I lit a candle

There was some local news in Ottawa this week that was very sad. The husband of CTV News anchor Carol Anne Meehan was found dead after being missing for 2 weeks. He had been very sick. There are two young children.

I am feeling sad for someone I will probably never meet in person. I have been watching her on the local news for more than 20 years.

I recently found on Youtube some clips from CJOH’s past. One of them was some theme music. “We are here for you at CJOH.”

Now we are here for Carol Anne and her family and the CTV Ottawa family too.

There has been much sharing online and those who are in touch with her says that she values all of this even as she is deeply hurting and grieving.

So I lit a candle and prayed for her and the two kids.

RIP Greg. Love and prayers for you Carol Anne and the kids.

Changes: shutting down or staying put?

I was watching a nice summer time program on ice cream. This reminded me that I will be in Lachute this Sunday. How about some dessert from Lowe’s Dairy?

I did look up the dairy and I found some old pictures of delivery vehicles including a horse and wagon. There is only the ice cream store now and not the dairy.

It made me think of Chapman’s Ice Cream - a Canadian company. Their products are very nice - I particularly like the frozen yogurt. That is going on my next shopping list.

I was reading an article about the Central Canada Exhibition which will not be held this year. In the distant past I used to like to visit the animals and watch the horse shows. A new location closer to where Abracadabra lives might happen or maybe not.

Westminster chimes

"Lord through this hour,
Be Thou our guide
So, by Thy power
No foot shall slide."


Westminster Chimes tune and the same one played at the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa.

I never knew this until I watched a National Film Board video made in the 1950s with a tour of the city narrated by a tourist guide. A wealth of useful and entertaining information is out there.

Cleaning up and finding

After a church retirement farewell for a priest friend I went looking for some reminiscences of him. I did not find them but I found some other stuff that I had forgotten about.

I finally threw away my HTML and web pages books. Now it is so simple to use a blog or other templates for web pages.

I also threw away some old house maintenance manuals and files. I have what I need and it is all organized.

What I did find was some old diaries. I knew I had certain ones from when I was at school and university. I also found one that I wrote and did not remember having about my first months in Ottawa in 1974. It makes for very interesting reading.

What was important to me then and much still continues to be - except for work which is done.

How I fitted in with people in church communities and who mattered to me. A friend who was a good support got mentioned often. Other people in Ottawa and in Toronto whom I were missing a lot got mentioned often. This is what was happening for me then.

Just yesterday I received in my email a newsletter from the church I attended there. It has been many years since I have been in that part of Toronto.

I was concerned about horse activities and having Charisma here in Ottawa. She was in foal in 1974 and I did not bring her here until the year after. She then spent 20 years at Greenbelt Riding School.

Time travelling in various directions

I was watching an interesting program on my local PBS station abut Champlain and his expeditions in North America when he was looking for a passage to China.

He met up with the natives including the Mohawks near what is know Montreal. He named a lake after himself - Lake Champlain.

This all happened in the early 1600s.

About the same time I was listening to a music CD in the basement of my house in Ottawa. Ottawa recently celebrated a birthday - it was 150 years old.

On my music CD there was music by Bach and Pachelbel and Handel and Vivaldi. Bach died in 1750. Pachelbel died in 1706. Handel died in 1759. Vivaldi died in 1741.

When they wrote their music in some European country - the Mohawks or other native groups were the only people around in the Ottawa area.

Municipal officials

There is a municipal election coming up in the fall in Ottawa. There is a very long list of candidates for mayor and shorter lists for city councillors. I am pleased to see that my councillor is running again. He is well liked and did quite well when he filled for the current mayor when he was on leave.

Today in the Ottawa Citizen there is an interesting article about Charlotte Whitton who was mayor of Ottawa and the first female mayor of a major Canadian city.

I investigated a bit further - being a good librarian. I found a reference to her papers at the National Archives. There are 112 subject headings!!

Crossing the river

I went from Barrhaven to Osgoode and we crossed the Rideau River at Manotick twice. The Rideau River winds around Ottawa so you meet it in interesting places.

Going to Barrhaven from Gloucester I crossed the river on the Queensway. I came home a different way and crossed the river by the Hunt Club Bridge. It is a very busy place at rush hour and I am glad that I do not have to drive there then.

Went I went to work in Gatineau (Hull sector) I crossed the Ottawa River all the time.

In Lachute Kathi and I lived closest to Wal Ken Farms. However we had to cross by the bridge and not use the Dam Road.

Of course Montreal is an island in the St. Lawrence River and there are lots of bridges to get to it. To go to the south shore where my mom’s sister lived you could take the Pont Victoria!

Ottawa earthquake: Wednesday June 23, 2010

I was in the downtown area at the Anglican Cathedral next to Parliament Hill. The building shook and we wondered whether it was some construction. Then someone told us to get out. Actually this was not good advice - we should have got underneath the table.

A number of us including the Bishop of Ottawa stood around for 20 minutes or so and then we all went back inside. In the basement where there is a thrift shop it was felt more.

I think many of the government buildings were evacuated and folks went home early - I met someone I know at my bus stop on my way home.

*****

I wonder whether horses or donkeys feel the earthquake coming. I know that other animals do - particularly dogs. I will have to ask Abracadabra.

*****

There was talk of this being a rather large earthquake. The one of 1944 was mentioned. I think that is the one that my mom remembered.

If you look on the Earthquake Canada list of earthquakes Lachute is mentioned a couple of times for recent events that were felt.

Cell phones did not work for a while - everyone was trying to phone someone. Those folks I was standing outside with were doing the same thing.

Also the Earthquake Canada and the US Geological Survey web sites were both down as well. They are now talking about Twitter for another event like this.

　

Museums

In Ottawa there are lots of big museums - it being the country's capital.

The Museum of Nature is reopening after major renovations. That is the building that looks like a castle or fort. It is at the bottomm of the street where I used to live.

The Science and Technology Museum is near me. It is sort of old and out of date. It is not a priority for updating.

The War Museum is quite special. There is lots to do and see there. I saw the building often went I went to work in Gatineau.

The Museum of Civilization is near where I worked in Gatineau. It is quite nice. There is a Great Hall which is a nice setting for a fancy group meal. There is a lovely view of the river.

*****

So what museum is on my list next to visit?

The Museum of Civilization has an exhibition on "The Horse." I will make some time to check that out.

Ottawa visits

So this is me at the age of 6 or 7 on the steps of the Parliament Buildings right here in Ottawa.

We came up for the day. We might have come by car rather than on the train.

We went for lunch at the Green Valley Restaurant which was an Ottawa institution - a real family restaurant. I did eat there from time to time after I moved to Ottawa. Sadly the restaurant was destroyed by fire in January 2003.

My mom and I and probably Kathi came up to the Central Canada Exhibition in August specifically to see the flowers at the Horticultural Building. Our Uncle Tom was a great gardener.

There was a trip to Ottawa during the first year of my library science studies in Toronto. We stayed at the Lord Elgin Hotel. We went to visit the NRC Library on Sussex Drive. That is no longer a library. It has moved to the NRC campus near where I live.

Did I visit Ottawa at other times? These were the highlights anyway.

Nanny Goat Hill

This is Nanny Goat Hill close to Lebreton Flats in Ottawa.

I was reading about the origin of the name. It is a steep hill and only a nanny goat could get up it.

Now there is nursery school with that name and also a community garden.

Goats and gardens - not a good mix.

Goats and a nursery school - that sounds like a good mix. Both support kids.

Local history - Ottawa

I was looking at pictures of street cars in Ottawa. I vaguely remember seeing street cars in Montreal when I was very young. I would have to check out the date that they last disappeared from that city. I have ridden the street cars in Toronto. I particularly remember the one going to the Exhibition Grounds and the Royal Winter Fair.

I did not find a map of the street car lines in Ottawa.

I did find some interesting pictures at the City of Ottawa Archives. As an aside a new building is being built for these facilities.

I found nice pictures of old Ottawa buildings and neighbourhoods. Returning to the present I regularly read several blogs about historical Ottawa and buildings.

One of the neighbourhoods mentioned was LeBreton Flats. I used to take the bus there on my way to work. Now I seldom go by there.

This was an area of the city burnt out during the Great Fire of Ottawa in 1900. I remember it as being sort of empty. There were 37 residents listed at the last Canadian census. This will change as there are new condos going up.

Local television - getting personal

When did CJOH change to CTV Ottawa? I missed that specific transition.

I started to watch their noon newscast during the big ice storm.

I liked to watch the local evening news on CJOH. Carol Anne and Max have been through a lot together. Carol Anne has two children. Max is very much involved in community outreach. He has struggled through a difficult time with cancer. He is going to retire in 6 weeks time.

Now a fire has destroyed the news studio. As Max said the physical memories - tapes, etc. - have been lost but the memories have not been.

As I watched the newscast at 6 p.m. on Monday the personal touches were very evident. These are two professionals during their job. They looked at each other at the start as if to say - we have been hurt but we are still here.

Pictures at the station on Merivale Road showed lots of hugging going on between the staff members. People who worked there were needing support and comfort from each other. They are getting it from the community as well who value what they do as professionals.

During the evening news it was evident or said - please send the personal information - for the happiness file (birthdays or wedding anniversaries of a special number); wake up weather pictures by elementary school kids; requests for personal appearances at local events - these were all gone.

Street names - horsey

I was looking on a map for a street name and I found a good collection.

Equestrian Drive
Harness Lane
Stable Way
Pommel Crescent
Pacer Place
Saddlehorn Crescent
Rein Terrace

In another part of Ottawa and close to where Abracadabra lives.

Hunt Club Road
Pimlico Crescent
Saratoga Place
Bridle Path Drive
Farriers Lane
Hunters Point Crescent

*****

Place and street names are interesting to reflect on.

Lachute has some streets like Grace and Robert and Sydney. I believe they were named after original inhabitants of the area.

In Ottawa when amalgamation happened streets had to be renamed. Some kept their names so we have Main Street, Main Street Manotick and probably a few more variations.

Apartment living

I was thinking about the apartment in downtown Ottawa that I lived in for 15 years before I moved to my house.

I walk by there often and I look up at the windows which were in my apartment. It was a one bedroom and it was convenient to St. John’s and taking a bus to work and to the barn.

I was looking at my first lease which I kept. I was paying $165 a month. The lease also stated - Electric refrigerators must be defrosted once a week; garbage is to be wrapped in paper; tenants, their families, guests, visitors and servants must not make any improper noise. I never had a servant!!

I had some friends in the building. One in particular across the hall became a very good friend. Another person I see from time to time and I am reminded about times past.

It was noisy though with people in the building coming and going and playing music etc. It was also on a fairly busy downtown street. Where I live now is much quieter - definitely inside my house and even outside.

I had a sofa that was also a bed - which I am now sleeping on in my cool basement. My mom and my sister have used it many times.

I kept my riding clothes in a large cardboard box. I think plastic storage bins were not so common them. Now I keep them in a basement cupboard and I have several large plastic storage bins.

I had to keep my out of season clothing in large garbage bags - there was not enough cupboard space. That meant for a lot of ironing when the seasons changed.

Military places

I was walking recently near this hotel - the Lord Elgin in Ottawa. My mom had stayed there during the war when she went to visit my dad who was stationed at Camp Borden which is north of Toronto. The cornerstone on the hotel was dated 1941 which is the year my parents got married.

I was driving yesterday around the Ottawa Airport and I took a different route through CFB Uplands. I thought that my neighbours had lived there. Actually they had lived at the other military base in Ottawa - CFB Rockcliffe. Now there are various Facebook Groups to help folks reconnect.

Television - the local view

I used to always watch the local CTV news but recently I have switched to the local CBC news. I often flip back and forth between the two channels.

Some years ago and now I read that it was in 1995 - there was a terrible situation at the local CTV station. When the sportscaster - Brian Smith - came out of the building he was shot and later died. Since his death a lot of money has been raised for worthy causes in his name.

****

The powers that be at Rogers Cable decided that the PBS station from Watertown New York should be replaced by the one from Detroit. The message was sent out that this was a final decision.

They did not count on local residents and a city councillor and the WPBS station itself having a say in this decision. A Facebook group was set up. The station has always got a lot of support - financial and otherwise - from their Canadian viewers. So Rogers had to reverse their decision and WPBS will remain on the local channel lineup.

Remembering my neighbour

He liked to play and putter around in his garden.

He grew tomatoes and cucumber and had a very fine grape vine over his trellis. He had a real sense of humour and told me that he was in regular touch with Welch’s - they were interested in harvesting the grapes.

He had lots of lawn ornaments which he tended carefully.

This past Christmas I met him with his plastic snowman and Santa. Friends were coming to help him and his daughter put up the outside Christmas lights and other decorations.

I mentioned his reindeer. All three are now appearing out of the snow. In front of the house there is a wooden duck on a stone. He goes south for the winter - I said. He has not reappeared yet this year.

My neighbour and his wife liked to sit out a lot.

The last time I saw his wife she was sitting outside. She was quite frail by then and was attached to an oxygen tank.

She would come out to wave goodbye to me when I was leaving for my many trips to Lachute to see my mom - especially from 2001 on.

When my mom had a major crisis in early 2005 I asked Betty to come over as I needed to talk with someone in person.

Betty died before my mom died - that was not supposed to happen.

The daughter had her own life and liked to travel. She took a couple of nursing positions in the States but came home again.

She was there for her mom. Then she was there for her dad too.

The last time I saw him the two were walking down the street - headed to the local fast food restaurant to get a coffee. That was a few weeks ago.

This is my remembering of my neighbours. It was good to live beside them for the past 15 years or so.

I will miss them both and I wish the daughter all the best in the next stages of her life.

Neighbour

It is a sad day in my neighbourhood - my neighbour has died quite suddenly.

He and his wife and his daughter and his son moved in after I did.

The son moved out.

The wife died of cancer 2 ½ years ago.

The daughter stayed and was there for her dad. She is a nurse.

The dad had recently retired but was having health problems.

It is all quite sad.

Now the daughter is alone with the 3 cats in the house. Right now there is lots of friends and family around. Later on I expect it will hit her what has happened. In just over 3 years both her parents have died.

Parliament Hill

There were lots of folks out on Parliament Hill to see whether they could catch a glimpse of President Obama. They were rewarded by a quick wave.

The last time I was on Parliament Hill was some years ago. I was at the Parliamentary Library which is quite impressive.

I used to go to the Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill. I remember one year in particular when I was there with my mom and a couple of friends. We were there for the fireworks and we sat on the grass.

When I lived in downtown Ottawa you could hear the fireworks but not see too much.

There was another interesting noisy attraction close by Parliament Hill. There was a noon gun fired every day from Nepean Point. Then you knew that it was time for lunch. On Sundays it was fired at 10 a.m. so as to not disturb church services.

Another tourist was heard to remark - so what happens across the Ottawa River when the gun is fired? They did not think that they were firing blanks.