11C scattered cloud.
Off to Kamloops today to take paert in the Senior Games.

  I don’t think I had ever gone to church before we arrived at Garden Bay, but due to its proximity, my mother had me in it before we hardly got settled and of course the Sunday school was well attended by the four Pearce children.  John and I became fast friends as only eight year olds can. Looking back we were when we were together a bit of a handful, and I remember well the time when after we did our usual hour in Sunday School and then changed pews as the adults arrived for church. We ended up in the front row together and somehow we got the idea of checking each other’s head and ears for fleas. We went to elaborate lengths to find imaginary ones and then pop them first with our fingers and then between our teeth. I remember Doctor Pearce making a choking sound, then a moment later Mrs. Pearce descended on us – John was sent home and knowing she could do no less my mother came up and sent me home as well. I got off easy, I had to go apologize to Doctor and Mrs. Pearce but the following Sunday John had to apologize to the congregation.

  My guess would be that those few years were the most relaxed years that the Pearce family ever enjoyed. Positively I am sure that for the children it had to be their happiest years.

  Our school was about three miles away through a trail through the bush, so Doctor Pearce decided that he would purchase a boat and take the children of all interested families to Irvine’s Landing so that we just had a relatively short walk up a road to school. The boat I remember well, perhaps fourteen or sixteen feet long, a small in board gas motor and a large tiller at the stern. Rain or shine a small group of us were transported five days a week to school and then followed the trail home in the afternoon.