Seniors Situation Room – By Dawn Ford – A New Book on Cornwall Ontario

December 6, 2022 – In her book, The Friendly Town That Grew (A Reminiscence of Cornwall, Ontario), Eileen Merkley describes the Bywash as a ‘real people place’. She says that water ran down a cement slope to froth into small churning rapids and into a deep pool. She describes it as an inch or two of water flowing over the cement part which gave us just enough water to allow us to slide into the water.

The canal turned down Race Street and emptied into the St. Lawrence on a cement slab as she describes. I remember we could sit on the cement slab and let the rushing water drop onto us like a waterfall.

Some kids didn’t go there because it was a parental ‘no no’. I don’t think I ever told my mother because of that. An old school friend reminded me of the fun we had sitting on that slab with the water cascading down. I don’t remember thinking it was dangerous. Just lots of fun. Those were the days.

(The Friendly town That Grew-Eileen Merkley – copyright Union Publishing, Cornwall, Ontario 1978)

My snowbird relative is in Florida and enjoying visiting the parks. She sent me this photo she had taken of a white pelican at the Seabird Sanctuary where there are sick and rehabbing birds. She said that some of the birds eventually are released but some stay there forever.

Thanks so much for sharing this beautiful photo with us.

When I worked as a nurse on Pediatrics at the Cornwall General Hospital in days gone by , we had our annual visits from Santa Clause. Sometimes he seemed overwhelming to some of the younger kids in his red and white suit, toque and black belt and boots. Some of them would hide beside their beds. I remember one little guy trying to hide under his bed. So much for a visit from Jolly Ole St. Nick, eh??

Limericks are always fun:

A man and his lady- love Min

Skated out where the ice is quite thin.

Had a quarrel, no doubt,

For I hear they fell out.

What a blessing they didn’t fall in.

I saw a bit of the movie, “The Christmas Story” and it showed a guy who got his tongue stuck on a metal pole one frosty day. I remember that happened here in Cornwall on Augustus Street years ago. I think someone poured warm water on it to get it unstuck. Poor guy had a bit of a sore tongue they said.

I received this beautiful 2023 Art Calendar from the Foot and Mouth Painting Artists organization. The front cover picture WILDFLOWER GLORY is from an original mouth painted by Mariusz Maczka. Wonderful artist.

For information on their complete range of products please call 1-416-362-9992 or email : mfa@mfpacanada.com.

Some jokes from a friend re: Seniors:

1) Happiness is not having to set the alarm clock.

2) “Your cal is very important to us. Please enjoy this 40 minute flute solo”.

3) When I get a headache, I take two aspirins and keep away from children just like the bottle says.

4) Today’s 3 year olds can switch on laptops and open their favourite apps. When I was 3 I ate mud.

4) Last year I joined a support group for procrastinators. We haven’t met yet.

5) So, you drive across town to walk on a treadmill??

6) Tip for a successful marriage. Don’t ask your wife when dinner will be ready while she is mowing the lawn.

7) I decided to stop calling the bathroom “John” and renamed it “Jim”. I feel so much better saying I went to the “Jim” this morning.

8) Be decisive.Right or wrong, make a decision. The road is paved with flat squirrels who couldn’t make a decision.

9) Does anyone else have a plastic bag full of plastic bags??

10) Just once I want the prompt for username and password to say, “Close enough”.

Have a good week, Dawn