The coffee maker

I love Coffee, if my doctor told me today that i had to give up either Coffee or Beer the choice would be simple..Bye Bye Booze. I have used the traditional Mr.Coffee style drip maker and have never enjoyed it, but a few years ago i cam across a coffee maker that makes the best coffee in the world. My parents has bought the Regal coffee maker in the year 1952 and it was just sitting in my mom's closet when i found it and decided to use it. It works perfect and still has all the original parts. Makes a fine damn cup of java and for a 56 year old machine it is perfect. Now when i hit 56 i hope i work just as well. Well the coffee is ready so off i go.

A Hespeler Rock band from the 70's

Some local hespeler boys from the mid 70's. They are still around town today, but boy have they changed!

Late Summer Sunset

Sunset over the steeple of St.Marys church on Cooper Street.

How to throw a Hespeler style fit

Now that is a first class fit

The Beer store

I don't know about everybody but i think here in hespeler it is time for a new beer store. Here is a picture of the Hespeler store and the galt store, you decide.

More mysterious lights in Hespeler

I took this picture of some weird lights near Townline road.

A Child of the War

The following is a letter received by my Mother on August 20th 1944. It was sent by her brother Bruce on August 9th 1944 from the trenches in France. Unfortunately he was killed in action on August 14th 1944. The last communication the family had from my Uncle Bruce.

Dear Mary

Hya squirt,how are yuh? Don't know why I'm writing, i can't think of anything to write about but mush. Say hello anyhow, so here i am sitting nice and comfortable like in my slit trench swatting mosquito's, killing ants and things and writing all at the same time. Cripes a guy needs about four hands for this job. It's not a bad lost of a day though-at least it ain't raining. An enormous big bee just flew in,stopped in mid air like a helicopter somewhere in the vicinity of my schnozzle and stared me in my face like as if he was trying to make up his mind. However he apparently didn't like the looks of my ugly pan so he spread out his four or five inches of wings and flew away. I'm still cross eyed from looking down my nose, ah the brute.

How are all the boyfriends or have you found one steady one?. Cripes i haven't even been out with a gal since march-I'll soon be losin my Hespeler technique what little there is left.

Are you still at the same job and still doing the same thing-sitting at a desk, writing letters to your boy friends? That must be a pretty fair job. You even use the company paper i notice, you crook. Well, yesterday i received your letters from Grace, Mother,Alec, George Oliver and a girl and her Mother & sister in England, and a parcel from Grace as well. So i did okay for one day.All i gotta do now is answer them and boy that's a job. Well now ole dear, must scram for now so bye for this time, hope to see you soon but hear from you sooner.

Your big brudder Brucie.

The chase

One thing about my family is that you come to expect the unexpected. And when you throw a Nun,my Dad, a couple of shots of brandy and the Jehovah Witness,you wind up with an interesting afternoon. Such an occurrence happened and thank the lord i was there to witness it.
The year is hazy but i was still in high school so i guess it would have been around 1972 or 1973. My mother's sister was in fact a sister. Aunt Grace to us but Sister Francis Regis to the rest of the world. She always loved to come home to Cooper Street and sit out on the back patio talking to my mom and dad and enjoying the family life. This day she and my dad had opened the brandy and had a couple of shots when the doorbell rang and my Dad got up to answer it, when he came back he told Aunt grace that there were two Jehovah Witness's at the door and he had told them that there was someone who wanted to talk to them and they waiting patiently at the front door for her. Now in those day's the Nun's still wore all the habits and as luck would have it my Aunt's was on the chair beside her and she gladly threw them on and went to the door. but what happened after that is why this story sticks in my mind. Walking briskly up cooper Street were 2 Jehovah Witness's being pursued by a Catholic Nun in all her glory yelling "come back, we have a lot to talk about", never had i been more amused at something my family had pulled off and i swear my Dad almost split a gut laughing so hard heck even my Aunt and my mom could hardly stop laughing. Ah Summer, memory's are made of this. Aunt Grace is no longer with us but everytime i think of her i have to smile. I mean how could a little lady like this scare two grown men, really?

Lughnasadh August 1

Lughnasadh[loo-nas-ah] is the festival of the god Lugh. It is the celebration of the first harvest of our local staple grain,usually wheat or barley. Some hold their rites on the full moon of Loe as it passes through Aquarius. By the calender Lughnasadh is August 1.
The season of growth since beltane has come to it's end and now we enter the season of reaping. Myths are often played out during the Lughnasadh rites, with the Corn King offering himself up to be sacrificed and being reborn as a loaf of newly baked bread. The sacrifice of the king was at one time very real, as blood was offered back to the gods who had given the grain. The focus of the rite now is still this weave of exuberant life and release it to death. It is both a celebration of what we have sown and nurtured, and an acknowledgment of it's dying as it gives itself up to our needs.
Lughnasadh is often the biggest of the festivals, with people traveling from far and wide to share the joys of their harvest,bringing music and food,and trading crafts and stories. Good beverage and friends go well on this festival.

Summer and Max Webster

Ah, the late days of summer. Back in the 70's there were many things we did to enjoy ourselves as teenagers, that is in between work. But one of our pleasures was following one of our favorite bands around, and no not the grateful dead. The band was Max Webster, and whether they were playing in Southampton, Port Elgin,Turkey Point or Bala and all points in between we were there to see Kim Mitchell and his band of loonies perform. Their Wasaga beach party's were famous and many a drunken night was had watching those. I know myself i slept on the beach a few times and woke up with many people around me that i did not know. So for those who remember here is a video for you!

Max Webster - Coming Off the Moon

[via FoxyTunes / Max Webster]

Some music for a late Summer day

With a day off and nothing much to do I decided to just listen to some music and relax. So here are 12 albums that suit the mood.
1.Love-Forever Changes[1967] Still the best album from the early psychedelic period.
2.Eric Andersen-Ghosts upon the Road[1988] A album of lost lives and loves from one of the best Singer/Songwriters of my Generation.

3.Loretta Lynn-Van Lear Rose[2004] What a comeback! The perfect blend of country,folk and Rock ably assisted by Jack White

4.Nick Drake-Five Leaves Left[1969] Haunting vocals and sparse instrumentation make this a classic.

5.Richard and Linda Thompson-Shoot Out the Lights[1982] Listen to a marriage fall apart, both artistically and personally.

6.Lenny Gallant-The open Window[1994] East coast singer'/songwriter at his Canadian best.

7.Todd Snider-Songs for the Daily Planet[1994] The Who's My Generation has never sounded so good as on this album.

8.David Ackles-American Gothic[1972] Fighting for the American Dream[and not finding it] "The Montana Song" is a classic.

9.John Stewart-California Bloodlines[1969] The former member of The Kingston Trio makes the perfect country album for the new decade.

10.Laura Nyro-Eli and the 13th Confession[1968] Others may have had bigger hit's with her songs, but the original is always better.

11.John Gorka-Out of the Valley[1994] Alternative Country's leader, "Good Noise" is the best anti Republican song I have heard.

12.Gram Parsons-Return of the Grevious Angel[1974] The grandfather of Country Rock's Finest Moment. Ass kicking country and tender love songs. True American Cosmic Music.

Summer Breeze

The music video's being made these day's don't intrigue me so i looked up some that i do like and thought i would share them with you. Here is Seals and crofts performing Summer Breeze.

Seals & Crofts - Summer Breeze

[via FoxyTunes / Summer Breeze]

Night Moves

ht Moves

[via FoxyTunes / Bob Seger]

Just a video for a summer night. Enjoy

Reflections

Reflection on the water near the falls.

----------------
Now playing: Simon & Garfunkel - My Little Town
via FoxyTunes

Outside Ernies on a friday Night

All i can hope is that my fly was not open and that they were not laughing at me!

Sunset over Beaverdale

I took this picture from the Zehr's parking lot overlooking the 401 and Beaverdale. Just another reason to like Hespeler

Meet Me On The Corner

Look up, way up!

Hanging out of a window at Ernies on a warm summer evening!

Family History

My Grandparents , My Uncle Doug,Aunt Zola and my Dad. All were proud to call Hespeler home

Hot Potato #7

The summer is always a slower time but i still have a few weird thoughts and things to get off my mind so here are some more. Enjoy!

My Lawyer is an idiot, he got me into the Jehovah Witness protection program
4 out of 5 doctors recommend i go see another doctor
Virus is a Latin word meaning"your guess is as good as mine"

As i said before, i never repeat myself
There are no Stupid Questions, just inquisitive idiots
Honk if you like peace and quiet

There is no "Ctrl" button on Chuck Norris's computer...chuck Norris is always in control
Is a stolen Yam a Hot Potato?
I have a new pen name...i call myself BALLPOINT

My wife complains about how long it takes to water the plants..hey my bladder is only so big
I signed up for an Origami class, but it folded
Murphy was an optimist

My ex Mother in law buried 3 husbands and 2 were just taking a nap
Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names
The day after tomorrow is the third day of the rest of your life.


Well that is it for now but remember
I still have a full deck, i just shuffle a little slower now.

Hespeler Rainbow

This picture was taken Monday night on Jamieson Parkway right after a rain shower. We don't see too many of those in Hespeler anymore.

The Speed River Falls on a Sunday afternoon

A nice relaxing place to go on a beautiful Sunday Afternoon. Hespeler at it's finest

Cemetary lights

Walking home from work last night i snapped this picture of some strange lights in the cemetery. I have no idea what they are but they vanished as quickly as they appeared.

From the 40's

Cosmos diner on Queen street was the place to be in the 40's. These 3 young lady's certainly seem to be enjoying themselves.
In this picture Mary Hillis Irene Constant and Betty Garside

Old Hockey teams

1948. From the Dominion woolen news letter. 2 hockey teams. My Dad is on the team on the left and his brother is on the team on the right.

Hespeler Choir

This is from the early 40's. It was a choir put together during the war and all members were from Hespeler. My Mother was in the choir and remembers that they may not have been a great choir but they sure had a lot of fun.

Sunday Afternoon on Cooper Street

Backyard of my youth

This is the backyard of the house that i grew up in on Cooper street. My parents built the house in 1969 beside the old family house on Cooper. This is a picture from the seventies. I remember having to cut the grass at this house as well as the adjoining house on many occasions. I also remember being able to lay out in the sun and enjoy the peace and quiet of the area. But things change and not always for the better. The gap between the two house beyond our backyard is no longer there as the house on the left has built an addition that blocks any view of Hungerford road. If that addition had of been there when i grew up my friends and i would never have been able to hit golf balls with a baseball bat to see how far they would go. Ah! The memories.

The Bad Restaurant

Working in the restaurant business can be interesting and complex. Sometimes humor is needed to keep yourself sane. The following are some signs that you are eating in a bad restaurant.

Walls are covered in framed health code violations
coffee isn't bottomless, but your busboy is
All you here from the kitchen...here kitty, kitty
The cook just washed his hands..in your soup
Waitress asks"would you like ti hear about our selection of half eaten meals"?
They proudly display a collection of stomach pumps
You complain about a dirty fork, your waitress licks it and then gives it back to you
You order the special of the day and the kitchen staff starts laughing
Waiver of liability form inserted in every menu
Instead of handicap parking spaces there are ambulance only parking spaces
You're waitress is nicknamed "Typhoid Mary"


If any of these are present RUN

Tea and Biscuits

From 1960. Just sitting around on a Sunday Morning with my Mom and Grandmothers,Great Uncles and my older Brother. Just a Hespeler gathering. I wonder if people still have time to do that these day's.

A grandfathers guide to Baby Sitting

Any questions?

Thought of the day for April 24

Survival in a rapidly changing world requires adjusting to change and embracing the new opportunities it presents.

Speed river mess

This is a picture of the crap that has been thrown into the speed river. Some people are just idiots.

Thoughts

Sometimes little things bug a person and i am one of those that has a ton of things that bug me. Here are a couple of them.

The Art of the Sandwich! I just want to know when a sandwich was done only in a wrap format. The other day i made a sandwich special at work[i am a restaurant worker after all], it was a Monte Cristo, which is swiss cheese and Ham in between 2 pieces of french toast. Most of the people that ordered it had no idea what it was and wanted to know if they could have it in a wrap! Unbelievable. I mean where are all the good sandwiches gone, the Reuben for one is almost non existent. If it is not a submarine sandwich than they want a wrap. Bring back the sandwich,please.

If it ain't current i don't want to hear it! Now i like modern music and i listen to many of the current acts, but i also listen to the older stuff as well, but lately i am finding that a lot of younger people find anything older than 5 years old to be ancient and no longer valid. One comment i got from an employee of mine was that "old" music was history and nobody likes history at his age!!WHAT.

Anyway that is just a few things on my mind so until later, have a nice day!

The original Cooper Street Relics

My Dad, and in the bottom picture the original Cooper Street Relics, my Mom and her siblings.

Thought of the day for april 7

Joy like the dandelion,
crops up when least expected
and often where not sought