LESS we FORGET

As John and I listened to the Morning worship from Newfoundland's Wesley United Church on Sunday morning; I said to him.. "You know the member of our family whom I remember is Grandfather Kernick, who was in the Boar Wars".
So here today, Less we forget, John gives me a Rememberance Day Blog to the Kernick Family. Charles Kernick, granddfather Kernick was my father's father and probably fought with the British troops in South Africa's Boar Wars around 1899. (the Boar was the name given to the dutch settlers of south Africa with whom Britian fought. It appears that after Grandfather Kernick came home they all immigrated to Canada, as my father came to Canada at about 4..( I remember, I think) I remember his garage out back and the big pennies he gave me for candy when I was a little 4 or 5 year old. He finished his days there in the small shed which still stands in Sydney Mines because he had given the family home to my father's sister. Anna remembers his funeral and says he had one of the biggest funerals in Sydney Mines with bagpipes and all. (Brad would know more as he did the family tree back beyond Charles family)
Rememberance Day is to remember our soldiers. and so this story of George Ives who at 111 years from Brighton may have served with grandfather Kernick as they lived so close in England during the recuitment for the Boar War. This was probably what Grandfather Kernick knew and experience as he went off and died. The year was probably after 1908 and in the 2nd Boar War became Canada was very slow to enter the conflict Lieutenant-Colonel W.D. Otter became the first Canadian-born officer to command Canada's military. He commanded the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion of The Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry in 1908, which consisted of volunteers.This British conflict lasted from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902.
The Boer War marked the first occasion in which large contingents of Canadian troops served abroad although the Canadian government and citizens were divided about any participation. Because the french Canadians wished to stay out of the war and others, primarily the English wanted to help England in this fight; Sir Wilfrid Laurier and his government finally compromised by agreeing to support the British by providing only volunteers, equipment and transportation to the war. The United Kingdom would be responsible for paying the troops and returning them to Canada at the end of their service.

From John's Library come the following letter home from the Boar wars by a Canadian Soldier, TomWallace the son of Conservative MP in October 29th..

Less we forgot... these young men.

Oct 29th

My Dear Papa

I received your letter and papers all right and you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all. It has been raining here all day. We just been issued with our kits which includes two pairs of heavy boots, 1 paair leggins, 1 pr trousers, 1 serge, 1 good big overcoat and cape, two flannel shirts, two undershirts, 2 pr drawers, 1 heavy sweater, the new Olivere equipment that is brown leather belts and valise on our back, a rifle and a bayonet, a knife, spoon, fork, 3 brushes. We have to get the rest of the kit in the morning. Mr. Brown of the Mail and Empire is doing all he can for us. I know Hamilton the correspordance of the Globe also. We are getting along all right. A great many of the Toronto co'y were tranferred to another co'y but I am going to stay with "C" company all right. We had a fine church parade here today to Holy Trinity Church. Hendrie and McGee and I sleep next each other. (yes it is written sleep.."Battle Lines"J.L.Granatstein,..pg79). Lord Minto and Sen Hutton were at church. The minister preached a grand sermon and a great many of the contingent took the sacrement. I enclose you a form of the serice.. Alf Sherritt the amateur champion bicycle rider of Canada is with us too. Thre are no accounts that I left unpaid. The Armory in Bolton is all paid up. We have a fine Co'y. Young Rorke is a nice cha. H.V.Rorke of Customs Ottawa is down here today. A great many of the boys are Orangeman. We get all the papers sent to us. World, Globe, Mail and Montreal Star. We go on board the boat tomorrow ..

With Love to all ... Your Loving Son.. Tom.. It is 9:30 pm and Col Sergt is call the role so I must stop.

Later letters write such things as

The boat trip... "This is the forth sunday on board and we are beginning to feel like we would like to get on land again.. We expect to arrive in Cape Town on Wed Nov 29th"....."

We have all our outfit now and we are ready to march as soon as we land"

And position and pay... "We drew our first pay on thursday last $15.38. I am a full private in the front ranks of No.3 Section "C"Company.... I haave been acting as Coloney Otter's orderly (not the one who shines his boots) this last few days and it si a pretty good job"... carry messages from the colonel to the different officers."

March 16,..... My Dear mother... After foor weeks of marching , fighting, and hardships we have arrived at last in Bloemfontein the capitial of Orange Free State."......"I was sick one day on the whole march. Sometimes, we marched all night and other times all day in the heat of day. We were on half rations all the way here and everyone said it is remarkable how we kept up the way we did. We marched a good many more than 176 miles ... we slept out in the open rain or shine and we were othten lying on the wet ground all night." "Our fellows didn't grumble at all but just took things as they came."" LESS WE FORGET.... God have mercy...

Remembering Marg today

Betty was thinking of September 29th as her sisters birthday..

" My sister would be 77 today.. Oh no.. she was born on August 29th ". She had 10 kids and of course Brant's dog "Fred" who seemed almost human.
or some of his friends (added for Marie 2 days later)

So for Betty I (John) did an internet search to see what happen on this special day to see what Marg saw or heard on her birthday.
Well as a teenager Marg heard the song Oh Pretty Woman by Roy Orbison who released it on August 29th 1964.
And of course the zipper was invented on this day for boots which no longer needed to be tied..

Ofcourse, on that day was born Michael Jackson in 1958 and Swedish actor Ingrid Bergman in 1915 and of course Marguerite Florence Kernick (Porter); most loved and missed by her sister Betty..
But what we remember the most is probably, the August 29, 2005 when at approximately 6:10 a.m., Central Daylight Time, Hurricane Katrina, a Category 4 storm packing winds of 145 m.p.h., made landfall out of the Gulf of Mexico near Buras, Louisiana and headed north towards the historic city of New Orleans.

This blog is for here family on facebook.. Gary, David, Billy, Greg. Curtis, Brant, Mareena, and Noel and certainly two others whom are with their mother.. making up the 10 kids. Happy Birthday Marg.

The following year on Aug. 29, 2006 : Warren Steed Jeffs is arrested in Nevada by a local patrol officer, Warren Jeffs was on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List and as leader of Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; was found guilty later for alleged arrangement of extralegal marriages between his adult male followers and underage girls.

And the previous year on that date (2004) Greece Olympics End for Four More Years Aug. 29, 2004 : The 2004 Summer Olympics end with a spectacular closing ceremony watched by millions around the world as the Olympic Torch is extinguished and in 1966: The Beatles performed their last concert to a crowd of 25,000 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco

The Beatles in 1964.Clockwise (from top-left): John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison

Other special events are

1971 Atlanta Brave great Hank Aaron knocked in his 100th run of the season, giving him 11 seasons with 100 or more RBIs--a National League record.

1965- U.S.A. Gemini V Aug. 29, 1965 : Gemini V returns to Earth bringing the two American astronauts Charles Conrad, and Gordon Cooper, back to Earth .

1956, 29 August Britain and France begin initial planning for the Tripartite Invasion, their response to Colonel Nasser's move to nationalise the Suez Canal on 26 July 1956

1949 The Soviet Union tests its first atomic bomb

.1945: General Douglas MacArthur is named Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers occupying Japan.

1944: Fifteen thousand American troops liberating Paris march down the Champs Elysees

1940, 29 August - World War II: North Africa The Suez Canal is targeted by an Italian air raid.

1885 The first motorcycle is patented, built by Gottlied Daimler in Germany

1853 - First performance of The First and the Last Waltz by Josef Strauss. It was his first compostion

70AD In Jewish religion this date is important because in the year 70 The Temple of Jerusalem burns after a nine-month siege by the Romans.

Cinderell@ meet her Prince at 10th birthday

"The Prince is giving a ball" Trumpets roar.. "The Prince is having a BALL in North Sydney " announces the castle cryer... (Well Betty is allowing me to do this blog for the celebration of a 56 birthday of Cinderella and it has a lot of youtube inbedded (underline words) so maybe helpful to see hints of July 2009)

As you can see from the photo from the movie (1975).. Marie (Cinderell@) is standing on the step behind the palace cryer announcing the ball... Marie of course is in the new dress made by Auntie Betty.. Who appears to have dressed her the prettiest in the class with all the new designs every couple of weeks of school.

WHO IS THAT BOY BESIDE MARIE ??? Well if you read this blog you will find his name and believe me... it is her prince... so enjoy... read.. check the underline words.. and laugh)

First the movie is always available for those who do not know the story of Cinderella with Julie Andrews but this story started in Sydney Mines a small outcrop along the Nova Scotia Highland when a beautiful baby girl when to live with her grandmother. ( I (john, betty's friend) can identify with that as I also was raised by my grandmother in a Nova Scotia coalmining town..) As the years passed and the ocean breeze blew those cold winter winds across the outcrop of rocks that make Sydney Mines.

There were sad moments but Marie had a way to passby them.. sometimes being seen skipping down the mainstreet alone. (I think the mayor was heard to say... she will make the olympic team if skipping-running becomes a sport) or lost in the many birthday parties at Auntie Betty's with her cousins.

Cinderella in the movie had a three stepsisters so Marie had to go later in life and find her stepsisters and see if they were really as mean as the story tells. Today, they all love her and there seems to be no dirty floors for them to make Cinderella wash or the chimmey to clean..

(And for a special gift.. From your Mother..who had Betty tell me this story...) Betty said... "We once when to the dance at the Alderpoint School house" We , Kathleen and I, were only 14, or 15 and she was always the first to try things new" "Here, Betty try this cigarette" as she smoked for the first time.. "I did and got so sick I fell in the drain on the side of the road." Kathleen was laughing so hard she could not smoke" (Happy birthday from Mom)

But the ball came and Cinderella waited for the prince to knock on the door with that glass slipper but it was not until long after she married and had her kids that Toronto saw the prince of childhood arrive. Paul filled out the later happiness of Marie and they can still be seen fighting over small things. (The small boy in the above photo was Paul Anderson whom one could say was a childhood sweetheart... if small girls of 10 have such feelings for boys) Happy Birthday Marie.. We love you... John & Betty

(stop that crying Marie... we love you)

My cats Past and Now

I had cats all my life.

At home in North Sydney C.B., there was three on the step which I fed and the mother was starting to bring her baby for me to see... (I hope they all found another person to care for them)

My first cat was Lucky was black and white which I had with my last cat Jasmine. But they always fought and I had to give lucky away.. Albert and Veronica got him and he is probably hunting behind their house today.

Well, my present cat Min-min ( I call him) is john's cat and is very lucky today. He was found at the waste site where he worked on a container going to china. He was feed by eye-dropper with his brother (in photo the brown one) who sadly was taken from the yard on a Sunday morning. (photo)

Now, Jasmine, whom I had to sadly leave behind was 14 years old was a one owner cat and would have had difficulties moving with me. I thought I was going to have to visit the vet or something but the story of how Jasmine found her home is interesting.

I went to the Hair dressers on the final day of moving, and still had no home for her. When I arrived at the salon, Pat asked about Jasmine and said She knew a women whom had the same type of cat and would love to have another one as hers had died.

So, John and I made a visit to see her and found her very excited to have another Siamese-Himalayan. She told us how she had a dream the night before about Spike her cat and how she got this phone call the next morning. They look so much alike that she had tears in her eyes.

I have talked to her a couple of time since and she tell me Jasmine and her are happy and how it seems that Jasmine does the same things and sleeps in the same place as her cat use to. Strange... (John said that the spirit of Spike is visible to Jasmine as energy left behind.. I don t know if cats are like that) Would like to know as some say they see the Auora around people.

Today, my cat is Min-Min who John calls Gilbart

He just had a sex change last week as we found out he was a male and we thought it was female and was called Gilberta. She is funny and I just love her. Always thinks she is a person... to see her lying in bed stretched out on her back with arms wide spread.

When I am in the bathroom she wants her shower or bath (she had it today) and when I ignore her she finds a way to get attention. When john and I were watch video of his dog playing catch and Min-min arrived with his toy.. ( a small pink pig) and jumped on the chair where I was sitting. The other day she got up on the chair behind me and had one leg around each side of my neck.. surprise...

such a suskie...

Brother Bill's Cars

My neice Joanne, is such a dear, mentioned how she was so interested in her father's cars which I mentioned in my frist blog . So here are some of Bill's cars. Her father was the second oldest after brother Ed. Both have passed to new highways (in the sky) while their two brothers, David and Jimmy are living in CB and Ontario.

His first cars was a Buick..

Brother David would remember more than me because he has the pictures. (I think it was 50s 1952 or 53) Bill loved that Fire-engine Red and white buick. (his was Red where this photo is white) I could be wrong that his first car was a Buick, he had so many..

His Meteor was (believe it or not) Red and Yellow.He and Jimmy Rahey would always go down to the shore road and show off their cars. Today, in Moncton, I sit at the Tim Horton with my love in his 1987 Cadillac (also red) and we watch all the old cars come in or go by.

He only keep his cars for a short time and trade them in every year. Guess some of them today are probably being driven around Nova Scotia.

My car, a 1969 Red and Black Dodge Monaco convertable is probably still around in Cape Breton as well (Photos are hard to find even with the internet search but a similar car is best I can find.. also I had john to do a little paint job on the side of this one to show how red it was) By theway.. This photo come from Russia.. small world with the internet.. I think I paid $3500 for that car which was a special edition that year right from the factory.

It had black bucket seats and when I sold it in Sydney Mines I moved to a Cadallic convertable in the late 70s.

He had the beautiful Pontiac which was a blue and white and this was my favourite memory of his cars. ( not as this photo but a sky blue). I remember how that sun visor seem to be elgant and my friend John still finds that I must put down the sunvisor in the car... (must be a habit from this old old memory)

Dad would go to the garage and keep them running as the boys were away Sailing. He appreciated the responsibility he had. Maybe, a coalminer driving such cars made him proud of his boys success.

Seamstress today.Mom yesterday

Today I am a Seamstress because of my Mom being such a good garment maker when I was a young girl in Cape Breton. As 'Dolly Parton said in her song"With all the Love she sewed in every stitch" (plse click the song below and listen to this song which express her love for us) My father was a Sydney Mines Coalminer and she made all the clothes for us 8 kids which was live in our youth.
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I remember those clothes that were made from the old Robin Hood Flour Bags. The old large tub on the back of the wood stove with the water boiling and the bleach smell through out the kitchen; as we got enough bags to prepare for cloth. This white bags (100 pound size) then cutted into patterns for the planned clothing. We all went to school in unique clothes made by Mom. My four brothers wore short pants and I remember they that they were older they got their first pair of pants. (I don t remember if Mom made them much of their clothes) Of course, all left home at 14 or 15 and when sailing as was the Cape Breton Traditional.
My three sister and I, wore only the well made clothes of Mom's, and when we were older the older sisters got the Budget clothes and we got them as hand-me-downs. Of course or church bonnets were bought on a budget at Eatons in Sydney and we each had our own. (Not bought on charge.. as we say today.. but bought on a budget)
"Don t Bend over. you might see Robin Hood" was a serious Joke. because even the petticoats and panties were made from these bleached bags. Every one of us girls had a dress like the Dolly Parton song "Coat of many Colors" (it was so true when you father worked the cold mines and eight children to feed). My mother made different color patches on each of our dresses so we could know which dress was which.

My First Blog - Cape Breton

When looking for a photo of my lovely home area of Cape Breton I was directed to the photos of a tourist visiting Cape Breton National Park. No better way to show you my home than through the eyes of those who see it for the first time.

Please check out the 44 photos of this family visiting Cape Breton National Park.

Today, July 12, 2009, I am in Moncton N. B. and missing the water. It is so hot here without that wind that blows across the bay of Sydney to my home along the coast. That lack of humidite in the air seem to make it even hotter.

Yesterday, was the Altantic Car show and everyone was showing of the older models. I loved the sight of older cars like those that my brother Bill had as he grew up in C.B.
. Seems he had them all. How I am sure he was there with me as I remember him driving in those cars which were his. (the above photo seems approarite as you see the road he drove so many time.

Comment: Bill's daughter Joanne had the following comment on this blog.

"I loved it! (Your blog) It really gave me some insight into your life as you were growing up......... I also liked the part about my Dad. He always had such nice cars! Keep writing Betty. You're doing a great job! I look forward to reading many more interesting stories! "