School Memories Part 1: Grades 1 to 3

I was talking to Janice last night about when I was in school. I decided I should blog about some of those stories starting with grades 1 to 3.

When I started school we lived only about a half block from the school. In this picture our house is on the corner and the school is in the background. You also can see the back of my Dad's milk wagon on the right.

Here I am in my grade 1 class with my teacher standing beside me while my Mom came to take a picture. (In later grades I tried to convince my Mom not to come to my class to take a picture.)

These are my  grade 1 and grade 3 school pictures

I attended the same school for grades 1 to 3.   One of my clearest grade 1 memories is the first day of school.  After school the teacher said we should go home.  I said that my mother told me that she would come to get me from school so I did not want to leave until she came.   The teacher was getting more upset because I was the only one still in the class and I kept saying I had to wait for my mother to come.  It wasn't exactly the way to get off on the best foot for my first day at school.  Fortunately my Mom was convinced to let me walk to and from school on my own after that.

These were also the days of strict school discipline and marching in and out of school classes in lines.   I had the same teacher for grades 2 and 3 so most of the memories of those two grades are combined.    One day after school our class was walking in lines down the stairs from our second floor class room.  Some kids farther to the front of the line started to walk faster down the stairs so there was a gap in the line.    The principal saw this and after much shouting he had us marching in our lines across the main floor, up the stairs, across the second floor, down the stairs, and repeat this over and over.  (Our principal was also a major in the militia.)    Then back to our classroom  for more shouting and many kids getting the strap.   Another day someone put a tack on the teachers chair.  Here we go again with much shouting and kids getting the strap.

There were also good times in these grades.  I enjoyed learning and did well in school.   After two weeks I came home from school picked up the Readers Digest and said "What's the use going to school.  I haven't learned to read yet."  I was a good student and never really got in trouble in school in spite of the strict discipline of the early 1960s.   When Maryanne was taking a class including history of the 1960s she was able to use some of my stories of the extreme contrast of schools in the early 1960s compared to my school experiences in the later 1960s and 1970s.  But that is another story ...

Ultimate Cell Phone

This is the new Pomegranate Phone NS08

There is also an article about the Pomegranate phone in IEEE Spectrum magazine.

Victoria Castles and Houses

Craigdarroch Castle was built starting in 1887 by Robert Dunsmuir a rich coal baron.  It was completed in 1890 and his family moved in one year after his death.   It is now a museum. 

Hatley Castle was completed in 1908,  built by James Dunsmuir, oldest son of Robert Dunsmuir.   It is now the administrative centre of Royal Roads University. 

Older houses near Oak Bay Marina

Newer houses with many windows for the ocean view

These houses overlooking the ocean high above King George Terrace were some of the most amazing we saw, and probably many millions $$.   

People actually live on house boats at Fishermans Wharf  - like living in a floating trailer court. 

Telling Big Stories and Small Stories

Here are two pictures Maryanne took of me visiting with my Mom's cousin Pat last week in Comox. From the hand gestures it looks like Pat is telling a big story and I am telling a small story.

Pat is telling a big story.

I am telling a small story.

Surveillance Photos

Surveillance photos showed a suspicious person in the Victoria area. He appeared to be up to no good. He was seen wearing a blue jacket and Tilley hat. He was traveling with a female accomplice who was trying to conceal her identity with a green hooded jacket. They may have left the area and traveled back to their hideout in Saskatchewan. If you know anything about them please notify the proper authorities.

Over the Blue Bridge

Om Monday I was with Chris driving out to his school while Elaine and Maryanne were shopping.  He noticed that the Johnson Street Bridge was raising so turned over that way.  We waited while the bridges were raised to allow a sailing ship with tall mast pass underneath.  Then when the road bridge was lowered we drove across it.   

Road bridge and rail bridge (on right) both raised

Road bridge lowered and rail bridge still raised. 

The Johnson Street Bridge, also known as the Blue Bridge, is the source of some controversy in Victoria.  It is 86 years old, built in 1924, and would take a substantial amount of money to refurbish it to ensure it continues to be safe.  The option to borrow money for a new bridge and demolish the Blue Bridge had considerable opposition.  There will likely be a referendum in the fall.      

Then in Wednesdays newspaper we saw a news report that on Tuesday the Blue Bridge had stuck in the raised position due to a blown fuse.  This caused some traffic tie ups for a  while.  Of course this stirred up more debate about the future fate of the Blue Bridge.   

Visiting Cousin Pat

On Tuesday we traveled up to Comox to visit my Mom's cousin Pat and her family.   She is a very lively 87 year old and was very excited to have us come to visit.   

 
She still lives on the same ocean-front property she and her husband bought 50 years ago.   There are several residences and cottages on the property where she lives with her daughter, son-in-law and other family. 

This is the view from the living room windows on one side facing the ocean.  There were high winds, rain and large waves on the ocean.  

This is the view from the deck on one side of the living room.  

The large house is six-sided with decks all around and is her daughter Marilyn and son-in-law Bill's home (built by Bill.)   Pat's son Cy and wife Terry also came for supper, and some grandchildren, and a very cute 6 month old great grandchild.   They are all a great family and very friendly.  We had a wonderful visit and they made a large supper for us.  Pat had a lot of stories and is very amusing.  If anyone else is able to go visit her it is well worth the trip.   

Elaine and I had not been out of the Victoria area before so we took the scenic route up along the coast.  Chris was driving and Elaine and I could just watch the scenery.   On the way up we stopped for lunch at  Qualicum Bay and then continued up to Comox by about 2 PM.    In the evening Chris took the main highway home and made good time to get back that way.  It was long day but we had a great time.

Stay tuned for more reports from Victoria ... 

Good Times in Victoria

At Willows Beach

View from Willows Beach to Oak Bay Marina

Self portrait sitting in the sun  in Chris and Mary's backyard

We arrived in Victoria Saturday morning and had a good trip.  It was  a beautiful sunny day.  That afternoon we spent some time at Willows Beach which is just a few minutes from Chris and Mary's place. In the pictures at the beach the mountains seen in the background are in Washington state.  I was quite warm in the sun but with the breeze at the ocean we still needed jackets. 

On Sunday we were at church.  Then we had supper and visited for the evening with Vic and Barb. Actually Mary was with Ky watching the Oscars while we were there. We got to see Ky's place when we dropped Mary off.  Later we picked Mary up again on the way home. 

Today Mary and Elaine will do some walking and shopping, while Chris takes me up to his school and some site seeing along the way.  Then Tuesday is the day for our trip up to Comox   to see Mom's cousin Pat.  We plan to take the scenic route to see the coastline on the way up there.

More reports to follow ...

    

Getting Ready to Go

We are packing today for the trip to Victoria to visit Maryanne and Chris.  We leave here tomorrow morning at 6:55 AM so we will have to be up early.  We will be there until next Saturday morning. 

We now have the oxygen cylinders I need to take along for the trip on the airplane.  Also today the oxygen company in Victoria is delivering a  big liquid oxygen tank and a portable to use while I am there as well as two cylinders for the trip home.   We also got a special shipping case (steel reinforced and foam padded) to take along my ventilator to use at night. That weighs 46 lb with the ventilator and case which is within the limit for checked baggage.    And I have a large suitcase just for my portable suction machine and all the hoses, tubing and accessories I need for the ventilator and oxygen.  Then  of course Elaine and I need a suitcase each for clothes.   So we are not exactly traveling light.   

While we are there on Tuesday we have a trip planned up to Comox to visit my Mom's cousin Pat who is a very lively lady in her late 80s.   When  we talked to her she was very excited about us coming.   The week will likely go by quickly and I will try to post some pictures and reports from there.

Better get back to packing .....