The tournament got rained out yesterday so we spent part of the afternoon here in the M/H. I worked on th private project, M made a couple batches of her new found flax meal. She does them in two Pyrex bowls and then slices them like a bread. With the addition of cinnamon and a few blueberries, they are quite good.
We were invited out for dinner and cards, nice to get out and enjoyed ourselves.got home bat 9.

Here,s another little story that I have posted before. I am getting so many new viewers I could probably do some of the old ones in serial format again. Would appreciate feedback on that idea.

 I

often wonder how many of us are around that used to go to the Irvine’s Landing school via Dr. Pearce’s school-boat.  The Pearce family are a story unto themselves and unfortunately I don’t remember or know enough to do them justice.  However they arrived at Garden Bay during the war after fleeing their missionary hospital in China.  Dr, Pearce, a Medical doctor and pastor, Mrs. Pearce nurse and Sunday school teacher and two sets of twins; John and Jean, Margaret and Mary.  They served the whole harbour at the hospital and the small chapel next to the hospital.

 But Dr. Pearce served in one more way. He elected to run a school-boat from Garden Bay to Irvine’s Landing picking up kids along the way.  Today someone may say, so what? Big deal. Ten minutes maybe?

 Well this boat was an open double ender, probably about sixteen feet long, with a one-cylinder engine mounted midship.  It may have done about four or five knots – top.

 The Pearce kids and me would be the first in, we must have left about seven; we would go over to Reid Landing, pick up three, four kids then if I remember correctly we would cross the harbour and pick up more kids, then there was one more stop about half way to Irvine’s Landing, perhaps for the Curly boys.  We would arrive at Irvine’s close to half past eight and then had to hustle up the road to the school.

 Rain or shine, choppy water or fog he would make this trip daily.  I am sure he was not paid anything.  In my mind’s eye to this day I can see him in the stern, tiller in hand, a black slicker, gum boots and his glasses in their round wire frame covered in rain drops.

 There was (is ?) a trail from Garden Bay to Hotel Lake and the road that went by the school, we could have walked to school because that was the way we had to come home; we could have walked, but we didn’t.  I no longer have any idea how those who lived across the harbour got home.  Did someone pick them up at Garden Bay, or perhaps my memory is wrong and we didn’t cross the harbour?

 In today’s world this informal transport, a gift to kids and parents alike couldn’t happen.  We would have to have a Coast Guard certified, covered vessel, with a licensed operator plus assistant, life jackets (latest DOT approved and replaced every year or so), it would have to be docked in such a manner that the kids could board and off load without being handed up or on to the dock.

Sorry I do run on!