By Cecil BADER, from "Hilda's Golden Heritage" 1974 Write-Up —
I was born in 1927, on July 28th, at Medicine Hat, Alberta, into a rural farm area setting of which my first recollection dates back to 1931 which was perhaps the start of some dry and desperately poor years.
I started school when I had just turned five because I was the only member of the family acceptable to the school who could drive the horse and buggy to take some of my brothers and sisters. I had many apprehensive moments trying to outguess a horse that had become wise in the ways of running away. Her ability to sense instantly when something broke on the harness or buggy was only exceeded by her flare of determining instantly when she would be left unattended, if only for a moment. In either case, her contribution to the situation was always disastrous. On at least one occasion having left her hitched to the buggy ready for school, with a freshly baked cake cooling on the seat for our lunches, she chose those brief seconds it took me to step into the house and back, to run away. You can guess what happened to the cake. On another occasion my sister, Della, not being agile enough to jump clear as did the rest of us, was forced to ride the buggy until the horse had exhausted herself – when some minor part broke. Terror and humor rode hand in hand amid this scene, for while we feared for Della's safety, the nature of the break was such that it caused the buggy to track off at variance to the horse pulling it, but her strength and speed would jerk it constantly into lead behind her. How Della managed to hang on in spite of her cries for help was a miracle, and when this odd looking menagerie finally came to a halt, and we assured ourselves of the safety of the passenger, of course, we all had a good laugh.
Somehow I managed to progress to grade ten at Process School and started then in Alexandra High at Medicine Hat in 1942. I found the fascinations and distractions of city life too many and varied to remain serious about my education and as a result became a "dropout" during the 12th grade. A brief period of employment at the Medicine Hat Potteries was uneventful, and two and one-half years in the Merchant Navy travelling to many parts of the world from the port of Vancouver, still left me undecided. The day Gordon and I decided to work in logging camps along the British Columbia coast still did not assure me that I had found my life's work.
I married a girl from Margo, Saskatchewan, who found life among the isolated logging camps rather lonely. But in time, we had three children to keep us company.
In 1968 we moved to the Gulf Islands, and switched from logging to land developing and contracting, and found the quiet Islands to our liking. Today Gary who is nineteen is active with me in my business. Norman who is seventeen will graduate in June, and also will work with me. My business needs a fulltime secretary, but Cheryl who is fourteen, by her own decision is slated for some branch of the healing arts.
For the time being, our home is here in the Gulf Islands where nature comes to rest.
=============================
I was born in 1927, on July 28th, at Medicine Hat, Alberta, into a rural farm area setting of which my first recollection dates back to 1931 which was perhaps the start of some dry and desperately poor years.
I started school when I had just turned five because I was the only member of the family acceptable to the school who could drive the horse and buggy to take some of my brothers and sisters. I had many apprehensive moments trying to outguess a horse that had become wise in the ways of running away. Her ability to sense instantly when something broke on the harness or buggy was only exceeded by her flare of determining instantly when she would be left unattended, if only for a moment. In either case, her contribution to the situation was always disastrous. On at least one occasion having left her hitched to the buggy ready for school, with a freshly baked cake cooling on the seat for our lunches, she chose those brief seconds it took me to step into the house and back, to run away. You can guess what happened to the cake. On another occasion my sister, Della, not being agile enough to jump clear as did the rest of us, was forced to ride the buggy until the horse had exhausted herself – when some minor part broke. Terror and humor rode hand in hand amid this scene, for while we feared for Della's safety, the nature of the break was such that it caused the buggy to track off at variance to the horse pulling it, but her strength and speed would jerk it constantly into lead behind her. How Della managed to hang on in spite of her cries for help was a miracle, and when this odd looking menagerie finally came to a halt, and we assured ourselves of the safety of the passenger, of course, we all had a good laugh.
Somehow I managed to progress to grade ten at Process School and started then in Alexandra High at Medicine Hat in 1942. I found the fascinations and distractions of city life too many and varied to remain serious about my education and as a result became a "dropout" during the 12th grade. A brief period of employment at the Medicine Hat Potteries was uneventful, and two and one-half years in the Merchant Navy travelling to many parts of the world from the port of Vancouver, still left me undecided. The day Gordon and I decided to work in logging camps along the British Columbia coast still did not assure me that I had found my life's work.
I married a girl from Margo, Saskatchewan, who found life among the isolated logging camps rather lonely. But in time, we had three children to keep us company.
In 1968 we moved to the Gulf Islands, and switched from logging to land developing and contracting, and found the quiet Islands to our liking. Today Gary who is nineteen is active with me in my business. Norman who is seventeen will graduate in June, and also will work with me. My business needs a fulltime secretary, but Cheryl who is fourteen, by her own decision is slated for some branch of the healing arts.
For the time being, our home is here in the Gulf Islands where nature comes to rest.
=============================
By Cecil BADER, from "Hilda's Golden Heritage" 1974 Write-Up —
I was born in 1927, on July 28th, at Medicine Hat, Alberta, into a rural farm area setting of which my first recollection dates back to 1931 which was perhaps the start of some dry and desperately poor years.
I started school when I had just turned five because I was the only member of the family acceptable to the school who could drive the horse and buggy to take some of my brothers and sisters. I had many apprehensive moments trying to outguess a horse that had become wise in the ways of running away. Her ability to sense instantly when something broke on the harness or buggy was only exceeded by her flare of determining instantly when she would be left unattended, if only for a moment. In either case, her contribution to the situation was always disastrous. On at least one occasion having left her hitched to the buggy ready for school, with a freshly baked cake cooling on the seat for our lunches, she chose those brief seconds it took me to step into the house and back, to run away. You can guess what happened to the cake. On another occasion my sister, Della, not being agile enough to jump clear as did the rest of us, was forced to ride the buggy until the horse had exhausted herself – when some minor part broke. Terror and humor rode hand in hand amid this scene, for while we feared for Della's safety, the nature of the break was such that it caused the buggy to track off at variance to the horse pulling it, but her strength and speed would jerk it constantly into lead behind her. How Della managed to hang on in spite of her cries for help was a miracle, and when this odd looking menagerie finally came to a halt, and we assured ourselves of the safety of the passenger, of course, we all had a good laugh.
Somehow I managed to progress to grade ten at Process School and started then in Alexandra High at Medicine Hat in 1942. I found the fascinations and distractions of city life too many and varied to remain serious about my education and as a result became a "dropout" during the 12th grade. A brief period of employment at the Medicine Hat Potteries was uneventful, and two and one-half years in the Merchant Navy travelling to many parts of the world from the port of Vancouver, still left me undecided. The day Gordon and I decided to work in logging camps along the British Columbia coast still did not assure me that I had found my life's work.
I married a girl from Margo, Saskatchewan, who found life among the isolated logging camps rather lonely. But in time, we had three children to keep us company.
In 1968 we moved to the Gulf Islands, and switched from logging to land developing and contracting, and found the quiet Islands to our liking. Today Gary who is nineteen is active with me in my business. Norman who is seventeen will graduate in June, and also will work with me. My business needs a fulltime secretary, but Cheryl who is fourteen, by her own decision is slated for some branch of the healing arts.
For the time being, our home is here in the Gulf Islands where nature comes to rest.
=============================
I was born in 1927, on July 28th, at Medicine Hat, Alberta, into a rural farm area setting of which my first recollection dates back to 1931 which was perhaps the start of some dry and desperately poor years.
I started school when I had just turned five because I was the only member of the family acceptable to the school who could drive the horse and buggy to take some of my brothers and sisters. I had many apprehensive moments trying to outguess a horse that had become wise in the ways of running away. Her ability to sense instantly when something broke on the harness or buggy was only exceeded by her flare of determining instantly when she would be left unattended, if only for a moment. In either case, her contribution to the situation was always disastrous. On at least one occasion having left her hitched to the buggy ready for school, with a freshly baked cake cooling on the seat for our lunches, she chose those brief seconds it took me to step into the house and back, to run away. You can guess what happened to the cake. On another occasion my sister, Della, not being agile enough to jump clear as did the rest of us, was forced to ride the buggy until the horse had exhausted herself – when some minor part broke. Terror and humor rode hand in hand amid this scene, for while we feared for Della's safety, the nature of the break was such that it caused the buggy to track off at variance to the horse pulling it, but her strength and speed would jerk it constantly into lead behind her. How Della managed to hang on in spite of her cries for help was a miracle, and when this odd looking menagerie finally came to a halt, and we assured ourselves of the safety of the passenger, of course, we all had a good laugh.
Somehow I managed to progress to grade ten at Process School and started then in Alexandra High at Medicine Hat in 1942. I found the fascinations and distractions of city life too many and varied to remain serious about my education and as a result became a "dropout" during the 12th grade. A brief period of employment at the Medicine Hat Potteries was uneventful, and two and one-half years in the Merchant Navy travelling to many parts of the world from the port of Vancouver, still left me undecided. The day Gordon and I decided to work in logging camps along the British Columbia coast still did not assure me that I had found my life's work.
I married a girl from Margo, Saskatchewan, who found life among the isolated logging camps rather lonely. But in time, we had three children to keep us company.
In 1968 we moved to the Gulf Islands, and switched from logging to land developing and contracting, and found the quiet Islands to our liking. Today Gary who is nineteen is active with me in my business. Norman who is seventeen will graduate in June, and also will work with me. My business needs a fulltime secretary, but Cheryl who is fourteen, by her own decision is slated for some branch of the healing arts.
For the time being, our home is here in the Gulf Islands where nature comes to rest.
=============================
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