MEMORIES

 

 

When I was a little girl my father started working for C.I.L. in Nobel so I was brought up in Nobel village.  We had relatives in Aurora and every now and again we would drive down to see them. Not often. The depression was on and the plant was only working three days a week so my parents had four days to make the trip (when they could afford it).

 

In those days it was a very long trip, and gravel roads from Bracebridge to Nobel.  My parents made up many games to pass the time.  On the return trip our favourite was to watch for the “red houses” and try to be the first one to spot them.  These were just out of Parry Sound and a sure sign we were almost home.  There were two of them at the time, one on each side of the road.

 

Time passed as it has a habit of doing.  We moved to Niagara Falls, my sisters and I married, and my husband and I decided to follow just about every other graduate from Parry Sound High School and buy a lot for a cottage down the South Channel.  We had children of our own, aged 5 years, 3 years and 1 year. And yes, I did go on with the “red house” tradition.  By this time there was only one house.  The second had fallen prey to a road change.

 

Well, time was up to it’s old habits and suddenly our girls were grown up and married and we were grandparents.  So the “red house” tradition started a third generation.

 

Last Thanksgiving my daughter and her family had to go to Parry Sound at separate times because her son had a hockey tournament on Saturday and Robin, her daughter Karlene and I went Friday because it was our turn to host Thanksgiving dinner, which my sister and I alternate.  We were nearing Parry Sound about 1:30  Friday afternoon when we went into twilight zone.  Suddenly the road was not familiar.  We had no idea where we were or how we could get into town.  We did however manage to get off at Bowes Street.  It was 11 year old Karlene who voiced the tragedy.

 

“We did not see the red house” she wailed.

 

You can bet that the next time we go, we will take the old entrance in. If we can find it.  I only hope the red house is still there.

 

 

Muriel (Grieves) Biggar