I wouldn't because I knew she was a teacher and teachers knew everything, so she didn't need me to show her the spelling.

Grades two to six, I had Mrs. Marion Smith. She was a good teacher. Being in a one-room country school, we always seemed to be more interested in the other grades than the one we were in. I remember thinking how I couldn't wait to get big enough to take that Algebra. I used to see Marcella and Simone Alain, plus others, go to the blackboard and, out loud, would say, "Draw a line any length and mark it A and B" and continue on. I thought doing that was real important and it impressed me. We also had public speaking contests and I usually came out of our country school doing well and then always lost out in Hudson Bay when competing against all the rural areas. It really was an exciting thing! Another big highlight was our Christmas concerts. They were so well rehearsed and we patiently waited till the end of the evening for Santa's arrival. What a thrill! We got our orange, a few candies and a gift. We sometimes got to pick out of the Sears catalogue a first and second choice for a particular priced gift.

We rode to school in the winter on a toboggan pulled by our dogs, Pup and Rusty. We were two and a quarter miles away so we mainly took them; other times we'd walk, making little games along the way. We would either walk the railroad tracks, testing our balance on the rails, or seeing who could go the furthest without breaking through the crust of snow. In the spring came the excitement of walking along the highway to school because it would be dry for the last mile so we'd walk through the mud to what we referred to as "Menzies Corner." We had a pair of shoes hidden in the Anglican Church there so we would then get out of our boots and into shoes. Boy! After walking one and a quarter miles in gumbo, your boots were so heavy and our shoes felt like feathers. Needless to say, we were not supposed to be wearing shoes as the school yard was wet and we played out all the time.

In grade seven our little country school closed down, putting an end to a part of our heritage which today my children and many others have never experienced and never will. It was a school system in a sort of family atmosphere - all eight grades in one room.

The first day of school in Hudson Bay was a real eye opener! We rode a school bus driven by my Uncle Rolland Alain, my father's brother. He picked us up at the driveway and took us to a school consisting of many classrooms, teachers, etc. I attended my first day and on the second day I ended up being admitted into the hospital with Polio. That was in 1960, the year Saskatchewan had quite an outbreak of it. While in the hospital my younger sister, Michelle, came in with a broken leg. How she cried when they went to put her in the children's ward. Of course, that meant she was going to have to sleep in a crib. Well, she was a distance from my room but all I could hear was "I won't sleep in a crib because only babies do." They ended up pushing the crib in my room when I was out of isolation. Well, that settled a lot of crying. My grandfather, Henry Alain, had had a very severe stroke earlier in the year and was left in a wheelchair and under the hospital's care. I had not seen Grandpa since his stroke but loved him so. One day a nurse said we'd have a reunion with the three of us. Being only twelve years old, I was more than shocked when he'd call me by other people's names, and most definitely was not with us. It hurt me so much but I guess we learn much from all these experiences. I wasn't aware what strokes really were like.

I took grade nine at Zenon Park at the convent as a boarder. That seemed to have become a real tradition in our family. We went there for our high school. I wasn't fond of living in that type of surroundings and just at the age when a girl starts to get interested in "BOYS." Gee, stuck in a female dorm - well the Sisters just weren't going to give in to my reasoning. I really don't know who won those battles. If those walls could talk, we'd all laugh. We had lots of good times though, and I met some lovely friends. I spent the year there and then moved out to B.C. as my folks moved to Vernon in April of '63. So in June I left Saskatchewan for Vernon. This was the beginning of my many moves: I took grade ten in Vernon and grade eleven in Golden, B.C. and then decided, enough of school.

During my childhood we were raised on a farm. We had a lot of cattle, pigs, chickens, etc. The chores of feeding and cleaning pens never seemed too bad but we couldn't see why rock picking was never over. There were times when I'm sure I truly believed they grew from year to year. We had a stone boat which we loaded them on. Of course, we always fought to see who could drive the tractor because it sure was less work. We all got our share of it though. We hated picking rocks so much and one day we came across a groundhog. Boy, we unloaded the whole works throwing them at him! Needless to say, we had to reload it and probably never even hit the groundhog.

One day Bruce decided he was going to have a motor bike, so off a washing machine came a motor and gee, if the stupid thing wouldn't start half the time. We would push him, running as fast as we could, down a slight hill and once it started, of course, he'd wave and carry on his way as we'd walk back home cursing never to help him again. All that for the love of a brother!

In the winter time we used the dogs as our transportation to go everywhere. Sometimes we'd get them ready in the harness at the store or wherever we were and just as we'd go to step on the toboggan, they'd take off and go right home making us walk. Well, to say we'd be upset would be mild but we never gave up. We did become wiser, though, when preparing to leave with them.

Some of our favorite games in the spring were marbles and, of course, Hop Scotch - we always had lots of rubber bands from jars to use as our markers. In summer time we'd play in the creek behind the farm. Gee, we'd spend endless hours swimming in a hole or exploring a beaver's dam. I lost a couple pairs of boots in that creek and this one year I was warned it had best be the last time. Well, gee, if one didn't get stuck in the mud and I lost it. Mom made me wear two black rubbers to school, one with red around the top and across the toes and the other with white and, besides, they were different sizes. I was pretty embarrassed so I'd try to keep as much mud on them as possible. We never had phones in our homes but we had big gas tanks which were high on a stand;

we would climb on top and holler to our neighbors, "Theresa and Bobby Nicholls." Well, our voices carried loud and clear, probably even without the gas tank being high. They would mount theirs and we'd holler back and forth. They lived the closest to us, being only one quarter mile across a field.

We went to town Saturday afternoons in the winter and Saturday evenings in the summer after supper. We'd get our allowance and, boy, we were gone! We'd all have to meet, usually at Grandma Strasser's, after the stores closed. Mom and Dad and others would stop there for a coffee and a visit and we'd play during that time. Country living was just so very different from living in town. Kids from town used to love to come to the farm and we'd always want to trade them places. We never had television until late 1962, mainly because the reception was pretty poor. But I remember Uncle Smokey had a TV so I went and watched Princess Margaret's wedding on it. What a big event it was.

We had a skating rink on the farm so there was always things to do. We learned to skate pushing an old wooden kitchen chair.

Rachelle and I went to Lynn Lake, Manitoba, by train for Christmas 1960 to see my oldest sister, Marlyne, and her husband, Adolf, and family. I went alone the following year also. What a trip! I loved it! It sure was a cold place to live. One afternoon my dear nephew, Rob, and my niece, Geraldine, were supposedly having an afternoon nap but instead, they were biting my suitcase up! They were still pretty special to me even had they eaten it all up.

Well, in April of 1963 our farm was sold, bringing to an end a very special part of my life. My memories are so fond of those years and our many Christmas celebrations on the farm. We had a big auction sale and what was to be kept and what wasn't sold was loaded into a pickup truck to be driven by a neighbor and friend, Raymond Smith, to B.C. Dad, Mom, Joey and Michelle were taking the car and off they went. Rachelle stayed behind with me at the convent to finish her grade six before we joined them at the end of June. I stayed with Paulette Lamontagne that night as our place was "no more ours." My father believed our dogs would be better off left behind with the new people. They knew their surroundings and were now old dogs. Well, I forgot a skirt in the clothes chute at the house so, the next day, I went back to get it. While walking away, Pup started to follow and he would not stop. I will always see him with his tail between his legs as I had to get real mad to make him go back to an empty farm. He knew full well what happened and, oh, did I cry. He was a best friend to all us kids. Rachelle and I left Saskatchewan by Greyhound Bus at the end of June after a visit with Maxine, my sister, and her husband, Elliott, and baby, Loren. We were off to join up with our family who bought a place in Vernon and were building a new house. Rachelle and I fought so hard to stay awake so we could see the mountains. Well, my first opinion of B.C. was it was so pretty. The mountains were just great but after I saw the first weeping willow tree, I decided right there that it was like a plant that needed watering. To me, it was ugly and it took years of living around them to get to like them. It never took me long to decide B.C. was going to be special. I loved it there. I lived in Vernon one year and then Dad decided he'd go to work for awhile so he got a job in Golden at a sawmill and off we went. Our lifestyle changed again. We lived in a small trailer in the town which was right in the valley on the Rogers Pass. Golden was in very pretty country.

I met my future husband, Don Adrian, while living there and that was for the best. He was a welder by trade and in the construction field. In the fall of 1965, I moved to Kamloops so I could take a Hair Dressing course. I was engaged to be married by then and we commuted between the two places. I got my course and married Don in the spring of 1966. We then moved to Port Moody, B.C., and Don worked as a welder on and off Vancouver Island. We lived in Coquitlam for awhile, then in Burnaby, New Westminster, and finally bought a house in Coquitlam. During our coastal years, I tried my hand at many jobs. I practiced my hair dressing for a short time, then we bought a bakery. I worked in many factories: a food plant making Tang Juice Crystals, cake mixes, Freezees, Popsicles; a factory manufacturing chainsaw bars; a factory making plastic bags of every description; and I also worked in a welding shop in Vernon welding wrought iron railings. I enjoyed it all. We lived in Fort McMurray for two years where I babysat threeand four-year olds. I did not need to go outside the home to work for a change. We went back to Vernon, then for a couple of years Don worked at his trade as the work warranted. He worked with French Signs in Vernon while I worked in Housekeeping in the hospital. Well, as lovely as B.C. is, we couldn't get steady work so it was back to welding for Don and we moved to Alberta. We settled in Edmonton and have been here seven years. The construction has really dried up so two years ago we broke into the fast food industry. We are still at it and it's quite likely we will be for a long while. We definitely have moved lots and have been on the brunt end of many gypsy and vagabond jokes but, when you marry a construction worker, you better be prepared to move around as best as possible. We have truly enjoyed our moves and met people from all over. We've so very many friends in all these places. I soon learned that getting attached to a house was very silly. A house is only a shelter but a home is where your love is and what you make of it. We do hope to eventually return and make our home somewhere in B.C. We believe working at the various jobs and our liing in many places was an educational experience in itself. We have no regrets and would choose to do it all over again.

We were blessed with two lovely daughters, both were born in New Westminster, B.C. Our eldest is Kendall Louise. She was born in 1966 and recently she has been attending college in Toronto. Our other daughter, Shantell Monique, came along seven years later. She is attending Junior High here in Edmonton and longs for B.C. Both girls enjoy meeting new people and seeing so many places. They have much the same adventurous spirit in them as we have. I hope their addresses don't wreck everyone's book quite as much as ours did.

KENDALL LOUISE ADRIAN

On September 18, 1966, I was born in New Westminster, B.C., but my parents were living in Port Moody. One of my fondest memories of living in Vancouver was receiving a free pass in my year end report card to attend the Pacific National Exhibition. Also, when living in Vancouver, it was a real treat to visit Grandma and Grandpa Alain in Vernon, B.C. because you knew that every morning you would receive caramel spread on toast. It was Grandpa's favorite. The biggest highlight of living in Vancouver was on August 28, 1973, when my sister Shantell was born.

I left Vancouver at the age of eight and moved to Vernon, B.C. for a short period of time and then on to Alberta for two years. Well, I guess Mom and Dad were homesick so off to the Okanagan we went again. By this time, I was twelve and decided to carry on the family tradition and join the Vernon Girls Trumpet Band. I played the cymbals just as my aunts (Michelle and Rachelle) had done.

Just short of my fourteenth birthday, Mom and Dad (the jet setters) decided it was time to move back to Edmonton, Alberta. While living there, I attended high school and worked part time at the Terrace Inn and Convention Inn. I'd have to say one of my fondest memories was meeting my friend, Graham Murray. We worked together for a short time until he and his family moved to Toronto, Ontario. Well, for the year and a half that I had left of high school, we corresponded back and forth. Being just a little too impatient, I decided I'd finish high school two credits short and work full time for a few months. Then, in March of 1984, I moved to Toronto and carried on working and completing my high school diploma. After living in Toronto a year, it was time to go back to school. I enrolled in a two-year Legal Secretarial program and have now completed my first year.

SHANTELL MONIQUE ADRIAN

My name is Shantell Monique Adrian. My mother's name is Bernadette and my father's name is Donald. I have a sister named Kendall.

I was born in New Westminster, B.C. in 1973 on August 28th.

We did a lot of moving around until 1980 when we settled down in Edmonton, Alberta.

I have been in soccer for three years. I took a liking to bowling with a youth league for two years when we lived in Vernon, B.C. I took years of swimming lessons and now I am in the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets and I just love it.

I have three pets (my buddies). They are two rabbits and our budgie who is seven years old.

In the future, I would like to move to Vernon, B.C.

RACHELLE (ALAIN) TOEWS

I was the fifth child born to Louis and Clara Alain and was named Rachelle Alma after my two grandmothers - Rachel (Strasser) and Alma (Alain). My twelve years on the farm bring back fond memories. I would have to think my greatest memories, however, have to be with the Christmas season ... going to Midnight Mass in Hudson Bay, Mom always forgetting something in the house and having to go back in. When we would get back from Mass we would have a lunch and our door to the front room would remain shut until after we had finished eating. Then, lo and behold! When we were finally able to go in Santa had already arrived! There were always needed necessities such as clothing and, usually, a new doll and/or a toy or games.

Growing up on a farm made for lots of work in the spring, summer and fall. I remember coming home from school, changing clothes and going out again to do the dreadful job of picking stones. I was always sure that Dad had a factory just making these stones for him, as they always appeared each and every spring. We also had haying to do but, being one of the younger children, I did not have as much work to do as the older ones had. Surprisingly, some of the things that come to mind when I think of the farm is not the work but rather other things such as: the root beer Mom made, picking strawberries for jam and eating, swimming in the dug-out, and learning how to skate on our creek with the help of a chair which I pushed in front of me.

I started school at White Poplar with Mrs. Smith as my teacher. I remember being so proud of myself that first year ranking first in my class. Mind you, there were only four of us but, at six years of age, that must have meant that I was really smart; I look back now and chuckle.

We used to have great Christmas concerts at the hall in Veillardville. Many, many hours were spent practising our lines for the big night which ended with Santa Claus' arrival. Treats were then given out.

In the summer we went to Catechism in Hud-son Bay and stayed with Grandma Strasser for the week. Sister Louise and Sister Clare were the teachers that I remember the best. One summer I had a hard time keeping bangs on my forehead. First of all I had decided that if Bernie was old enough to cut her bangs, so was I. So, after she had finished cutting her bangs, I sat down on the sewing machine stool and proceeded to cut my bangs. Well, they just would not come out straight; so I kept trying and, by the time I decided to stop, there was not much hair left on my forehead to call bangs anymore. The next morning I went to Catechism and wore my little blue cap. The Sisters took off my cap and they put it right back on when they realized why I was wearing it. The next time I had problems with my hair was in Mrs. Smith's class in Hudson Bay. I was chewing gum in class (which was a no-no) when I was called upon to answer a question. I took the gum out of my mouth and put it in my hand and then put my hand to my forehead to pretend I had a headache. Well ... my gum got stuck in my hair, if you can imagine!!! I told a friend what I had done and the next thing I knew, Mrs. Smith was taking me out of class. She had no sympathy for me as she proceeded to cut the gum out of my hair. Once again my little blue cap was on my head!!

I continued going to school in Hudson Bay until Easter of my sixth grade when Mom, Dad, Michelle and Joey moved to Vernon, British Columbia. I finished my grade six at the convent in Zenon Park, Saskatchewan. Bernie was already going there, having started in the fall. I thought I would have the time of my life what with our own Sister Marcella there but, quickly, I learned that there would be no special privileges. She was always fair to us though. At the end of the term, proudly holding onto my report card that said I was promoted to grade seven, Bernie and I boarded the bus that was to take us on our first trip to the west, and to our new home in Vernon, B.C.

We lived in Vernon till the summer of '64, when we moved to Golden, B.C. I remember going to bed one night and being woken up about 11:00 P.M. by a mobile home being moved into the trailer park beside us. Mom was after Bernie and me to get to know the nice boy next door. He seemed to be about Bernie's age and Mom told us that we were all new to this town and that at least we would know someone when we all started

school in a couple of weeks. Well, when school started, this new boy named Dana Toews, Bernie and I all went to school together. We were always being asked if we were brother and sisters. I was quick to reply, "NO!!" For some reason I just did not like him at all. (But somewhere along the road I changed my mind, for just three years later Dana and I were married.) Our family lived in Golden, B.C. for one year and then returned to Vernon where I continued in school.

It was shortly after arriving back in Vernon that I came across an article in our local paper that mentioned THE VERNON GIRLS TRUMPET BAND. The article said the band was looking for new recruits and would begin training again in the fall. The paper went on to say the band would be going to Europe the fol-lowing summer. The tour would include France, Switzerland and Holland. I remember telling Mom and Dad that I was going to join the band and that I would be with them when they went to Europe. They tried to explain to me that the older band members would go and that it would be very unlikely that a new band recruit would be picked. Well ... determined as I am known to be at times, I joined the band in the fall. I started out playing the drums. I knew right away that I would never make a drummer and, besides that, there were quite a few drummers already. I just knew I would never get to Europe that way. Fate stepped in shortly afterwards; one of the girls that played the cymbals was quitting the band and word was out that the band needed a cymbal player. I jumped at the chance. It was then, after a few weeks of practice, that I joined the main core of the band and also secured a position for Europe in th summer. I could not wait to tell everyone my good news starting, of course, wth Mom and Dad.

We landed in Amsterdam, Holland, on August 11, 1966 which, incidentally, was my fif-teenth birthday. In Europe we did a lot of touring -- seeing places such as Geneva, Paris, Amster-dam, and many smaller centers. We arrived back home a very homesick group. We had been away six weeks. The only thing about this trip that I regret is that I was too young for such a trip. My reason for saying this is that I have forgotten most of my trip. I wished I could have been about ten years older at the time. I stayed in the band till the end of that year, at which time I moved to Saskatchewan.

During the year since returning from Europe I met up with Dana, who was living in a little town called Avola in British Columbia. We started dating again. We were married that fall in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, on October 17, 1967. Mom and Dad were unable to be with us as they were at EXPO '67 in Montreal at the World's Fair. After we were married, we returned to Avola where Dana was working for the Department of Highways as a surveyor. We stayed in Avola for one year, during which time we became parents to our first child, Lana Denice, born on May 16, 1968.

When Lana was five months old we moved to Vernon, B.C. Dana had a job with a house-moving company. Shortly after we arrived in Vernon, I found I was going to have another baby. We stayed in Vernon only a couple of months and then we moved to Kelowna, B.C., where our second child was born. We named our son John Abbott. He was born July 16, 1969, fourteen months to the day Lana was born. We felt that our family was now complete, a boy and a girl. Not so ... on September 21, 1971, just two years later, our third and last child, another son was born. We named him Terence Todd, but he is called Todd. My goodness, I was busy now! We were living in Mica Creek, British Columbia, at the time of Todd's birth.

We really did a lot of moving in the first ten years we were married. Vernon seemed to be the one place we kept moving to and away from. We moved to Alberta in September of 1979. Dana had been surveying for many years with the Department of Highways and later worked in construction at Mica Dam in British Columbia. He was also involved with the sign industry, having learned about manufacturing, installing and servicing while working for his mother and step-father who owned French Sign Service in Vernon. It was after the French Sign Service was sold and Dana could not find work in the Okanagan that we decided to move to Alberta.

The work situation was much better in Alberta at that time. Dana left Vernon around the fifteenth of August and found work right away. He stayed with my cousin, Pam Fell, in Edmonton when he first arrived in the city. On the twenty-fourth of August, Dana came back home. This was the day before Michelle's wedding to Ian Pepper. The plan now was for Dana to return to Edmonton the next day and I was to stay behind. We already had our home rented out. I was to follow in about a week with the children. We were putting our furniture into storage. When we had found living accommodations we would then come back to Vernon and complete our move to Edmonton. However, a major disaster awaited us the day after Michelle and Ian's wedding. We had taken them to the Kelowna airport where they would fly to Las Vegas, Nevada for a week's honeymoon. When we arrived back home we were met with some very bad news. Our home had burned. Thanks to our son John's quick thinking, no one was hurt. John and Todd had been watching television. One son was in our bedroom and the other was watching the television in the living room. They were watching the same show and when they found this out, they decided to both watch in the living room. All of a sudden John turned to Todd and asked him if he could smell something burning. They went and investigated. Sure enough, there was something burning. Our bedroom was on fire. John shut the bedroom door and quickly ran, with Todd beside him, across the road shouting, "FIRE, FIRE, FIRE" into his Grandpa and Grandma's house. He was only ten years old at the time. He dialed the fire department and then he calmed down long enough to tell everyone that, "Yes," our house was on fire. My Dad went right over but it was not a small fire by this time. The fire engines finally arrived. They put the fire out, which was later blamed on our instant-on television. Lana lost her pet hamster in the fire.

Things were in a real turmoil for quite sometime. However, life goes on and we eventually completed our move to Edmonton as we had planned. Dana went back into construction work as a surveyor. About six months after moving to Edmonton, Dana was offered a job in Bonnyville, Alberta. My gosh, would we ever stop moving around like Gypsies! The kids adjusted very well to our new place. Since we had just bought a brand new mobile home in Edmonton, we moved it into a new mobile home park in Bonnyville and this we called "home" for the next two and a half years. On July 1st, 1982 we moved back to Edmonton and have been in the same place ever since. We called upon my brother Bruce just after arriving here. We bought a very old mobile home that needed renovating. At that time Bruce was living in Vancouver and was not too busy, so he flew to Edmonton to build an addition on our place. This addition was almost the same size as the original trailer we bought. He stayed with us till the job was done and then returned to Vancouver.

Since moving to Edmonton life has definitely been hectic! Shortly after moving back, Dana was laid off. At that time he was in the union, still working as a surveyor. The job situation was not very good. Dana decided to start his own business. He picked up a little work here and there, still surveying. In July of 1984, Dana decided to start a sign servicing company as the construction in Alberta had almost come to a standstill. He went to Toronto and bought a used sign truck, and Dana's Sign Service came to be.

I was driving a school bus during this time. In the spring of 1984 we bought a doughnut machine and operated a concession in a flea market that had just opened. The next year started with Dana and myself owning this flea market. We were really busy now. We had the sign shop, bus driving, and flea market plus we ran the food concession in the market. In the spring I decided to stop driving the school bus. Then we decided to lease out our concession -- now Bernie and Don are running it. We are still very busy, though.

In the spring of 1986 we decided to renovate our place again. Bruce, now living in Vernon, came once more to help us with it. We wanted to have it completed before Lana's wedding. She married David Bury on the seventeenth of May, 1986. They have a beautiful baby boy who is just over a year old. They called him Kevin Justin. They are expecting their second child in the spring of 1987. David works for us as a sign installer and Lana periodically works in the office to help us out when we need her. Our son, John, works for us, too. He is also a sign installer, working in the shop as well as on the trucks.

Todd is in Grade ten. He is the athlete in our family. He plays hockey, football, baseball, and has taken up a new sport - golf. Todd has a job in the winter. He works the overhead door of our indoor parking lot in the flea market.

Our future hope would be to slow down our pace, and to enjoy our children and grandchildren to the fullest.

LANA (TOEWS) BURY

I was the first child born to my parents, Dana and Rachelle. I was born in Vernon, B.C., on May 16, 1968. I remember most of my childhood years as living in B.C. My Grandma French used to pick me up and my two younger brothers from school every day. My dad would pick us up when he was finished work, as by this time, my mother would be at work. Right across from the trailer park was a girlfriend, Roxanne. They had a farm with horses; we all really enjoyed riding. When winter came, the pond would freeze and we would go ice skating. I also recall good times at Uncle Don and Auntie Bernie's place in Vernon, B.C. -- I really enjoyed swimming and they had a pool. All of us kids had fun in the water.

My last memory of Vernon is the day after Uncle Ian and Auntie Michelle's wedding. Our house caught fire. I remember how scared my relatives were because I was at the store with my cousin, Melissa Marsollier. Grandpa Alain, who lived across the street, ran over and tried going up the stairs with a fire extinguisher, and Uncle Richard was also looking for me in the field next to the house. I remember crying so much that somebody passed me baby Martin, my cousin, and he calmed me down. A lot of people were gone to the airport to wish Ian and Michelle a good trip and to sing a little song they made up:

HE'S A PEPPER, SHE'S A PEPPER AND SOON THEY WILL HAVE A BABY PEPPER, TOO, CAUSE YESTERDAY THEY SAID "I DO"

And when my parents came back they were a little upset because they thought us kids had had another water fight, as we used to have them quite often, until they walked into Grandma and Grandpa Alain's. All of us kids were sitting inside and lots of other people, too. We spent the next couple of nights at Uncle Don and Auntie Bernie's.

A couple of weeks later we moved to Edmon-ton and stayed a week or so at Pam Fell's place. After a while we bought a trailer and, during the spring break, we moved to Bonnyville where I finished grades six, seven and eight. I really had fun living there! It's a small town and you know everybody. Everyone is friendly. This is where I met my best friend, Shannon McCulloch. Shan-non and I did everything together, from roll-erskating to playing baseball on the same team.

I played sports in school but I especially liked playing basketball. When I wasn't playing sports I enjoyed babysitting for all the neighbours. I loved doing it because I loved kids so much.

In the summer before I started grade nine, we moved back to Edmonton where we bought another trailer, but it was really small. Mom and Dad had Uncle Bruce come out from Vernon to help them remodel it into a double wide.

I still kept in touch with Shannon ... a few months later Shannon and her family moved to Red Deer, not quite as far away. We saw each other more often.

In February 1982, I ran for the Carnival Queen. I really enjoyed selling the tickets and going to all the meetings. Even though I didn't win, I was first runner-up.

When I was in grade ten I wasn't sure what I wanted; I transferred schools -- just couldn't make up my mind. My mom took me down to the Highway Motor Inn to fill out an application for a job. I started working there a couple of weeks later. I really enjoyed working there except that I didn't like the maintenance crew; two of them really bugged me a lot. At first I hated it, then I got to know them better and it didn't bother me. I started dating one of them, David Bury, on the eighteenth of November.

David and I were married on the seventeenth of May, 1986. It was a very nice wedding, just the right size -- not too small, not too big. Our son, Kevin Justin, was born September 27, 1985. He was a big baby, eight pounds three and a half ounces. Kevin was healthy up until he was three months old. He is now one year old but has an immune deficiency and we are not sure if he will outgrow it. He has to go into the hospital every two to three weeks to get an infusion of his medication. He is starting to walk and to get into everything.

David's daughter, Vanessa, is presently four years old. We enjoy being able to have her on weekends and holidays. We have started to take her bowling, which she enjoys very much.

Now, to make our family complete, we are awaiting the arrival of another baby in April of 1987.

JOHN TOEWS

I was the second child born to Dana and Rachelle Toews, on the sixteenth of July, 1969. I was named John Abbott after my father's step-father.

I was an active child, getting into one thing after the other. When I was about six years old, I started bowling in Vernon, B.C., and have con-tinued to do so. I am presently bowling on a Sunday evening league and have entered a few tournaments which I really enjoyed.

We have lived in Alberta since I was ten years old, first in Edmonton, then in Bonnyville, and have returned to Edmonton, where we have lived for five years. I enjoyed living in Bonnyville the best of all the places we have lived. The town was small and everyone was very friendly. I joined hockey but quickly realized that I'd much rather be bowling.

When I was ten years old, the day after my Aunt Michelle and Uncle Ian's wedding, our house caught fire. I was the one that spotted the fire and got my brother Todd out of the house quickly. I ran across the street to Grandpa Alain's and dialed the Fire Department. I was praised afterwards for my quick actions and thinking.

Presently, I am working as a sign installer for Dad's company, Dana's Sign Service. I am still living at home and enjoy my work. I look for-ward to the future when I hope to learn all aspects of the sign business and maybe have a sign busi-ness of my own one day.

TODD TOEWS

I was born September 21, 1971 in Vernon, B.C. where we lived for the first six years of my life. We then moved to Edmonton for a year and then on to Bonnyville, Alberta.

Bonnyville's the place where my love for sports began. I first played soccer and loved it, then I played baseball which was another good sport. I started hockey and played in Bonnyville for two years. I got fairly good and was dubbed ''Twinkle Toes'' for obvious reasons.

We moved back to Edmonton after three years. It was hard for me to leave -- I liked living in Bonnyville. It was the best place I'd ever lived in with many good, good friends. When we moved to Edmonton I thought it was horrible, such a big city for a little boy. I guess the best thing about it was that I could still play hockey. I joined up for hockey just as the school year started. I was in grade six, going to St. Elizabeth School. I didn't know anyone but I soon made many good friends that made me forget about Bonnyville.

Then it was on to junior high school at St. Hilda's. Hockey was really going good now; I was playing on the team that my Dad coached. I scored about fifty goals and got many trophies and medals. My grades weren't super good in junior high but they got me by. In grade nine I was playing Double ''B'' and doing pretty well. I then finished junior high and it was off to high school.

In high school I played football and had a good year. At present in high school where I am right now (in 1986 - 1987), I'm having a great year.

In writing this, I have presently fractured my kneecap so, for about two to three months of this hockey season, I won't be able to play. My plans for the future would be to finish high school and play hockey for as long as I can. I would also like to be a police officer.

MICHELLE (ALAIN) PEPPER

In Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan, on April 19, 1956, Louis and Clara Alain were blessed with yet another girl, me, Michelle Marie. What a day! Seven kids, and another girl to boot. Not that my early childhood was anything but exciting, I have very little recollection of those years.

However, I do remember, and still see, my friend and twin Linda Fraser (Haniak). Our mothers shared a room in the Hudson Bay Hospital; we were born on the same day. Until our sixth birthdays we always celebrated them together. Mom sewed us identical party dresses.

The first real memory I have was at age five when I fell on the skid of a granary trying to feed a new calf. As if that was not bad enough, the crying was thought to be that of pigs, so rescue was some time in coming. Later that year, all healed, I was flowergirl for my sister, Maxine, and her husband, Elliott Prentice, on October 28, 1961.

On my seventh birthday, 1963, the family packed up our belongings; left the farm and headed West!! So, with the help of Raymond Smith, Mom, Dad, Joey and I moved to Vernon. I got to ride in the truck with Raymond Smith. Vernon was a great place to live; Dad bought five acres in the BX area and built our first house in Vernon.

In 1964 we moved to Golden, B.C. for ten months while Dad worked in the mill. It was then back to Vernon and the second house on the BX property. It was around this time that our family left its mark on Vernon. Dad subdivided the five acres and put in a paved road, Alain Road. The next few years seemed to fly...from skinning my knees on the playground at St. James School to learning to ski at Silver Star. At St. James, shoes didn't seem to last more than a couple of months -- the playground pavement took its toll on everything.

Mom and Dad were always very good to us kids, those still at home, that is. Every summer was spent travelling to visit relatives and friends, going camping or going fishing. We had fun! I always had lots of new clothes to wear; Mom could sew anything and very well.

Following my sister Rachelle's footsteps, I spent three years with the Vernon Girl's Trumpet Band, travelling and competing in B.C., Alberta and a few other places in Canada and the United States.

My formative years living on Alain Road in Vernon were not only busy but also exciting; the neighbourhood was like one big family and, to this day, often find reasons to get together. Joey and I, along with many relatives and friends, would often (on the weekends) sneak into the Drive-In through the loose boards at the back to watch the shows. None of us had cars so this was the only way we could get in, not to mention the fact that it was also free.

When I turned sixteen and got my learner's licence, Dad taught me to drive in his Toyota Corolla; I later bought that car. Once I had my licence, Dad would let me borrow the car on Friday or Saturday nights, but not before he checked the mileage on the car -- I guess he didn't want us going to Vancouver for a Coke!! From what I remember, all us girls ever did was cruise up and down Main Street all night; we used to call it Pulling Mainers!

At seventeen, it was time to experience the big city. I went to live with Bernie, my sister, her husband, Don Adrian, and family in Coquitlam. I worked there for awhile and then, on the advice of Mom, applied for a job at Manning Park Lodge. And so, on December 17, 1973, I became an employee of the British Columbia Govern-ment. I met Ian Pepper. There he was, not long out of England, his place of birth, working with the in-crowd at B.C. Parks -- oh, I was in love! For the happy ending you have to wait; much will happen in the meantime.

In May of 1974, Carole Wendel, a friend from Vernon, and I made a trip across Canada in my Toyota Corolla. This proved to be the beginning of my travels. It took us three months to go coast to coast; for a couple of young girls, what an exciting trip! After the trip across the country, I went back to Manning Park, saved my money, and went to Hawaii for two weeks with Bernie. Fun in the sun! By this time I was nineteen.

Now back to Ian -- we began seeing a lot of each other. This lasted for quite a while until, one day, he decided he was too young to get married and that would have been next. Can you imagine an old guy of twenty-two, too young to marry? And so, with many tears and a broken heart, we split up.

I found I could no longer work at Manning, too many memories, so at twenty the next stage of my life began. I moved to Edmonton, by way of Vernon for a few months, and again took up residence with Bernie and Don. I took a job at the Corkscrew Restaurant as a waitress; the pay was nothing to write home about, but the tips were great. It seemed that during the boom times in Alberta, everyone was a big tipper; it made a so-so job really worthwhile. By working hard at the Corkscrew, I managed to save enough money to go to Europe for a few months. That trip had to be one of the major highlights of my life -- swimming in the Dead Sea, waking to a camel nibbling on my sleeping bag while camped under the stars on the Sinai Desert. London, Paris,

Amsterdam, Lisbon, Rome, and Athens -- the places and the sights kept me in awe. I phoned home from Athens on my twenty-first birthday; well, with the time difference, it was close any-way. I guess it made me a little homesick, I had been away for four months and it was now time to head for home -- Canada, that is. I went back to work at the Corkscrew and it paid my rent while I trained as a travel agent.

In August of 1978, I made a trip to Van-couver, a holiday in my van, and who should I run into but my old beau, Ian Pepper. Well, we had some fun for a week or so before I had to return to Edmonton. When I called Mom to tell her where I was, she already knew -- Mother's intuition! A long-distance relationship con-tinued for a while and, on December 17, 1978, I moved to Vancouver to be with Ian. I worked a little that winter and, on March 6, 1979, Ian presented me with a ring and a glass of cham-pagne at Lynn Canyon Park; that was, of course, after he had phoned Yuma, Arizona, to ask Dad's permission...thankfully, he said, "Yes"! Or maybe it was "Please, Ian"; I couldn't say. With time before the wedding, I accepted a job with B.C. Tourism on the Royal Hudson Train as a Tour Hostess. We travelled on it all over B.C. and Alberta, Canada, and Idaho and Wash-ington, U.S.A. That was a great experience, dressing in a costume of the 1920s and greeting thousands of people each day during the two-month tour. The tour finished May Day week-end. I moved back to Vernon to live with Mom and Dad until the wedding.

Before I actually get to our wedding in this story, I want to add a little of Ian's background. Ian was born on December 4, 1953, in a town called Southend-on-Sea in the county of Essex, England. Southend is a seaside town on the mouth of the River Thames. One grandfather was a builder and the other was a retired London policeman who ran a pub. Ian was told that two of his great grandfathers, who were loggers, came to Canada to log for the timbers used in building the C.P.R. trestles on the new railway through the Rockies. One of his early memories goes back to days before he could walk; his Dad could not go to work until they had gone down to the railway bridge to wave to the engineers -- they knew them and they always waved back. Ian still has a great passion for steam locomotives.

This could be another story itself so I will skip to 1967 when, in October, Ian's family said good-bye to all their family and friends and came to Canada aboard the CPR ship, the Empress of England.

The Peppers made their home in Victoria, B.C. Ian's family still live there. Ian's Dad is the Director of Social Services at Royal Jubilee Hospital and his Mom is a Ward Clerk in the same hospital. Ian went through high school in Victoria and on to the University of Victoria.

Ian liked working for the B.C. Parks every summer and so, in his second year at the University of Victoria, dropped out and went to work full-time for the Parks at Manning Park where he met me.

After a lot of work and planning, with a great deal of help from everyone, our wedding day finally came. August 25, 1979, Ian and I were married at St. James Catholic Church in Vernon. We had a wonderful day with all of my brothers and sisters and most of our other relatives and friends able to be there. Who could ever forget the car full of puffed wheat, paid for by my father!!

After our honeymoon in Las Vegas, we made our home in Clearwater, B.C. Ian still works with the B.C. Parks and was working then at Wells Gray Park.

Both of our children were born in Royal Inland Hospital at Kamloops while we were living in Clearwater, B.C.: Cassidy Alain, our daughter, on July 31, 1981, and Cody Charles, our son, on May 5, 1983. What a big change in my life...a mother!

In September 1985, Ian won a competition for a promotion to a position in the Shuswap. On October 31, 1985, the moving truck arrived at 7:30 a.m. and we moved to Chase, B.C. Ian is now in charge of all the marine parks on Shuswap Lake and loves it. I am a full-time mother and a part-time teller at the Credit Union. Cassidy is starting Kindergarten this year (September 1986) and Cody will be in playschool.

In the fall of 1986 we had the opportunity to plan and build our own home. Christmas will be spent, this year, enjoying our brand new home in Salmon Arm, B.C.

I was gifted with fine parents and I have found them to be the most loving, caring parents any girl could hope for. As well, because they live nearby, my children are having the opportunity to know their grandparents and share many memorable moments with them.

I also feel I have the best brothers and sisters in the world as we are so very close to each other. For me, our family gatherings are very precious.

What does the future hold? We can only dream and plan and take what comes!

JOSEPH ALBERT ALAIN

I was born in Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan, February 5, 1959. I am the eighth and lastborn child of Louis and Clara Alain. Since I was only four years old when we moved out of Hudson Bay, my memories of my place of birth are not that vivid. A couple of incidents I do remember shall be with me always. I remember running across the field to Nicholls with my youngest sister, Michelle. The snow was up to my waist and it seemed like it took forever to get there.

Another incident I remember is when we had an auction on the farm. It seemed like the whole town turned out for the occasion. This would turn out to be the last few days that I would live on the farm at Veillardville.

After moving to Vernon, B.C., we moved to Golden, B.C., in 1963 and lived in a trailer court. Dad worked in a sawmill where he was a millwright. I started Kindergarten in Golden the second year we were there. I remember we used to have a lot of fun playing in the large slough out back of our trailer, a few hundred yards away. All of us kids in the trailer court couldn't wait for the Fuller Brush man to come for he always had little toys for us.

In 1965 we moved back to Vernon, B.C. I started school at B.X. Elementary. I attended school there for one year and then we transferred to Saint James School for grades 2 through 7. During this time, I made a lot of friends such as our Flasch cousins, Wayne Brown, Jamie Wendl, our Bru cousins, and a very close friend of mine, Brian Mittlesteadt, whom I met the very first day we moved to Vernon. Brian and I did everything together from playing in the sandbox to taking girls out after we got our driver's licences. I always looked forward to going to Brian's place for dinner because Brian's mom was such a fantastic cook. I swear I would gain five pounds every time I ate there.

A great time of year back then was Hallowe'en, when all the families in our neighborhood used to take turns having Hallowe'en bonfires. Everyone would get together and bring fireworks and, of course, all the kids would have the goodies they had collected trick or treating. We would all sit around the fire sipping hot chocolate and watching the fireworks.

During the winter, all the kids and parents would go to Cool's pond and go skating. We would all pitch in and clear the snow off the pond before anyone could skate, then we'd get our hockey sticks and have a game of hockey.

In 1972 I started grade 8 at Foulton Jr. Secondary in Vernon. It was a great place to go to school since the school was on the grounds of Polson Park. I'll always remember our art projects. They were so much fun. We got to go out into the park and sketch trees, birds, etc.

I enjoyed playing hockey during my school years in Vernon. Ice time was not always convenient. I remember Dad driving me to the arena at 6:00 in the morning. I would go to school straight from there.

During the summer I played golf at Spallumcheen Golf Course. I used to hitchhike out to the golf course and sometimes play fifty-four holes a day. Grades 9 and 10, I went to W.I. Seaton Jr. Secondary School in Vernon. I started work at the end of grade 10, working at different places such as Fauquier, B.C.; Castlegar, B.C.; and Calgary, Alta. I worked for Boston Pizza in Vernon, then transferred to Boston Pizza in Chilliwack, B.C., where I worked for a couple of years. I then moved back to Vernon in 1979 for a short while. When I left Vernon, I moved to Salmon Arm and worked a month at Giant Submarine until I found work at Co-Op Federated Plywood Mill in Canoe, B.C., just a few miles from Salmon Arm. I started February 6, 1979, and am still working there now.

In March 1983 I met my wife-to-be, Bonnie Salamandyk. The following year we were married on July 21st in Enderby, B.C. On February 12, 1985, we had our first baby, Joseph Stephen Louis. We also have a daughter by Bonnie's previous marriage, Lanie Carolyn Salamandyk, and a son, Jeremy Keith Salamandyk, who lives in Prince George with his father. Lanie was born August 19, 1972, and Jeremy on January 14, 1974. At the time of this story, September 1985, we reside in Salmon Arm, B.C.

YVONNE (ALAIN) O'BRIEN

(by Marlyne and Maxine, nieces of Yvonne)

Yvonne's recollections of her early years are:

"As I remember growing up in the little berg of Delmas, they were carefree days, school, chores, and play."

"After we moved to Veillardville in 1928 there was so much work to do and everyone had to pitch in, the girls as well as the boys."

However, their days were not entirely spent working as the following incident, related by one of Yvonne's brothers proves:

"One day Ed Barry and Smokey had cut their hair all off and Ed turned to Rolland, who had a nice head of hair and was watching all of this from a distance, and said to him, 'You're next.' Away Rolland went upstairs."

"Yvonne came down after a while and said, 'Go sneak upstairs and see what Rolland is doing.' There he was on the bed with a pillowcase tied around his head. No one was going to touch his hair - he was protected!"

Yvonne married Raymond Turcotte on March 4, 1930. They lived in Hudson Bay, then moved to Flin Flon and later to Vancouver, B.C. Yvonne and Raymond had two girls and two boys. Each died at a young age: Joan at two and a half months; Neil at eight years; Darlene at birth; and Bruce who died at four years of age. Raymond died in 1944.

On June 1, 1951 Yvonne married Harry Wyman. They made several trips out to Saskatchewan and elsewhere to visit family. Marlyne remembers their excitement and happiness as they explored Louis' small acreage in Vernon, B.C. In fact, Yvonne and Harry were one of the first visitors Clara and Louis had in their new home. Although Harry fought gallantly over many years to combat cancer, he died August 14, 1975.

Then on December 16, 1977, Yvonne married Pat O'Brien, a postman in the Vancouver area. The family fondly remembers them attending the Alain reunions. We were shocked and saddened with the news of Pat's sudden death June 4, 1983.

To many of us (her nieces) growing up in Veillardville, we recall Aunt Yvonne's visits among us as happy times with much laughter, story telling and yes, even the occasional prank.

We remember Grandma Alain eagerly awaiting the weekly letter from Yvonne. These letters were usually filled with cartoons and many jokes. Grandma then shared them with other family members.

In spite of the sadness that has touched Yvonne's life, she has maintained her happy disposition through the years. She is to us an aunt we admire and respect.

As with other members of her family, Yvonne is enjoying her retirement years by travelling to various parts of the country, sightseeing and visiting with family.

WHAT IS A FAMILY?

A family is a deeply rooted tree with branches of different strengths, all receiving nourishment from an infinite source.

A family is where character is found and formed, values learned, ethics created and society preserved.

A family is where all members contribute and share, co-operate and work, and accept their responsibilities toward the good of the group.

A family is where holidays are celebrated with feasting, birthdays with gifts, and thoughts of days gone by kept alive with fond remembrances.

A family is where each can find solace and comfort in grief, pleasure and laughter in joy, and kindness and encouragement in daily living.

A family is a haven of rest, a sanctuary of peace and most of all, a harbor of love.

Eugene C. Irwine

ROLLAND JOSEPH FRANCOIS ALAIN

In the spring of 1928, at the age of 15, we moved to Hudson Bay. We shipped our belongings on the train. For every boxcar of "Settlers Effects", one family member was given a free pass to ride in the boxcar or the caboose. One cousin told me I was too young to look after the cattle and horses, so he took the pass. They made a little tunnel in the car for me to hide in each time we stopped at a station. My cousin and Smokey would go downtown at every station and I'd have to sweat it out in the tunnel!

When we reached Veillardville, I had to sleep with Dad and the Head Carpenter, both of whom were covered with lice!

I was made head cook by Dad. One day I decided to use dried peas for lunch (everything else was in tins). I didn't realize you had to soak the peas first - I put them on at 11:45 and called them in for dinner at noon. Bernier started to eat them and got a nosebleed!!

I had taken most of my schooling in French in Delmas; after moving to Veillardville I only went to school for 2 or 3 years and then quit to help Dad.

For about 4 or 5 falls, I would go back to Delmas to help thresh. When I was 17, I bought a pony and rode bareback to Veillardville.

I tried my hand at several jobs around Veillardville. During hard times the government bought sawdust for the grasshopper problem. Eddie Davidson and I loaded 20 railcars but ate up most of the payment in chocolate bars and Coke.

One winter Eddie and I cut wood but realized there wasn't a lot of money in it. I also worked for Dad in his sawmill.

One year Lester Turcotte offered me a job working on road construction at Denaire Beach (near Flin Flon). Dad let me take a team of horses which I shipped up. I worked on road construc-tion all fall, logged in the winter and then shipped the horses back in the spring.

I rode the freights and ended up in East Malartic, Quebec, where I worked at odd jobs and in a restaurant before getting a job at the mine. I worked for 3 years.

Because of my bad arm, I wasn't allowed to fight in the war. Instead, I went out to Vancouver to work in the shipyards. I then went west to work at Copper Mountain, B.C.

The Cockwills were a family from Regina who had 3 daughters. I took Verna Cockwill to a dance but, because I didn't know how to dance, Smokey took over. I learned how to dance shortly after that, from my sisters.

I went out with Elsie Cockwill for about 6 years but, when I went east, we forgot about each other. When I came back to Veillardville, I started going out with Yvonne Veillard. She had been born in The Pas but was raised in Veillardville. She was from quite a religious fam-ily.

I went out to work on a ranch in Clunie, Alberta, for a few months and when I returned, Yvonne and I got married. When we were first married, we farmed with Louis Veillard and worked on our homestead.

One year Yvonne cooked for the men who worked for Spruce Products. The next year Vic Murdoch took over this job and Yvonne and I started a cafe in Louis Veillard's store called Red's Bar.

We worked on our own farm in the spring when Simone was born. I also worked on the railroad for about 3 years and then I quit to farm full time. We farmed 6 quarters until our oldest son Mo (Maurice) went into the Navy, and then we sold some land.

ALAIN—VEILLARD St. Anthony's Church, Veillard-ville, was the scene of a lovely wed-ding when Marie Yvonne, daugh-ter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Veillard, became the bride of Mr. Rolland Alain. The ceremony was per-formed by Rev. Father Gerard Van Vynckt. The bride, who was lovely in a gown of white lace and net over taffeta, was given in marriage by her father. Her full length veil of net fell from a sweetheart halo. She carried a bouquet of roses and carnations. Miss Therese Veillard was maid of honor. She wore pink point d'esprit net over taffeta. Her hat was a sweetheart halo with match-ing chapel veil. She carried carna-tions and tulips. Miss Edithe Alain was bridesmaid. She wore pale green point d'esprit net over taf-feta with matching hat and chapel veil. She carried carnations and tulips. The two flower girls, Lor-raine Godin and Dawn Alain, were dressed alike in pale blue and pale yellow point d'esprit net over taf-feta. Mr. Paul Alain and Mr. Gene Lessard assisted the groom. Mrs. Pat Mondor rendered a beautiful solo accompanied by Mrs. M. C. Marcotte, who presided at the organ. A reception followed at the home of the bride's parents.

Starting in 1960, I drove the school bus for the next 22 years and then retired in 1982.

While we lived in Veillardville, we enjoyed taking advantage of Dad's good nature. One night after supper Dad sat down to read his newspaper. Without him seeing, I lit his paper on fire and then ran outside to watch through the window. What a sight!

Another time, I filled Dad's pipe alternately with tobacco and pepper. That night he smoked and sneezed and sneezed but never caught on.

We entertained ourselves by going to dances, playing ball and going on picnics.

Rolland and Yvonne's family is as follows:

Simone was born on May 5, 1944, to Rolland and Yvonne Alain. She has six brothers and sisters: Maurice, Roger, Denis, Rosanne, Jeannine and Lisa. Simone went to White Poplar for elementary school and to Zenon Park Convent for Grades 9, 10 and 11. She probably would have taken her Grade 12 there also, had it not been for the fact that her father, Rolland, began driving the school bus so Simone finished her schooling in Hudson Bay. After graduating in 1961, she moved to Moose Jaw where she lived with her uncle and aunt, Maurice and Maxine Veillard, and their family. She took a one-year secretarial course at Peacock Technical High School and, upon completion, found employment as a secretary at The Royal Bank of Canada in Moose Jaw. A few years later, she met Howie and they were married in 1966.

Howie Shouldice was born August 22, 1942, the oldest son of Elmer and Ruby Shouldice. He has a sister, Elsie, and a brother, Gordon. He has always lived in Moose Jaw and spent most of his summers as a young boy on his uncle's farm near Parkbeg, Saskatchewan.

In 1967 Howie and Simone had a daughter, Jody, and in 1975 another daughter, Karlee, was born. Howie has worked for C.P. Rail since 1970 and Simone has been with The Royal Bank since 1962 except for two years when Karlee was born.

Jody graduated from high school in June 1985 but didn't go to school in the fall because she was undecided as to what to take and where to go. She's working fulltime at Kentucky Fried Chicken (she's been there for nearly three years). She's applied to the University of Saskatchewan - St. Thomas More College - to take social work but hasn't heard yet if she's been accepted for the 1986 semester.

Karlee will be going into Grade 6 the fall of 1986.

Mo (Maurice does not exist anymore) is Rolland and Yvonne's number one son. His first three years of school were at White Poplar in Veillardville. Grades 4 to 12 were in Hudson Bay. He then joined the Royal Canadian Navy in 1969, spending most of his five-year enlistment on HMCS Annapolis. In 1974, he returned to "civvy street." He took a seven-month pre-employment electrical course in Moose Jaw. He has been in Yellowknife since 1975. He is older now, still wise and, therefore, not single!

Mo and Gloria Stang (originally from Saskatoon) were married May 23, 1984, at Longitude 67°, 49' North, Latitude 94° 52' West near the Arctic Coast, N.W.T. They reside on the farm at Veillardville, Saskatchewan, and on May 14, 1986, they became the proud parents of a baby boy named Ben Stang.

Roger took over farming his father's land and lives in Veillardville during the farming season – the remainder of the year is spent working in the Far North. He considers himself a Jack-of-all-trades and master of none. Roger enjoys leather work and has made various articles of clothing. He repairs footwear when called upon, using the old equipment once belonging to Albert Bernier.

Denis, Rolland and Yvonne's youngest son, graduated from high school in 1973. He worked on the construction of Hudson Bay's plywood plant for a year prior to taking a seven-month pre-employment electrical course in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. He moved up to Yellowknife, N.W.T., in the fall of 1975 where he is presently employed as an electrician. He enjoys combining family visits with annual B.C. ski trips! Denis married Donna Nash of Moose Jaw on January 24, 1984, at Gayndah, Queensland, Australia. On August 27, 1986, they had a girl, Tess Marie Nash, at Yellowknife, N.W.T., where they presently reside.

Rosanne is Rolland and Yvonne's second daughter, following Denis in order. After obtaining her degree at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, she has taught in St. Walburg, Turtleford and Yellowknife.

Rosanne married Larry Pavloff on April 11, 1985, at Crystal Gardens, Victoria, B.C. Larry's parents farm near Saskatoon.

Rosanne and Larry reside in Saskatoon, Sask. where she works for the Saskatoon School Board in a pilot project involving a day care centre.

Jeannine, the second youngest in Rolland and Yvonne's family, was born on July 28, 1958. She took all of her schooling in Hudson Bay and then went on to the University of Saskatchewan for a four-year Education degree. She moved to Yellowknife where she began her third year of teaching.

At the time of this writing, Jeannine is living in Inuvik, N.W.T. and is working in a travel agency. She married Ted Curtis of Inuvik on June 28, 1986, in Veillardville, Sask.

Lisa was born in Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan, on May 13, 1963, the youngest of Rolland and Yvonne's children. Upon completion of high school, Lisa attended Olds College in Alberta and received her Diploma of Horticulture. Lisa participated in an exchange program to Australia where she worked at a citrus nursery.

She has worked at the Forestry Farm Park in Saskatoon during her fourth year. At the present time, she is living in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, where she has found employment.

** Update: The summer of 1986 saw Rosanne and Larry Pavloff travelling to Tokyo, Japan; Taipei, Taiwan; Hong Kong, Japan; and then back to Vancouver. At each place Larry played ball with the Saskatoon All-O-Matics. They played eleven games, won nine, and tied two. **

Then Rosanne and Larry, after taking a year's leave of absence will go to Wellington, on North Island, New Zealand where Larry will be playing fastball, likely coaching. Rosanne will look for work. After the year, Larry will return to Allan, Saskatchewan, to teach Physical Education in the school.

Ed. Note: Following a lengthy illness, Rolland passed away in Hudson Bay Union Hospital on Nov. 13, 1986.

A Farmer's Creed

I believe a man's greatest possession is his dignity and that no calling bestows this more abundantly than farming.

I believe hard work and honest sweat are the building blocks of a person's character.

I believe that farming, despite its hardships and disappointments, is the most honest and honorable way a man can spend his days on this earth.

I believe farming nurtures the close family ties that make life rich in ways money can't buy.

I believe my children are learning values that will last a lifetime and can be learned in no other way.

I believe farming provides education for life and that no other occupation teaches so much about birth, growth and maturity in such a variety of ways.

I believe many of the best things in life are indeed free: the splendour of a sunrise, the rapture of wide open spaces, the exhilarating sight of your land greening each spring.

I believe true happiness comes from watching your crops ripen in the field, your children grow tall in the sun, your whole family feel the pride that springs from their shared experience.

I believe that by my toil I am giving more to the world than I am taking from it, an honor that does not come to all men.

I believe my life will be measured ultimately by what I have done for my fellowman, and by this standard I fear no judgement.

I believe when a man grows old and sums up his days, he should be able to stand tall and feel pride in the life he's lived.

I believe in farming because it makes all this possible.

North West Farmer.Rancher, III:6 (Battleford, Sask.: Battlefords News Optimist; 13 May, 1986), p. 1.

MARIE PAULE MENZIES

I was born on October 27, 1915, in North Battleford and registered Marie Paule Jeanne Alain - this is the name on my birth certificate. However, my pension cheques come in a variety of spellings - Marie, Mary, etc. but at the medical clinic in Flin Flon, I am known as just Mary.

My godfather is Uncle Edward Alain (Dad's brother) and Aunt Matilda Devlin (Mother's sister) is my godmother.

When I was old enough, I was sent off to school in Delmas with the others. I completed my grades 6, 7 and 8 in Veillardville at White Poplar School. School work was not too bad for me, especially geometry, but algebra - I just couldn't understand it and had great difficulty with it.

We all had chores to do. I was known as the chore girl and because of that, I hardly did any work in the house. I don't think I ever did dishes as the other girls did that. You had to have some of the family working outside. We couldn't all be in the house as, by then, the older boys were out in the bush so Rolland and I did most of the chores - milking the cows, shovelling the barn, looking after the pigs, and hauling water.

In Delmas we milked three cows and we had a very little barn for them. In fact, there was only room for his cow and mine. Rolland sat in between the two cows and he would poke my cow every now and then. I'd get mad at him quite often. We fought a lot in those days. One day, as we were fighting there in the barn, Dad came round the corner and caught us. I told him my problem and all he said was, "I'm going back to the house and you milk your cow." It took me a long time but I finally milked my cow.

One winter after we moved to Veillardville, we had to haul water from Veillard's old place which was approximately a half mile away. It was either haul water or melt snow and you know if the animals drink snow water, they drink to beat sixty. In those days we weren't dressed like we are today and it was cold. Of course my Dad was smart. He said, "I'll give you kids $5.00 a week each." We thought we were well off to get money like that. If I remember correctly, I got five dollars only once.

Our family had been in the Veillardville community only a few years when the Menzies family moved in and that was when I met Angus. Shortly after our meeting, he got work in Flin Flon with a baker and then went to The Pas. I followed him up there and stayed at my sister Yvonne's place for awhile. It was here in Flin Flon that Angus and I were married on January 7, 1933. The witnesses at our wedding were Yvonne and Raymond Turcotte. I came back to live in Veillardville while Angus worked for The Pas Lumber Company at The Pas. I was wishing he could have found a little place for all of us to live up there. However, after a few years, The Pas Lumber Company started to slacken off and Angus and his brother-in-law, Harry Bull, went to Flin Flon where work was found and we all moved up there. Angus got work with the Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Company and did a variety of jobs, ending up as a timekeeper. In all, he worked 31 years and retired in 1972.

We lived in a number of homes. One was built over a giant rock close to the railroad tracks. It was not very big but we were very happy there. It was also close to my sister Bertha's place. Our last move was to our present home in Channing.

In the summer, the children loved going swimming at Phantom Lake and so many lunches were packed. Bertha and I used to make root beer by the dozens as the kids loved it and thought it quite a treat. It was also much cheaper than buying cold drinks.

One year Bertha made a batch of 36 bottles and, for some reason, she left the house for awhile. When she returned, she discovered, much to her surprise, that Allen and Bob had opened every one of the 36 bottles and poured it down the drain. Of course, it had all bubbled up which was probably lots of fun to watch for both of them. But for Bertha, this meant hours of hard work had all gone down the drain. She proceeded to look for the culprits in order that they be punished for their actions.

Angus and I raised seven children. The eldest is Ron who has lived and worked in Calgary until recently. His daughter, Kari-Lou, is employed with an oil consulting firm in Calgary. She is presently training to be an Olympic judge for the biathlon event in 1988. She still finds time for curling and basketball. Ron's son, Kyle, gradu ated from high school with honors and is studying Art at the Alberta College of Art. His yearbook displayed his unique artwork and talent.

Darlene lives in Langley, B.C. where she and her husband, Roman Marchina, own and operate a number of restaurants in B.C. Their children are Ramona, who operates one of the family restaurants; Gina, who was recently married to Graham Holliday; Laura; Mario, their only son; and 19-year-old Carla.

Our second son is Neil. He lives in Vancouver and is a commercial accountant.

Bob and Trudy and their two children, Nicole and Trevor, live in Flin Flon. Bob is a tandem truck driver in northern Manitoba.

Keith and Edith live in Waterville, Nova Scotia. Their family includes Aidan and twins, Todd and Kendra. Keith is the King's County Hospital administrator while Edith nurses at their local hospital.

Joanne works at The Bay in Flin Flon. She has a daughter, Kristy Lynne.

Brenda is married to Robin Jackson. They are parents to Aaron and live in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia where Robin teaches and Brenda works in the Bank of Commerce.

Once Angus was retired he never enjoyed good health and so we travelled very little. We celebrated our Golden Wedding Anniversary in the summer of 1982 with all of our family. Angus died on March 12, 1983. Since retiring, I've had time to do embroidery, reading, watching TV, as well as travelling to such places as Reno; Texas; Nova Scotia; Yellowknife, NWT; and to the west coast, a number of times.

BERTHE (ALAIN) MARSOLLIER

In July 1936 my sister, Yvonne, and her husband, Raymond Turcotte, were living in Flin Flon. While they were away for a holiday in B.C. I was left to care for their two sons, Bruce and Neil. My girlfriend, Ann, came over to visit with me and she happened to see Paul Marsollier walking uptown. She called him in and introduced me to him. I thought, "Wow, what a city slicker" because he was so slicked up and well dressed. He was working at the nickel mine as a zinc stripper. We liked each other right from the start and, by December, we were engaged and married the following year, right there in Flin Flon.

Our marriage took place at 7 A.M. on Wednesday, December 8, 1937 - it was 40° below zero! I recall there were three other weddings that day and we must have been the bravest to be married so early in the day. Later on in the day, we took the train to Hudson Bay where someone was to meet us and take us out to Dad's farm at Veillardville. We were actually met by a large number of the family who had travelled by horse and caboose - so at least it was warm.

Following a brief honeymoon, we returned to Flin Flon where we lived in a number of homes including a log cabin near Phantom Lake.

Paul and I raised three boys and one girl. We now enjoy visiting the children and grandchildren.

Paul worked at Hudson Bay Mining and Smelter Company for 44 years. He retired in 1973 and, since then, has been enjoying his retirement. For years now, we have motored south in our Volkswagon Van. In Phaar, Texas, we spend many hours dancing, playing cards, golfing, swimming and playing shuffleboard.

[The editors share the following incident from Berthe's youth with you.]

Berthe's brother, Rolland, liked nothing better than to trick someone. One example is the joke he pulled on Berthe and their brother, Paul, when they were both youngsters. Rolland announced to the two that the herd law passed the first of the month. When Berthe asked the time, Rolland replied, "At 10:00 A.M. tomorrow morning." So Berthe and Paul rose early the following morning and stood patiently by the window waiting to see the herd law pass by!

Berthe and Paul's family is as follows:

Norbert – born July 3, 1939 – Flin Flon, Manitoba. – married Shirley Allen April 15, 1961 in Flin Flon. Their children: Michelle – born January 12, 1962 Marcia– born March 10, 1963 Melinda – born April 21, 1964 Melissa – born February 29, 1967 Norbert and Shirley are presently residing in Kamloops, British Columbia.

Roger – born February 24, 1941 – Flin Flon, Manitoba. – married Suzanne Ferland January 8, 1974.

Their children: Clinton – born February 28, 1976 Renee– born May, 1976 Roger (construction) and Suzanne (nursing) are presently employed and living in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.

Allen – born September 6, 1948 – Flin Flon, Manitoba. – married Paulette Tomychuk April 15, 1971. Their children: Cameron – born December 9, 1973 Gillian – born October 8, 1975 Allen, Paulette and family make their home in Calgary, Alberta.

Cathy – born March 16, 1955 – Flin Flon, Manitoba. Cathy took her teacher training and graduated from the University of Saskatchewan at Saskatoon. She has taught in northern Saskatchewan and at other points in the province. Cathy's life has held a great deal of variety from a swimming instructor to advanced studies in the French language to world travel.

Married John Brophy Dec 14 1987. Brigitte Brophy born Dec 30 - 1988

PAUL EMILE ALAIN

I, Paul Emile Michael Joseph Alain, was born October 6, 1920, in the Battleford Hospital in Saskatchewan. I was the tenth and last child of Henry and Alma Alain. We lived in Delmas and I don't remember a whole lot.

When I was three years old, Mom and I went to the farm at Uncle Pete's. They had a lot of horses and their big crop was hay. They had a big water trough and there was lots of geese swimming around; of course, they were my pets. Uncle Pete came in after work and he took a tin can and threw it, hitting one in the head and killing it. Well, I never forgot it. Uncle Pete came here to Kamloops to visit a stepdaughter and phoned me. He said, "I'm one of your uncles, the one that killed the goose!" Oh! I remembered him.

The big house in Delmas was two and a half storeys tall. It was a brick house and had no insulation in those days. I remember it being very cold despite central heating. We'd gather around the big register to get warm. There were six bedrooms; us kids all slept upstairs. There was a nice bannister with a cushion at the end and we all slid down it in the mornings. The house was finished in tongue-and-groove on the inside. It had an attic with big windows and a stairway leading to the roof. Of course, we were told never to go up there but we did once in awhile anyway.

In Delmas the Nuns were running the school. One day they were upstairs looking out at the sidewalk leading from the school to the street. We would go home for dinner because we never lived very far away. Well, Paul Morin (a cousin), Martin Lessard and I all hung around together. Paul was bigger than us and he said, “We aren’t going through the gate today; we’re going to the corner and jump the fence to save time.”

We said, “No,” but he was bigger and, I guess, like our boss so we jumped the fence. Well, the Nuns saw us and, when we came back at noon, we were called in. One of the Nuns told me I disobeyed and asked me why.

I said, “If I didn’t, Paul would give me a lickin’.” So she took the strap and gave Paul a couple of good whacks. Then she asked Martin the same and he said the same thing so Paul got another couple of whacks and we were let go. Then Paul’s turn came and he got a third lickin’. But on the way home Paul gave Martin and I a lickin’ in return.

Martin and I had started school together, although he was a year younger than I. Our education was all in French then; in the older grades, I believe they slowly switched to English.

I left Delmas at eight years of age and we settled at Veillardville across from the school. My dad, Louis, Rolland and Smokey went ahead of us and built the house. They left in the fall and we came later in the spring. We got off in Hudson Bay because the train wouldn’t stop in Veillardville. There was a guy there – Smokey’d know his name. He used Louis Strasser’s Model T Ford and Smokey took my dad’s and they met up and brought us to the farm. We arrived around eleven or twelve at night and Dad opened the door of the old shack and Mother looked around, not too pleased; but when she saw the new house she smiled a bit. But you know! She left a huge house with power and everything behind for this.

Well, us kids were excited though. We got up real early the next day and ran behind the barn and met our own creek. We couldn’t get over that. In Delmas we never had a creek. We even had our own trees to climb here. This was the start of our life in Veillardville. We weren’t there too long before Dad was on the school board as Trustee, etc.

While going to school there I met Reine but, of course, I didn’t like her then; she was three years younger. How the years changed my heart. I had met her brother Wilfred before but Reine, her mother and brother Lester came much later. I went to school with Clara, Mae Strasser, Gene and more. We were around fifty-two pupils, I was told. Some of my teachers were Nellie Barteluk, MacIntosh, Mildred Beaudoin, Miss Senecal and Phillippe Le Scelleur. When Nellie Barteluk was teaching, Smokey broke the land at the school with the John Deere tractor Dad had bought. Us kids would go at night and pick the roots. Nellie Barteluk organized us.

We weren’t allowed to have paper around our desks and, one day, I had some there but it belonged to Llewellyn Smith and Henry Bozak. So my punishment was to sweep the floor with Reine. I said I wouldn’t, so I was sent home. The next day, when I came back, I was told I had a choice to sweep the floor with Reine or pack my books and go home for good. I chose to go home with my books and that ended my schooling.

My dad had a sawmill right by the creek. My mother was a good cook and she and my sisters cooked for all the men that worked there. There were around eight of them. I remember when my dad bought the new John Deere tractor and Smokey got to drive it home from town. We all took turns driving it. The country was all bush then.

By the old house there were two old summer kitchens which Mother had shelves in and she used to put all her wild berries in bowls out there. This one time, we had all picked strawberries and she’d put sugar on them at night and the next day she would can them. Well, she asked all of us if we’d been in there eating them and we all said, “No.” Now, one night I came home from the mail and ran in the house to get a spoon and went to the old kitchen to get myself some sugared berries. While I was sitting on one side of the shelf eating, I could hear this smacking noise on the other side. I peeked and there was my dad with a spoon eating them, too. He looked at me and whispered, “Don’t tell your mother.”

My mother never ate deer or moose meat. She said it wasn’t good for you. I remember one time Mother saying she’d never eat it so Dad had Edith cook this meat. At the table, he asked Mother if she liked the meat and she said, “Oh, yes. It’s real good beef.” He got up and went into the living room and wrote on a paper. He then held it up behind her and it read, “Your mother is eating moose meat.”

After my schooling and working in the bush, I went down East and worked in the mines. Reine and I got married down east in Malartic, Quebec. Louis and Clara stood up for us. We were married at six in the morning and I had to go to work at four that afternoon.

I worked two years in the gold mines. I started out with a pick and shovel. Boy, jobs were so hard to get then because of there being thousands of unemployed men and it was at the outbreak of the war. The only way I got my job was a whole lot of men would go to the head frame where the old captain would come out right at lunchtime. Well, one day he came out and said, “We don’t hire Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays so go away. As a matter of fact, we’ll be laying off.” Well, I remember the next day was Friday the thirteenth. It was in 1940, just before Christmas. It was cold out but I was going back anyhow. I had been working in a store delivering groceries, doing the books, etc. The next day I went and I was the only one there. The old mine captain came out and saw me standing there. He said, “What the hell are you doing here? Weren’t you in that crowd yesterday?” I said, “Yes” and told him I wanted a job.

He said, “Do you speak French?” I said, “Yes and I read and write it, too.”

“Well,” he said, “come with me.” I did and I got the job, making 50¢ an hour. I found out there was a law then that they had to have 30% French speaking in the mine as the Quebecquois couldn’t speak English. The mine was owned by a Nova Scotian.

Back in Saskatchewan, I had registered for the army and they were always taking groups from the mine but I never got called. From the mine, where I worked for a couple of years, I moved to Flin Flon and stayed for a while. But I didn’t like my job so I moved back to Veillardville where I helped with harvesting and working at the mill. That’s when I got the quarter of land and the house. I tore it all apart and cut the roof down and moved it; it was originally further south than where it is now. The same year Thrussels, Martin Lessard, Gene Lessard, Rolland and I were all building so we formed a pool and poured our cement together. We’d do one place and then move on to the next. We lived in our garage and I divided it into two and moved everything in it. We lived like that with four kids in there. Uncle Joe L’Heureux came late in the year and said, “Oh, you’ll never get moved in before winter.”

Boy, it had the shingles on already and I said, “Oh yes, we will be” and we were because the garage wouldn’t have been warm enough. We had lots of help then, too, and all the lumber came from Dad’s mill and the insulation was shavings.

After that I worked for the C.N.R. for three or four years. I went to Flin Flon twice. I worked north of Churchill River for one winter building camps. I worked four years for MacMillan Bloedel.

In 1965, Reine and I moved with Lloyd, Donna and Kerry to Kamloops, B.C. Lloyd stayed in Golden, B.C. with Bruce as Louis, Clara and family were living there. That is where Lloyd got on at the sawmill.

We carried on and we’ve never looked back. I couldn’t get over the money to be made there. I could leave home, when I worked for myself, at five in the morning and get back at two in the afternoon with $100.00 in my pocket.

I went to work for three months on the Gang Ranch, north in the Cariboo country. They had 1200 head of cattle. The ranch was 80 miles long and 40 miles wide. I was repairing equipment there. We then were thinking about going to Keremeos, B.C., where there was a garage and coffee shop business for sale. Well, I went to the manpower office in Kamloops and then we went to Keremeos to see the garage, etc., and then back home. The next morning I got a call to go to the school board so I went and I liked it alot. The money was good and everyone was good to work with. Come fall I knew I'd be getting laid off but then I was told if I had steam papers I could get on in another area. Well, I had the papers so I then worked with the boilers. I went back to school and got my gas tickets and steam tickets and became a heat technician.

I am now retired and enjoy our life in B.C. I putter around in my shop doing a bit of woodwork for myself and others. I sometimes do a bit of furnace work. We have a motorhome now and travel some.

We've raised six children:

Gabrielle (Gay), born on July 7, 1941 married Mervin Meyers on July 29, 1961 They have three children: Sandra, born December 24, 1961 married Mark Murray August 11, 1984 Darwin, born November 18, 1963 Shelly, born December 4, 1964

Lorne,born January 4, 1944 married Veanna Le Blue January 4, 1966 They have two children: Corey, born July 26, 1971 Christopher, born December 25, 1973

Shirley Anne, born April 11, 1945 married Gerry Pelletier October 9, 1965 They have two children: Robin, born May 29, 1969 Leanne, born March 30, 1973

Lloyd, born August 25, 1947 married Sandra Oliver April 3, 1971 divorced They have two children: Brian, born January, 1972 Sharla, born February, 1974

Donna, born January 25, 1960 married Gerald Sawatzky July 25, 1981 They have one child: Taunia, born November 24, 1984

Kerry, born August 7, 1962

Gay, Lorne and Lloyd reside in Alberta; Shirley Anne in Saskatchewan; and Donna and Kerry in Kamloops, B.C.

Additional

MOISE L'HEUREUX

(as told by grandsons, Smokey Alain and Hervé Nolin)

Moise L'Heureux was a short, handsome man with white hair and a big black moustache. He was firm with his children and most kind to his grandchildren, a good business man as well as one of the richest ranchers around. He was born in Quebec City, Quebec, in the year 1858. As a young man, he came West with a brother who later settled in Alberta. Moise was hired to work for the railroad in Crowsnest Pass. After several years he returned East and married his girlfriend, Sophie Pichette. After their marriage they lived in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where their two eldest children, Alma and Arthur, were born. Later they moved West to the mountains where Moise again worked for the railroad. On returning to Saskatchewan, the family settled on a homestead in the Jackfish Lake area which was about fifteen miles from Battleford on the Saskatchewan River. They lived in a log shack as did many other people in the area. While most homes had a floor of earth, their home had a wooden floor. The L'Heureux home was a well-known stopping place where all people who came that way -- including Indians -- were made welcome.

Moise was a hard worker who tried his hand at a variety of jobs -- Indian Agent, rancher, farmer and post master. At one time he worked on his ranch north of Battleford besides working in Highgate as well. At times he worked night and day.

Life was not easy for those wishing to purchase their supplies in Battleford as there was no bridge over the Saskatchewan River, so the men would tie the wagon box down to the wheels and let the horses swim across.

The ranch offered work to many men: sometimes during haying time there were as many as eight hired men working for them. Horses, cattle and sheep were kept in abundance. Smokey Alain, one of their grandchildren, recalls how he used to tease the sheep: "One day a few sheep chased me up on the tractor and three or four rams were trying to climb up with me. It just so happened that Granddad Moise came out of the house carrying two pails of feed for the pigs when he spotted me on the tractor. He got them in the rear with the pails and off they went, so I could come down. Granddad Moise turned to me and said, 'You little begger, you're the one who has been teasing the sheep!' The puzzle had been solved."

Sophie and Moise were blessed with fifteen children and looked after two granddaughters, Alma and Alice L'Heureux (Leonidas' children) following their mother's death. As time went on, more grandchildren arrived and they too spent their summer holidays on the ranch where they could enjoy their grandmother's cookies and ride horses, too.

Moise and Sophie had a big house, six bedrooms upstairs and a large kitchen which ran the length of the house. The table had benches on either side and could seat about twenty people. At that time, the girls remained home till they married, so one can imagine all the stories that were told at that large table. Most evenings were spent with the men playing cards while the women knit socks and mitts.

Sophie had a big spinning wheel and she spun the wool from their sheep into big balls which were later knit into necessary mitts and socks. She knit socks not only for her own family but also for the whole parish! She loved to bake and, with her large family, she needed to do so frequently. Her Christmas cake was usually five or six layers high and always iced. One year her sons, Toni, Pierre and Wilfrid lifted the whole cake up and cut out the middle of the bottom layer, leaving just the outside shell. When Sophie began to cut the cake, her knife went right through, much to her surprise. The boys were always doing something, like sneaking into the ice house to eat pies and cakes which were stored there. Of course, cream was kept there as well. In those days, cream was used sparingly for eating as it was kept mainly for making butter or for sale -- a means of earning much-needed money. It is a known fact that Sophie used to set mouse traps around the pies and cream to keep curious fingers out.

The large garden they had, meant a lot of work. It was looked on with pride and, when intruders came, they were quickly disposed of. Sophie killed many a porcupine who was feeding on her garden and then she proceeded to skin and prepare them for eating.

Moise was seventy-three years old when he died and Sophie was eighty-three. They are both buried in the cemetery in Jackfish. Sophie and Moise were highly respected residents of this part of Western Canada. They had shared both hardships and success with the same indomitable spirit which marks the true pioneers who have helped to make Canada's history and now have "Gone West."

BRUNO GIDEON ALAIN

Written by his daughter, Alice Miller

My Dad, Bruno Alain, came from Quebec to Saskatchewan in 1905. He came out West by himself to join his two brothers, Henri and Alphonse. He first came to Goose Lake and worked as the cook's helper, cooking for the railroad gang when the railroad was going through to the West. His biggest problem was learning to speak English. From here he moved to Delmas where his brother, Henri, was. Bruno married and settled there. Battleford was not very far from Delmas and it was here he got his next job which was hauling water to residents of the town. He was still having problems with his English and trying to collect from clients was a problem.

In 1913 he came to Paradise Hill and bought a homestead, built a log house and a log barn on it. He farmed there for 40 years.

In 1916 he married Eva Prince. Those were the buggy days, the two back wheels a little bigger than the front wheels, so one night at a house party the boys went out and exchanged one front wheel with one back wheel. All the way home that night Dad kept saying to Mother, "The roads are sure rough tonight." He didn't notice till next day in the daylight when he took off again with the buggy what made the roads so rough.

Mother and Dad had six children, four girls and two boys, and lived on the farm till all were grown up. I (Alice) was the oldest, born in 1917; then twin girls Rachelle and Yvonne, born in 1920; another girl, Jeanne, in 1921; then two boys, George born in 1924 and Clement in 1927. With the family getting larger Dad built another log house made with square timber which was cozy and warm.

By then Dad had 3/4 of a section of land and was mixed farming, raising cattle, pigs and horses he needed for the farm. We also had chickens for the eggs and meat. He grew wheat, oats and barley. Every fall he would take wheat to town to get ground for flour and took back 10 to 12 100-pound bags of flour which would do us for the year. In those days women had to bake all their own bread. He also grew a lot of potatoes and Mother had a good garden. It was a lot of hard work, never much money around, but we always ate well off the land.

In their first years of farming they had to haul their wheat to Turtleford which was 35 miles away, a two-day trip with the horses and sleigh. Sometimes the roads were drifted over with snow so they had quite a hard trip with temperatures down to 40° below. Usually two farmers took off together so they could help one another. A few years later the railroad came closer, first to Cleeves 20 miles away, then to Paradise Hill 5 miles away. Elevators were built so they didn't have far to haul their wheat anymore. I can remember one year when Dad's crop was hailed out completely and no insurance. Another year Dad had a real good crop, the wheat was worth $1.00 a bushel and he threshed approximately 7,000 bushels. It took longer to get harvesting done that fall with snow and bad, wet weather. However, by the time it was ready to sell, the wheat went down to 20¢ a bushel and it cost 18¢ a bushel to get it threshed. So what a letdown! The poor farmers always worked hard and never knew what they would get for their work till the money was in their pockets.

We lived 4 miles from school and 9 miles from church. Dad had an old horse and a 2-wheel cart for us to drive to school. In winter we had a cutter, a team of horses, lots of blankets, hot stones at our feet and hot jars of cocoa, and away we'd go. I'm sure Mother and Dad must have had some worries when it got to 35° below and stormy, but we didn't mind and didn't want to miss school. We didn't go to church very often through the winter but we always attended in summer. When we went to communion we had to leave early to be in time for confession before Mass, no breakfast but we took a lunch along. It makes you wonder why people complain now.

A big project for the winter months was getting their firewood for the year. They cut down trees off their own property and hauled them into the yard until they had a big enough pile. In early spring one farmer who had a buzz saw and engine would travel around to cut the piles of wood for each farmer and all the neighbors would help one another.

It was just great when Dad got his car in 1929, an Overland -- mind you, we had some rough rides at first. Dad used to say "Whoa" like he did to the horses when we came to turn at our gate but the car went on. So he decided to turn around, so off the road and over a pile of rocks (which were piled along the side of the road), turned and came back over another pile of rocks. Us kids were all bouncing around on the back seat but we made it home all in one piece. After Dad got the car I can remember driving to Jackfish Lake, 60 miles away, to visit Dad's brother Alphonse. It was a great day for us all. Later, cousins took the train and came to Paradise Hill to spend a few weeks and we thought that was great.

In 1932 some of the family were in their teens and needed more room so Dad made an addition to the house which was made into a kitchen and a bedroom. We had a community dance in it before we moved in. No phones in those days but it didn't take long for the word to get around from one neighbor to the next and we had a houseful.

Mother and Dad always had their game of checkers before they went to bed. Us kids slept upstairs. Some nights we'd hear a noise, checkers knocked off the board and rolling all over the kitchen floor, and we'd say, "Guess Mother lost her game tonight." She would send the checkers flying when she lost.

It must have been 1939 when Dad came to B.C. to look for land but found it too expensive. In 1942 I came to B.C. and was married in North Vancouver. The Christmas of 1943, Dad came out to visit us enquiring about prices again. In 1944 he came back and bought a place on Vancouver Island, a big house near Parksville. There were a few fruit trees on this place, a little creek with a pump on it that supplied water for the house. Mother came out for awhile, enjoyed this place but decided no way to make a living so they sold again. Dad went to Port Alberni to work in the mill and rented there. Mother stayed for awhile but went back to the farm with the boys for that summer. The boys, not too interested in farming, decided to have an auction sale in the fall and all came to B.C.

By then Dad had come to the mainland and to my Uncle Alphonse in Port Moody. He enjoyed visiting with his brother. Later he bought a house on a lot in Port Moody. I can so well remember when my Mother and two brothers arrived by car. They were so happy to be off the farm and start a new life in B.C. Before this, my youngest sister had married and lived on a farm in Zehner, a little place near Regina. (She has been a widow for the past six years but still lives in the farm house but the farm is rented out.) My other two sisters (the twins) were working in New Westminster by then as they came to B.C. on their own in 1943.

Mother and Dad settled in Port Moody and were very happy. So much nice fresh fruit right on their lot! Mother cooked applesauce and they loved it so much; I think they ate it till it almost came out of their ears. Dad, George and Clem still at home all got jobs at the Flavelle Cedar Mill. Dad walked most of the time, being on a different shift from the boys at times; as I recall he never drove a car in B.C. (This is now some forty years later and my brother George is still working there as a watchman. He has never worked anywhere else.) I'm not sure of the year but around five years later Dad bought a big house in Maillardville but George and he still worked in the mill so they batched through the week and spent weekends at home. It was about this time they sold the farm in Saskatchewan.

At this point my sister Yvonne was married and, soon after, her twin sister Rachelle married. My two brothers were married in 1952. One brother lived in the Port Moody house and Clem had a suite upstairs in Mother and Dad's house. I must tell you an incident that Dad often laughed about. One night Clem and Dad went out to friends' for a card game, "little gambling, eh." They played on through the night and didn't come home till daybreak. Not to wake Mother up they put the ladder to an upstairs window and were sneaking in that way into my brother's suite. So, when they were halfway up the ladder, Mother opened the back door and says to Dad, "Why not come in this way? It's much easier." Dad started to laugh so hard, the ladder just shook. Clem was afraid he was going to fall.

Mother also loved her cards. There were four couples who used to get together and play Penny Ante. One Saturday they were playing in one's basement. They'd stopped for a coffee break and lunch, and back to playing cards. Next time they went upstairs it was bright daylight. They had played all night. They all had breakfast, then went home on the bus. They had just gotten home when my brother drove up at 10 A.M. He came in and said, "You must be just home from early Mass this morning." My Dad had such a hearty laugh and both laughed when they told my brother they had not gone to bed yet. They did not miss Mass very often but I'm sure they did that morning.

Dad always enjoyed good health till he had his first heart attack in 1953. He recovered from it fairly well but had to take it easy. They sold the big house in Maillardville and bought a smaller one in New Westminster. They didn't live there very long till he had a good offer, so sold it. He always did pretty well with his buying and selling. They bought another cozy little place in New Westminster. They were both so happy there and enjoyed every minute of it, close to shopping and the bus. In 1959 he was again hospitalized with the heart problem. We all had a good Christmas together. In January we could see he was not well. He had his fatal heart attack at home January 22, 1960 at the age of 75. My Mother is still enjoying life at the age of 94. Dad is remembered as a good husband, a good and kindly father, a faithful employee and a good friend to all who knew him.

ALAIN GENEALOGY

NOTE: b. denotes date of baptism, not date of birth, m. denotes marriage, d. denotes death.

1. Allain, Simon b. 1643 to André Allain & Catherine Marc of St. Sauveur, Rouen, Normandie, France. Maufait, Jeanne m. April 15, 1670, Québec.

Children: Pierre b. December 26, 1674; m. Anne Racine February 22, 1713 Noel Simon b. February 23, 1678 Nicholas b. December 4, 1682 Catherine b.; m. Joseph Poitras October 19, 1705 Jeanne b. 1679

2. Alain, Noel Simon b. February 23, 1678 Hamel, Marie Anne m. January 19, 1706, Lorette, Québec.

Children: Noel b. November 6, 1706 Marie Anne b. March 20, 1708; d. September 11, 1708 Marie Anne b. September 19, 1709; d. February 17, 1726 Marie Joseph b. 1711 (boy); married three times Jean b. October 27, 1712 René b. July 29, 1714; d. October 10, 1714 Charles b. 1715; m. Marie Joseph Gagné 1746 Pierre Simon b. April 14, 1717 Francois Marie b. 1719; m. Françoise Petitclerc November 27, 1741 Marie Catherine b. 1721; m. Charles Dion February 22, 1740 Marie Geneviève b. 1722; married twice Marie b. 1724 François m. Madeleine Roy Marie Louise b. 1725; m. André Liénard 1744

3. Alain, Pierre Simon b. April 14, 1717 d. Mansault(seau), Geneviève m. January 11, 1740, Ancienne-Lorette, Québec

4. Alain, Ignace b. October 27, 1751, Lorette, Québec; d. January 8, 1788 Moisan, Angèle m. September 2, 1783, Ancienne-Lorette, Québec

Children: Ignace (This list is incomplete)

5. Alain, Ignace b. d. Demers, Geneviève m. November 25, 1817, Notre Dame de Québec

Children: Jacques b. November 28, 1820 d. (This list is imcomplete)

6. Alain, Jacques b. November 28, 1820; d. Leclerc, Angèle m. February 7, 1842, Notre Dame de Québec

Adelard b. June 9, 1856; m. Mary Trudel June 27, 1881, St. Raymond

Joseph b. d. May 31, 1932 (70 yrs. & 11 mos.) m. Delina Cantin April 14, 1885, St. Raymond

Ferdinand b. d. May 12, 1914 (54 yrs. & 6 mos.), St. Ubald m. Louise Langevin January 23, 1893, St. Raymond

Cecile b. d. February 13, 1939 (77 yrs. & 7 mos.) St. Raymond m. Gaudiose Dion February 16, 1885, St. Raymond

Louis b. December 1, 1863; d. July 4, 1941 (78 yrs. & 6 mos.), St. Raymond m. Sophie Plamondon April 17, 1888, St. Raymond

plus 5 other children that died young

7. Alain, Henri b. March 22, 1846; d. January 4, 1890 (43 years), St. Ubald Folley, Arthemize m. July 27, 1875, St. Casimir

Children:

Marie Virginie b. April 24, 1876, St. Ubald

Marie Césarie Angelina b. September 23, 1877, St. Ubald

Joseph Henri Alphonse b. June 1, 1879, St. Ubald

Joseph Henri Delphice b. January 26, 1882, St. Ubald

Joseph Edouard Alfred b. November 12, 1883, St. Ubald

Joseph Gedéon Bruno b. June 20, 1885, St. Ubald

Marie Odelie Rose Alma b. June 15, 1887, St. Ubald

Joseph Edouard Napoléon b. February 6, 1889, St. Ubald

[Editor's Note: Names have been taken from the Tanguay Dictionary and the personal records of Cecile Gingras.]

** Please note: b. denotes date of birth from this generation on. **

8. Alain, Henri Delphice b. January 25, 1882; d. December 19, 1967, Melfort, Saskatchewan L'Heureux, Alma m. April 8, 1907, Jackfish, Saskatchewan d. December 15, 1982

Children:

Moise (Smokey) b. January 28, 1908, Delmas, Saskatchewan m. Verna Cockwill October 20, 1933, Flin Flon, Manitoba

Children: Dawn b. January 25, 1936 Lynn b. June 3, 1944

Louis Alfred b. March 6, 1909, Ruddell, Saskatchewan m. Clara Edith Lessard April 12, 1937, Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan

Children: Marlyne b. August 21, 1938 Maxine b. August 28, 1939 Marcella b. April 5, 1944 Bruce b. November 12, 1946 Bernadette b. June 5, 1948 Rachelle b. August 11, 1951 Michelle b. April 19, 1956 Joseph (Joe) b. February 5, 1959

Yvonne Medirise b. March 9, 1911, Delmas, Saskatchewan m. Raymond Turcotte March 4, 1930; d. 1944

Children: Joan d. 2½ months old Neil d. at 8 years old Darlene d. at birth Bruce d. at 4 years old

m. Harry Wyman June 1, 1951; d. August 14, 1975

m. Pat O'Brien December 16, 1977; d. June 4, 1983

Rolland Joseph b. October 27, 1913; d. November 13, 1986, Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan m. Yvonne Veillard April 29, 1943, Veillardville, Saskatchewan

Children: Simone b. May 5, 1944 Maurice b. October 28, 1951 Roger b. April 8, 1953 Denis b. April 16, 1955

Marie Paule Jeanne b. October 27, 1915, North Battleford, Saskatchewan m. Angus Menzies January 7, 1933; d. March 12, 1983

Children: Ronald b. January 24, 1933 Darlene b. January 7, 1937 Neil b. July 31, 1942 Bob b. July 1, 1946 Keith b. July 11, 1950 Joanne b. September 23, 1955 Brenda b. July 31, 1957

Edithe Marie b. December 21, 1917, Battleford, Saskatchewan m. Gene Lessard October 25, 1945

Children: Wayne b. August 23, 1946 Carol b. May 25, 1951 Lee b. November 5, 1955 Blair b. March 2, 1958

Berthe Marie b. March 20, 1919 m. Paul Marsollier December 8, 1937, Flin Flon, Manitoba

Children: Norbert b. July 3, 1939 Roger b. February 24, 1941 Allen b. September 6, 1948 Cathy b. March 16, 1955

Paul Emile b. October 6, 1920, North Battleford, Saskatchewan m. Reine Cartier February 15, 1941, Malartic, Quebec

Children: Gabrielle b. July 7, 1941 Lorne b. January 4, 1944 Shirley Anne b. April 11, 1945 Lloyd b. August 25, 1947 Donna b. January 25, 1960 Kerry b. August 7, 1962

FOLLEY GENEALOGY

NOTE: b denotes birth or baptism, m denotes marriage, d denotes death.

1. Daniel Folley b. 1823 (son of David Folley and Anne Noonan, probably from Ireland) & Célina Leboeuf, m. October 20, 1846, Ste. Anne de la Pérade.

Their children: Heraclise Stephanie Arthemize Philias Cezarice Bruno Henry Virginie Herman

2. Arthemize Folley & Henri Alain, m. July 27, 1875, St. Casimir.

Following Henri's death on January 4, 1890, at the age of 43 years, his widow remarried:

(a) Nazaire Fugére, September 26, 1892, at St. Casimir. Deceased. (b) Alfred Denis, August 13, 1904, at St. Ubald.

The surname Folley is derived from O'Foghladha, the name of a sept which originated in Co. Waterford. Foley now ranks among the hundred commonest surnames in Ireland but its distribution is very noticeably heaviest in Munster. Sept is a clan or branch of a family. O' means a descendant of. This information was obtained from Irish Family Names, Arms, Origins, and Locations by Brian de Breffny, p. 103.

Yonder he stands on the hilltop, Watching out over the plain, Seeing somehow in that sunset The trails of the bison again, Crossing and crossing the grassland To disappear in the haze That hangs like a dusky curtain, On the stage of the early days. Feeling the exultation That coursed in his veins of old As the first hard sod of the prairies From the point of his ploughshare rolled, He knows as he stands there watching, That the trials of yesteryear Were really the greatest triumphs In the life of the pioneer. Yonder he stands in the sunset But he knows as he walks alone That the trails of the prairie bison Have blazed the way of his own, For the ruts that his homestead wagon Once cut in the open plain Have been swallowed up by the furrow... And will never be seen again. He knows that the mark of his coming Will fade as the years go by With no more trace than this sunset Will leave in the western sky, And his dreams of his teams and his binders And the stookrows earned by his sweat Will disappear in the twilight And soon we will all forget. Will there be others like him Who will follow up on the quest, With the power to witch the wheatlands That lie in the far northwest? Will there be men so willing To step from the trodden ways To open the land as he did... Back in the early days? Will the thrill of the old adventure just die, As the prairie wool, Leaving a listless legion With a cup that is overfull...? Oh, how we are going to miss him When we come to that day at last, When no longer we'll sit and listen To his memories of the past! For he lived through a grand adventure That we'll few of us know again... And his life has been carved by that ploughshare On the face of the western plain, And although the name may be missing, To those who can read the line,

It's a story of strength and of striving It is a tale that is true and fine, For it tells of the wide horizon Of the distances vast and blue... It tells of the old homesteader, And the job that he had to do, It tells of his trials and triumph And now as the end appears, Yonder he stands in the sunset... The last of the pioneers!