Uncle Ed took up a homestead north of Wabamun where he lived until he passed away. Uncle Ed was loved by all the kids - and was Uncle Ed to all of them. In the early years when he would be going home from the village with the team and sleigh in winter the kids would all want a sleigh ride. He would only take them so far then stop and say "This is far enough, now walk back home." When he passed away his funeral was one of the biggest, if not the biggest in the area. He is buried in Rexboro cemetery beside his mother.
Uncle Stan moved up to the Peace River country and took up a homestead near Ryecroft. Grandma spent many years with him and our cousin Beryl who by this time had married Jack (John) Bailey and also homesteaded in the same area. In those days there was a little summer station at Kapasiwin and when Grandma would come down from the north to visit, someone, usually Bernie, would meet her there. The train would stop there in winter if someone was coming from Edmonton and wished to get off there. When we heard the train whistle Bernie would leave with the team to meet Grandma and her trunk. How we loved Grandma's visits and her trunk, for we never knew what treasures it would hold for us!
Uncle Vic spent a lot of time with us, he and Bernie worked in the old Lakeside coal mine at Wabamun. Later Uncle Vic moved up to Faust where he ran the fish plant and raised mink.
Aunt Jessie married William Bill and moved to Vancouver.
After moving back from the north Grandma spent her time between our place and Uncle Ed's home before having a little house built in Uncle Ed's yard.(1928) She lived there until she passed away Oct. 8, 1944 (1943). Uncle Ed's farm is now owned by his grandson Douglas Woollard.
We loved the trip by team from Kapasiwin up the old Lac Ste. Anne trail to Uncle Ed's. Now those old trails are gone the way so many old trails have disappeared.
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In those days when there was a dance anywhere around the country everyone not lucky enough to own a car went by team, sometimes having to leave home at supper time and not getting back 'til late the next day. George Tyrell, his brother Dermot and Jim Etock had an orchestra and played at most dances. When the folks went to a dance Grandma would look after the younger children either at our place or Uncle Ed's. We young children would have as much fun as the older ones did as there would be six of us.
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How nice it was to lie in bed in the dusk and as you were drifting off to sleep hear the loons laughing across the water. We can remember in the spring when the ice broke up gale force winds piling the ice on the lake shore in huge mountains and what a racket it would make.
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When Grandma was with us she would play card with us by the hour - old maid and rummy were the main ones. Grandma always gave us a warning before we started to play - "If you start to fight then I won't play with you." Needless to say we behaved ourselves. One thing our folks were very strict about was that we could not play cards or sew on Sunday, but we could read and do homework. One of Grandma's favourite sayings, if you wanted to sew on Sunday was, "When you get to heaven you'll have to pull every stitch out with your nose." That finished us! We were not allowed to go in bare feet, whenever Grandma caught us without shoes or stockings (no such things as socks for girls or boys) we'd hear her stern warning, "Dress your feet."
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Christmas time was always a time to look forward to. You started to practice for the school concert early in December and very little school work would be done. The night of the concert was looked forward to with anticipation and dread; dread of having to get up on the stage in front of that sea of faces and do your thing, whether it be a part in a drill, a play, a recitation or in the chorus. The school house would be crowded with everyone who could possibly get sitting or standing room. The big Christmas tree would be decorated and in place of modern electric lights coloured candles covered it. Excitement ran high as we finally got to wear the costumes our mothers had made, first having to send to Eaton's for the materials. The candles on the tree would be lit and anxious parents kept a watchful eye on them for fear of fire. Of course Santa paid us a visit with a present for everyone and a bag of candy, nuts, an apple and an orange. We always went to the concerts at the coal mine, the church on the reserve, and to Duffield school. All were enjoyed no end. At these concerts every child in the audience would receive a bag of candy, nuts, etc. No wonder this was our favourite time of year.
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