The Lansdowne Letters: Love the People in Your Life

I had another beginning written for this post,
and when I returned to do the final edit,
my head and heart were hurting 
from two tragedies,
another insane mass shooting in Roseburg, Oregon
and the devastating personal loss
a friend of mine is experiencing.

Two very different events,
but every death lances someone's heart.

When we love,
we take the risk of loss,
and life is ephemeral.

Hopefully the joy of love
outweighs the heartache of loss.

We Five in the Fall of 1960

Roy, Donnie, Me with the Baby (Bertie), and Barbie
Outside the "Shop" Where My Grandfather Once Worked as a Carpenter

Photo by Sara MacBeath

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue  

All Rights Reserved

I will always mourn the loss of my parents;
I miss them every day,
as I miss the other people I have loved and cared about
who have traveled on before me.
But the joy they gave me is worth the heartache.





And so tonight, 
I am finding comfort and respite
in these words my mother wrote
so long ago.

Yes, mother!  








I had decided to share one of her letters
from this time my father was alone in the North
when she was caring for my siblings and me
in our grandmother's home in Smith's Cove, Nova Scotia. 

She wrote lots of letters during the time
my father was in Lansdowne House, Northern Ontario 
but many did not survive.

I treasure these glimpses into my everyday life from long ago.
Our parents sheltered us from their worries
and made light of their hardships.
They sacrificed for their children
and gave each of us a wonderful start in life.


On Sunday, October 30, 1960 
My mother wrote to her mother, Ella MacDonald:

Dear Mother, 
I received your box on Friday.  
We didn’t have to pay anything for either box.  

I love the slacks you sent.  
Barbie was delighted with her sockies, 
and the long ones you sent me feel nice and are so warm.  
The plastic panties are great for the baby.  
Everything you sent was useful. 

 My Sister Barbie Swinging on an Apple Tree
in My Grandmother's Backyard

(The BEST Swing Ever!)

Donnie in the Field

Photo by Sara MacBeath

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue  

All Rights Reserved

How does Louise feel and when does she expect the baby?

Harry came over on Wednesday to see 
what was to be done and to order the materials.  
The first day he came at 10 a.m. and left at 12:00 p.m.  
The next day he came at five to 9 and left at ten to 12.  
Came at twenty after one and left at 3.
2 hrs. + 3 hrs. + 3 hrs. = 7 hrs.  
I imagine he would call it seven hours.  

He has to come back to smooth over cement.  
He fixed the shop, 
cemented in the cellar windows, 
took off the storm windows, 
fixed a board by the chimney, 
put new step on the shop (it broke), 
and fixed two light sockets upstairs.  
The chains had come out.

I’ve had the furnace on during the last month, 
but haven’t since Harry put the storm windows on.  
The cellar windows should be put on early, 
even if we have to do them ourselves.  
However my oil bill was only $15, 
and we have been cozy and warm.  

Another thing, the days have been lovely and warm lately.  
You should see Donnie outside raking up the leaves and apples,
going to take after you, I guess; 
housework no, but she could rake leaves by the hour.

My sister Donnie Raking the Yard

Photo by Sara MacBeath

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue  

All Rights Reserved

Flickr:  Paul Dunleaver   License

I spent the evening making pumpkin grinners.  
The children love them so.  
You would think it was Christmas.  
So far we have three pumpkins.  






Louise made toffee apples, 
36 of your apples, they taste lovely.  
Never knew they were so good.
  
We have had an apple cake, baked apples, 
and toffee apples from them so far.  
Louise also made popcorn balls.

Me Up Another Apple Tree

in My Grandmother's Backyard

Photo by Sara MacBeath

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue  

All Rights Reserved

The weather was so wonderful yesterday that Barbie and I 
played hooky and walked up the back road as far as Helena’s.
I didn’t stop in for we weren’t dressed for the occasion.  

The baby is beginning to talk.  
She has said, “Let me up,” “See,” and, “Mommy,” 
and goodness knows what all.

We Five in the Fall of 1960

Me with the Baby (Bertie), Roy, Barbie, and Donnie
with Gretchen, Our Dachshund, Under Her Hand

Photo by Sara MacBeath

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue  

All Rights Reserved

Well tomorrow night is going to be a big event with all the spooks and all.  
What does Louise do on Halloween?

Love to you both,
Sara


Love the people in your life. 
It can turn on a dime. 

Till next time ~
Fundy Blue


The Brier Island Nature Reserve 
Bay of Fundy
Photo by Roy MacBeath
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue

All Rights Reserved

Links to Earlier Posts:

TLL: On Canoes and Procreation

TLL: Kitche Shemaganish 


Notes:

1.   Pregnant Louise:
      Mom's sister, Louise Lindholm, who was expecting her third child Claire.
   
2.  Harry:
     Harry Sulis, a neighbor who looked after repairs to Grammie's home when she away.

3.  Pumpkin Grinners:
     What we called carved Halloween pumpkins

4.  Toffee Apple Louise:
     Me!   

5.  The baby beginning to talk:  
     My sister Bertie is now a published author of two books!
     Why Kids Can't Spell: A Practical Guide to the Missing Component in Language Proficiency
     Oscar the Herring Gull

6.  Photos of We Kids:
     Mom had borrowed a camera from a neighbor so she could send some current photos
     to my lonesome father in Lansdowne House.  He had asked for them.
    

And for Map Lovers Like Me:

Location of Smith's Cove

birchvillacottages

Location of Lansdowne House

Red Dot, Upper Left
Sketched on Unknown Map of Ontario 

possibly from Atlas of North America:

Space Age Portrait of a Continent

National Geographic 1985

Terry and Me at the Bengal Lounge Today

The Empress Hotel, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada