The Past

The family had Thanksgiving on Sunday this year over at my son's place. It was hard for me being there, as I sure missed Ron at this occasion. This brings back some memories about long ago. 64 years in fact. Even before I was married.

The family was talking about when they first started school as there were some little ones there and about how soon they would be starting school. In fact, a 4 year old is in nursery school. Well I never attended nursery school or even kindergarten but I did start school when I was 4 years old. Gowancroft school in 1946 was in danger of folding as there were not enough children to keep it open. Or it was thought that it couldn't be kept open. The solution was that I would start school at the tender age of 4, straight into grade one.  How well I still remember that first day of school.

Front seat, side row, terrified out of my tree. The teacher kept looking at me and it took me a few years to understand that she didn't have a clue as to what she could teach me at that age. She ended up giving me pictures to colour and to cut out. I believe that's how I spent my first day at school. Sure learned at lot.

As time went on I learned to print and count numbers. Years past and I ended up doing grade 4 or grade 6, (it was one or the other) another year, in order to put me into the right "grade".  But I never really did great in school. My spelling started out with 100% and each time I write an exam my grade slowly kept coming down. Art was another topic we did and the teacher told me my imagination was putting too much into the pictures I was drawing. I had to learn to do just what was wanted and no more. How I struggled with that.

School was hard for me, I struggled throughout my school years just to make a 50% grade. It sure was different in college though. I did much better then. I finished my grade ten (10) and then I went in for LPN. I did graduate but didn't pass the grade, so go figure out how I could graduate and not make it as an LPN. From there, I did a lot of being a waitress as well as worked in a private nursing home.

I met my husband while I was taking my training, but it was a good year later when I met him again and then we became engaged. One of the best decisions of my life. He was one of a kind. About twelve years or so after we were married, both of went and received our G.E.D.

Three children later, I returned to college and took secretarial and was offered a job in the Provincial Building.  I have learned many skills during my life time. Let's start from the beginning.

1. Took the LPN training
2. Nursing home (private) in Killarney
3. Waitress in Killarney
4. Worked in the laundry in Winnipeg on the irons
5. Hostess for Champs or what is known as Kentucky Fried Chicken now a days on Maryland Ave.
6. Worked as waitress in Maryland Hotel, Westward Hotel, and the Village Inn.
7. Went to work at the Souris hotel restaurant and then in the bar (so I could have Sundays off to be with the family.)
8. Joined Toastmistress, (was also called International Training in Communication and is now known as Power Talk)
9. Learned leadership skills, speaking in public, and much more.
10. Wrote and took pictures for the Brandon Sun for both feature and news articles.
11. Wrote local column for local papers, Souris Plaindealer, Boissevain Recorder and at that time, the Deloraine Star.
12. Generations (an insert of the Brandon Sun)
13. Grain News, wrote feature stories and photographs.
14. Wrote and had published numerous poems taking second place in a couple of places.
15. Did a demo record with my song.
16. Spoke at numerous places
17. At ITC (International Training in Communication) club level, I held President, secretary, treasurer, Vice president and numerous committee chairs.
18. At Council level I also held President and Secretary positions and numerous committee chairs.
                                                          a) Speech Contest
                                                          b) Writing Contest
                                                          c) Accreditation Chair
                                                          d) Membership Chair
                                                          c) and more
19. Sat on the Village of Elgin Village Board
20. Resource Coordinator for a Senior Group
21. Sitting on the Assiniboine Regional Health Board District Advisory Committee (15 year member)
22. Sitting on the board for the local Economic Development Board.
23. Marriage Commissioner (performs weddings)
24. Telemarketer
25. Sales
26. Raised three children, one who is hearing impaired, grandmother of seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
27. Driven a school bus
28. Moderately proficient on the computer.
29. Volunteer for the Elgin and Area Lions
                 a) President, vice, secretary and committee chairs.
30. Zone chair for the 5m13 Lions of which Elgin club is a member.
31. Was with the Legion Ladies Auxiliary and held officer position.
32. Was zone chair for the Legion Ladies Auxiliary for 2 years as well as zone secretary for 2 years.
33. For hobbies I used to collect stamps, now it's lapel pins and buttons.
34. What kind I say after 68 years of living, of course there is more here than meets the eye.

Now I am retired and cleaning out the house, I certainly don't need all this stuff I have here around me. Time to clean it out. Anyone for yard sales or auctions?