Sorting Pictures and Memories

It has taken me a week to go through my collection of picture albums, boxes of journals, diaries and committee records. At times it became over whelming and very emotional as I read and re-read this material. I did not realize how involved I have been with so many organizations.  

The pictures and memories were sorted out things into categories and placed in envelopes and stored in two plastic bins.

I reminisced at every piece of my public school days in a small Saskatchewan hamlet, to my high school days at a Catholic Convent in the Battlefords.

What stories I could tell of my nursing years at the Saskatchewan Psychiatric Hospital in North Battleford; on to England and Switzerland hospitals I worked in and all my travels through Europe with my two nursing colleagues. Uh, those were the days!!

On my return to Canada, after the18 months in Europe, I made the greatest shift in my life when I married and raised a family. I joined a new religion community and developed new friends.  I buried myself in organizational and fundraising work. For over 45 years I was to become an organizer and doer all who taught me to be a leader and have a real propose in my life in Regina.

With the two boxes filled to the over flowing I shall keep and cherish these memories.

No doubt, some day Randal scan the pictures into a file on the computer and I will re-sort the memory box into another filling system or perhaps write a book!!! 

Now it is time to make another big shift and to find myself in a RV Adventure.

I guess I am still looking for what I want to be when I grow up!

Winter Activity 473 Grand Avenue, Buena Vista

I love keeping the deck clear of snow.


This year we have plenty and  winter is not over!

Winter Activity 437 Grand Avenue

We have plenty of snow this year and it is my job to keep the upper deck clean

http://www.youtube.com/user/ayobananaboya 

Money Not All Girls Claim 1959

This was taken from the Cut Knife Grinder, September 1959

Money isn’t everything, according to three attractive young Psychiatric Nurses who left Friday for England and jobs in Surrey.

Misses Marion Bronsch, Radisson; Jacqui Dutruit, Prince Albert; and Lorraine Bertrand, Gallivan gave up $274 a month nursing jobs to realize a dream of seeing Europe, where they will clear $54 a month.

Spring graduates of North Battleford Provincial Hospital, the girls left Saskatoon by plane for Montreal and from there they will sail on Empress of Britain to Liverpool. They plan to begin nursing on October 15 at Belmont Mental Hospital in Sutton, Surry. Next spring they plan a six-month tour of the continent.

Wages at the hospital will be less than $100 a month, $42 of that which will go for room and board and eight dollars for nursing fees. Here they were receiving $274 a month, less board and room, clearing $228 a month.

The girls, all in their 20’s, met in training three years ago. Before coming friends, they discussed the lifetime dream of all of them-- to travel aboard. Since graduating they have saved enough for their trip to England, and they hope, with their additional $54 a month enough to see Europe.

Money Not All Girls Claim 1959

This was taken from the Cut Knife Grinder Newspaper

Sept. 1959 Leaving Saskatoon

Money isn't everything, according to three attractive young Psychiatric Nurses who left Friday for England and jobs in Surrey.

Misses Marion Bronsch, Radisson; Jacqui Dutruit, Prince Albert; and Lorraine Bertrand, Gallivan gave up $274 a month nursing jobs to realize a dream of seeing Europe, where they will clear $54 a month.

Leaving Belmont Surrey, England Spring 1960

Spring graduates of North Battleford Provincial Hospital, the girls left Saskatoon by plane for Montreal and from there they will sail on Empress of Britain to Liverpool. They plan to begin nursing on October 15 at Belmont Mental Hospital in Sutton, Surry. Next spring they plan a six-month tour of the continent.

Wages at the hospital will be less than $100 a month, $42 of that which will go for room and board and eight dollars for nursing fees. Here they were receiving $274 a month, less board and room, clearing $228 a month.

The girls, all in their 20’s, met in training three years ago. Before coming friends, they discussed the lifetime dream of all of them-- to travel aboard. Since graduating they have saved enough for their trip to England, and they hope, with their additional $54 a month enough to see Europe.

V-E Day 1945

As I continue with cleaning out, sorting and downsizing "Stuff",  I came across this post card.

It brought back a memory of when I was 7 years old and the WW11 had just ended. 

The students from a number of small rural schools around Cut Knife SK were invited to march in a victory parade.

I remember being one of the young students that were lined up and was told to walk very solemnly and orderly in the school section.  

It must have been a cool day as my mother dressed me in my long brown-ribbed stockings which were held up with garters. During the walk I could feel something sliding down my leg.  It was one of the stockings. I became very conscious and embarrassed, as I had to reach down and hold it up as I walked.  It was very uncomfortable to do because I had to hold the stocking above my knee under the dress I wore. I was sure everyone along the street could see me. All I wished was for the day to end and my mom and dad take me home!

On the Move

Back in December 2010, a desire of a goal came to me, so as I shared it with Randal things have been happening to our lives.

It was the need not to hang on to "stuff" that created this desire. The more we talked about the more excited we got. 

We would make a RV Nikken Wellness Home and call this adventure “Live it Discover it”. This would be our business on wheels 

For the past few weeks Randal and I has been doing research on all sorts of things.

We looked at other RV blogs, and we put together a plan. Everyday more things are coming to us.We started to receive messages from areas that we never could imagine! The daily affirmations spoke to us, the technological changes spoke to us, and letting go of “stuff” and commitments became easier to do.  

Our view of the future has become clearer.

I have been going through boxes of memories, pictures, files, looking at every piece of paper and have scaled down considerably. This first step will take the better part of the winter. As it continues to snow almost daily anyway, so what better time to do this?

Today we discontinued the Bed and Breakfast business, cancelled the email and website.

The next thing on the list is complete the volunteer commitments, to hold our first of maybe many, garage sale, which is planned for the last weekend of April, put the house on the Real Estate Market, and makes a decision on the type of RV and truck that would best suit our needs.

This is really making a life change!