Do you think the Blue moon had something to do with the strange day we had Sunday? It started at 8C, warmer than anytime Saturday. Then it rained, sun out, then it rained again and later turned to snow for about 10 minutes. That melted, but temperatures kept falling until it was 0C at 7 p.m. Three seasons in the day after the time change!
A birthday I missed last week was my younger friend Lisa Harrison, who lives in Sandford and enjoyed her birthday despite a change of plans. Happy birthday to John Leppard who at 55 is the average age of most of our farmers around here, but going strong. Happy birthday also to one of my great nieces, Hayley Ashton, 18 years of promise. She intended to go to Ridgetown Agricultural College this year but stayed home and get more practical education by helping her dad, Rob, on the farm.
After celebrating her anniversary with husband Brian of 42 years, Brenda Harwood celebrated her birthday. It is just a year since her mom Barb passed away and we all miss her a great deal. The lovely and talented Julien Kelland celebrated her 22nd birthday with family. She had a unique way to blow out her candles, she used her hairdryer!
On a sadder note we mourn the passing of Albert William Kirton. Bill was in his 102nd year, as it his wife Violet. Bill had suffered a stroke and was in South Lake. He was supposed to go back to River Glen Nursing Home but passed away in his sleep. Bill is the father of Elwood Kirton and because of his parents’ longevity we were included in most special occasion. Our deepest sympathies go out to Elwood and his family. Our sympathies also go to Sharon Doucette and family on the passing of her mother Winona, who lived in Nova Scotia and who they never got to see because of the pandemic. Many will remember Georgina Corbett, who passed away in Goderich. The Corbetts spent many years in Uxbridge as her husband Bert taught at the high school as the Auto Shop teacher. They moved to Goderich on his retirement. Bert died a year earlier. There are three sons and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Son Rob is a playwright and producer of a play soon to be performed in the area.
Happy 47th anniversary to Pam and Ed Beach! Ed was an aspiring politician at one time but now concentrates on his farm while Pam has been a township councilor for several years but still finds time for her granddaughter and baking.
One usually thinks of spring as the time when calves are born but, apparently, that is no longer so, as several people report having a number of cows calving recently. So far, Mike and Heather Moore have had as many as five in one day!
Wonderful to see that the Farmer’s Market donated $3300 to Loaves and Fishes from their handmade mask sales! A few weeks ago you may recall I mentioned that Sandford UCW would not be helping with the Souper’s lunches but instead donating to Loaves and Fishes. Since we usually collected food for the foodbank at Thanksgiving, and could not do that this year, everyone was encouraged to give a financial donation through the church. A note from our treasurer Jean Sopel tells us that a cheque for $500 was sent to Loaves and Fishes. Thanks to all who contributed to this fund!
Congratulations to Richard Bartley on his 40 years of association with Williamson’s Motors. The family has a tradition it seems of working for the company, and Richard is following that example. 40 years with one company is becoming less and less common and according to experts, will certainly not be common in a few years’ time.
There was a very interesting virtual service from the Greenbank Seagrave congregations this morning as Greenbank celebrated their 124 anniversary, just a couple of years longer than Sandford has been in our church building. Since my family moved into the Greenbank region in 1833 no doubt they had a part in this development.
Rather than a message, Rev. Stephanie asked several people to recount their experiences with the church. One of these, Mary Jean Dobson Till, looked back to when her family began going to Greenbank United Church following the closure of the Bethesda church. I have known Mary Jean from those Bethesda days, when neither of us was very old.
Roberta Bone was next. The Bone family came from Zephyr and Roberta only knew Greenbank from the time she started going with her future husband Hugh. Both were wonderful singers, as was her whole family. Margaret Ann Lambe I knew from UCW, but went to high school with her husband Ted. Ted Smith’s family were hard workers in the church when he was small, and he has carried that tradition on. I knew Ted from the time he was about 12 years old and already almost 6 feet tall!
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