The land of milk and honey

Growing up in Chilliwack...........1945

Mum told me a bit about the trip out to B.C., in 1936...some relatives and a lot of friends had pulled up and immigrated from Manitoba to B.C. where jobs, weather and coastal living were a great attraction....for most it was a very positive move....I don't know of anyone who wanted to move back....Dad had lost his legacy in a business that went sour in Carberry, Manitoba...he had worked and learned mechanics in Crystal City and Winnipeg....He bought a Dodge dealership and the main road was diverted around the city and of course he depended on traffic......bummer...but I for one am glad it happened because I always thought Chilliwack was a great place......when they lost just about everything they packed it up and drove on the better road through the states out to the land of milk and honey , I think it was November and Manitoba was cold.....Dad, Mum and Faye, my four year old sister ...... Mum told me that after a harrowing trip with all the flat tires those old vehicles had....they finally got to Seattle.....she said that was when they new it was a good thing....the weather was balmy, the mountains and ocean coastline were like a new world .....they had relatives in Rosedale and friends in Vancouver, providing a base to work from...I was born December 10, 1937 in Vancouver. Dad worked at Begg Motors then after a year, moved to and settled down in Chilliwack in the spring of 1938. They rented a house, or part of a house in one of the nice old homes on First avenue...close to Young St. on the south side....From there they moved to Reece avenue at the north end of Fletcher St. (I don't remember those places at all) Dad's first employment in Chilliwack was at Empress Motors across Princess Ave. from the Empress hotel. They kept close with the home friends ..the Besticks (they had Ace Tire shop located in "Chinatown"). Dad worked a bit there as well. Dads sister.... Alice, or "Aunt Ally" as we called her and Uncle Bob Johnston...cousins Willard, Joe, Tom, Lorne, Buck, Merva and Lila lived in Rosedale.....Buck's name was Roy ( after my dad).....they had a farm on Castleman road...Oh how I loved to go out there...and we did,often...My folks would let would stay there...the girls were young teenagers and treated me like a prince...I used to watch them get on the yellow school bus...as soon as they went in the door...they stepped on a moving platform and it took them to the back of the bus...at least that is what it looked like to me when all I could see was the body part going by the windows...I always slept upstairs ..and had to learn to use a pot that was kept under the bed...In season there were always pheasants and ducks hanging in the woodshed...the shed had the smell of wood and leather harnesses, a hard packed dirt floor, tools and implements hanging on the wall and a 2 foot round knotted chopping block with a million axe marks in it...I liked being in the woodshed and thinking about the stories it could tell.There was also a root cellar that fascinated me...I visited it many times....a mound in the ground...open the dirt covered door and a blast of musty smell would happen ...then look at all the stuff...home canned fruits, vegetables ...apples and fruit wrapped in newspaper....it was really cool....thats why they had it .....Aunt Ally would cook great Sunday feasts of chicken, ducks and pheasant...apple and lemon pie....and there would be 10 to12 people at the table... oh yeah .....heaps of potatoes and the best gravy ever....who never had bread and gravy at the end of the main meal....all the boys did...that was good enough for me. The Browns lived across the road...yes....Farmer Brown....he really did.....a guy in a car came and put mail in the mailbox....I think there was an outhouse...there must have been an outhouse, I'm not sure. I will add stuff to this later......I think there are some pictures somewhere...........ya there was an outhouse....and an old Eatons catalogue in it..... It was tricky slippery stuff. The old house was unpainted, the weathered siding was grayish...Uncle Willard played baseball, he was very good at it......We watched him play at the Rosedale Ball Park. Rosedale apparently had great ball teams in those days....I remember after supper, the men gathering in the front room and listening to them talk about everything...especially fishing and hunting......How could life get better than that.

Andy Bathgate .......I've heard of him

Growing up in Chilliwack .............. 1963

When we were married we lived in Richmond....I worked in Vancouver for four years learning how to be a sign writer.We lived in Richmond, and rented a nice 3 bedroom bungalow for ninety dollars a month.....ouch! that was a lot ....father-in-law shook his head when he heard that...it was ridiculous....but we were the younger, mindless, spender generation and had no regard for a buck..... we were married 3 years, Shelley was a baby and money was tight........on many, many weekends we headed for Chilliwack....back to the rural area...and out of that busy city. I quite often "snapped" a job (moonlighting) to make extra money for traveling to Chilliwack and to get a 1.00 pass for the Deas Island tunnel, which was a toll in those days. A trip to Vancouver Island was just a dream....but it came true for me when I met Jack Lewis.....He was a plywood pirate.....he sold plywood that was a bit off grade...The mill wants to dump this plywood in one spot and have it out of their system...the plywood had a few delaminates and bumps....but was great for the sign business as it could be cut up and the best taken out of it....That was a very reasonable deal for the sign shop....It was a sideline for him...he was a retired wheeler dealer in real estate .....this kept him busy.........anyway....we hit it off...we talked fishing every time he came to call...I guess he could tell that I was pretty keen for fishing Steelhead , eventually he said..... why don't you let me take you to my cabin near the "Little Qualicum" river on Vancouver Island.....Hey man...I'd like that, but I can't afford it ...yeah....wow....sounds so good but I can't......hey, hey, relax...don't worry about it , your my guest....it won't cost you anything......I want to show you this set up...yeah, but....hey, I have a cabin. ....on the river.....oh jees......sounds great ...I will get back to you tonight......I told my wife at supper of the offer.....What, no cost... yeah...just overnight....back Sunday evening...... maybe a few bucks...but he insists, he says its on me, umm him ......well...heck of a deal, you should go...yay......So, early Saturday morning...real early....we head to the ferry in Jack's nice pick up....I am feeling a little embarrassed about him paying my way.......he always had a cigar sticking out of his face.....hey, relax.....this is on me......"money is only good for what it buys you...otherwise it is just useless paper"....Jack always said that....so I did....relax.....I did that....lets go fishin...the ferry docks in Nanaimo, from there we motor up Island........about an hour and we get to the Little Qualicum river, turn left just passed the bridge and after a short drive up a gravel road...here is the "cabin"......hmm, it is a nice bungalow type house......He turned things on and got it ready to live in, then, let's go....further up the river......we bumped up the road and soon came to a official looking Keep Out gate.....he has a key....(he knows somebody)......we drive right to the top end where most fishers have to walk a few miles too...there were no other vehicles there...not a soul....we had it to ourselves. He parked the truck in a clearing , we got out and put on our waders and jackets etc. It was a nice mild, overcast March day, I could hear the river...it wasn't very far away.......I follow Jack along a trail....man I am syked .....the sweet smell of Cottonwood trees is in the breeze....geeze this is livin......I wasn't disappointed when we got to the river.....it was in sparkling clear condition . The river drains out of a lake only a mile above where we are, then rambles through mixed pasture and forested land.....our first job was to get across the river and get to the pasture land side of it. The river crossing area had a huge Cedar tree laying half way across the water and the end of it rested on gravel where the water was knee deep...a very convenient natural bridge.....just below that log jam the river settled into a nice pool and run of fishy looking water.We work that pretty river hard for a few hours and are both rewarded with a Steelhead and lost a couple of others ......what a deal...and he is so good about it...offers me the best spots...and he lays back a while on all the pools before he starts to fish......how many guys will do that.......Jeez Jack , this is great......he was really enjoying me enjoying.....that was a great morning and we looked forward to a repeat the next day........ after we fished his favorite runs Jack looked at his watch and suggested we clean our fish and head for the Big Qualicum river, 6 miles up the highway ......yeah....the tide is starting in, I want to show you some cutthroat trout fishing......and he sure did....there was a log dump just up from the mouth of the river and for some reason the cutties liked that ...where the river came out of the forest into clear area and a deep run when the tide moved in.....the fishing was hot for about half an hour......we caught a few and missed a lot with the heavy duty steelhead gear....anyway that was fun and I tucked it away in my memory box for future trips to the Island.We had a coffee at a handy cafe then headed for the cabin......Jack was looking forward to the Hockey game at 5 o'clock..the Rangers were playing Boston......My son in law plays hockey.....Oh, that's cool.....I knew nothing about hockey........Where does he play.....PLAY...he plays here .....on TV.....yeah....really...wow....who does he play for........the New York Rangers.....yeah......Andy Bathgate.....who? Andy Bathgate .......I've heard of him, he is pretty good eh?.....and I go back and start to dry the dishes.....Jack is bug eyed watching the play...the cigar dancing back and forth in his mouth..... are you nuts....huh......don't you watch hockey....jees Jack .......hmm...I can see he is whacked out on this game....I guess it was a close score ......he said it's only weeks to the playoffs .....an yer drying dishes?...umm.....so I sat down and watched the game ....He went yahoo......so I went Yahoo.........I asked him brilliant questions ...like, who is that number 4 playing for Boston......he is pretty good eh........he must have thought I was hopeless......I got interested in Hockey 9 years later in 1972 ( the great Canada Russia series) and became an avid fan......only then I realized that having a son in law super star, was just about the biggest deal ever ......He said he would introduce me sometime when Andy was home.....It did not happen....the years flipped by.....moves took place.....I met him for the last time about 10 years later...It was on the Big Qualicum river......yep, we had a great talk.....then he faded out of my life, but always a really cool memory and a great learning experience.

happy thanksgiving

AMAZING SIGHT IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC

click to enlarge

The yacht 'Maiken' was travelling in the south Pacific when the crew came across a weird sight - ..... It was sand in the water, and the sand was floating ON TOP of the waves... Look at these photos and try to imagine the feeling, the thrill of experiencing this phenomenon close-up.

This is not a beach, it is volcanic stones floating on the water.

The trail left by the yacht... through the sand And then this was spotted... ash and steam rising from the ocean...

Awesome! Can you imagine the thrill of being the first & only people to see a new island being created ... where there was nothing before?

The yacht 'Maiken' was travelling in the south Pacific when the crew came across a weird sight - ..... It was sand in the water, and the sand was floating ON TOP of the waves... Look at these photos and try to imagine the feeling, the thrill of experiencing this phenomenon close-up.

hardehar