1976[From the archives]

What sets off a memory,i have no idea but today one occurred. I received a C.D. from a friend in Texas and when i played it a whole slew of memory's came flashing back to me. They are not life altering memories and who knows maybe not all of them are real. But for some reason they are there and i feel the need to tell them so bear with me while i go back to 1976.
An early fall evening and i am cruising down the back roads of my town just turned 19,3 freinds and myself a case of Molson Diamond and some cinci bud,the 1969 Dodge
coronet running smoothly and some Kiss[destroyer] playing on the cassette deck. Fighting over which movie we are going to see,i want Taxi Driver, Tony wants All the Presidents Men,big Bill wants to go see the Omen and Gary says the Bad news bears cause that is where most of the girls will be so we argue a little more and decide to just get some more beer and keep driving. Gas at 29 cents a gallon seems good so we keep going. We continue to argue over who has the best new album out right now,Aerosmith rocks,AC/DC high voltage,Blue Oyster Cult Agents of Fortune or the debut album of some band called Boston,we reach no decision and decide to listen to them all. More beer and a little more bud and next thing we know the debate is who would win a drinking contest our Prime minister Pierre Trudeau or the American President Gerald Ford we decide it would be Trudeau because we would be using Canadian beer. The conversation continues as we discuss this new show called Charlies Angels and just who is the hottest of them all no contest as we all agree Farrah Fawcett is the most duable. The topic then becomes the just completed Montreal Olympics and how poor Canada did,we discuss the Son of Sam killings in New York city,the Hoopla in the U.S. over the Bi-centennial,this new band we have heard about called the Ramones,as yet we have not heard them but they sound interesting,we discuss our girls,drink more beer and then remember that it is almost 11:00 and we have to get to one of our homes to watch Saturday Night Live. After that things get a little hazy but thats o.k. this memory is a good one and i will treasure it. And while the 4 of us don't get together that often anymore we all still remember the nights we want to. So to my Friend in Grand Praire Texas thank you for the Nitzinger C.Ds and for the memorys they brought back.

Another letter from WW2

My brother gave me a copy of a letter he had in his possession from another of our Uncles from Hespeler who served in the 2nd World War. Following is the letters contents.

August 17 1941

The Editor:

I received a copy of D.W. and W bugle last night when i came on duty and was really pleased to read all the local news. I'm writing this on duty so if it seems rather disjointed it is because i had to get up to quiet a wild bunch of Irishman we have here one with a fractured skull and when i say wild Irishman i mean exactly that.
The first thing that caught my eye were the pictures. They really looked interesting but you know i worked at all those jobs and somehow or other they never looked the same to me. Still I would not mind taking a whirl at it again. Maybe i will after this issue is over.
How is Red Wilfong, is he still in the dye house and Bill Clark,Shorty Reid and all the old gang. Is Jimmy Tordoff still on the tubs or has he decided to quit wahing Khaki and start wearing it. By the look of the paper the mill must be getting a preety good going over. Is Red Watson and his trusty .38 still guarding the back of the dyehouse. Oh yes one more thing i probably should know myself. Who is the patriotic society i have received two parcels from them and did not know whom i should send a letter of thanks. whoever they are must be getting the idea that i'm not grateful.
Next time you go through the dyehouse will you remind Jim Cutting that he still owes me that letter he promised a year ago. Since coming over here i have run across most of the boys in the 1st division. Just out of curiosity who is June Whorly, I have never heard of her myself but she seems to be creating a sensation among the boys of this unit.
I've been here eight months now and i think we have had rain 5 or 6 days a wek every week. It never rains in Scotland I've been there twice and it rained both times. Next time i'm going to Ireland.Most letters that i have read that fellows have written to the reporter have been very elaborate in describing the beauty of the country,the hospitality of the people. I will admit that the people as a whole are hospitable.Only it is pretty hard to convince some of them that the people of Canada don't ride down main trails waving tomahawks.
Due to scarcity of films and the fact that the sun never shines people over here don't take many pictures. but this one was taken in the surgical ward. Never mind i cant find it,here is another one instead. tell John From if he is still in the dyehouse that he might as well stay where he is, they have no schnapps here and the beer is terrible.
Well i guess that's just about winds up the news, although it seems that i all i have done is ask questions, so I'll say, as they say in Scotland

Cheerie--Bye
Ken Mclaughlin
Canadian Army Overseas.


Uncle Ken lived a full life and passed away on February 12th 2007.

Images of Hespeler

Looking down Guelph Avenue towards Fisher Mill. Circa 1900

Phonebooth scribble

Common Sense is the most uncommon thing in the world
In the tradition of my ancestors i have decided to honor them by remaining a slacker
A Ukrainian woman was arrested after custom officials caught her smuggling cocaine inside a vibrator.

In ancient Rome, it was considered a sign of leadership to be born with a crooked nose
Good Thing:Finding Easter eggs on Easter morning
Bad Thing:Finding Easter Eggs on Christmas Morning

At the Gas Station of love i got the self-service pump
I stopped going to my masseuse, she just rubbed me the wrong way
What would happen if you found a four leaf clover under a ladder?

Success always occurs in private, failures in public
Famous last words: Yoko, why don't you try to sing one
My wife has started calling my computer my square headed spouse

Another oxymoron=safety hazard
Playing harp duets with Hoffa=euphemism for dying
An interesting book title=Prepare to meet your maker by Eva Destruction

Old owls never die, they just don't give a hoot.
A person who aims at nothing is sure to hit it.
Every day is a good day, some are just better than others

And what ever happened to Goldfish swallowing and phone booth stuffing?

From a Leaf fan to non leaf fans

Oh well there is always next year!

Rife Street Rumbles

I went to buy a camouflage shirt but i couldn't find any
Math and Alcohol don't mix, so don't drink and derive
Before they invented drawing boards what did they go back to?

I'm not old enough to understand woman, but according to my Dad nobody has ever lived long enough to find out.
Polynesia; Memory loss in parrots
I suffer from chronic apathy, i was going to see a doctor about it, but i really didn't care.

Beer: The reason i wake up every afternoon.
The human stomach must make a new layer of mucas every two weeks or it will digest itself.
Tequila in a birdbath? Tequila mockingbird!

I told my psychiatrist that he was just jealous because the voices only talk to me.
Ever stop to think and forget to start again.
I don't say this often but...grrrr

My goal in life has become clear...the broccoli must die
Her lips were saying no but her eyes were saying, READ MY LIPS.
Shooting bunnies ,a euphemism for farting.

I am turning 50 and that is important. I can sleep with someone 1/2 my age and not go to jail.
If everything is going well you probably overlooked something.
A Charles T. Sprinkle was arrested for public urination..not that is irony.

That is all for now, will see you all later!