CORNWALL ONTARIO – Mother’s Day is Sunday May 14th. for all of you who still have your Mom to cherish every day.

The mind is a mysterious thing. The other night when I was going to sleep, the words of Ferlin Husky’s song, “Wings of a Dove” kept going through my mind. I couldn’t figure out why since I hadn’t heard it for quite some time.

Then I remembered that I had seen two ads for Mother’s Day on TV that evening. That song was one of my Mom’s favourites and I realized what the association was..my Mom.

One year when I was in my thirties celebrating my birthday, it dawned on me that it wasn’t just my special day but one I shared with my Mother. That was the day she had given me my birth and I wouldn’t be here except for her. So from then on, on my birthday, I brought her a rose. She was always touched by this small gesture and we had two special days to celebrate together for many years until she left us for her heavenly home in 1998.

A very special Mother of six children, Edna Dorey of Beek Lindsay Seniors Residence, just celebrated her 101 birthday on May 6th. Happy Birthday Edna.

Another special senior of Beek Lindsay , Ernie Appleton, celebrated his 87th birthday recently. Happy Birthday Ernie.

No firm answers to the Bob Turner Memorial debate yet. The Civic Complex was said to be too expensive to make the changes such as renaming it in honour of the late Bob Turner. Some people I have talked with said that there would probably be the cost of a new sign and stationery changes but we are not sure what other expenses are involved. It would be nice if we could re-address the expense issue concerning the Civic Complex so that we will have a better idea.  We need to thank Councillor Claude McIntosh for all his efforts.

Here is my favourite picture of Bob with his wife Dorris. Dorris worked and advocated tirelessly for people with disabilities in Cornwall for many many years. I am hoping there will be some recognition of all her work also.

From the 1959 year book “The Lamp” of the Cornwall General Hospital, is a photo of all the Medical Staff at the time. I can identify: Dr. Hebert, Dr. Crewson, Dr. George Bateman, Dr. H.E.D. Bateman, Dr. McEwan, Dr. Tallon, Dr. MacPhee, Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Kelly, Dr. Aber, Dr. Randlett, Dr. Babineau, Dr. Parisien, Dr. Sproule, Dr. Pender, and Dr. Fraser. There are a few I can’t remember the names of but you may.

This 1957 photo of the CCVS Cadet Band was sent to me from Myrna Plumley-Watt. It is taken from the CCVS yearbook, The Mirror ’57

Back row: Bob Sallery, Dave Wardle, Terry Nickerson, Tim Stephens, Ron Goodfellow, John Earl Miller, Joan Yates

Middle row: Mike Hall, Dawn Herrington, Judy Moss, Frances Glass, Judy Bush, Myrna Plumley, Verna Dalgeish, Winston MacIntosh, Bob Flynn, Mr. Brown

Seated: Myrna Lalonde, Betty Shaver, Darlene Lagden, Jean Allen, Fran McGillis, Gord Robertson, Ron ‘Suitcase’ Simpson, Tim Phillips, and Bill Forbes.

Lots of Knock Knock jokes went the rounds in CCVS when I was in school.” Knock Knock. Who’s there? Beats. Beats Who? Beats me!!” “Knock knock. Who’s there? Hatch. Hatch Who? Bless you!!” Lots of us passed a few notes with those silly jokes on them behind the teachers’ backs. The teachers probably were well aware of note passing and whispering and giggling until they finally got annoyed enough and caught one of us. Someone might have ended up standing out in the hall for awhile or had to write 100 times ‘ I will not pass notes, or I will not talk in class’. Had to do a bit of writing myself, if I remember correctly. Ah, those were the days.

A Disabled World newsletter recently had an article about owning a pet being good for mental health issues. (https://www.disabled-world.com/disability/serviceanimals/pet.php). It states that if you own a pet it is good for your blood pressure, lowered heart rate and heart disease is reduced. There are now Emotional Support Animals used in treatment as a part of normal care for a variety of mental health problems. According to the article, pets are now used in children’s hospitals and adult rehab centers. It is thought that the support these animals give is critical to successful outcomes. helping with anxiety, loneliness and stress for any age including seniors. It states that when adults stroke a live animal, their anxiety is reduced. Horses, fish, guinea pigs, rabbits and even turtles were mentioned as beneficial as pets.

And insects also. An interesting study was done using crickets as pets for seniors who got relief from depression after caring for the crickets for two months. Scientists give the credit to the fact that it was the senior’s act of caring for another living creature that helped them become less depressed after the two months.

Very interesting article.

Is this little pet of mine, Tiger, any good for my mental health? In this photo he is really not pleased with me. I was getting ready to go to bed and he decided to rest his weary bones on my side of the bed. He has almost 2/3rds of it now for his little house and bed but got on my side anyway. I moved him back to his bed and went to do something.

When I got back, he was on my side again , glaring at me. I took his picture because he had such a sour- puss face on him. How dare I move His Majesty the Cat!! Good for my mental health? Yes, because he made me laugh. What a big big baby!

Here are a few more proof reading errors:

1) In a Laundromat: Automatic Washing Machines: Please Remove All Your Clothes When the Light Goes Out.

2) Notice in a health food store window: Closed Due To Illness

3) Notice in a farmer’s field: The Farmer Allows Walkers to Cross the Field for Free But The Bull Charges.

4) Message on a leaflet: If You Cannot Read, This Leaflet Will Tell You How To Get Lessons.

5) On a repair shop door: We Can Repair Anything. (Please Knock hard – the Bell Doesn’t Work).

6) Miners Refuse To Work After Death

7) War Dims Hope For Peace

8) If Strike Isn’t Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile.

9) Cold Wave Linked To Temperatures

10) Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors.

Have a good week, Dawn

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8 Comments

  1. A lovely column, Dawn, as always. Keep up the good work.. and keep’em coming.

  2. Dawn you bring back the best days of Cornwall and I too thank you and keep up the great work. I remember that song On The Wings of a Dove and I remember Bob Turner and his kids and when the Bob Turner Memorial went up and I was sad to see it come down. I see our little friend Tiger resting on your bed. I love animals so much and the dogs in the park come up to me to be patted – they love me.

  3. Isn’t it nice ot see a Nyman posting. I will never ever forget the Nyman family who sold the best shoes in Cornwall. Today I am buying garbage here in Ottawa. One of Cornwall’s very best families that I miss are the Nymans. Don’t get me going reminissing about the good days. It hurts when I think back on what was good. Young people today have absolutely no idea what we are talking about.

  4. Jules: thanks for our nice comments. Happy Mother’s Day

  5. Happy Mother’s Day to you too Dawn. I mean it sincerely when I compliment you because you are a very good person and one of the best there is. Jamie has the best paper and he gets very good people like yourself to write good stories and I like the old stories of the past and they were the very best times in Cornwall. Nobody can replace those days and if I had a time machine I would go way back.

  6. I remember the lady named Thelma from Marlborough Street where she and her husband ran a small grocery store and they were between 9th Street and 10th Street. I went to school with her kids at St. Lawrence High School when I went there for the advanced French. So many good families from past years.

  7. Dawn, what a great column again and so funny especially the joke portion, and “How dare I move His Majesty The Cat!’

  8. His Majesty the Cat is right. I love animals and they are wonderful company. Dawn you are a lucky lady and no matter what you say to Tiger he cannot talk back. If the dogs in the park could talk back to me I would be heading directly to the Royal Hospital non stop for help. LOL LOL. ROLF! Animals are the best.

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