One More Car Story

 I received the following posts from John Buckley:

"I was 18 and working at the bank for a few months when my step father asked me to purchase his car…a 1961 Chrysler Saratoga with a 383 cu in, black 4 door with red interior, extremely large chrome bumpers & slanted dual head lamps, somewhere around 100,000 miles with a leaking transmission.
It could seat 6 to 7 guys and a bunch more in the trunk. 

The mechanics couldn’t fix the transmission from leaking without a prohibitive cost…so topped up the transmission oil and mom gave me a large roasting pan to place under the car so the dripping oil wouldn’t stain the garage floor.
Had a tough time trying to get a picture of the car but found a site where someone has listed a Chrysler Newport for sale…not the car I had but the same body & colour.   https://barnfinds.com/62271-miles-1961-chrysler-newport-survivor/
At the time Chrysler had entry level Newport then the Saratoga and the premium New Yorker

Refer to the picture of the dashboard…

....there was a large plastic dome over the speedometer which included gauges for gas, oil, temperature, etc

At night the panel was lit with a turquoise light…couldn’t say it was pretty then but I can now
Notice the push buttons…on the left are the buttons for the transmission and under the buttons was a slider switch to place the car in Park…and another lever for the signal switch
On the right side shows the buttons for the radio, etc
Just as a note, my son has an Acura TLX and his transmission has electronic touch (almost like buttons) on the console…some things do come back but with some differences
You always loved your first car.

Also remember as a teenager being driven in a Sprite bug eye to the drag strip in Grand Bend…on the highway it felt like I was one inch above the road…took forever to get up to speed

And some of the guys from Blenheim drove to Chatham to go to high school in a Beatle and pick me up on the way…what I remembered most about that car was when you slammed the door shut it felt like your brains blew out of your ears."

John isn't finished with cars.  These are pictures of his pretty Mustang, followed by his story..

"My son, James, & myself wanted to find a classic car to drive in the summer…we searched and found this Mustang 4-5 years ago
I have limited history on it but believe it was built in California and purchased & brought to BC then on to Ontario by a Captain in the RCAF,
changed hands a couple of times and was completely renewed to its present state…have some pics showing it on a rotisserie
It was stock…I upgraded the steering to Power as trying to park in a lot was awful
And for safety installed power disc brakes for the front
It has a 289 cu in 4 barrel only around 215 hp, 4 speed transmission and the vinyl seats are very hot in warm summer
Cruise around looking for chicks but never seem to get lucky…oh well my time may have past whether I admit it or not
JB"

Your best (only) chance at a chick resides at home my friend!  Thanks for sharing John.  

Stay well everyone.

Car Stories

 A.J. headed to the greenhouse this morning to meet Mom and get his garden plants set up.

Good work team!

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Blue Jays made three stupid baserunning errors in tonight's game, but good pitching saved the win.  They still have some tightening up to do.

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So, as promised, let's talk about cars.

My first was a 1950 Prefect, a British sub-compact (really sub).  I don't have a picture of it, but this is approximately what it looked like. only green.

I paid $175 for it.    A year later I got $225 as a trade-in on a 1952 Meteor.  The one shown above is currently listed at $8,500.

The Prefect had only 30 horse power.  It took forever to get up to speed.  One day I tried to pass a car and the guy decided to have some fun.  As I slowly picked up speed so did he.  I finally had to give up with traffic coming the other way.

But it got me to work for a year.

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Several cars later I got a VW bus.  It crossed the country a few times.  On one trip, I blew the air cooled motor in Iowa going full speed (about 60 mph) in hilly country and into a hot, strong headwind.  Spent four days in Omaha, Nebraska while the motor was rebuilt.  Each night they would wheel it out into the parking lot so we could sleep in it.

Jean and the kids were adopted by a Mormon family and by a lady of colour during the days while I stayed at the dealership to make sure they kept on working on the bus.

We got to Montana and the air hose to the motor collapsed and the bus wouldn't go over a few miles an hour.  This was the day before the July 4 holiday.  One of the mechanics saved us by going to a derelict VW car and cutting out a piece of heater hose.  He inserted it into the collapsed hose and we were on our way again.

Got as far as Bakersville, California and had wheel bearing issues.  Another day's delay.  We finally arrived at Jean's sister's in L.A., completely broke.

Coming home I was never so glad to cross the border into Canada.

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After Dad died, Mom sold his 1941 Chev to my uncle Tom.  A highlight of my life was when he let me drive it to the Trent River on a fishing trip.

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Other cars included a 1957 Plymouth.  One day I was bringing David home from somewhere and when we turned the corner the passenger door flew open.  I grabbed David's snowsuit just before he headed out the door (no seat belts in those days).  That car was gone a week later.

The most exciting car was an 1961 Austin Healy.  Not a really fast sports car, but a beauty nonetheless.  I remember a trip with Roger.  Top down we were getting lots of attention from the girls who passed by.  I didn't get that kind of attention - must have been him.

Had an Econoline van that we converted into a camper.  It gave us lots of trip experiences before it was passed down to David.

And we've been van enthusiasts ever since.

Now, tell me your stories.

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And stay well.

The Afterlife

Mardi attended her Nurse's reunion today, picking up a friend along the way.

There were 29 of her classmates from 1963 who attended today, more than a third of the class!  Other years were also recognized.

Quite a showing!

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Tampa Bay Rays played a baseball game today.  Toronto Blue Jays failed in their attempt to do the same.

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Now we return to my job list, and the next stage of my employment starts with David.

After working summers at Dofasco, David decided that he was "unemployable" because he couldn't see himself working alongside guys who didn't give a damn and who were just looking for ways to avoid work.

So he decided to set up a paint ball business.  He asked me to cosign a loan to get him started, which I did, and which never cost me a cent.

He revolutionized the paint ball business.  At that time the only paint supplier was located in Windsor, Ontario.  But a lot of the action was in the States.  They had to order their paint and then wait for days or weeks for it to arrive.

David opened a mail box location in L.A. and had paint delivered there.   Then, the U.S. guys could pick up their product when they needed it.  Eventually he had stores in L.A. and handled paint, clothing and (paint) guns.

A few years later he sold off that business and bought a small greenhouse operation in Jordan.  A couple of times he needed help and I did what I could.

After he built the new greenhouse in Grimsby he mainly did wholesale, and a major customer was in Brooklyn, New York.  He was driving non-stop back and forth and I offered to take some trips for him.  So for quite a while we took turns in the truck making that trip.  He also had other U.S. customers and I made some Rochester deliveries as well.

A couple of years into the Grimsby operation he told me that he planned to start a garden centre.  I said "That's great!"  To which he replied "And you're running it."

"Oh!'

I ran the garden centre for a couple of years.  I remember being asked by a customer "Are you full time?"  to which I replied "I'm working abut 70 hours a week so it's almost full time!"

It takes a few years to sort out what kind of help you need and have.  David eventually hired a knowledgeable lady to run the garden centre and I could move on to my dream job - farm labour!

I cut the grass, work on the landscaping, show up when I want, do what I think needs doing unless David has a specific request, leave when I feel like it, and get to work alongside two of my grandsons (and my granddaughter when she's home from Nursing School in the summer).  And watch Sean as he grows into his leadership role in the family business.

David and Sue put up with me.  I'm living the dream!  Really!

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Now it's time to thank granddaughter Anna for setting up my new HP computer and cleaning out the old Acer which is now ready to go to a new home.

A real pleasure to work on the new machine tonight!  Thanks Anna!

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Today at the golf course (where it was darned cold and windy) we chatted about first cars - more nostalgia.  The next issue of the blog will talk about that.  Get your stories ready!

And stay well.

Sixty Years A Nurse

Blue Jays back to normal tonight.  Lost to Tampa Bay.  'Nuff said.

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The "Bits and Bites" issue touched a few of you and I enjoyed the responses.  Not sure if today's topic will do the same, but it's a bit of a nostalgia tour too.

It's about work.  And, coincidentally, tomorrow Mardi will be attending the reunion of the people who graduated Nursing with her 60 years ago.  Well done babe!

This is a chronical of my work experience.  Mostly for the enlightenment of my grandkids, but feel free to tag along and share your own history if you wish.

My first job was a day spent with Wayne when we were pretty young, picking berries on a farm at the corner of Lake Avenue and Barton Street.  Only lasted a day and I don't remember being paid.  Probably didn't deserve to be paid.

I seem to remember a day cutting asparagus too.  But I was apparently not cut out for that kind of farm work (but other kinds are OK, as you will see).

When I was twelve, I started setting pins at the Bar Don Lanes in Stoney Creek, four nights a week.  Rode my bike to and from, almost two miles each way, with the return trip happening after 11 p.m.  

I turned 15 two months after my dad was killed at Dofasco.  The company turned a blind eye to my age and hired me for the summer.  I took requisitions around the plant to the various superintendents for their signature.  Worked there the summer that I was 16 as well.  

I was offered a summer job the next year at Clayton's Men's Wear in Stoney Creek.  By that time our mom was facing some real financial difficulties, trying to raise four kids on Mother's Allowance, so she asked me to quit school and help provide for the family.

Gave up setting pins and started full time at the Men's Wear store.  But a year later, the owner, who had his pilot's license, got a job flying supplies to the military's Distant Early Warning system that was being set up in the north.  He decided that an 18 year old wasn't mature enough to run the store so he hired a new Manager.  And then told me that he couldn't afford us both, but he wanted me to stay for three months and train the new guy.

I was offered jobs by the Manager of the Royal Bank branch and by the owner of the hardware store, but approached Dofasco instead and started steady nights as a Time Checker in the Time Office.  For the next three months I worked days at the store training the new Manager and nights at Dofasco.  Lost about 20 pounds in the process.

After nine months I was moved to days, calculating payroll for one of the departments.  After a year on days, I was called in for my first  performance review.  Told the boss that I wanted a transfer because none of the guys I worked with had much ambition and I didn't want to get stuck on that job.

Sent to Toronto for a grueling day of evaluation.  As soon as you finished one task they hit you with extra ones.  At the end, the Psychologist (paid by Dofasco) advised me to quit Dofasco and go into accounting.

The financial situation at home made that a non-starter so I stayed at the big D.  Soon after I was put on a training program for the Sales Department.  That lasted just over two years, as I moved from department to department throughout the company, including the Foundry (Dante's Inferno).

Assigned to Hot Rolled Sales, I later became the first Supervisor in the Sales Department and the first Assistant Manager.  When the Manager died I took over his job.

I then moved into Sales Planning and part of the Management Group of the company.  When I was age 55, Dofasco was offering retirement packages and I accepted, retiring as Director, Sales Planning and Administration.

Turned out to be a mistake.  I wasn't ready for retirement and, if I had stayed, I would have been given a major settlement by the new owners of the company.

Oh well!  

Some time previous, Lawrence Marshall, the owner of Larry's Truck, a Western Star dealership, had asked me to come and work for him.  So, I decided that the next day I would call him to see if the offer still existed.  I knew that he was hell on wheels for the first hour or so of the day, barking orders to his staff, so I decided to wait and call him at 10 a.m.  At 9:30 he called me.  Talk about an omen!

I worked for Lawrence for three years, first as his special issues guy doing whatever he decided needed attention that day.  In the third year, he started Golden Horseshoe Tire and I moved over there to help get things set up and to handle the Accounts Receivable.

He then sold Larry's Truck to the man who had been President of Western Star, and convinced the new owner that I should be his Purchasing Manager.  But, the new guy had grandiose ideas that didn't fit the company and that lasted just a year before he lost the business.

So I was retired again.

I eventually found my real calling.  That will be the next instalment.

Stay well.

Looking Back

 Fun to watch the Blue Jays finally.  After a couple of terrible weeks they came alive with a 20 to 1 win over the league leading Tampa Bay Rays.  Hope they can keep it up!

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Back on the nostalgia train, some day our kids are going to write a blog (if such a thing still exists) talking about how their parents had a phone on the wall, used a typewriter, did cursive writing, had to steer their own cars, and carried change in their pockets and purses.

Mardi made up this balcony display at the greenhouse a couple of days ago.  Back in the day these plants would have been started from seed packets.  Times do change!

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Stay well.

Bits and Bites

 One more shout-out to Sue and David on their 33rd anniversary.  But, poor timing to have it ahead of the holiday weekend.  He was out on the truck when Mardi and I did our 2 hours today, but we said our congratulations to Sue.

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At the Citizen of the Year event on Thursday, a discussion about the Power House Restaurant in Stoney Creek led to questions about the old Hamilton, Grimsby and Beamsville Electric Railway.

The radial line got its power from a Stoney Creek coal fired, steam-electric DC generator, now the site of the Power House Restaurant.  It ran from Hamilton to Beamsville (also had a five mile extension to Vineland that only lasted one year - couldn't figure out how to get across Thirty Mile Creek).  Along with the Grand Trunk Railway and the T.H.&B. it serviced the canning industries along the peninsula.  Streetcar service was a sideline.

The line existed from 1894 to 1931.  By the time we moved to Fruitland in 1943 all that remained of it in front of our house was a wide gravel path. 

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In those days shopping was very different.  We had regular visits from Penelagon the butcher, the Canada Bread man, the dairy which still used horse and wagon, the ice man, the Watkins man and the Fuller Brush man.  The knife sharpener made regular passes on his bicycle with hand operated grinding wheel, and the "sheeny man" (a derogatory name for Jewish people at the time) came by calling out for "Rags, bones and bottles".

The grocery store next door was operated by Frank and Violet Hilts (my buddy Wayne's mom and dad).  They also had gas pumps out front, a forerunner to today's gas/convenience store outlets.  The store was the front part of their home and was tiny, but it was our Costco of the day.

Fond memories!

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And, tonight we headed for the Lighthouse Theatre in Port Dover and the Norm Foster play "Come Down From Up River".  

An old guy who lives in the New Brunswick woods came to see his estranged niece and meets her wife.  A comedy with a message.  A great night and classic Norm Foster.

The show continues in Port Dover until June 3 and it then moves to Port Colborne.  Well worth seeing.

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Stay well.

Citizen of the Year

 Tonight was one of those highlight of the year events - the Community Achievement Awards Gala, a.k.a. Citizen of the Year Award Night.  

Got all duded up in my 35 year old suit, shirt and tie.

Fortunately for me, my lovely lady got more attention.

And we also had our picture taken with Ian Thomas, the musician who was born in Winona and is a friend of the Citizen of the Year, Georgina Beattie.

Ian, and his Lunch With Allen group will be touring Ontario in December with a Christmas show.  We'll be there!

Besides Georgina's well deserved recognition, there were other presentations:

Community Recognition Award to the Winona Men's Club.

Legacy Award to Earl Paddock Transportation.

Outstanding Small Business to LAMA (Literacy and Mathematics Academy).

Outstanding Large Business to Alectra Utilities.

and, Junior Citizen of the Year to Faith McDonald.

All in all, a fine evening.

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We're heading to Port Dover for a Norm Foster play at the Lighthouse Theatre tomorrow.  Probably won't get back in time to put out the blog.  

So, tonight I'll recognize David and Sue who will be celebrating their 33 years of marriage tomorrow. A nice milestone (even though my suit predates their marriage).

Stay well folks.

Tuesday, May 16

 Golfed yesterday and had visions of scoring my age.  Had 43 on the front nine, just needed to duplicate it on the back, but ended with a 91.  Still felt good!  And we enjoyed the two doses of birdie juice.

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Last night Kathryn and Anna came for dinner and dice.  Of course I put Anna to work on my computer.  She downloaded my pictures and documents to an external hard drive.

We've decided that I need a new computer.

It is great having brilliant grand children!

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Met Jim Maguire at the greenhouse this morning.  Sean and I sleeved the eight Boston Ferns that Monica had ordered.

I think that I look pretty good with that apron on!

Picture courtesy Tom Cruise, per our admiring young saleswoman.

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And, after cutting the grass I headed for EZEE Clean car wash.  The touchless line is working, but the manual wash area is under construction after having been rammed by a truck in a robbery.

You'll notice that the sign says "Please Pray for the Witness".  She was intentionally run down by the culprits as they left.

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Stay positive and stay well.

Happy Mothers" Day

 Sean and I picked out 14 large ferns for the folks who responded to yesterday's email.

Turns out that David has more large ferns, but he set aside the 200 best for his retail customers.

He also has the spaced baskets from the second planting.

And the basket to basket third planting.

Won't take long for these to mature.

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While we're talking about plants, have a look at these beauties.

Mardi's Anthurium and Peace Lily started life as accent pieces in a planter she received for her  birthday two years ago.  She transplanted them and voila!  We do need to share some of the glory with Sean, who nurtured them at the greenhouse the past two winters when we were away.  Thanks Sean!

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I'm picking up David and Matt for golf in the morning.  I'll make sure that Matt doesn't bring the pink golf bag.

Stay well.

Boston Ferns

 Mardi and I spent a couple of hours at the greenhouse today, but that's not the reason for this email.

More importantly, David has advised that he has just 200 of the large Boston Ferns left.  And, with Mother's Day tomorrow, they won't last very long.  Time to make your move!

He grows a total of 15,000 each season.  The first planting is 6,000 and that is the one that is almost finished.

The second planting of 4,000 is still on the floor, spaced to give them room to grow.  And a third round of 5,000 is still pot to pot, so it will be a while before they're ready for shipping.

If you can't make it tomorrow, let me know and I'll try to hide a few for you.

R.I.P. Leafs

 First up is a little story from our golf game yesterday.

I was picked up by Matt just after 6:30 a.m. and we headed for Chippewa Golf.  Got there in lots of time, paid our fees, got a cart and headed back to the car to load up.

Surprise, surprise!  Matt and Maureen had been switching cars and, hilariously, for the other three of us, Matt had Maureen's clubs.  Nice pink trim!

But, the joke was on us.  Despite no golf shoes, no glove, no range finder, and no idea how far he could hit those clubs, he still beat the other three of us (with a pink ball yet) on score.

A fun day indeed!

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Spent three and a half hours riding the fork lift today.  Got all of the soil skids moved out of the parking lot and sorted out.  Just in time too, since spring has apparently sprung.  Tomorrow should be very busy, but the holiday Sunday will likely be slow (except for the last minute guys who forgot to get a Mother's Day gift for their favourite lady).

Just one small area to be filled up with soil skids, but I have to wait until Mother Kildeer hatches her brood.  She's that brown patch in the middle behind the protective sign posts.  Her eggs blend in perfectly with the gravel.  Couldn't kick her out on Mother's Day weekend!

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Tonight we entertained Maureen and Matt, and Jill and Gary.  Dinner and dice.  A fun time with good friends.

Missed the Blue Jays beating the Braves.  But we turned on the TV in time to see the Leafs lose in overtime. R.I.P.

Stay well.

Catching Up

 

Happy birthday to Joyce Saulnier today.  All the best Joyce.

And, welcome back to Gary and Jill from celebrating their 57th anniversary in Bermuda.  

I'm really looking forward to celebrating our 57th with Mardi.  I'll be 123 years old!  Of course, she's much younger.

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I attended Mardi's church choir music night on Sunday.  They combined with a choir from Niagara district.

That's my sweetie in the middle, under the TV screen.

There were other performers in the program as well.  My favourite was the two brothers who play Cello.  Incredible talent!  And, as you can see from the picture below, the one on the right is plucking the strings the way that banjo players do.  

A brilliant performance!  We've seen them many times - always a smash hit.

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Golfed yesterday at Cambridge.  Cart path only, due to the wet.  Fortunately, they don't have a lot of cart paths, so this old codger survived the walks to the ball.  Knocked two strokes off last week's score and finished with a birdie.  Felt good.

Profitable too!  Won $5 for a Dog Meat and also won $28 in a 50/50 draw.  There are days when this game is OK.

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But, today's really big event was Mardi and I acing the senior's Group Education Session at the MTO in order to be able to "refresh and renew" for our driver's licenses.  Good for another two years.

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And then it was off to the greenhouse.  I spent three hours cutting the grass while Mardi did some planting inside.  Felt good to get out in the fresh air again.

Stay well.

Red Dress Day

 On Monday, I put in a plug for the church dinner at Mardi's church on May 27.  And I included the following:

If you are interested in helping out by enjoying a good dinner, let us know.  With any luck, you'll be sitting beside a wonderful, engaging couple (I'm hoping that Al and Liz come out)!  Mardi has tickets.

Well, they are in fact coming.  But Al corrected me - they are not an "engaging" couple, they are married.  My bad!

Mardi gave me tickets to pass along (I will be golfing with Al on Monday) but I don't think they are valid😟.  Says "adult ticket".

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What I forgot to mention is that her church choir is having a concert this Sunday at 7 p.m.  Stoney Creek United at the corner of Lake Avenue and King Street.  Two choirs and other performers.  No fee - donations welcomed after the performance.

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I hope that you folks paused for a minute today to honour Red Dress Day, the homage to murdered and missing Indigenous women.

Sixty-three per cent of Indigenous women have experienced violence, Statistics Canada said in a report last year.

Winnipeg has been called ground zero.

At least 28 Indigenous women in Manitoba have died due to violence since May 2020

May this tragedy come to an end. 

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I spent some time at the greenhouse the last two days doing some gardening (still have fork lift work to do but it's out for repair).  And Mardi tagged along and worked with the ladies to get plants ready for shipping.  Nice way to spend a sunny day.

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Stay well.

The Aging Process

 Before I get into the aging thing, first, an ad for Mardi's church.

During Covid, the government gave churches some upfront money to help them get through the period when gatherings were forbidden.  Most of it has to be paid back, thus the fundraiser.

If you are interested in helping out by enjoying a good dinner, let us know.  With any luck, you'll be sitting beside a wonderful, engaging couple (I'm hoping that Al and Liz come out)!  Mardi has tickets.

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Congratulations to David (Doc) Jewett and Nadine on the occasion of their anniversary.

And one other anniversary today, which segues into my aging thing.  Congratulations to my childhood buddy Wayne Hilts and Judy as they celebrate their 62nd anniversary.  Obviously, I know a lot of old people!

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Headed to the greenhouse today.  Built a ramp to help them when wheeling carts, etc. into the greenhouse area.  And then headed out on the forklift to work on the soil skids.  

Tried to start the forklift and it was out of propane.  That's when the aging process really got ugly.  Had to ask Ewen to replace it for me and utter these terrible words, "I'm getting too old for this."

A rye and coke when I got home helped me to recover from this nasty episode.  Hopefully, memory failure will make that recovery last.  And I'll be able to slow the old man down so he can't get in.

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Stay well.