"After reading Cousin Art's memories of cousins, I am obliged to put pen to paper and add a few rambling memories of my own. In no particular order or importance:

"I think the Santa Clause parade was a high light for all of us, it was always cold as heck and I always wondered how the police Pipe band managed to play with those cold, cold implements in their mouths !!!! (the Pipes were always my favourites)

"Thanksgiving dinners after which all the men would squeeze into the living room to watch football on the old black and white tv.

"Always remembered the cousins get togethers as I would ask cousin Brian to bring his comic collection so we could trade; a definite highlight of the get togethers.

"Most of my parent's social lives revolved around her sisters and Uncle Brian. I remember a party at Uncle Brian and Aunt Mae's in Brooklin (???). They didn't have sewers then and I remember poor Uncle Brian having to bring the wash tub out to the honey bucket in the garage to empty it during the party - the relatives were pretty awesome beer consumers in those days. I don't remember anyone offering to help poor Uncle Brian out.

"Our parents parties; was there ever a generation who memorized more songs ? I can remember that someone always showed up with an instrument of some kind and as the evening wore on, they would all participate in sing alongs !!!! They always seemed to have so much fun.

"Funny, I never saw Uncle Brian when he was not smiling!!!! What a sweetie.

"After Grandma died, most of the parties were held at Uncle Steve's & Aunt Florence's. I remember how impressed I was when Garry was at one of the partys and was drinking beer; just like a real grown-up !!!!!!

"No one could forget Uncle Brian's love of cameras!!!! He always had one at hand & I suspect his record of family gatherings was the most complete.

"I remember a summer get together at a farm; I think it might have been a relative of Uncle Steve but I'm guessing. I remember Garry having the younger cousins doing a magic thing with comic books !!! No idea of why I would remember this; I knew it was fixed but could not figure out how it was done. Don't do it again at the reunion Garry, I've figured it out!!!!

"My favourite cousin was Susan. My birthdays from age 9 to 12 involved her and I having a movie date and dinner at a Chinese restaurant. It was so cute, we both would get dressed up, meet downtown and I would give her the cash mom had given me for dinner so she could pay for her own!!!!! I think we both loved fish and chips !! Of course, we took our respective buses home on our own !!!!!

"The first year I played organised football was Midget at age 12 - The Holy Cross Huskies. I did not have a date for the closing banquet and so, I asked Susan to attend with me!!!! Took the bus all the way out to St. James from Norwood to pick her up, went to the party and took her all the way home again afterwards. I was so proud as they gave me a crest for outstanding performance during the season; she was so kind as to provide me with a "date" for the occasion.

"Does anyone else remember the DDT foggings at night??? It was so neat to be able to be in my sunroom/bedroom and watch the fogging machines go up and down the front street and then the back lanes. I always thought the stuff smelled great!!!!!!!! Who knew ???

"Mom always said that she and Garry had a special relationship as she had baby sat him frequently when he was young. He visited us in Norwood on a few occasions. I remember he had a paratroop bike !!!! (it folded in the middle) It was very cool, never did see another one like it. After Garry got home from Germany he dropped by again. He had graduated to a top of the line Citroen !!!!! Awesome car, even at that young age, I was wondering how he managed to get it serviced in Winnipeg as I suspect it was the only one in town.

"When we moved from Winnipeg to Montreal, Garry and his family met us at the Ottawa airport on our way through !!! I always thought that was neat. Who can forget Judy!!!!! An absolute Stunner that had us all wondering how Garry ever got so lucky!!!!! (no offense Garry, honest)

"Art mentioned the '50 Flood, I remember staying at Grandmas place and also staying there when different siblings of mine were being born. What a neat house with both front and back stair cases. Was there ever a better room in the house than Aunt Maria's??? She had one of the world's great perfume collections and her room always smelled awesome!!!!!!!!

"When she and Uncle Jack got together, they spent a great deal of time at our place in Norwood. Uncle Jack was such a nice man, Dad never really wanted me to drive his car; Uncle Jack took me out in his Mercedes and encouraged me to cross the Assiniboine on that very narrow bridge!!!! I was sure I could not do it but he was insistent. I did it without incident, what a guy!!!! I suspect Maria married him, in part, because he was such a wonderful chef, the man could make a stove sing!!!

"I remember hitch hiking back from a dance in Winnipeg Beach the next day. (no remembrance of how I got there the night before). No one was picking my buddy and I up until this very cool guy in a Buick Convertible, with his girl friend, stopped to pick us up!!!!! Lo and behold it was Cousin John Badali!!!!!! Was so impressed he could afford such a very cool car; no wonder he had a girl friend!!! He did not realise it was me until he let us in the car.

"Years later when I was with Air Canada and doing business with GWL, I had the opportunity to meet up with John again in his GWL office !!! Had not seen each other in many decades; was amazed that John had not changed/aged a bit !!!! Must have something to do with the Winnipeg air !!!!

"After Jo and I got married, I remember going to Winnipeg with her to visit. Met aunt Florence at her place of work in Polo Park, visited aunt Maria and uncle Jack at their home (where Jack prepared world class corned beef sandwiches) and dropped in on Aunt Aurora and uncle Ed. I believe cousin Ron showed up but I cannot remember who else dropped by as it was a very short visit and memories are incomplete. Marvelled at uncle Ed's trophy room !!!!! Was there ever a shooting competition he didn't win ??? Amazing.

"I remember Cousin Susan and her girlfriend showed up at our (my parents) new home in Montreal for a couple of days in '64 (perhaps '65) They had been visiting her brother in Ottawa and decided to drop down for a quick visit. Poor them; we lived in the suburbs and getting around for them during the day when we were all either at work or at school was very much a challenge. Dad was away, I did not have my driver's licence but I managed to convince my mom that I should take the girls for a drive around the West Island in the evening. Mom was always a pushover for a pretty face !!!! I remember driving them for hours all along Lakeshore drive to show them the sights without incident. Dad was never advised of the transgression; a good thing as I may never have managed to achieve adulthood.

"I remember reading Grandma Johnson's obit and noting that she had 23 grandchildren at the time of her death. What a prolific family !!!!

"Jo and I are very much looking forward to seeing everyone at the reunion !!! So many memories and cousins, while not mentioned here, are often thought of; always curious to know how their lives turned out and what they have experienced over the past 50 or so years !!!! Yes, it has been that long !!!!!! See you at the end of May !!!!! Don't forget the "Skitter Juice". Cousin Art mentioned we might get a chance to see "Duff's Ditch" in action during our visit; here's hoping it's not needed."

Cheers,

Doug