June 6, 2010. Western Head, N.S. 'The Book of Negroes'

Irene and David gave me the book last August in Nova Scotia and I left it on the table beside my reading chair in the bedroom, waiting for the time to read it right through. Now I have just completed it. It is one of those books that you already know a lot about the events taking place during the book but opens up many more questions. It is worth a read and is well written even though the story line is a bit unreasonable even though it is very interesting. The story is about a young woman, stolen into slavery, sold and taken to the Carolina's, transported to New York, sailed to Shelburne after the revolution, left to Sierra Leone with other free blacks and finally ended up in London working for rid the world of the slave trade and slavery. The story ends in 1806, having started in 1757.

I enjoyed the book. Last year I had read "Loyalists and Layabouts' the story of the rapid rise and faster fall of Shelburne, Nova Scotia 1783-1792, so I was aware of the black community in Shelburne. Also just outside the town is a sign 'Birch town', telling of the black Loyalists who had moved here after the revolution. Shortly after the large group left for Sierra Leone the rest of the inhabitants moved to what is now called Africa ville on the north side of Halifax, where they lived until about 1970 when urban removal obliterated their town. Now the powers that be are trying to put up signs and plaques commemorating their arrival and departure. Certainly, it was not easy being black in North America.

This book 'The Book of Negroes' will add to your knowledge of their history. Thanks to Dave and Irene for giving me this book. Now I will pass it on to Mary McD. tonight at dinner when we say a farewell tonight at the Mitchell's home.

Lifting the Lobster Traps

June 5, 2010. Western Head, N.S. Not a year.

It isn't even a whole year, yet several of our friends here in Liverpool had difficulties this Winter. We left at the beginning of October, just after Mary had fallen and broken her leg. Little did I know that a host of maladies would occur in my absence which I only discovered on my return. Gary had a heart attack in October, followed by quad bypass surgery. This all occurred when he was working in Calgary. By March he was back at work. We saw him today in Milton and he looks well but a bit frail. Barbara his wife hopes he will slow down his work schedule. Loretta, who I met at the grocery store, had a broken hand, still in a cast. As she is right handed, she is very frustrated not being able to do much of anything. For the first four weeks she was trying to complete normal tasks, all using the fingers only, but the Doctor instructed he to do nothing, because her hand was still swollen. Now she is following orders and wanting her cast off. Ross, the bagpiper, had surgery in March to remove one -third of his kidney to get rid of a cancerous tumor. The surgeons forgot to tie together two of his arteries after the operation and he almost bled to death resting in his hospital bed. Finally they paid attention to his complaints and now he is well and even back to playing his bagpipe. Ross is a retired Doctor and typically they get the complications.

Finally, Bryan, another retired doctor, came down with stenosis. It got worse so two rods were inserted in his spine, which promptly got infected. He was back to the hospital to remove the rods and start a rigorous regimen of medications. He is my age but has had really bad arthritis all his adult life. But his spirit is strong and he still plays trombone in the band plus makes the most beautiful walking sticks. I can not imagine how he is able to make these objects with his hands so twisted up, but he does, and he does it all with not a complaint. He is still not up and about but I hope to see him in July.

It is all to do with the aging process. All these folks are younger than me but they are not as young as my children. Fortunately all these friends are getting better. This winter was hard on people here in Nova Scotia. I was grateful to have spent my time in Mexico this winter.

June 4, 2010. Western Head, N.S. Carol Rottman.

She was our accidental receptionist. She never applied for the job, never interviewed, never filled out any papers and never was approved for the job, but still was our long term excellent receptionist. We left Prudential in June 1990 and left behind an incompetent receptionist. At Long and Foster, for the summer an agent's daughter worked as our receptionist. Two agents, Gitta and Denyse, came to talk to me to tell me not to interview anyone for the job of Receptionists because their friend Carol would take the job. They had played poker with Carol for twenty years and they decided that Carol needed a job. I called my boss Jack, he said yes, then they told Carol she was hired as of the end of August. Until then she was not aware of her new job. She started work mid August as the student had to return to school, but it all turned out just fine. She was a wonderful receptionist; personable, friendly, funny, and caring. She didn't actually love her job, but she loved the agents and she loved the office and we always missed her when she was not working.

One day a call came in for me. She was laughing when she answered the call and the man on the other end of the line said "well, you are having a good time". Quick as a wink she retorted "Yes, and I hope you are not going to spoil my day". Fortunately the man roared. He was still laughing when Mr. Foster, the owner of the company spoke to me. Her good humor was always with her and we appreciated her expertise.

Now she is gone. After her bout with colon cancer and the effects of treatment she was never able to return to work and we missed her. Our sympathy goes out to the Rottman Family from the Gateway office of Long and Foster on her passing. We held her in high esteem and were always grateful for her enthusiasm and competence. We mourn her loss.

June 3, 2010. Western Head, N.S. The True Story.

My Grandmother told my sister this story when Carol was young, but she clearly recalls the story as it was such a remarkable event. My Grandfather, Walter Houghton was in London on business and walked by a street meeting being led by William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army. William Booth invited those listening to accompany him into the 'barracks' for another meeting. Walter was so impressed by William Booth that he did and during the service went forward to the alter and pledged his life to the service of the Lord. He went home and told his wife, my grandmother, and the next evening they returned to another service where Pollie also gave her life in service to God and The Salvation Army. Kneeling at 'The Mercy Seat' my grandmother used a pair of scissors to cut off the feathers from her hat and she removed her pierced earrings as The Salvation Army used no jewelry or adornments. And that was the beginning of the connection between the Houghton Family and The Salvation Army.

The rest of the Houghton Family were not pleased but that commitment stayed with Grandma and Grampa their whole life. It must have been after their marriage in August 1894 because by 1897 my Grandfather was the Treasurer of the Halloway corps as he was in 1901 at Haselmere Corps in Surrey. At some point my Grandfather applied to become an officer of The Salvation Army but the powers that be in the organization suggested that with my grandfathers background and position, the life of an officer would be too difficult for him so he was turned down. Eventually when all his children were on their own he shed his business in Victoria and became an Envoy, teaching and preaching in Northern British Columbia all with The Salvation Army. Two children became Officers in the organization which must have pleased him.

My sister thinks that my grandmother told her the story because several friends from school were having their ears pierced and Grandmother certainly did not want any grandchild of hers wearing jewelry!! I wonder what she would think of us now?

June 2, 2010. Western Head, N.S. The Houghton Family.

My Mother was a Houghton, Frances Gertrude Emma Houghton, named after three of her Mother's sisters. There was another named Josie but I guess my grandmother thought that three names were enought and she was right. Then she married Norman Buckley and became Frances Houghton Buckley. I have spent all last evening and this morning re-reading Houghton papers. I brought to Nova Scotia all the papers from the Houghton Family, including letters and diaries from my grandparents. Two years ago I spent hours sorting through all the stuff and writing down as much as I could from the papers including addresses and positions for my grandparents and parents. So as much as I was able to determine, I wrote it down. Now I have four boxes.

My cousin Diane lives in Vancouver and her daughter had been searching for the Houghton Family on the Internet. While my brother David and sister-in-law were visiting her, she mentioned that Trish was trying to find some dates and names so Dave offered my help. A call came from Diane asking for the information, so a few days later I brought the box to my reading chair and started to re-read the Diaries written by Grandpa Houghton. I did discover a few things I did not notice the first time. For instance, my grandfather's mother died in 1901 and my grandfather was born in 1861.

Many blanks are found in the records. For instance, I have no idea how they became connected with The Salvation Army as my grandmother, who was a Bowler, was born Catholic but became members of The Anglican Church when she was ten. The Houghtons thought of themselves as special and people of means and were confident in being Houghtons. My grandfather, Walter Houghton was the youngest child in the family so by the laws in place at that time would inherit neither land or funds so I suspect that my grandparents were never wealthy even though he was an architect and a builder both in England, South Africa and Canada. I do know one thing though and that is they were religious, always asking for guidance from God, in whom they had full faith. I have more questions than answers but now after ten hours of reading I have at least a few more answers than I had before.

June 1, 2010. Western Head, N.S. Geraldine Brooks.

"People of The Book" is a book worth reading. My friend Wendy lent it to me. I know because she wrote her name in the front of the book. I found the book on the table beside my reading chair in the bedroom, here in Nova Scotia. It is a wonderful place to read, with windows on two sides giving me early light and the sound of the sea as a background, leaving me a perfect spot for morning reading. On top of that, Ken brings me coffee to my chair each morning, so sometimes I come downstairs at noon, having missed breakfast.

Geraldine Brooks is a fine writer and I enjoyed the book. Everyone else read it a few years ago, but I was happy to read it now. It encompasses a five hundred year period in the life of a book and although this book is fiction, it delves into much historical data, so you learn a lot of what was happening way back when in Spain and Venice and Bosnia. She bounces around many many people so you must have your brain in gear to keep track of the players, but it is worthwhile and informative and engrossing, which I suspect is all you can expect from a writer. Now I have passed on the book to Mary McD. who will in turn give it to Mary M. before returning the book to Wendy. Thank you to Wendy to lending me this fine book.