And That's the End of the Story

And That's The End of the Story

Traditionally, if you can call four years a tradition, I write my December blog about books I have read throughout the year. Last year I released myself from my goal of reading one book a week and decided to focus on quality, not quantity. So instead of reading 52 books, I have only read 30. I have another 6 partially read and that I will finish, so that sort of brings my number to 36.

Book Report 2019

• Books Read in 2019
• The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne
• The Innocents by Michael Crummey
• Sable Island by Johanna Bertin
• You Must Remember This by Joyce Carol Oates
• At a Loss for Words by Diane Schoemperlen
• The Forgotten Waltz by Anne Enright
• Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
• David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell
• Best Friends by Martha Moody
• Becoming by Michelle Obama
• Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
• Basic Black with Pearls by Helen Weinzberg
• A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
• A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliot
• The Beginner's Goodbye by Anne Tyler
• Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
• Pilgrims by Garrison Keillor
• Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny
• All He Ever Wanted by Anita Shreve
• Suzanne by Anais Barbeau Lavalette
• Motherhood by Sheila Heti
• Dear Daughter by Elizabeth Little
• My Secret Sister by Helen Edwards and Jenny Lee Smith
• Beartown by Fredrik Backman
• Faithful Place by Tana French
• Everything Happens for a Reason by Kate Bowler
• White Nights by Ann Cleeves
• Educated by Tara Westhover
• Property by Lionel Shriver
• A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

Now, about quality. That did not work out. Of the 30 books on my list, there are six that were Big Disappointments and two that were Minor Disappointments and one that was So Disappointing that I burned it after reading half of it. I know ratings have a lot to do with personal taste, so I’m not going to name them and tell you not to read them. But…

I will name and recommend the ones I loved:

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

The Forgotten Waltz by Anne Enright

The books I got for Christmas:

The Heart's Invisible Furies

All for Nothing by Walter Kempowski

 Olive Again by Elizabeth Strout

The Innocents by Michael Crummey

Season of Fury and Wonder by Sharon Butala

And I look forward to these books which I will be reading for my Bookclub in 2020:

Songs for the Cold Heart by Eric Dupont

The Education of an Idealist by Samantha Power

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

Considering all the disappointments I had in my reading choices in 2019, I will aim to be more selective next year. Maybe I’ll even allow myself to stop reading a book before I finish it if I don’t like it. I hope I won’t have to throw another one in the fire---rather extreme behaviour. 

Extreme Behaviour

I am giving up my monthly blog entry in 2020. I might make an occasional visit back to WoolGathering, but with less frequency. Thank you for reading my ramblings for the last six years! 

...Until Next Time...

Adieu, Aunt Gladys

Adieu, Aunt Gladys

I honestly don’t know how to begin my tribute to Aunt Gladys who passed away last month at the age of 96. This blog post will be too long for those of you who didn’t know her and too short for those of you who did. We all have our own stories about Aunt Gladys. I am only one of several nieces and I can only tell my story.

Gladys Marjorie Henderson Titus
1923-2019

When my blond-haired blue-eyed sister was born, my two-and-a-half-year reign as “Baby of the Family” was over. I don’t remember the details, but I’ve heard the talk---I was miffed---displaced by the Million Dollar Baby. But when I got to go visit Aunt Gladys’ house, I could be the youngest again. You know that brings privileges. And her house was multi-generational. Aunt Gladys and Uncle Eldon had five children, and Uncle Eldon’s parents lived there too—Grandpa Harry and Nannie. So, during my visit, I was the youngest in a household of ten people.

Million Dollar Baby...

I was a working girl by the time I was three—I had responsibilities. There were turnip tags that had to be threaded on lengths of baler twine, and I couldn’t go to Aunt Gladys’ unless I took my work with me. When I arrived with my little suitcase and a feedbag full of baler twine and turnip tags, Grandpa Harry, who moved around their rambling house on one crutch, took pity on me and did all my work! I just pranced around pretending to be the baby of that family, sucking up every little bit of attention I could.

My Early Career in Turnip Tags

Aunt Gladys had a life-long passion for cutting bushes and burning brush. One of my earliest memories was walking down the line between her farm and the neighbours' with her and her clippers. She stopped beside a young white birch and started cutting away the bushes and weeds that grew around it. When she was finished, she stood back and admired her work. “There,” she said, “we’ll call this tree Barbara.” I was thrilled. Still am.  

Barbara, the White Birch

Aunt Gladys was the seventh child in a family of eight and only fourteen years old when her mother died. Her father moved on to work, and the three youngest children tried to “keep house” without adult presence. The picture of three young teenagers huddled around a wood stove named Adeline is imprinted in my brain having heard that story all my life. After several months on their own, the three children were dispersed and went to live with relatives. 

The Henderson Family

Aunt Gladys is the babe in her mother's arms.
Aunt Jean and Aunt Betty not in photo.

Aunt Gladys dated two Eldons in her youth, Eldon Chetley and Eldon Titus. At age 17, she chose to marry Eldon Titus, the one with the nice teeth. She broke Eldon C’s heart. Over the years I have heard the story of this heartbreak. The image of Eldon C. lying in the middle of the McCarron Road and crying following the rejection by Aunt Gladys is burned into my brain. 

 Aunt Gladys: Heart-Breaker 

Aunt Gladys and Uncle Eldon had five children, each of them unique and wonderful in their own ways. And they all have nice teeth! At Aunt Gladys' insistence, the three oldest children, Bill, Deanna and Ross, “The Holderville Children”, have always called her Mother, never Mom. She relented somewhat when the family moved and the two youngest, Reid and Beth, "The Gorham’s Bluff Children", referred to her as Mom.

Mother/Mom and her 5 Children

Reid, Bill, Beth, Ross, Deanna

Aunt Gladys was always a good sport. Although she was cautious, she was adventuresome in her own way. She loved to travel and took many trips after she retired from work on her dairy farm. She loved the river, the outdoors and she loved to laugh. Always keen for bonfires, skinny-dipping and sleeping under the stars, she managed to get in the river even in her 90s. 

Bathing Beauty

There was definitely a romantic side to Aunt Gladys. Remember the Eldon she rejected in her teen years? Following the death of each of their spouses, Aunt Gladys and Eldon C. got back together, rekindled their romance and enjoyed more than ten years together as a couple.

Together Again...

Aunt Gladys kept a diary during the war years, then again from the 1950s to 2019. That is more than 70 years of records. She has settled many a dispute and answered many a question with her diaries. Recently I needed information about my own medical history. I knew I had spent time in the hospital as a child, but I lacked details. I phoned Aunt Gladys with my inquiry and a few hours later, she called me back with the information. “And by the way, Barbara, you took your first step on May 21^st of 1958.” She also kept a Death Book in which she recorded the deaths of people in her life. The list was extensive, running the gamut from Joseph Stalin to Johnny Cash to Uncle Raym to Aunt Marjorie to the neighbour down the road.  

70+ Years of Diaries

Four years ago, my sister and I took Aunt Gladys on a trip in my all-wheel drive vehicle. Able to access woods roads, hills and fields, we visited the haunts of her childhood in Holderville. The first stop was The Corson Well, the water source for her childhood home. She recalled the gallons of water they lugged during the last summer of her mother’s life, her illness requiring additional water for the extra laundry. We visited the Haze Williams Field where she remembered picking wild strawberries with her mother. We visited Kimball’s Orchard and Mom’s Hill on the way to the Meadow Brook where she and her sisters had gotten lost in the woods trying to reach their father’s sugar bush. When our day was over, Aunt Gladys said, “That was better than a trip to Paris. Won’t I have the best dreams tonight.”

Holderville Laundry Facilities:1930s
(Aunt Margaret)

Although she was independent and innovative, Aunt Gladys did not like to be alone. In her 96 years, she only spent 18 nights by herself. She had opinions and spoke her mind. She is famous for posting notes signed with her initials, G.M.T.

Make sure the toilet isn’t running. G.M.T.   
No Smoking. G.M.T.
Unplug the toaster. G.M.T.

G.M.T. Signage

Upon her passing, Aunt Gladys had 55 descendants--5 Children, 16 Grandchildren, 31 Great Grandchildren, 3 Great-Great Grandchildren. Among them is a two-year-old named Eldon…

Eldon Jack

Aunt Gladys was an important influence on all of us, enriching our lives in so many ways. Her granddaughter, Carrie hit the nail on the head in her tribute to her grandmother… “the real lesson she taught me was about time. She started giving not just me time, but my kids her time. She never gave me extravagant birthday or Christmas gifts... but what she gave me was much more valuable.”(Carrie Titus)

Time with Liam

To say this is the end of an era is cliché, but it’s true. Aunt Gladys was the last of my mother’s siblings to pass on. That generation is gone, and the next generation is "sitting in the front row."  

Adieu Aunt Gladys

...Until Next Time...

Pete's Tours Rides Again: The Fundy Trail

Pete’s Tours Rides Again: The Fundy Trail!

You’ve heard of the Fundy Trail. It’s described in tourism literature as “strenuous and serious.” The intrepid explorer, Old Pete, likes nothing better than a challenge. He worked all summer in his backyard swimming pool getting in shape to lead the fall excursion of his growing enterprise, Pete’s Tours.

Pete and the Swim Team

Not every 72-year-old has the fortitude to undertake the Fundy Trail. Of course, Pete did not set out alone. He gathered the troops filling the Big Green Touring Machine with fearless trekkers, some experienced, some less so. 

Pete and the Fundy Crew

Sylvia, Peggy, Kathy, Peter, Lesley, Gail, Beth

Calling on his military experience, Pete was shrewd in assigning roles to his six passengers. Every leader needs an assistant, a sidekick, an Aide-de-Camp.  Sitting right up front beside Pete, Kathy was delighted to accept that role, willing and able to give directions, make quick decisions and keep the platoon in order. Without doubt and without Pete's knowledge, she is scheming to one day take over complete command of Pete’s Tours. 

A Growing Enterprise

While Pete and Kathy were in charge at the helm, at the other end of the class hierarchy, waaaaay back in the economy seats, sat three discontented, disconnected passengers.  Western culture is full of notable threesomes---The Three Wisemen, The Three Little Pigs, The Holy Trinity, The Three Bears, The Three Witches in Macbeth, The Three Musketeers, The Supremes…the list goes on. These three, Sylvia, Gail and Beth, became known as The Forgotten Three. It’s a long way, literally and figuratively, from the ship’s wheelhouse to steerage in the back seat. There were moments when The Forgotten Three felt as if the Big Green Touring Machine had left Millstream without the backseat. Yes, they could very well be sitting in Pete’s driveway on a bench seat from an aging Dodge Caravan. 

The Forgotten Three

Bridging the gap between the Power Rangers in the front and the Downtrodden in the back, sat Lesley the Padre and Peggy the Medic. Together, in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) they attempted to keep the peace and bring solace to the wounded. Peace-keeping is not easy. 

DMZ 

Conditions in the backseat were crowded and uncomfortable. Struggling to fit three medium-sized bodies into a space intended for two pre-adolescent grandchildren, the in-fighting began before the Big Green Touring Machine left the lower end of Peter’s curved driveway.

“I can’t find the end of my seatbelt!”
“Move over!”
“You’ve got your buckle in my slot! Get it out!”
“I can’t find my elbow!”
“It’s in my ribs! Move over!”
“Get off my jacket!”
“I’m choking…”

Alas. The economy class. Started out bad. Never improved. The Captain and his Aide-de-Camp couldn’t hear the constant whining of complaints issuing forth from steerage. Only when the Big Green Touring Machine hit a pot-hole, a rock or loose gravel, did the screams and yelps from the economy class remind Pete and Kathy of the less fortunate. 

Economy Class

Unfortunately, for Lesley and Peggy, it was their middle seat in the DMZ that felt the anger from the disaffected citizens in the back toward the powerful elite in the front. The tug-of-war between the marginalized and the privileged was palpable for the Padre and the Medic. Their talents of conciliation and collaboration could not begin to soothe the troubled waters of class warfare. 

Lesley and Peggy...

New recruits Gail and Beth were more than excited to take on their positions as Musical Director and Local Historian when they were initially invited to join Pete’s Tours. Days before the trip, Gail was humming and singing and harmonizing all over Kings and St. John Counties. 

“Happy trails to you,

Until we meet again.

Happy trails to you,

Keep smiling until then”

Beth had cheerfully brushed up on every ghost story, baptismal certificate and graveyard along the Fundy Trail.

“And if you look over here to your right, you’ll see the gravesite of the first woman in the Parish of Studholm to win the milking competition at the Sussex Agricultural Fair in 1923.” 

Historical Gravesite

 Sylvia had graciously resumed her role as Highway Safety Officer, a job she has held on all of Pete’s previous excursions. Indeed, Sylvia has held that position since birth. She's a natural!

"Peter, there’s a truck coming and it’s coming pretty friggin’ fast!!!"

"Stop at that stop sign, Peter. It’s a bad one!"

"There’s a passing lane ahead, Peter! Slow down. There might be somebody behind us!"

Highway Safety Officer

  Gail’s singing, Beth’s narration and Sylvia’s warnings all fell on deaf ears.  

Deaf Ears

“Do you hear anything from the back, Kathy?” Peter asked his Aide-de-Camp.

“No, not really. Just a dull murmur as if someone is talking or singing,” Kathy answered.
The Padre spoke up. “I think we should consider stopping to use the bathroom, Peter. The three in the back need to go.”
“Yes, it’s unhealthy to allow your bladder to overfill,” added the Medic.
“I don’t really need to go yet, Peggy,” Kathy replied over her shoulder. “Do you, Peter?”
“No,” Peter answered. “Since I started working on my Kegels, I can last for hours.”

And the Big Green Touring Machine continued up the road.

BGTM

In fact, the Big Green Touring Machine continued up and down and over many roads passing through communities such as Upperton, Ratter’s Corner, Drury Cove, St. Martin’s, Salt Springs, Upham, Smith Road, Mercer Settlement, Southfield, Penobsquis, Drummond, Parleeville Road and Millstream. The sights are too numerous to name, but highlights include a suspicious axe stuck in a fencepost, piles of ashes used for fertilizer, a round house with no corners, a Bailey Bridge, wild turkeys, the Hearst Mansion, a very friendly waitress, an animal masseuse, clam chowder, a postcard collection, four Bernese mountain dogs, high tide, low tide…All this before they even got to the Fundy Trail!

Suspicious Axe

When the group finally arrived at the trailhead, they were pleased to learn it was Ambassadors’ Day and the entrance fee was reduced. All seven ambassadors were released from the Big Green Touring Machine to find bathroom facilities. Pete and Kathy kept their distance from The Forgotten Three and the edge of the cliff. 

Stay Away from the Edge

After hours and miles of touring, The Big Green Touring Machine made it back to Millstream, sort of intact. The Forgotten Three were still disgruntled, the Captain and his Aide-de-Camp were still oblivious, and the Padre and the Medic were making plans to call in a mediator before the next trip. 

...Until Next Time...

Auberge Marie Blanc Bike Trip

Auberge Marie Blanc Bike Trip

Auberge Marie Blanc

Back in my working life, I thought that summer ended at Labour Day, you know, the day before school started…but, news flash, summer isn’t over then!

Summer Continues

A recent bike trip to Quebec has convinced me that September might be the best month of the year to travel—crowds have diminished, traffic has decreased, off-season rates are in effect, weather is decent, and there’s still some daylight after supper.

September Travel Benefits

At my advanced age and declining abilities, I’m interested in The Gentle Bike Trip—not far from home, no hills, no pressure. Well, I found the perfect team going to the perfect locale for the perfect bike trip.

Part of the Perfect Team

Joan, Gail, John, Rick

You have probably driven by Lac Temiscouata en route to Quebec City, or Montreal, or Toronto, and you have probably admired the Lac from the highway. It’s an impressive vista of the 45-kilometre-long lake. 

Lac Temiscouta

Notre Dame du Lac, a little town nestled along the shore of Lac Temiscouta, is home to the charming Auberge Marie Blanc, headquarters for our biking expedition. 

Auberge Marie Blanc

Auberge Marie Blanc has its own intriguing history. According to local lore, the lodge was built by a wealthy American lawyer in 1905 as a place to hide his mistress, Marie Blanc. That worked for a few years until Mrs. Wealthy Lawyer showed up and wanted her husband back. Mr. Wealthy Lawyer ended his liaison with his mistress, but he wanted to keep his lodge. A court case ensued over the ownership of the property, and Mistress Marie Blanc won! She lived there until her death at the age of 80.

Marie Blanc

In addition to its convenient location right on the bike trail, Auberge Marie Blanc offers a welcoming atmosphere that makes you want to sit down in front of its grand fireplace and enjoy a moment of reflection.

Reflect

I kept imagining myself in Three Pines with Inspector Gamache, sipping a cappuccino and nibbling a croissant. I realize this is not exactly Inspector Gamache’s “beat”, but there are similarities.

Gamache...

Auberge Marie Blanc sets a fine table...

Dining Room

 and serves delicious meals.

My Dinner

My Dessert

Our team of 8 was big enough to ensure scintillating conversations and small enough that no one got lost in the shuffle! We had lots of laughs and even did a little biking between meals. Auberge Marie Blanc Bike Trip---I recommend it!

Team Dining
Joan, Gail, Wilfred, Mary, Mike, Rick

...Until Next Time...