Monday, July 27, 2015

Memories

I am in Canada again for my annual visit. This year is a bit different. I stopped at my old stomping ground for a few days, the town I grew up in. The barn my Dad built for Grandpa in the early 40s. It looks a lot more worn down than it used to. Dad planned it on a piece of paper, no blueprints. Long ago we wished we could convert it into a home but, of course, Grandpa sold it with the farm years ago. 

We stopped nearby to see the field by the road. Part of this, on the right, was Grandma's big garden. On the left was our playground. We had a huge yard to play in with a swing, etc. Now it's a field. Our home was on the main drag just out of town. Several years ago they must have bulldozed our home and built a business. There's a grocery store as well where Grandpa grew wheat for so many years.
As my sister and I drove around town, we passed the high school and I took a picture of the part I remembered. They've expanded it a bunch. I think there's a middle school as part of it as well. Town has expanded a bunch. But, it's still a small town. No traffic lights. Not sure if there's a 4 way stop either.
Elementary school hadn't changed much. I practice taught here as well. Before this school was built, the school that was here was grades 1 through 12. The school burnt down when I was in second grade, about 1959-1960. They built this one to replace it.
I could have and probably should have taken more pictures but these have the most meaning for me. I don't know many in town anymore. We don't have school reunions up here like in the south but I keep up with one friend from back then and that's good enough.
The main reason I was in the general area was because we buried Mom's ashes yesterday. I forgot my camera but memories are the best anyway. A bunch of Mom's friends came to share memories around the grave. It was good. Mom would have loved it and would have been in the thick of it all.
Then we went to see my nephew. Do you remember over a year ago my sister hand raised 4 kittens? Two of them went home with my nephew. Above is Didget. He's grown a bunch..

Here's Fluff. She likes to ride on my nephew's shoulders. They got big. 
We spent the day heading west to Moose Jaw. I forgot to post this morning and barely remembered to now. 
I'll have pictures of the others next week
 No weaving but having a blast with families and cats....
Until next week
Carol

2 comments:

LA said...

How lovely that the family could be together for the service. I can't believe how the kitties have grown...they are beautiful!!!

Hilary said...

Going back can be good, or sad, or both. When I go back to my hometown,
I usually get depressed at how much the town has changed, and not for the better.You are right, sometimes, the memories are the best.