12 & 13 AUG 2010

This phase of the trip is really family visitations more than anything else so a couple of days may be grouped. I will summarize at the first part where we are each day involved and who we saw. However the details will be later so those not interested in family stories can simply skip this blog or read the first part only.


Last night we stayed with Ruth (my cousin) at their cabin. This morning we ware on our way to Fredericton to visit with my Aunt Kathryn and those of the family we can contact. On the 13 we headed to Moncton to visit with my Great Aunt Marian, my cousin Shirley and her daughter. After the lunch visit we headed off to Halifax to join in on a birthday bbq for my Aunt Doris held at my cousin Sharon’s house with all Aunt Dori’s family. We arrived in Halifax via a circular route. What we did not know was that there was a new section of highway with a toll and the GPS has been instructed to avoid any tolls, so we avoided it.


Once at Aunt Kathryn’s, we were entertained with stories of family. She has a fantastic memory for details and the interest to really search out historical facts. With the interest for seeking out information coupled with her memory to keep the facts organized she has a great ability to share information through conversation. Wes has never met her before but was impressed and mentioned how much he enjoyed meeting her. Aunt Kathryn is looking really good and healthy and we all missed Uncle Harold, but he was never far from our thoughts.

We went out for dinner and had Peter (my cousin) join us since his wife and kids are in Quebec City visiting family. We enjoyed a visit full of memories of previous visits and long ago years plus some chatting about current events. I am sure the restaurant was glad to see us leave since we arrived at 6 and sat there until 10ish. Plans to meet up with John, Peter and Bruce will wait until we return next week since our schedules would not work.

On the 12 we left Fredericton to meet Aunt Marian, Shirley and Judy for lunch. As expected we had a fantastic visit and once again we regaled Wes with family photos and stories. Every time I visit Riverview I am made to feel totally at home.

I have seen Shirley more than any other Eastern Canada family since she has a son Jim (yep that makes him my cousin) who lives in Kamloops and she makes a point of visiting whenever she visits his family. I was able to get the names for all of Great Grandma’s family to match up the photo I have of Great Grandma’s 90th birthday reunion. I will send Kathryn a copy since she was not sure of all the details herself. We spent time going through Aunt Marian’s photo album where she has carefully placed names on the pictures. This will be really important since the pictures date back generations.

Aunt Marian had been sorting her pictures and she had carefully set aside pictures that she felt were relevant for branches of the family. She handed me an envelope for Grandma Hilder’s branch and what a treasure this turned out to be. In particular there is a photo of the Brown family reunion that I attended when I was 15 – the year I travelled across Canada on the train by myself in 1968. This picture includes my sister Diane, of whom I have few pictures, plus aunts, uncles and cousins. Also included in the envelope is a picture of Uncle Les and Aunt Doris’ family at a reunion taken in 1966. This is the family that I am going to see next on our trip as we head into Halifax.

We arrived in Halifax a hour later than I had originally expected to be but no one seemed to be concerned. Aunt Doris was already at the house and it really was a great time to see her. She looks great and considering the challenges she has faced in the past year health wise I was so pleased to see her.

At the house were my cousins Helmet and Sharon, Stephen and Kathy, Jim and Mary, Tom and Bonny, Marcus and Erin , Chris (a friend). Jim’s son Jonathan and his wife were not able to attend but otherwise this was a complete family gathering with Wes and I included.

The BBQ was very tasty, but the conversations were priceless. I brought out the pictures from Aunt Marian and we spent time studying and remembering. Of course Stephen still does not believe that the image of him is him despite everyone on the family assuring him that it was – something about the size of the ears of the young man (and I do mean young).

Then the birthday cake was brought out and we celebrated Aunt Doris’ birthday even though it was a few days ago. Just when we thought we had eaten enough, out came the anniversary cake for Sharon and Helmet since this is their 40th anniversary. Wow the years have passed.

Needless to say the rest of the evening was spent regaling memories. In particular we talked a lot about some of the cars grandpa had (Jim has a really good memory of years, models and makes). We remembered the car Grandpa and Grandma won, the boat that Uncle Les bought, and the summer of 68 when I spent the summer here in the east with Grandma and Jim. Along with these came the stories around that time when we all were under the age of 20. It is good to spend time remembering our shared memories and rekindling our family connections.