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Today’s Blog Post
Jan 1st, 2010 – yesterday – Bruce Lindsay reminded me again of family and dads with kids and kids loving it… this is Part Two – by me
In Step With Our Kids – Part Two – The Happy Times
It was about to become a turbulent time in my life – yet everything at the moment the photo is snapped, with Dad’s new camera, is as happy as I could ever imagine or remember.
The 35 mm slide stayed in a box and was only to show about once a year when dad would have a family slide show. As the years went by this happened less and less. For a number of years after dad passed away it was hard to retrieve the slides – just because it was such a big part of his life and ours. It was a painful connection that was hard to touch without a major slump in my feelings. I missed dad so much.
The box of slides were stored by my mom for the years following – in the small cupboard at the top of stairs to the second floor.
After mom sold the Cameron Street Home and moved to the next times in her life to the Broad Street – Canadiana Apts the slides went with her… and then they moved to the Yukon with my sister Karen.
About a year ago the slides moved back south and far to east to Peterborough, Ontario where they sat waiting in my small office waiting for what will happen next.
Two days ago with the help of my new Christmas Present, a slide converter, the slides have come alive – appearing on Facebook and being transferred electronically all over Canada and the USA.
Just like Clifford Lincoln, their creator, they are on the move again… just like he always was.
The moment the photo above was shot dad was already planning our next major move from Elliott Street to Cameron Street. It was a big move that would affect my entire life in ways I am even discovering this week.
I need to explain that Elliott Street was not the best street to live on. It was situated in a tough neighbourhood that was not where the ‘nice people’ lived. We didn’t know that until after a number of years and the discovery of the Cameron Street area – which was situated in a high end community of Regina. Cameron Street had better schools and safer places to play, was surrounded with Doctors, Lawyers and Politicians. Elliott Street had none of that kind of people. Politicians only discussed the Elliott Street area when looking at factories and problems of low level income people…situated close to the busiest rail yard in Western Canada.
In 1957 I had the coolest dad. He did stuff with his boys and all the boys in the community.
It was about this time of year and this part of growing up that dad made us the Cross Bow Guns that were amazing. Like every other Cross Bow it shot an arrow. The Cross Bow that dad designed was made to shoot wooden shingles. These shingles were in abundance in that old community. The shingle was sliced lengthwise to make a thin projectile – an arrow. The car tire inner tube made from black rubber provided the power to fire.
Taking aim at a box situated about 25 feet away and then pulling the trigger was the ultimate high. “Thoop! Thuck!”… and the arrow stuck deeply in the box. If you approached the box a little closer the arrow went right through the wooden crate – both sides.
Dad showed us how to trim the arrow with our pocket knives and then with careful aim – birds that dared to land in the field were simply dispatched to their heavenly home.
There was no good reason to do that in 1957 except you needed to shoot something.
When we moved to the upper end of Regina, Cameron Street, Cross Bows were not the acceptable item to carry. The refined folk that lived there had different ideas for their birds, windows and property.
As you look at the photo look at the smiles and almost the radiance that came from the stairway. I remember that feeling these 52 years later – like it was yesterday. These were my ‘Monopoly’, ‘Domino’, ‘Snakes and Ladder’ partners. That is what we did on these holidays together – and loved it.
It was parents that took the extra time and the huge amount of money(in that day) to get us all together. It was my dad and mom that hosted everyone as the owners of the Elliott Street property.
The same thing happened when our families travelled to Oak Lake, Manitoba to stay with the Gompfs or Alberta to stay with the Sigglekows. It took time and money to travel these distances – but it was worth every cent!
In monetary value it would be very hard to say what this one photo cost everyone that week… but they did it.
In this photo… the youngest one, Karen, is now 52 years old. My brother Glen passed away at 45 years old… and the rest are now Senior Citizen and Pensioners (or soon to be…). All but two of our 6 parents have passed away.
These were the happy times before life would take its toll.
Wow! What a feeling I have had this week after opening the box of 35 mm slides.
The purpose of converting the slides is simple. The Lincoln Clan cousins and the Kirkpatrick Clan cousins… along with the dozens of Nieces and Nephews are 90% connected by computers and all kinds of communicators like IPods and Blackberrys – etc. AND they all want to know of the Old Days.
On that stairway shot – I am the oldest Boy Cousin – and the now keeper of the slide boxes. I am responsible to pass it on… and everyone knows it.
Today I will savour these feelings all over again… as I go deeper into this treasure.
~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/
Murray and Glen - on the bed that they shared until a bunk bed was found
The Four Lincoln Kids - 1957
Murray, Pat, Glen and Karen
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