Once a month the family would gather at my Grandparent's home in La Riviere Manitoba. We would all gather there and have lively gab fests and terrific meals.
Each family had to bring an item or two to eat, as these meals were pot luck within a certain limit. I remember my mother and her sisters and my grandmother, discussing what each would bring for the next meal. This way the burden of feeding over 20 people at one time did not fall on just one persons shoulder.
My older sister, Yvonne remembers far more than I do on these trips but I will mention what I remember. I will leave her memories to herself. The earliest one I really remember is the year in which my Grandfather died. I was 8 years old at the time, (I checked back on the family tree for this). I remember thinking how cold his hands were, as he was in bed and apparently he didn't last too much longer after this. My parents insisted that I say hello and goodbye to my grandfather. To this day, all I can really remember were his cold hands.
In July of 1950 when grandfather died, my mother was with grandmother helping to look after him. She was on her way home when the steering wheel shaft broke or came undone, don't know which now, and she landed in the ditch. She was not hurt, but had some bruises and scratches. Someone was following her to tell her that her dad had died. It was definitely not a good day for my Mother. A person couldn't drive very fast in those old cars. She was driving one that was much older than the 50's.
Thereafter, as I mentioned, once a month we descended on my grandmothers' house. As I grew older and into my teens, my cousin and I would walk the sidewalks hoping to find boys. Alas we found none.
One time we went there after a tornado had hit the area. It was awful, sheep were stuck up in trees that had been bent and broken. Animal parts hung on the barb wired fence and machinery was upside down, and buildings were tossed far away from where they should have been. We learned first hand as to what a tornado can do. Another time, we walked the railroad track into La Riviere because there was a flood. The only time I remember # 3 highway was every flooded. As I crossed over the railway track I became terrified as I watched the roiling and boiling water down below me through the cracks in the tracks. Almost lost my shoes if I remember right.
Thinking back, those days at my grandmothers, drew all of the family closer together more than at any one time. After she moved into another home, we never did gather together and began loosing touch with everyone. There were over 20 over us that gathered together, swapping gossip and exchanging ideas and recipes and other tid bits. The language spoken was mainly french with the woman as that was what they spoke more easily than English. The men spoke English, as there was a mixture of Flemish and french and English among them. Mom and Dad used to argue with each other about speaking their other language instead of English as Dad nor Mom could barely understand each other's language. Wish they had taught us their language as we were growing up.
Meals were eaten in shifts with the men usually eating first. The the children in the second shift and the men were then suppose to look after the kids while the women ate and cleaned up. I never in all the times we went ever saw one of the men help with the clean up. They never knew what they missed during those cleanups after a meal. Now at a gathering, we feed the kids first to get them from under our feet.
Food was sumptuous and plentiful. Warm creamy mashed potatoes, roast beef or roast pork was served, or maybe it was chicken or a ham. Once in a while there was turkey to feast on. Butter drenched vegetables, just out of the garden or home canned, warm fresh home made bread or buns that had been kept warm in layers of towels on the way down. Desserts to dream about, from puddings to pies or maybe cakes that melted in your mouth.
I will continue this at a later date, as I have to go and licence this car so I have one to drive. Take care everyone and I will finish this another time.
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