Monday Memories

Today's Monday Memories focus mainly on my dear Dad.  After a lovely visit with my mom, I asked her where was that box of photos?  I found it, but oh my, so many memories, so little time to persue them!  My beloved was waiting for us to call him about a late lunch, and late it was.  I was fortunate enough to find these few before we rushed off.  I can't wait to get back to that boxful of photos!

I had seen this picture many, many times, but I was really unsure which little gaffer was my daddy!  I've got it straight now, and when I looked closer, the answer was there all the time!  My sweet dad, with the lovely smile, in fact I think the nicest smile of the bunch is standing at the back on the left. 

I love how my Nanny is standing off to the side "directing" her adorable children.  My dad is on the left beside his older sister Martha, my future God Mother.  In the front, my Uncle Ernie who sadly died 9 days after my dad, and the last of my uncles.  When I looked closely at his face, (I had previously thought this was my dad), I can see my Great Nephew Jacob. I'll never forget the day I first met Uncle Ernie.  We were on our first visit to Winnipeg when I was 8.  I couldn't believe how much he and my dad looked alike.  What an awesome discovery that was for a little kid who had no relatives living nearby.  To discover family and family that looked so much like mine! Wow.  Standing beside Ernie, is the youngest brother, Alex.  It looks like Alex and Ernie had the same barber, probably my Nanny or Papa, my dad I notice had a "bigger boy's haircut".  Missing from this photograph are Uncle Charlie and Aunty Lena "Lee".

I must add, that this is my mother's favourite picture of her "Ralphie" and I can sure see why.

This next photo actually relates to my previous blog on Picnics.  Here's my dad, no doubt on a well-deserved day off from the Navy.  Dad stationed in Newfoundland, wrote the following on the back of the photo.  Bowering Park, NFL, July 10/45.  Left to right-Me-Nick-Grant-Tommy. I wonder who took this picture?  They all look so smart wearing their partial uniforms, sleeves rolled up in my dad's case, and wearing their ties.  I hope they had a wonderful day.  I'd give anything to come up to them and sit down for a chat.

After dad's time in the service, he had to travel to Victoria for his dispensation papers, so he took my mom along for a holiday.  It was on this trip that they decided that this was the place to move to.   It was October and no big winter parkas were required-bliss!

This was part of the Winnipeg crowd in Vancouver: old neighbours, and smack dab in the middle, my Uncle Alex (wish he were looking up!), a mutual friend to all of them at the table, not just my uncle, and of course my beautiful Mom and Dad!  This picture is in a yellow folder and on the left of the folder it says"  Souvenir of W.K. Chop Suey House "Vancouver's Smartest Chinese Restaurant", 127 Pender Street East, and two telephone numbers,  PAcific 0455  and PAcific 6642.  One telephone number must have been for the English Toffee Shop at 816 Granville Street.

A Little Known Motor Mouth Mom Fact:  My mom is expecting me in this photo!

Here's a picture of my dad taken at our house on Chamber's Street in Winnipeg.  Taking a break from raking leaves, contemplating life and probably the move to BC, if that's me in that baby carriage.

This last photograph was taken at mom and dad's place on the Fraser Highway, circa, 1974.  This house was the all time favourite of the Grandchildren. They all have so many wonderful memories and stories about this house.  Look at my dad surrounded by 4 little girls.  Amy our baby, was at home with us, and the girl's cousin, Bobby was still living in Orillia, Ontario.  Cousin Bryan was just a dream in my sister's mind.

All the little girls eating breakfast with Granny and Papa (Grandpa).  I'm so glad my mom took this picture!  Can you imagine having all of these little chicks sleeping over in one bedroom?  How did my mom and dad do it?  They were both still working at this point, so it was more than likely a weekend sleepover.  I love the little tupperware glasses and without a doubt, porridge (that's what we called it in the olden days), oatmeal to the new generation, was in those bowls!  I remember we bought or was given the little arborite high chair from my beloved's friend, Willy Wagner.  When I look at April sitting there, I can still feel the cuddles with  in her little redblanket sleeper.  Now that I can see ahead two generations, April and her as-yet-to-be-born-cousin Bryan's son, look a fair bit alike.  Perhaps it's simply the bowl haircut (there's that cut two generations ahead too!)

Foreground on the left, Riki, and in the high chair, April.  On the right in the foreground, Riki's sis, Andrea and beside her Cathy.  I love my dad's smile in this picture.  It says it all!

Monday Memories are made of this!