Skip to content

I had a wonderful Father’s Day at the Landing

Last week was special with Father’s Day. Mother’s had their day and now father’s can have their day.
81368burnslakeHugh_Neave
Hugh Neave.

Last week was special with Father’s Day. Mother’s had their day and now father’s can have their day. We didn’t have either when we were growing up.

Our parents were very special to us though.

The whole family gathered at Rick and Marie Hunters for a family day celebration for Father’s Day. What a fun time it was, lots of children having fun. Their lawn is just special for a picnic.

Then lots of wonderful food to close off such a good time. I felt so very proud of my whole family as to me they are special. What more could a person ask for, it’s a blessing.

Before coming back to town my daughter Marie took me down to the Landing to visit our old home. What wonderful memories there are. The house was just as we left it, everything is its place. It’s still a lovely warm home. It was built in 1918 so it will soon hit the 100 year mark. If these walls could talk what wonderful stories they could tell. Lots of fun times and some sad times but all in all what memories that are so precious. Our family of four look back to those growing up years with such fond memories. I love you all. Now a whole younger generation has taken over where Jo and I left off. It all started over 60 years ago.

Big boats

So many fancy boats going by. Some are very large for ocean fishing I would guess. But they are very costly not only to buy but to operate as well. It’s hard to compare with the boats we used to fish with now many years ago.

Folks are reporting good trout catches this week and quite a good size too. Makes it worth while.

I look back on my fishing years at Francois Lake they were special times. I made my home on the lake for over 70 years. They were wonderful years who could ask for a better place to spend your life.

My room at the Tweedsmuir House over looks Burns Lake as well I can see the mountains to the west. No matter what those memories of my life on such a beautiful lake will never leave me.

Half my growing up years in the Eyehill Creek place in Saskatchewan. It was such an interesting place to grow up riding and working. Horses were our lifeblood. They were fun times too. Then moving to the Lakes District  to finish my growing up, what more could I ask for. Then such a wonderful wife and family and so many close friends that have been so special to me.

We are very fortunate in our Lakes District to have as many retirement homes for seniors. Then the Pines for folks unable to care for themselves and a new modern hospital almost ready, yes we are fortunate. All this is a shot in the arm for Burns Lake.

Little story

It started out bad but ended up well enough. This was bout 40 years ago but it came into my mind about a week ago. Paddy Carrol and his wife were showing movies at the hall on Thursday nights. They were very popular and well attended. Our mom and dad never missed a show. We had at the time an International pickup and this one evening she walked down from the hall with the news the pickup had been stolen. She had left the keys in the ignition so it was good pickings. It’s a nasty feeling when this happens. The police were notified to watch the roads. One good thing the tank was almost empty. We phoned all over that night and next morning, no luck. Then things began to happen and a message over the phone went with the news your pickup is just past the rock cuts at the head of the lake.

It’s in a dangerous place as it’s just in the balance of going over the bank and is tied up in a barbed wire fence with the wire wrapped around the front wheels and it’s just on the balance of going over the bank so be careful how you pull it out.

So my wife Jo and I took off with rope and tools in my car. I had a heavy hitch on the car and it was a big heavy car too. So we roped the pickup to the car hitch after I had cut a length of wire off the pickup front wheels, what a job this was. I had brought along a five gallon of gas. I was afraid to start the motor due to the dangerous position the truck was in. Jo started to pull while I stood on the running board and out the pickup came, no harm done, motor ran well. It was a prayer answered no fooling. To this day I could never tell who had stolen the pickup.

It was the fence that saved the truck from going over the banks and of course the empty gas tank also helped us find the truck. Nobody really knows the empty feeling you have when your vehicle is stolen until it happens to you.

Nice surprise

Just had the nicest surprise this afternoon when one of my very old-time friends from the Francois Lake days stop in for a visit. Everett Hickey, whose family were pioneer families of the landing. When we first came to Francois lake his father, Everett Sr., had the mail run to Noralee.

This took in Colleymount and Trout Creek (Clemretta). The family lived just west of the landing. Everett Jr. lives in Prince George with his family but we always have such a nice visit talking about the old days.

Music

On Wednesday evening we had the Decker Lake Mennonite choir visit us with a hymn sing and message. The residents of the Tweedsmuir House always enjoy these evenings. Most all of the hymns sings are ones we were brought up with many years ago. Thanks for coming out.

In a day or so we will have the two longest days of the year. June 21 and 22 then we start going back again and the days will start to get shorter. As the old saying goes time flies and I guess it’s true.

Best I close out now for another week. Take care and always remember God loves you and so do I. If you can’t say anything good about someone don’t say anything at all.