Betty Lou Grawbarger

Donis

I was born October 5, 1930. The second oldest child of Daniel and Loretta (Lancour) Pine. Dan was the son of John Askin and Ceceilia Michaud Shingwauk. John Askin was one of the sons of Shingwaukoonse, Chief of the Ojibway Nation. My name is Betty Lou Pine Grawbarger. My mom named me. She was powdering her face, and she noticed the name “Betty Lou” on the band of the powder puff she was using. So she said: “Well, that's a nice name for the baby, that's what I'll call her.” My mamanaun called me Donis, and my uncles called me Lou, the easier I guess. My parents called me Betty Lou or just Betty. I once said to mom: “You should have added 'Powder Puff' to my name.” My Indian name given by my Mamanaun was Giishigoo-kwe (Moon Woman). I was probably born when the moon was shining bright. Donis, by the way, is daughter. I was told I resembled my mom's mother and sister.

I was raised by my mamanaun, my father's mother. The reason being, my mother, in her seventh month of pregnancy, had taken a bad fall going down a long flight of stairs. (A story my aunt Charlotte told me in later years) My mom went into labour and was hemorrhaging, and almost died too. She was in labour for three days. I was born premature. My oldest sister Gertrude, was still a baby too, eighteen months old. My mother was very young and went through a terrible experience. So unbeknownst by anyone, I was also injured. I cried night and day, and was not a happy baby. I kept my parents from getting their sleep, and drove them into frustration and fatigue. I weighed not quite 5 pounds, and not being able to suckle and breath at the same time, was not gaining much weight. My aunt Charlotte was with my parents the day my dad gave me a spank, not knowing what else to do. “Is she crying for nothing? Is she sick or in pain? Is she hungry or wet?” Aunt Charlotte went to my gramma. “Gah beeshah wehduh, Danion ge pushzshazhewah a-oo bebeshans” (Danion spanked that baby, you come over there).

So apparently, my gramma went to where I was, wrapped me in her shawl and took me to her part of the house. I became her child when she wrapped me in her shawl. She fed me like a new born calf, drinking milk from her fingers, into my starving mouth until I was able to breathe better through my nostrils. She made me, what they called in Indian, seezibwahkadoonse doo-doo-shug (sugar doodies), made from crushed crackers or dried out bread, a touch of butter and a bit of sugar. Then wrapped in pieces of cheesecloth and dipped in very warm milk. And the story goes, I was a contented baby and flourished well.

I found out later on that some of my injuries caused from my mothers fall were quite serious. I went for a scan over 25 years ago, and the Ear Nose & Throat Doctor (O'Neill), said that I was very deformed in the back of my nose area, and I suffered a fractured jaw. I had to take physiotherapy treatment with ultrasound. This gave me quite a lot of relief from the arthritis that had set in my jaw near my left ear. I guess, unbeknownst to my parents, I had serious injuries that caused me trouble to breathe, so I wasn't getting enough nourishment when I was a baby. My poor Mom and Pa were not aware of my injuries. I guess I caused them quite a lot of stress and tired them completely at that time. My sister Gertrude also was very irritable, and wanted to be held constantly. Her constant crying drove my parents nuts too. So anyway, I was raised by my gramma, and survived quite nicely.

I slept with my mamanaun, off and on, until I was 12 years old. I always knew my Baba and mama lived in another part of his mother's house. It was a very large home. Being raised by a gramma that only spoke the Indian language, it was my first language also. My parents, my uncles and my siblings went to the logging camp every winter. I missed them a lot, but knew I could never leave my mamanaun, I would be too lonesome.

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You know, I used to love to walk when it rained. My mamanaun let me put on uncle Alexzaun's raincoat and hat. I was also allowed to use the big black umbrella. I just loved walking in the rain. This one day, there was quite a strong wind blowing, and the rain was kind of gusting and seemed to whip me around, and I thought I was lifted off my feet holding the umbrella. So I went in and told my mamanaun that I almost flew away. She never laughed in front of me, but I heard her tell Charlie Pine when he came to visit about my little escapade, and they both laughed. In the afternoon she always had her 2 o'clock pipe. Red willow bark dried in the oven for half hour, mixed with Chateau Gay pipe tobacco (half and half). Mamanaun had 3 pipes daily at 10 am, 2 pm, and 7 pm. I realize now it was a pain reliever for the rheumatism.

Christmas, the Church and Prayer

I was baptized at St. John's Anglican Church in Garden River. The Minister at the time was Rev. Johnstone. My Godparents were William E. Pine and Therese Pine, my uncle and auntie. That was probably my first visit to Church. I was most likely a few weeks old. Babies were baptized soon after birth back then. My earliest memories were when I was five years old. My sister Gertie and I went to Church with my uncles and Pa. It was Christmas Eve, and in those days everyone travelled by horses and sleigh. The brass bells were also a part of the harness. You could see other sleighs and cutters, and hear bells ringing. It was a sight to remember. Uncle John sat us in a pew with Uncle Bill and his family. Because Uncle John was the Warden, he seated people, handed out the books and helped the Minister. He also walked the Bishop to the vestry room to get his preachers garb on for the service. Bishop Wright was presiding at the time. I always thought he was related to Santa Claus, they both showed up at the same time. Everyone made a fuss. Both Santa and the Bishop had a hearty laugh. The first time I saw the Bishop was at the Christmas concert a week previous to the Christmas service.

My Earliest Christmas Memory

Today, I think about my sister Gertrude and I going to the first Christmas Eve Service in my memory. She was six and I was five at the time. We lived with my grandma and two uncles, as well as our Mom, Pa, and a younger brother and sister. We rode to Church on a sleigh with the horses' brass harness bells ringing, as what most other people did too. It was very exciting! The moon was shining bright and the stars were out. We picked out what we thought to be the brightest and biggest star in the sky, and named it the “Star of Bethlehem”. We asked our Pa and uncles if they thought it was and they, after some discussion in Ojibwe, said “I guess it could be that star alright”.

The fresh fallen snow looked like millions of diamonds sparkling. We got to the Church a little early. My one uncle was a Church Warden (and had been for 60 years when he passed away), so he always decorated the Church with boughs of fresh pine and cedar on the arch-way of the altar. For the first time we saw the Church at night with the coal-oil lamps lit, and they sat on a chandelier above the alter. Also hanging from the ceiling was a crown, the star of Bethlehem and smaller stars made of wood and covered with foil packaging from Salada loose tea, of years ago, and trimmed with tinsel. A slight draft from the big stained glass window in back of the altar caused them to move a bit, and the lamplight made them sparkle. My sister and I were just in awe, and we sat in a pew beside our Pa and uncle holding hands. A lot of people were coming in, and soon the church was full.

The Bishop had arrived. He took the service every Christmas Eve. We were in awe of him too, and classed him with Santa. They seemed to travel together and were friends. Santa came to the school concert with a huge bag full of gifts, and Bishop and Mrs. Wright were there too. And they both, Santa and the Bishop, had booming voices. Many people would say, “Tah-na-gum ah-ow. Bishop Anishinabe Na-gumi gi-yeh” (a good singer, Bishop. Indian singing too). All through the years we enjoyed his services – the story of Jesus birth, the shepherds and Wise Men. We also looked forward to Bishop Peterson doing the Christmas Services in later years.

When we arrived home from Church, mom and grandma had hot cocoa for us to warm us up, and, what else do you think happened?! While we were at Church, Santa had come, and the cup that he drank cocoa from was still sitting on the table. Sister and I took turns holding the cup, then we had to give it up. It was time for us all to say good night, get our hugs and kisses, and wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Mom listened to our bedtime prayer and covered us warmly. “Now I lay me down to sleep...” Did we say it all?

Merry Christmas to family, relatives, friends and neighbours. God Bless everyone.

Betty Lou Shingwauk Grawbarger

The Christmas tree was always decorated on Christmas eve, and we were always excited and ready to get into bed and listen for Santa landing on the roof. Ho, ho, ho!

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December 25, 1997

(This book for my stories was given to me, Betty Lou Grawbarger, by my daughter Lana to write my memories as they creep up. Which can happen often enough at times)

Merry Christmas to my family. As usual it's a great Christmas. The tree again, if possible, is more beautiful than last year. “Mom you always say that!” Lana is making apple pies, mincemeat and raisin tarts. We cooked our turkey and ham yesterday. Betty-Anne is doing the vegetables, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn niblets and....? Lana is also making the dressing and gravy. We are eating at 4 pm (there and about). Trudy is doing some laundry and tidying. As usual I reminisce of other Christmases, like when Bill was 14 years old. I got home from my job about 3:30-4:00 pm, the afternoon before Christmas day.

Trudy called out “Is that you mama?” “Yes.” I said “It's me mom.” She said “I just finished decorating the tree.” I walked on into the living room, and I held my breath in awe as I gazed at the tree, and I commented “If possible, it's even more beautiful than last year!” And she said, “Oh mom, you say that every year.” I replied “Yes I do, don't I, and I truly mean it. Mom appreciates all the things my children do.” Just at that time, Bill came into the living room, and put his arm across my shoulders. At about the same time Trudy said “Gee mom, if I had a few more balls to hang over here...” And Bill said quite serious “Mom! Bob has nice big balls!” Bob's corner store was the neighbourhood confectionary, and carried decorations at Christmas. Also, if we happened to need an emergency gift, he also had a corner of his store with some nice pieces of China. All around handy store, and quite nice folks they were.

Aleigha and Lieron both got a hand held recorder, and I was interviewed by both. On each, I was asked to tell a Christmas story. Aleigha's recorder has the one of “Uncle Bill and the Christmas Tree”. I told Lieron the one about Christmas at Elm Creek logging camp. That was 1934. Gel was the baby, Daniel was 2, I was 4, Gertie 5. The tree was decorated with homemade decorations. We made paper chain links with orange wrappers, and stars made out of Salada tea foil bags. When the lamplight shone, they sparkled and moved in a draft when the door was opened. We hung pine cones, and made garlands with cranberries and popcorn. My uncle Alexzaun was a good carpenter, and made us a sleigh. My gramma and Uncle John made us shoe packs, and knitted socks and mitts. Mom always made us flannel gowns, popcorn caramel balls and homemade ice cream. Also, the usual molasses cake with raisins and sugar cookies.

We always had wonderful Christmases. Gramma, uncles, aunt Charlotte and her family, cousin Bob, Ma, Pa and us kids. The relatives from Echo River always came to visit and share their stories of years ago, as well as the remainder of Christmas dinner, lots of pots of tea, and hot cocoa to go with the cookies, cake and ice cream. Times to remember and appreciate. Winters were hard times years ago. I stayed home with my gramma up in Garden River. My uncles worked in the bush with my dad. They were loggers and trappers, and during the depression and war years, it was most difficult times. Although I was just a child, I knew that we survived through the sacrifices and hard work of our parents and extended family. They taught us at an early age to care about one another, and what survival was all about. And we learned at an early age how important it was to share the work, and learn things like sewing, knitting, making bannock, pehnee wahboo, and also a good pot of tea.

My mom would move to the camp with my sisters and brother. They moved back to Garden River in the late spring, and everyone was happy to be together again after the long winter. We saw the uncles a couple times a month, when they came to bring venison and rabbits. Gramma always had some nice treat to send back like molasses cookies, homemade bread and preserves that were put down in the summer. She also sent the remainders of the maple syrup, knitted socks for her sons and grandchildren.

I sure appreciate my years living with my gramma, and all the teachings she shared, that helped me to raise my children, and how to survive and do my best. “I love you Ma.” I always called my gramma “ma”. And she loved me. I never realized until I grew older, just how much I was loved and cared for. My “ma” was 79 years old when I was born, and she took me to live with her when I was 3 months old. She died on January 23, 1948, and I still think of her often.

When I was 13-14 years old, she became bed-ridden when she fell and broke her hip. I was heartbroken, I hated to see her in pain. I always did my best to look after her needs, and I know she appreciated my care and love. I never felt bad because I couldn't go out to play. I would ask my friends to come in and visit, I wouldn't leave her alone. I still have my times of sorrow and tears for a gramma that filled my early years of life with loving care. She taught me so many things, and I learned from stories she told, how her life was as a young girl.

She came to the village of Garden River from Drummond Island Michigan when she was a girl of 15 years (Ceceilia Shawan). She was the second wife of John Askin Shingwauk. John was called Bahbahnaun, and she was called Mamanaun by their children and grandchildren. She called him Bahbah (mah ge bejah kidoo). John farmed, logged and trapped for a living. I called my dad Baba too, and my dearest mom. I loved them all dearly. Sometimes when I'm sleeping, I know I'm dreaming, I can hear people in my dreams, talking in Indian language. Through the day I remember some of the conversation, which is very humorous and I laugh to myself.

When everyone left for Elm Creek logging camp, my gramma and I would close up part of the house because it took a lot of wood to heat a big house. Her, my cousin Bob and I just used the kitchen part, and slept upstairs over the kitchen, and it was much easier to keep heated comfortably. The big wood cook stove provided good heat. There were three beds in that part, also a table that we put the coal-oil lamp on, a cupboard with a basin and pitcher of water, towels and cloths. We took a bath in a big tub every Saturday afternoon in a corner of the kitchen. She bathed me first, then she bathed. We always used the basin upstairs through the week. She had these pieces of flannel cloth that she gave to me to use every day for washing and drying. Back then we never knew about the luxuries of inside plumbing or electricity.

I remember watching out the window this one morning, she had gone out to the barn because one of the cows was having a calf premature. She took some hot water in an iron pot, and several large rags. She told me to just sit in her rocking chair, and she wouldn't be too long. I watched her until I no longer saw the lantern she was carrying, and it was very early in the morning and very cold with snow blowing around with the wind. I just sat in her rocker and watched for the lantern light, and it seemed forever before I saw it. When she came in, she was carrying the calf wrapped in a large piece of flannel cloth. Daniel, my brother, wakened about that time. My Uncle John had brought him up when he came from the camp to check on how gramma and I were faring. So Daniel was sitting beside me on the rocking chair. He was 4, and I was 6 then. He was so excited when he saw gramma and Uncle John come in with the newborn calf. It was white with black spots. I was excited too. Uncle John gave Daniel the calf to hold while he fixed a warm bottle. The calf was very small and weak, but they named her Spotty, and she grew up to be a good milking cow. Maybe we should have named her Stormy.

Daniel and I always had some good times, we grew up good friends as well as sister and brother. We enjoyed each others company, and laughed a lot at silly things we did. He always left to go back to Elm Creek with Uncle John after Sunday noon dinner. We would wave until we couldn't see each other for snowbanks and drifts. And as usual, gramma packed goodies for them to take back. She would spend a whole afternoon baking so they could take goodies back.

Sometimes I think back to the old days, the way of life then. I think, when someone lived in those days, and I know it, it makes me appreciate all those push button gadgets that are all around us now. I'm spoiled now. There were times when we were children, when we went to bed a little extra early because the coal-oil delivery was late due to stormy weather. We had to save the oil for the lanterns. So the milking was done, chickens, cows and horses fed and the barns cleaned out. No oil for the lamps to be lit in the house, so we had early suppers, made sure the tea kettles had lots of water, the bricks were heated for the beds, chamber pot taken upstairs, and the water pitcher filled.

Bed time was 7 or 7:30 pm. But then, if it happened that gramma's sisters came for a visit, then they would visit after getting into bed. I can remember the laughter and the stories of their childhood experiences when they were children together on Drummond Island. I would fall asleep listening to their laughter. Because they were my gramma's sisters, then we called them gramma too. Gramma Ozomick, gramma Alex (Gramma Aungel/Gramma Sophie). None of them spoke English, only the Indian language.

Charlie Menisnoo Shingwauk was a daily visitor. Always welcomed, and shared tea and whatever evening snack was. Sometimes cake, raisin scone, ginger cookies or molasses biscuits. Everyone enjoyed his company, and he and gramma sang hymns. When my uncles, dad, mom, and aunt Charlotte were home, they sang a lot of Indian songs and gospels. Aunt Charlotte was a grand organist. Our gramma's home seemed to be a place for prayer meetings. Especially in the summer months after the gardens were in.

Sometimes other anishinabeg from other communities came by hired cars, and they would set up a huge tent in front of Frank Williams' field, and the families provided food for the visitors. Bannock and tea were most popular, and if it was cool enough, penee-wahboo. People liked to come to my gramma's, she was always a good friend, and was kind and made people feel welcome. Frank also visited regularly. They were the family of grandpa's brother, Henry Bahquadgenene, Frank and Bert Pod. They were known by Pod, rather than Williams, where Pod originated from I've yet to learn. Our branch of the Shingwauk family was known as Askin.

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I remember going with my mamanaun to visit Catherine Day (Kahtinee). They sure enjoyed their visits with each other. You could hear the laughter as they talked of everyday happenings. My mamanaun also visited the nephews of her husband. His brother's sons: Frank Williams, Charlie Pine, W.J. Pine, Uncle Bill Pine and Dick and Fred Pine. Many of them were seeking her advice. They treated her with respect. When she stood up to leave the room, they also stood up. One of them would escort her if needed.

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December 26, 1998

Christmas is always a good and beautiful time of year. “Thank you God for the birth of your son Jesus Christ”. The Christmas services as usual, were very nice. The first service was at the Community Centre. Bishop Ferris with our Minister Rev. Rosalee Goos and Rev. Harry Morrow. The people participating in the readings:

Lay Person Lana Grawbarger, took the part of Leah

George Grawbarger – Joseph

Tracey Solomon – Mary

Cst. Albert Williams – Isaiah

The little children and older children took part in lighting the Christ candle and doing readings, which was most enjoyable.

After the service Gertie, Gel and I went to our sister Doreen, and her husband Bud's house. We enjoyed a very nice buffet lunch with their family members, and other relatives. Later on I went home where another buffet lunch was in progress, most of my children were home and enjoying chili and spinach dip with pumpernicle bread, with cheese arrangements and a variety of crackers and hot apple crisp. Lana was in charge of all food preparation.

The only part I had in the Christmas dinner was carving the turkey and slicing the ham. I also managed to get in on some of the dishwashing and finding room to store leftovers. Lana does a good job of storing. Vern tried out a recipe for sweet potato pie, and it was very good. Also the bumbleberry mousse, just great Vern, you've earned a place in the dessert section of the kitchen. Next year you get an apron with my label on it. Trudy is always in charge of keeping up with the laundry, keeping the bathrooms in hygienic order and running the dust mops several times around the whole house. Kev, right now, is out there with the snowplow, getting the roads cleared away.

Marvin, Pinky, Lynne, Warren and granchildren: Aislinne, Todd, Alyssa and Matthew came down for the evening. Bill, Adyne, Bill, Sharon, Chasie, Tammy and Josh also came down. George, Faye, Chris, Ben and David were down for the evening. Vern, Betsey-Anna, Boyd and Miss Rowdy came for supper and evening. Jennifer, Melissa, Jo-Ann, Zak and Lana Rosemary were here. John was working at the St. Mary's Pulp Mill. This is his 3rd or 4th year getting called to clean the vat when they close for Christmas. So he gets about 4 days work and appreciates earning the money. Ted, Kyle and Tedi-Lyn will be down after Ted gets off work at 3 pm today. We have lots of ham, turkey, veggies, dressing and gravy. That's when the micro-wave is a handy gadget. So again, a wonderful Christmas. God bless my family and relations and friends. My love forever, your editor, Mom.

I must say too, thanking my children, grandchildren, great grandchildren for all your loving care. God's blessings have been very bountiful in my life. I don't take these gifts for granted. Always, my heart is full of joy and love. I thank God for all these blessings. Mom, gram, gramma graw.

~This morning I was talking to Dad and Arienne. Telling them how much we love and miss them. I also remember other loved ones. I think of them all as being together.~

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My mother taught us a prayer she said as a child:

“Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. Amen”

My gramma prayed in Indian very quietly. Then later when I started to school, we learned the “Lord's Prayer”. Every morning was morning prayer for half hour, and we sang the “Union Jack Forever”. My father and uncle also prayed in Indian. Every Friday afternoon at 3:30 the Minister came and taught us our catechism, and prepared us for learning about the Bible too. And for the time we would be making our confirmation. So we were able to learn about the prayer book and memorize the Apostle's Creed and others.

As mentioned before, I was raised on my mamanaun's side of the house. There were three large beds in one room, and a single day bed by the dormer windows. We slept facing the west. Uncle John's bed was a few feet across from ours. Uncle Alec was 13-15 feet back of us. When I looked out my window, I could see where my friends Elva and Melvina lived (Waubanoosa's and Zack's). Also Move Lesage (John Lesage), Thibault's, Albert Williams, Jack Wigwaus and the Kennedy's. I remember everything about the old homestead, every room.

It was a beautiful home, and very large. The furniture was large and heavier. Black leather with large leather covered buttons on a settee like couch, a large leather rocker (2 of us children could sit in it and rock). Then there was another rocker, just wood with a cushioned seat. There was also a large dining set. The table was quite large, 8 chairs and 2 armchairs. Also the seats were leather cushioned, and a sideboard it was called (now it's a buffet). It also had a mirror. There was stained glass squares of glass on the upper parts of the two large windows. When the sun shone on them, they made colours of green, gold, burgundy and blue on the floor. There was also a table that was used to set a coal-oil lamp on, and it had a cloth with beautiful embroidered flowers on it. There was also a large wood heater in the room. I would like to be able to draw a picture of it. If we have a windfall, we might just build a replica. I know everyone would love it as dearly as I did.

My mom's mother died when she was 12 years old. We only knew my Pa's mother, the only grandparent we had, and in whose home we lived. My Pa and mom lived in the large sitting room and parlour, and had three beds in a large room divided by folding room dividers, with a wash stand, basin and pitcher. On my gramma's side of the house there were two stairways, one leading from a big kitchen to a large room with three beds, and another room with three beds, and a day bed at the dormer windows. Also more dividers and washstands with pitchers and basins for getting washed up. Saturday was always bath day in a large tub in the kitchen. There was no electricity or indoor plumbing (toilet facilities) in those days.

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Learning as I Grow

I started school when I was four years old, just a month before my fifth birthday. My sister Gertie wouldn't go to school without me, so my mom registered both of us. Gertie was six years old. Miss Clemens was our teachers name. I enjoyed school very much. When I learned to read, I would translate the readings to mamanaun so she could hear the stories too. I know she enjoyed that. I heard her talking to one of her nephews by marriage, Charlie Pine, who visited every morning. She shared about my reading, and they would laugh.

When I was going to school, and if it was very stormy, Bob would walk me to school and I would take a lunch (bannock, a cookie). The teacher made us soup from Monday to Thursday. Friday was cocoa. The Department of Indian Affairs (DIA) provided funds for all native schools to have that nourishment, the teacher would serve it at 11:30 am, in case some children went home for lunch. I will say our teacher, Miss. Alice Davies, made good soup, and she was a wonderful teacher. We kids loved her.

Miss. Davies also looked after Miss. Botrill, who was almost blind. She could see enough to knit, and made me a beautiful blue sweater. I remember she wore her hair in a large bun, and her dresses were to mid length, between knee and ankle, and she wore warm brown part wool socks, with a warm brown sweater. She liked when Miss. Davies sent me in to the part they lived in, to read out of my book I would take from the school library. She really liked my company, and enjoyed my reading to her, and would always thank me for keeping her company. She would give me a cookie and weak tea, it's what she would have too.

Miss. Davies was my teacher to grade five. When she left Garden River she retired from teaching. She really loved our family, they always looked out for her with chores she couldn't handle herself, like thawing the frozen pump and splitting wood for the kitchen range. Mom helped her keep the school clean, and with all the Christmas concerts the school children were in. All the plays, marches and school choir. Mom would be sewing costumes or helping others to make choir gowns, as well as ours. Mom made good use of gramma's old Singer Treadle machine. Between her, gramma and aunt Charlotte, they made our clothes and flannel underwear and nightwear.

The teacher gave lessons to my mom for teaching the kids when they went to camp in the winter. My mom's mother was a teacher and my mom was well learned. She did all the office work for Chief and Council for 47 years. She worked with the teachers, and was the president of the Anglican Church Women's Auxillary for years. She was always voted in. She put on school concerts and plays, and was very helpful to everyone that needed her help. She was a good teacher to us too.

Gertie and I had Miss. Clemens for our teacher for one school year. Then Miss. Alice Davies was our teacher for five years. She was a wonderful person, and a very special friend and caretaker for Miss. Botrill. As mentioned earlier, Miss. Botrill was a retired schoolteacher, and had lost most of her eyesight. They both had been teachers at the Shingwauk Residential School. Miss. Davies encouraged us to play music. We also became the church's choir, there were six girls total. She was able to get choir robes from St. Luke's church for us. When she left our school, Miss. Davies left my mom her “baby grand piano” and a wooden rocking chair. She left mamanaun a large wicker rocking chair. It was nice, and comfortable too.

The last year Miss. Davies was with us, she had us do a play called “Arsenic and White Lace”. Other children in the play were my dear friend Elva Abatossaway, Walter Williams and Clarence Abatossaway. We took first prize in the Algoma District. We enjoyed being actors. Bill Peeling was our teacher for one year, and was the son of a Minister in the Bruce Mines, Ontario area. Our school was his first teaching job. My mom and the Minister's wife, and older students were helpful in helping with the first Christmas concert he did, and he was grateful for that help. We had fun doing it. He had us do “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves”. It was a success! I played the part of Snow White, and enjoyed being in plays. The last two years of my school years in Garden River Public School, we had Albert Smith for our teacher. He taught another two years after that. I graduated grade 8 in June 1943. Mom took my picture holding my diploma.

Then the Indian Agent came to visit my mom. My father, at that time, was still working at a war plant in Detroit Michigan. The agent visited the last week of July 1943. My mom was given the option of choosing either a foster home or the Shingwauk Residential School for me to live while I was going to High School. It was not an easy decision for her, she knew about my father and his experience. When he was in the Shingwauk, he was very abused there. But she didn't want me in foster care either, because of rumours she had heard (I won't write more). So she listened to the Indian Agent, saying that things were much different at Shingwauk School. My dream was one day becoming a teacher, and she wanted that for me too. Her mom was a teacher in the Dakotas, so she signed me up in the middle of August 1943.

I wish I could say that, yes, I was treated good, and it was a nice place to be. We never had enough to eat. Breakfast was a bowl of porridge that never came to a boil, one slice of bread with a piece of lard to put on it, and a glass of milk that looked kind of a pale blue. My cousin worked in the kitchen. She said, as the other girls that worked in the kitchen, that the staff had bacon, ham, sausage, eggs, toast, coffee, tea, pure cream and cereal. The girls would share what leavings the staff left on their plates. My cousin and her sister (Gladys and Hilda), were taken by the Indian Agent and put in the Shingwauk school after their mom died. Gladys was 7 and Hilda, 4.

The lunch we took to school was a sandwich. Half the sandwich had 2 slices of partly green tomato, and the other half was syrup. Sometimes the bread was alright, most of the time the girls in the kitchen would have to slice off mould on the bread, and the sandwiches would have a moldy, sour taste. It made you gag when you tried to eat it. So my friend, Elva and I, would toss our sandwich in the garbage most times. She was a girl from the same reserve as me. Supper time was a dishpan of sliced tomatoes. Some were partly green, and some red and green. Corn on the cob, with the kernels being mostly white with some yellow, and very small kernels. The cook for the staff saved the better ones for them. Staff had steak, pork chops, beef or pork roast and chicken. My cousin, now and again, would save the bones from the chops or steak, and we would gnaw on the bones when we met in the bush area. By October-November I started to feel shaky, was cold all the time, was weak and hungry. I couldn't shake a cold.

My friend Elva and I walked from the school down to Queen Street. We met this man from our reserve of Garden River. He said to me “I saw your Pa just a while ago, he was going into Herman's grill to get a cup of coffee.” He said: “Your Pa is staying home now, he got a job working at the canal.” So my friend and I hurried to Herman's grill, sure enough, he was sitting with a couple other guys he worked with. He was so glad to see me, he had tears in his eyes. “Betty Lou you don't look good at all, you look sick.” We showed him our lunch, and it was something we couldn't eat. He said “I was so angry when I found out from your mother that the Indian Agent got her to sign papers for you to live there and go to high school. That place will never change. They are still abusing children by starving them.” The only decent meal we had was when the Inspectors were walking through the dining area while we were having supper. We had pieces of potatoes and carrots, two chunks of stewing beef with gravy, a slice of bread with real butter, and a glass of milk with the cream left in it. For the first time, we even had an apple.

As the Inspector and two ladies went past the tables, the Inspector would take someone's fork and poke at a chunk of meat and really gushed at such a healthy meal, and how happy we must be to get such nourishing food. One of the senior boys stood up and said to the Inspector, “Why don't you walk through here more often? This is the first decent meal we've had since we came here.” Needless to say, Mr. Anderson, about 6'4 and 300 pounds or so (very well fed), made the boy feel sorry he ever spoke out. That same boy, and 2 other boys, ran away a few days after that incident. They made it not too far from Detroit, and were picked up and brought back to school. They were whipped, and we covered our heads with our pillows, because we could hear them hollering from pain. Those boys were about 15 years old, or so. We cried too.

That day when I met my father, he bought Elva and I each a hot dog and a glass of milk. He kept me with him. Elva went back to school. My Pa and I went to the Public Health Doctor's office to show him the mouldy bread sandwich. Then we stopped at the Courthouse and saw the Judge, showed him the sandwich. The Doctor and Judge were good friends with my dad. They went to my Pa's logging camp on a retreat. They advised my Pa to go to the Indian Agent's office to get him to phone the Shingwauk Principal, Reverend Minsion, and tell him that I would be leaving there with my Pa. I went back to the Shingwauk and Miss. Spinny was there, she was the Matron for the Senior Girls Dormitory. I told her my Baba was taking me home. She helped me to pack my bags, and came down to the office. Rev. Minsion was very angry about me leaving.

Dr. Gimby had phoned to tell him I was leaving the school, and also the reason why. There was a big investigation into how the children were starving. There were big changes made. Mr. Minsion was replaced. Sometimes you believe things happened a certain way or at a certain time, so changes could happen.

After Christmas and New Year, my mother made arrangements with her sister who lived in Duluth, Minnesota, for my older sister Gertie and I to stay with her. I was registered at the High School to complete my grade nine. I enjoyed going to that school. I was tutored by other highschool students, and did well there. My aunt Gertrude put my sister Gertie in a six week hair dressing course, and also gave her lessons in the beauty salon she was part owner of. So all in all we both passed our classes, and came back home the end of June.

My mamanaun was so happy for me to be back home. In the fall I started grade 10 at Sault Technical High School with Elva and Walter. Arrangements were made with Mr. Samuel Wahbunosa, the owner of the only car in Garden River. He and his wife, Sarah, had the Post Office in their home. They picked up the mail bag at the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) station, and they also sold coal oil that was used for lamps and lanterns. We were doing quite well with our lessons, and rides to school and back home again. Then the end of February and beginning of March was in the 40's (below zero). Mr. Wahbunosa's car would get us to school, but he couldn't get it unthawed to pick us up to bring us home. That happened three days in a row. We walked from Tech. School, home to Garden River. Elva and I both held hands with Walter. He was crying, he had pains in his feet and hands. We pulled him along, we still had three miles to walk. When I got home, my Baba had to get a pan of snow to put my feet and hands in. I had no feeling, until the snow brought the frost out. I've always had trouble with my feet, even to this day. Needless to say, my school days were soon to be over.

That's when it was decided by Mrs. Wahbunosa, Mrs. Williams, and my parents, Dan and Loretta Pine,that we couldn't continue going to school or we would freeze to death. My mom continued to help me with school work. I came down with pneumonia and pleurisy that spring. I was very sick. The Doctor my mom took me to was one hired by Indian Affairs for all the Anishinabe's in our area. He made a wrong diagnosis. The fluid in my lungs had filled. I was three months in bed, and Dr. Gimby gave my Baba a prescription for White Cross gin, for the pain. It put me right out for a few hours. My aunt Charlotte made sacks of flour, a mustard plaster to put on my chest. My mamanaun sat beside my bed. I had good care in my illness, my parents, aunt Charlotte, that care and their ongoing prayers helped. When I wakened one morning, and I looked around the room, everything had a very bright shiny look all around. I knew I was going to live. God had more plans for me.

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Homestead Fire

As you know, we lived in my gramma's home in Garden River, Ontario. Yes, I enjoyed my childhood home. The home burned down in 1941, on Easter Sunday. Then it seems everything in our life made a drastic change. We lost everything. My gramma especially was never the same. She lost her eyesight. My Pa and mom built on the old home site. It took a long time to get it finished, but eventually we had a home again. I still lived with my gramma and uncles up on the hill where they moved an old house from the Kennedy Mill site, the foreman's old house. But it was not too bad, we survived with lots of prayer and love. God is wonderful. We learned this early in life, and to appreciate what we have. My gramma used to say to my Pa when he was feeling low and depressed about being poor: “As long as you have a slice of bread on your plate, you are not poor. Think of others that wish to have a slice of bread. They are the poor ones.” He would say: “You're right ma.”

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February 4, 2002

Good Morning. You know I was thinking back to 1941-1942 when my gramma's house burned down on Easter Sunday. My gramma had come down to Elm Creek to see if I was ready to come back home. I had gone down to help mom to get the camp in order, and get the winter blankets laundered and packed away for the summer. It was time to leave the lumber camp and move back home to get the garden planted. Every season was a change in work habits. We weren't finished yet with everything, so after our Easter dinner, my uncle and gramma left to go back home.

The house was burned to the ground, and still smouldering. Almost everything was lost. My gramma and her family lost a lifetime of valuables. A lifetime of work that makes everything into a home. After getting my gramma settled with her son George, my uncle came back down to Elm Creek, with uncle Alec. We were all so sad. It was decided we would have to stay in Elm Creek. My dad was going to cut logs to make lumber for rebuilding. Two men, brothers, Henry and Bob Eshkibok from Wikwemikong, stayed to help him, just for their food and lodging. Phillip Nolan, and his son were hired with a portable sawmill to cut the logs into lumber. Buchanan's trucks hauled the lumber to Garden River. My family had friends who cared. My parents had to start all over again. Helping to build a new life for everyone. We lost everything in the fire. They had to start from scratch

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Mamanaun and Survival

2001

I did a lot of things with my mamanaun. She was a good teacher. I learned to sew and knit. We sat side by side on rockers in front of the kitchen stove in the evenings. That was during the winter months. My mom and dad, sisters and brother went to the logging camp at Elm Creek. The summer was different when they were back home again. It was a time of gardening. Cutting wood when I was old enough, for winter times. My mamanaun and I would walk along the shore picking up driftwood and piling it in piles along the way. My uncles would go with the dray to bring it home for kindling. I enjoyed those times. I also got to ride along with my brother Daniel on the dray.

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I remember in my early years my mamanaun saying to my father “Danyon, speak to your children. Don't raise them to be lazy. You have to teach them to work, how to cook, sew, knit. When your child is 10 years old, that child should be the kind of person you want them to grow up to be. To be able to survive, do things for themselves. How to make fire, cut wood, cook outside if they need to. Build a lean to out of brush if needed, how to snare rabbits. Being raised by my mamanaun, I was trained at the age of 10 years old to scrub floors, wash dishes and cook simple things. Taught to sew, at first it was quilt blocks, and doing plain knitting for squares, used to cover cushions. Later as I got older, and better at sewing and knitting, it was embroidery.

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When I think back to my childhood years, I think of a time when I'm at the age of 3 or so. I'm leaning on my gramma's knee, it must be late fall. The big box stove in the dining area has a fire going, gram and Charlie Pine are visiting. They are talking about the winter ahead and all the chores waiting to be done. They talked about some venison they shared and how they enjoyed the treat of venison. Gramma had made one of her molasses cakes. Charlie, like my uncles and Bob, were very fond of molasses cake. They would have a choice of jam or sour cream, and tea, either with sugar or milk or both. Another thing that was done in the fall was the butchering. Two pigs were raised especially for that, and one 3 year old calf.

My uncle Alexzaun was a man of all trades. He was a blacksmith (the only one for miles about, as well as a butcher, and a barber too. Hair cut for adults .25 cents, children .10 cents.) He was very good at his work, and he also made homemade coffins when needed. I remember my mom lining one with some nice flowered cotton. My cousin Donald and his wife Veronica had a baby that was born and died soon after, or maybe stillborn. Mom and uncle Alexzaun and Pa looked after the burial of that baby. My mom was much seeked out for being able to know what to do in such times. She also did the arrangements when Dave and Agnes Williams lost a baby girl to pneumonia when she was only a few weeks old. Dave named her, Myrtle Loretta when she was born. Mom always helped out when she was needed.

The winters were very rough times. The pump would freeze up. Many times we would haul drinking water from the school. They had an indoor pump. Other water was hauled from the river. We had two barrels that were used. There was a dray big enough for the barrels. The cattle were watered, and also water from the barrels was used in the house for all purposes. The work seemed never ending. Wood to split to keep the wood shed full; cattle waiting for new calves to be born in the spring; always quilting to be done; baskets woven; rugs hooked or braided. These were ready for sale when a buyer came from New York in the spring. Our family made the money to replenish the larder.

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I had a lot of chores from a very young age. When I was six years of age I was using a small washboard, and small tub to wash diapers. I was pushing my sisters in a large wicker pram, while my mom was busy with housework. I also helped my mamanaun to gather eggs. My days were busy ones, and we were expected to help in the light chores of washing and drying dishes, as well as sweeping. Every day was a learning experience. My mamanaun was a good teacher, there were no wages back then, but lots of loving care and teachings.

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March 2, 2007

Hi again, many years later. I can't believe I've been so busy that I haven't written a word for so long. What should I do? Tell the truth that I'm lazy?! It's hard for me to give in to that. Admitting I'm lazy, who me?! March came in like a lion, and it's still snowing and blowing. It's going to last for a while. This winter is a lot like the winters we experienced years back. Life was different back in the 30's and 40's. Water had to be hauled in from a water hole in St. Mary's River, near our landing dock, no electricity hook up yet. No plumbing for inside toilets, and the bathtub was the laundry tub too. Woodstoves were for cooking and heating. Saturday's were baking days, bread, cake and cookies. Also ironing the shirts and pressing the suits. Others laundry and ironing was done on Mondays, the big wash day.

Butter and eggs were sold to the local general store for other staples: flour, sugar, rolled oats, corn meal, lard, tea, etc. Twenty pound rolled oat bags, flour bags and sugar bags were used for making sheets, dish towels, curtains, pillowcases. Most everything had embroidery and some lace: tablecloths, scarves for dressers and pillowcases. Two pound salt bags were used for mens handkerchiefs, with initials embroidered on cotton slips. Homeknit woolen socks were all grey with a line of different colour and everyone identified ownership by their colour. We also had flannel nightgowns. Our uncles made us shoe packs for the winter. They took the hide from moose, deer and cows to the tannery in Michigan Soo. We all had, our cousins and us, packs made for the winter. My aunt Charlotte made us all woolen socks, toques, mittens and scarves. We had lots of love and care.

Sunday was the Sabbath, a day for rest, church and bible readings. It was also a time of visiting with family and friends, sharing a special feast. Chicken and vegetable stew with dumplings was always a favourite. Fish was a meal we had most. No refrigeration back then, so we only had meat when available on Sunday's. Smoked fish was very popular. We only had eggs for breakfast on Sunday with bacon or salt pork, and left over potatoes fried with onions (butter also on Sundays). The rest of the week was rolled oat porridge or corn meal or flat bannocks made at the back of the wood stove. The drippings from bacon and salt pork was put on our porridge or bannock. Coffee never came to our home back in them days. In the 50's mostly, and mostly in the logging camp. Everyone enjoyed tea at meal times in large enamel teapots. My gram and I shared some sort of herbal drink before going to bed, probably to keep us in good health.

Learning the Way

As mentioned before, my mamanaun believed that children should be taught all life skills, the ways of survival. She said everyone has to know, and have these skills. By the time your child is ten years old, they should be the way you would want them to be as adults when they reach the age of twenty years old. When I was ten years old, mamanaun taught me how to sew, knit, embroider and mend. I was also taught how to scrub floors, wash clothes, and then I was getting older. I learned how to cook, wash dishes and keep a clean house. When I was twelve years old, I had a job babysitting for the lady who was having her eighth child.

An extra note:

How Important it is to Teach our Children Life Skills – The Ways of Survival

I also know how to set snares for rabbits. No one I ever knew could cook a rabbit like my mamanaun. My sister Gertie and I used to help our Baba stretch beaver hides (our baba only had one arm, hunting accident in 1932). Our Baba and his brothers were loggers and trappers in the winter. They were farmers too, our vegetables got us through the winter. In the late fall October, November, my uncles butchered 2 pigs and a 3 year old cow. Most of the meat was used for the logging camp workers. They got ham and bacon done over in Michigan Soo by someone who had a smokehouse. Life was very hard from what we have today. But very interesting, people were so knowledgeable.

My mamanaun, aunt Charlotte and her older daughters also made homemade quilts, braided and hooked rugs with help from my uncles. They pounded and stripped the hardwood ash and made lots of baskets, large, medium and small with beautiful colored trimming. These items were sold in the spring to a buyer that came from New York. A lot of embroidered fancy lacy items were also sold. The cedar mats with sweetgrass, porcupine quills and embroidered flowers were made, small boxes for beaded jewellery. Never in my many years have I seen such beauty before my eyes.

I know the spirits of my people are still with us. My mamanaun's very words: “We never leave you, we are always with you, in spirit and memories.” I love you mamanaun, my tears are for you. Always in my heart.

Great Depression & War

My father worked at many jobs. He would get calls for railroad ties, and because he only had one arm, it was important that he have someone on the other end of a crosscut saw. He trained me well for that job. My sister Gertie drove the team, and hauled the ties. After we loaded the wagon to a place where they could put them on a truck, waiting to take them to town. He also trapped in the winter, and again we helped to stretch the furs on a special shaped board. He was also a logger. During the war and depression years, he worked in a war plant in Detroit, Michigan, and also at the Soo Locks. He and my brother Dan (when he was 13-14), worked 2 summers at a farm on Sugar Island, cutting hay for Oscar Maki and other farm jobs, as well as cutting their winter wood.

My mother was busy raising children and the housework that goes along with it. She did have a job working at the laundry in Michigan Soo. It was while the shipping was in season. They had all the boats going through the locks, and mom was a packer, and she also got employment as an overseer for the army tearing down huts. She kept books for work hours and wages. In those years we had none of the facilities of life today. No electricity, no running water. Mom and Aunt Charlotte made the soap we needed after the butchering was done in the fall. Everyone was allotted food rations. We were farming people, and my people helped to feed many that were not as fortunate. My uncles and us kids also made maple syrup and picked berries for canning.

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Family and my Siblings

We were a busy family because we were a big family. There were both indoor and outdoor chores to be done. Woodcutting, gathering fruit, canning, preserving, gardening, knitting, sewing, quilting, embroidering, housework, etc. There were 12 of us. Gertrude; me (Betty Lou); Daniel; Geraldine; Doreen; Donna; Beverly; Edith; Gail; Joanne (deceased 1975); Willard; and Morley.

My father taught us to value everything. Everything that God put here was provided for all of our needs. Everything has a purpose. My mother taught us to value ourselves. It's important that people respect you and that you are very valued and important. Act in a way to earn those values. What I loved most about my father was all the stories he told us. He also had a good sense of humour and always wanted to entertain and amuse everyone. What I loved most about my mother were her skills and talent. She was a wonderful entertainer (singing, dancing, skits). She would put shows on for us kids through the years.

My sister Gertrude liked for me to tell her stories. We always were very close through the years. My brother Dan liked to be a cowboy. He would go to the pasture where my uncles took the horses to graze, and with our cousins and friends, they would bareback ride and get into trouble with the uncles or other neighbours who would put their horses to pasture too. My sister Gel and I always played tricks on Pauline. She was a mentally challenged person, and we would each put a net over our face with a hat on. We would tell her that “Betty and Gel are not here, they went on a trip. I'm Francis and she's Florence.” Pauline would say “oh.” But she wasn't fooled at all. She would go out, then look in the window at us. Doreen was about 7 years old when Barbara Anne Scott was a champion figure skater. She rapped on the kitchen window and said to me: “Watch me, I'm Barbara Anne Scott.” She skated across a 9'x 9' rink and went head first in the snow bank. She had been putting one foot up and was stretching it back before the fall.

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A Family of My Own

When I was twenty years old, I was married and had 2 children. My daughter (Trudy) was 2 and my son (William) was 3 months old when I was sent to a TB Sanitorium (London). My husband was a wonderful man. God has pulled me through some rough times, and years.

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Baba, Pa

December 30, 1992

On December 9, 1992 my dear Baba passed away in his sleep. I, like everyone else in our family, was very shocked when I got a phone call from my sister Doreen, who was very upset, telling me Baba was dead. He had died in his sleep between about 6 to 8 a.m. We went over immediately, Lana, Kevin and I. He still felt a bit warm, but he looked like he was still sleeping. He looked very peaceful. He was always very active, and had been to a workshop just a couple weeks before he died. His workshop was in Toronto. He was one of the leaders there. People were lined up to get into the room he was in. His workshop lasted until late at night. He never turned anyone away, he had time for everybody that needed him. Whether it be for guidance, or someone searching for their heritage, or maybe making medicine for somebody who was sick, he made time for everyone. His friends were all ages, many teens, right up to his age.

He turned 92 on August 27, 1992. Everyday someone was seeking him out. That work shop was for children of alcoholic parents or drug addiction. When asked how everything was when he got back home, he said “Everything went very well.” He was very happy about all that was accomplished too. “As it should be” were his words. He worked long hours at that workshop. Two nights before he left us, I had been over to a visit with him. We didn't talk too much, but we had more of a quiet time together. When I left he was in bed. I said “Goodnight Baba, I love you very much.” He said “Goodnight Daung shaa shum (I love you very much, Betty Lou).”

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The eagle feather is a very important symbol for Anishinabeg people. Some people reach a very old age before receiving such a high award as the eagle feather. We must always honour and respect the Spirits of our ancestors, who left us many teachings. Truth, honesty, and fairness to all. The straight road the Creator asks us to walk. My own Pa was in his late eighties before receiving a feather, which to him was a great honour. By the time of his, at the age of 92, he had in his possession 7 feathers. This would be like someone in another culture receiving degrees for their learnings at academic institutions. Those feathers are held in high esteem, and he was humbled, and felt so honoured at having earned those. He was also presented with a sacred pipe, which like the feather, holds a place of honour for Anishinabeg. In the white culture, which my Pa respected, and again was very humble, he was given an Honorary Doctorate Degree. It was presented to him at a graduation ceremony in 1980. By Algoma/Laurentian University. His speech, when he was asked to talk to the other student graduates:

“Don't ever give up getting educated. You learn something new every day. Look at me, I'm old,

it's like going from kindergarten to grade one. And I still have a lot to learn to get all my degrees.”

He got a standing ovation, and of course, needless to say, we, his children, were so proud. We made the Kleenex company a little richer. We wished our mom was there, and our sister Joanne. They were with us in spirit, as were our ancestors, who would also be proud of his accomplishments. He will soon be gone 3 years, and a lot of people still come to visit our family, and pay respect to Pa. They visit the cemetery too, and reminisce about all the teachings that he shared with so many. Chief Shingwauk, his grandfather, and my great grandfather, who was Chief of the Ojibway Nation, a respected Christian leader, describes the dream of Anishinabeg in this way:

“We want to be accepted fully as we are, not as someone would want us to be.

We have gifts. We want to celebrate those gifts, and offer them.”

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Strange Happenings

October 27, 1999

My sister Gertie and I were remembering an incident years ago. We were down at Bahshing with Aunt Charlotte and her children. The rest of us were picking blueberries farther down, maybe more so where the Buchanan Lumber Mill was later set up. Aunt Charlotte and Gertie were around the area where Keith and Willy live. They heard voices, Auntie said to Gertie “Shh, keep quiet, lay down in the tall reeds.” And she was behind some trees. They saw four men and girl walking on the road, heading over to where Ojibway Park is now. Two men walked ahead, a girl dressed like a gypsy had her hands tied behind her was walking behind them, and two men followed her. One of them had a gun. We often wondered, when we think about that time, if they were dangerous, would they have harmed anyone had they seen them? And of course, we wonder too about the girl. She had a peasant style blouse and long skirt. They came from around the Shebahbeyaung area, marshy there.

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I also remember back to a time when my cousin Gladys and I were heading down to Bahshing to pick blueberries. Her dad was down there at that time with Mariah Zack. Amos, her husband, had passed away about a year before, and Charlie had lost his wife a year or so before also. I was about 10 years old, and Gladdie about 11. We had lunch, and our baskets, and we were down near to shebahbeyaung, and we noticed this car stopped on the highway. The man was tall and blond wearing black pants and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up below the elbow.

We were on the railroad just waiting to get on the old road leading to bahshing. The ditch was pretty deep with water in that area. This guy hollers out to us “Would you like a ride?” “No!” we hollered back. “We don't have far to go. Our dad is waiting for us.” So he started to chase us, and we ran and ran. He must have believed us when he saw Charlie outside of the shack, because we were crying and hollering at the same time. We just laid on the ground forever. So long, waiting for the pain to leave our lungs and sides. Gladdie was worse for pain than I was. Charlie, Mariah and I had to lift her and carry her into the neat little one room shack. Charlie was quite glad we didn't get caught by that man. Later on, we ate our lunch and Mariah made us some tea that helped to settle our nerves. No blueberry picking that day. Charlie walked us back home, and told my family our scary experience. It wasn't safe back then either from the evil people that harm children.

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Music and Song

This story I'm writing now is about music. We were born into it. People gathered at our house to listen to music. The fiddle players were many, guitar players, and my aunt Charlotte was the church organist for 60 years or more. She also chorded on the pump organ for the fiddlers. She would have lots of practice. My father played fiddle, guitar and organ from a young teenager, until he lost his arm in a hunting accident. One of his nephews, Dick Pine, took him for a deer. That was in the fall, November 27, 1932. The same year he signed up to play professional baseball. He was very well known as one of the best fast ball pitchers. He also pitched for a very famous baseball team, The House of David's, they were called. Once he lost his arm, he lost his equilibrium and wasn't able to pitch at all.

His nephew, Bob Williams, who learned to play violin from watching my Baba, played very well too. The Gravelle's from Sugar Island would hear the music and they would come over on a row boat with their fiddle and guitar. It was the weekend entertainment as we grew up. When I was 4 years old, and my sister 5, we started singing with our mom and Baba. We made our first debut as the Pine Sisters singing at a Christmas Concert. Vincent Zack chorded the guitar, and we sang “On my Dear Old Mother's Knee”: I was happy, happy as can be, I was happy and free on my dear old mother's knee, on the sunny side of the sea (yodel). I was 5, and my sister Gertie was 6 at the time of our start in singing. We performed concerts in our community.

When I was 10 and Gertie 11, my mom had taken us to a show to see “Anchors Aweigh”. Ann Miller was the actress and a great dancer. So my mom said: “Watch all the steps, and pay attention to the music”. When we got home, my mom put us through our routine. Gertie played Anchors Aweigh, and I did the dance routine Ann Miller had done. Our mom had signed us up to be part of the show being put on for the military men leaving for War in 1940. The show was put on at the Gowan Street Arena. My sister and I sang “This is the Army Mr. Jones” (no fancy clothes or telephones) Mr. Brown, Mr. Green (I wish I could remember the words).

I did harmony at an early age 4, 5, 6 years old? It just seemed I was gifted to do harmony. Jesus was always in my heart. Our family always sang gospel. My children love to sing too. We always had music and singing in our home, and proud to be a Christian family. My husband came from a Christian home too. He came to visit his sister, brother-in-law and their children after the War. Bert was a teacher at that time. His family are wonderful people. We met in 1945, and married in 1947. My wonderful husband, my love forever, my wonderful best friend.

The Pine Sisters – Gertie and Betty Lou (1943-1944) sang on radio station CJIC with a native band. Howard Stevens and Jim Agawa (fiddle players), Art Boyer (guitar), Howard McKay (singer). Wilfred Neveau and Matthew Robinson were guest singers. We were booked at different halls by Basil Scully who was our manager, and he also worked for the radio station. He booked us at Nebb Hall, Steelton Hall, Canadian Legion, Bruce Mines, Echo Bay, Haviland Bay, Goulais, and Hilltop (Sugar Island), when it was first opened. We enjoyed our career while it lasted. The band had families and the money paid was not enough to keep your family in food and other necessities. We also got along well with the band members and others. We were just like a family. Through the years some of us would meet. We reminisced, some are long gone and missed, wonderful talent put to rest, and always in our memories.

March 23, 2010

I have sure neglected my “Write my Memories”, but I'll get to it now. I was talking to my kids about my sister Gertie and I going to house parties. We loved to play music, and because we were the musicians and singers, were always invited to the celebrations. I was also known as one of the best steppers. Stepdancing was quite popular back then, and getting money thrown on the floor to keep you dancing was the top prize. Chub Nolan, my sister Gertie's boyfriend at the time, was there to gather the prize money for me. It was always ten dollars or more. Mom was always so proud of me earning that money from dancing. We sure needed it for buying food. When Gertie and I arrived at a party, we were always greeted with hugs and excitement. “The Pine girls are here!” We played piano, guitar and pump organ, sang, and stepdanced.

We also sang on the radio station KDAL, in Duluth Minnesota on the “Corns A-Poppin” radio program. We were (with the other entertainers) paid two silver dollars each. I should say Auntie Gertie Anderson got paid for our singing, we never got it. I finished my second semester of 9th grade there, at the Junior High School, as I talked about earlier in my school experiences.

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Some important lessons I have learned in life. I always appreciate my gramma saying to my Pa: “Dan, never be tired as a parent. Teach your children about survival and everyone has to learn about life, and working skills. By the time a child is 10 years old, that child should be molded into the kind of person you want them to be when they grow up. You are parents til the day they bury you. Then your work on earth is done. So never be too tired to listen when your child has something to say. God trusted you with these children, they are important people. It helped me to be a good mother. My children and their children are my blessings. I enjoy my family very much, we love being together. And they are my teachers too. I'm never too old to learn.

I do believe God had a special calling for me. Our singing was our calling, and we were blessed with this talent to share with others. It is a way of teaching God's word in song. I always believe that God in our lives has brought us through many rough roads, and we have certainly enjoyed many happy times and occasions all through the years. My sweetheart surviving the years of war, coming home and meeting me. His words (“the most beautiful girl in the world”). Being blessed with nine beautiful children, with many more blessings to follow. Our in-law children, grandchildren, great grandchildren. The blessings have been abundant, for which I thank you God every day. Amen

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“I have a lot of fun with my kids, just the same.”

When we lived in rural route #4 Tarentorus Highway East, I had to go into the city to pick up some grocery items. My sister Gel came to mind the children. I went out to the corner where the bus stopped, and just as it came along and the bus door opened, my two boys, Bill and George jumped in ahead of me and ran to the back of the bus. So I signalled to them to go back home, they shook their heads no. So I didn't want to cause a scene, so I got on and sat about centre of the bus, and it was faily filled. When we got into town, we got off at East near Queen. So I said “Well boys, what was the idea of running out and getting on the bus?” Bill did the talking. He said “Well, George and I decided we had to come up, because we each need to get a pop gun.” Bill was 6 and George about 4. Some of the neighbourhood boys had them, and I guess it was the most popular gun going.

So after we stopped for groceries and whatever other errands I needed to do, we went and shopped at the Metropolitan dime store. We purchased 2 pop guns, then we caught the bus back home. They were probably costing about a dollar and a half each one, back then. So when we get home, I find out from my sister that they climbed out the upstairs window onto the shed roof, then jumped to the ground. While she was yelling out the window at them, they ran in the house and locked the door to the stairway. Then ran out the the corner and beat me getting on the bus. My sister managed to get the door open.

I talked to the boys after supper and told them it wasn't very nice locking auntie Gel upstairs. Bill, always the spokesperson said “Well she locked us in first!” So I said “It was because she was trying to keep you guys from going to get on the bus.” He said “But George and me needed to go so we could get our guns.” “But anyway,” I said “you should say that you are sorry to auntie Gel.” They both chorused “Sorry Auntie Gel.” And she said “Don't you boys do that again. Next time I'll have to spank you guys.” When they marched to bed, I believe they had their guns over their shoulders. Many a wild bear was brought down. Not forgetting the outlaws that were scared off.

Love you, Mom

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1996

I'm thinking of a cute little story from years ago. John and Lana had gone to Sunday school, and when I asked them what they had learned or done while there, John (aged 4) replied: “I had two meatballs and farted once.”

Another time, I had started supper and the kids came in from school. John was in kindergarten at the time. I told the kids that Sandy hadn't come home from school yet. I sent the kids to look for him. They pulled him home on a sleigh. I said to him: “Look at you, you're soaked right through!” John replied, “I was sliding on dead man's heel (hill).” So I said, “You have to report here to let us know where you are.” We all had a good laugh over that one.

December 27, 1997

It's very quiet around here tonight. Lieron is gone to spend the night with her cousins Aleigha and Linnea, Auntie Stacey. Trudy and Lana are gone to Reggie's Bar with Auntie Gel, Janice and Sherri. Kevin is up in his room, Bonnie is in her room, and me – mom- is down here all by me own self. I have a notion to make me a good cup of tea, and then after that I will “hit the hay”. Why not eh? What have I got to lose? More to gain. I'll probably rise at 6 or 6:30 am. Well, that's okay too. A person should enjoy the early morning activities.

You know I didn't realize until the clock gonged that it's exactly 12 pm. How could I have been so absorbed in what I was writing about, not to notice the time ticking by?! Well I guess the quiet of the evening caused it. I thought it was 10, 10:30. Well enough of this arguing by myself, call it a day. Put my pen down, but before I do, say good night, and say I love you. Your Mommy.

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July 1998

Lieron planned a BBQ for her 7th birthday, because she didn't really have a party in May. Her and Aleigha decided on snacks, games, and activities. (Later) The party was a success, no doubt of that. Uncle Vern was in charge of barbecuing (sausages, hamburgers, sirloin steaks and hot dogs). His specialty, pork shishkabobs, with grilled pineapple and steamed rice. Auntie Lana & Auntie Betty-Anne were in charge of kitchen duty – salads, meatloaf and veggies. Auntie Faye brought her famous macaroni and tuna salad. Bonnie made a beautiful cake with whipped cream icing. Auntie Trudy and Auntie Pinky oversaw the children's activities. Uncle George, Uncle Marvin and sons with escorts kept the games going. All in all a good time was enjoyed by everyone.

List of names of everyone attending goes as such: Gramma Graw, Auntie Lana, Uncle Kevin, Auntie Trudy, Bonnie, hostess Lieron and assistants Aleigha and Linnea McLean. Uncle Marvin, Auntie Pinky, son Warren, wife Claudette, grandson Matthew. Daughter Lynne's children – Aislinne, Todd Nathan and Alyssa. Uncle George, Auntie Faye and sons- Chris, Jed, Ben, David. Uncle Vern, Auntie Betty-Anne and daughter Alexandra. Charlie, Fiancee Tammy, son Josh. Melissa Grawbarger. Bo and Brett Boissoneau. (2 pets Ceceilia and Laddie). So that's about all the news, it sure was fun. Love Editor – Mom

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September 26, 1999

Lana, Melissa and Alexandra were looking through the photo albums, and they came across a picture of Lana Rosemary when she was standing on a chair, and celebrating either her 1st or 2nd birthday. Her birthday cake looked pretty nice. It looked like she was ready to blow out the candles. So auntie commented to the girls, that Lana turned thirteen this year on July 24th. Then went on to say how she had been up at Lakehead (Thunder Bay) University when Lana was born. She came home the end of July, and had done some shopping for the new baby, her namesake.

I wasn't home yet from my summer job, but would be in a few days. So her, Dad and Kevin were preparing to go visit the new arrival. Lana said “Oh daddy – just imagine, another Lana in the family.” So dad said “Yeah, that's mind boggling alright.” So of course they all commented and laughed. Dad had that wit about him.

Today I'm going to make a couple pumpkin and raisin pies. The weather seems right for that. Everyone's been saying we haven't had pie for quite a while. So I'd better get going on that. This morning I baked some shortbread biscuits, and we had a couple each for lunch, Kev and I. A little overcooked by about 10 minutes, but tasty and crusty. I was reading a book by Dorothy Garlock, good writer, good book. At the end of her book was a recipe called “chocolate gravy”, very good she says. That was during the depression years. Name of the book “With Heart”.

Famous Recipe “Chocolate Gravy”

(Served on warm shortbread biscuits)

4 level Tbsp. Corn starch (or 8 tbsp flour-used by her gramma)

2 level tbsp. Cocoa

1/2 c. White sugar

dash of salt

2 c. Milk

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 tbsp. Butter

In a pan, sift together first four ingredients. Add milk slowly – cook over medium heat, stirring until thick. Remove from heat, add vanilla & butter – serve over hot biscuits.

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January 26, 2005

Hey! Can you believe it is this many years since I last wrote in this book (2002). I either got very lazy or neglectful. We had another wonderful Christmas. So much to be thankful for. And again, I said when I viewed the Christmas tree “If possible, it is more beautiful than last year.” I told the famous Christmas story. This time my daughter-in-law Adyne has it on a recorder, so I'm getting more popular. I have a lot of fun with my family, just the same. The two new members of our family spent their first Christmas at Gramma Graw's too. And we had our pictures taken. Four generations now:

Cody Alexander – September 30, 2004

Reagan William – October 9, 2004

Gramma Graw – Son John, grandaughter Jo-Ann, great grandson Cody

Gramma Graw – Son Bill, grandson Bill Jr., great grandson Reagan

I still need picture taken of my other great grandchildren. Four generations pictures. We do have some, but not everybody. Maybe this summer would be a good time to get pictures. We spend more time together in summer.

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March 21, 2006

“My Sidekick”

Hi my dearest Lana Louie. I was snooping about and came up with my book received in 1999 at Christmas, and I thought to myself; “Hey, something wrong here! I better get busy and do some speed writing. I sure have lots of memories to write about.” You were born to George and Betty Lou Grawbarger at the Plummer Memorial Hospital on April 2, 1955, 8 lbs 3 oz. It was a beautiful sun shiny morn. According to Dr. Thomas Black you were a month early. You were born about a little past 1:30 p.m. The doctor and nurses were talking: “What a beautiful baby girl, red hair and curly.” I already knew my babies were beautiful. God has blessed me over and over, I am so proud and grateful. And I praise and thank God for the many blessings everyday. Your favourite Mom.

When you were 2 years old, you were attacked by our pet cat, and you were in hospital for three weeks getting the anti-rabies shots. It was a very upsetting time for us. The cat had gotten rabies from some source. We were not allowed to see you because you were in isolation. Dad and I took turns staying at the hospital much as we could. Later on we were told by the Doctor that in the medical journal there was a report that two adult males and a two year old infant survived the attacks by rabid animals. The two year old infant was you.

Later on in years I was reading a McLean's magazine in a doctors office waiting room, I came

across an article that people who were injured by a rabid animal and needed to take the anti-rabie shots had the side effects of kidney trouble and damaged eyesight, and you had both. I wished I was able to salvage the magazine.

April 27, 2008 (from Lana Lou)

Miigwetch Mom for your memories. It always amazed me that a mom with nine children remember so much about each one. You always made us feel so individual and unique, never “lumped” together. I always enjoy it so much when you relate all our stories of our growing up – all the antics we pulled off. Thank you for remembering “me”. It makes me feel special. ~Lana

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August 1, 2010

This one evening I'm remembering back to when Ben was about 10 years old or so. He had gathered up a few pop bottles and Grampa had some change that he always kept in a cup in the china cabinet. So he figured he had enough to get a few treats for his cousins, Kyle and Tedi-Lyn and himself. So he got this bottle of Italian pop of a sort. After having a sip, he didn't like it. David was there too. David is the one that bought the Italian drink, so he was left with just enough money to get a “jaw breaker”. So he figured he was really “hard done by”. He was sitting at the edge of his chair with a very sad look. Ben spent his share wisely, he had 2 bags of potato chips. So of course, I'm looking at David, and I'm feeling so sorry. So I kind of talked to Ben about how pitiful David looked, and I added on about this pop drink he bought. Then I said “Why didn't he like it?” So Ben said “I guess because it tasted like whiskey.” So Dave's face just lit up. “Hey I know, let's give it to Grampa.” Of course that really brought a laugh out of everybody.

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This one other time I'm babysitting Boyd and Sandy, Kyle and Tedi-Lyn. So this good movie was coming on at 8 pm. I said “Let's get ourselves nice and comfortable, and watch this movie, it's a good one.” They all agreed “Yeah gramma.” So we sat ourselves comfortable. So Boyd said “Oh wait a minute Gram, I have to use the bathroom.” Before Boyd came back, Kyle decides he should use the bathroom. Then I heard this bit of a cough from Kyle. So I'm thinking, gee Boyd had gone to his wrestling learning evening class. I called out to Boyd “Now be careful with them wrestling holds Boyd!” I'm trying to get the rest of the message out to be careful, and not be practising those on Kyle. As we all knew, Boyd was Kyle's hero. Kyle said to me “Gramma it's alright, Boyd didn't mean it, his hug turned into a choke.”

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When George and Faye lived on Metzger Street (Christmas Eve), I'm the babysitter. They were out shopping for Santa Claus. So about 6pm, we had just finished supper. Ben said to me “Gramma, I'm going to sing Christmas songs in our neighbourhood, to raise money for people who can't afford to have Christmas.” “Well Ben” I said, “how nice for you to do that. Go ahead.” So, he was gone about an hour, and he came home with $12. “Oh Ben,” I said “you sure did well. What Christmas songs did you sing?” He sang the Twelve Days of Christmas and couldn’t remember what the days were so he filled it in with his own words for the days.

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“How will our children know who they are

if they don't know where they came from?”

(Ma in Grapes of Wrath)

July 11, 1997

To my dear children, I love you so much. Even when I'm no longer here, I'll be here in your memories. You will always know I care for you. My love will always surround you. God has blessed me with a beautiful family. I love the people my children loved and married, and I think of them as a blessing to our family also.

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June 2, 1998

Sometimes as the years go by, I have reason to wonder about my role as a mother. I really always thought I did my best, and if this is alright and you believe me, I want to thank you for that. And again, if I didn't live up to what you would have wanted a mom to be, then I would want you to know how sorry I am. And that I wish I could go back and make amends, but I can't. All I can say is that no mom ever loved her children more than I, I will always love you and be here when you need me. And also, if I can hear about your doubts and whatever you think I may have said, or coped with a problem unfairly, please tell me, and I will try to right my wrongs. I love you and thank God for all of you, and my in-law children and my grandkids, forever and ever, Mom.

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October 27, 1998

Would you believe me if I say I'm sorry? I need to be careful how I word things. I need to mind my own business. That would probably be the more simpler way to stay out of trouble. A person never learns enough in a lifetime, that's me. I envy people who do. Right now I feel a tightness at the back of my throat. I don't want to give in to crying, that would be admitting to weakness. I'm a cowardly person as it is about so many things. I try my best to stay strong if I can. Don't be too harsh on me. I don't mean to be sarcastic. I don't want to hurt my children by saying nasty remarks. So if you can truly forgive me for my rudeness, I would think of that as a kindness on your part.

I remain, sincerely, a loving mother, Betty-Lou

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I would probably say I was born and raised a Christian. I tried my very best to live my life and raise my family to live a good life. Always to be kind and loving to each other and others. My husband was from a Christian family too. It's a natural daily way of life to be aware of others. To be helpful when we are needed. I'm forever grateful for God's blessings, for the beautiful family we have, and for all he provided for us. Most of all for granting us the strength and power to get through the hard times. Without God's love and caring, and the love of our children, and their helpful ways, it would not have been possible at times. Thank you God, thank you kids. I love you.

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(Answers from a memory book)

Who was the first person to talk to you about God?

I was raised in a Christian home, and everyone attended church every Sunday. Only if a person was feeling a bit under the weather and preferred to stay home and rest. Bible reading of the service of that day would be read out loud after lunch. Then my aunt Charlotte played hymns and everyone sang. The Sabbath it was called, you only did the necessary chores. I guess I could say that church played a big part in our lives. We had one service at 10 a.m. at the church, and 7 o'clock was held at the schoolhouse. The Sunday school class was held at 2 p.m. at the school. So everything on Sunday was a church day. Everyone wore suits and neckties, women wore hats, some even wore silk gloves.

Reverend Frank Coyle gave me a bible. I was probably in my 40's. I like listening to others read. Lana was a good reader, of not only the bible, also other books. Dad had a bible his mother left him. So really we've had bibles in our home through the years. I also like stories of lots of books. Mystery is my favourite. The first book I read myself was called “Tarzan of the Apes”. I was ten years old, and I got the book from the Christmas Sunday school party. That book and a knitted hat and mitts, colour blue. I sure loved that story. I read it in the outhouse, a lantern for light. Brrr. It was pretty cold too.

Did a pastor or visiting missionary ever come to visit?

Yes, indeed. Our home seemed to be the centre of gatherings. Reverend Baggot King Edwards was a frequent visitor when we lived on the highway. I especially remember him, he like dropping by a couple times a month. We always made tea and put out sandwiches and cookies. Auntie Gel and her children were living with us. This one particular time, I heard a car drive in and I wasn't prepared for company. I ran to get dressed, properly slipped and went tumbling to the floor, limped to my bedroom, pulled on my jeans and a shirt, came out and greeted the Reverend. So we got unflustered and were able to entertain our visitor. He really liked visiting with Dad too. So a lot of times he stopped by on a Saturday as well.

When did you first start to pray?

As a child I seem to think that saying the Lord's Prayer was like a habit. We started our school day with prayers from the prayer book (9-9:30 a.m.). Every Friday afternoon the Minister came and we all said the Ten Commandments, Apostles Creed and Lord's Prayer. At home from 3-3:30 p.m., the grace was said at every meal. At night time we said the prayer: Now I lay me down to sleep. The winters were cold. I remember jumping into bed still saying the prayer and finishing the end of the prayer under the blankets. I would lay beside my mamanaun, putting my cold feet on her legs, poor her, mean me.

A Special Hideaway/Playhouse

Well, the place I like to remember is the upstairs over the kitchen. In the fall, the apples were stored until they were put into preserves of a sort, some dried. The pumpkins, squash and Indian corn hung on rafters to dry out. I always was impressed watching my family preserving all the garden vegetables. A lot was put into the root house too. Some of the maple syrup was stored in the root house. They also had a wood chest, especially for the maple sugar. I always loved the treat of sour cream on bread sprinkled with maple sugar. Also when cottage cheese was being made, my mamanaun would ladle some into bowls and sprinkle maple sugar on it. It was a great treat. Someday we will go to a farm and buy some cream to fry, and dip our bannock or baked potato. You haven't tasted anything like fried cream. You would really like it.

Crazy Fads from Grade School

What could I write about? I always enjoyed school. Recess times in the spring and fall we played ball, “scrub ball” they called it. In winter we always had a skating rink. I always loved skating and swimming too. The boy’s hockey team were short two players. So Elva and I were picked to play hockey. Our school against the Catholic School. It was fun, very rough, but fun. I was twelve then and very tall for my age. Elva was short and stocky. We took our turns clearing the rink after a storm. I was also a very fast runner. I seemed to take the prize at all our fall fairs at the races through the years for my age group (I could run for miles and never get tired). Same as skating. My Pa said I could have been a speed skater. I believe him, I just felt like I was flying. Uncle Alex put my first pair of skates on me when I was 10 years old, and he tied them to my boots with a special kind of cord.

Memorable Valentine

You won't believe this, I never in all my life ever received or gave a Valentine's card. Why? I don't know. I never remember making cards at school. I don't think it was done back then. So strange, isn't it?! My, I've had a lot of memories. But when I try to think of Valentine's Day and cards...absolutely nil, nothing. But you know, I don't think it was thought of. Maybe, because I grew up in the depression and war time years, we depended on ration stamps to survive. Even Christmas and Easter compared to what we see today, was very sparse. One or two needed gifts for Christmas, and real boiled eggs coloured with crayons for Easter.

How far to travel to school

I travelled to Duluth Minnesota on the train in January 1943, where I was enrolled in Junior High. I completed my grade nine there after I left the Shingwauk Residential School. I had a tough time being away from home. I had a tutor almost right through.

What scent or sound immediately takes you back to childhood?

Sometimes I think it might be vanilla? I remember my mamanaun making a cake or pudding. She made what was a steam Indian pudding. The liquid was made from sugar browned in an iron skillet. Very good. Also bahmbahsh, which was a variety of whatever was in the pantry. Such as raisins, prunes, dried apples, grated carrot. This was mixed into a bread pudding, then wrapped in pastry and baked. I will write a recipe. Right now I am remembering camphor oil. I used to rub my mamanaun's feet and she rubbed mine. It was such a feeling of warmth, comfort.

Favourite meal as child

When I came home from school in winter my mamanaun would have turnips baking in the woodstove oven (small baby turnips) with sour cream, salt pork drippings, bannock and tea with sugar. My first language then was Ojibwe. My mamanaun and I were alone quite a lot in winter times. We enjoyed eachother's stories of every day. I told her stories of school, and I would read to her from my reader (John, Mary, Peter and Jane). I would translate as good as I could. She would laugh a lot and enjoy my reading. I also sang and danced for her, she always drummed her fingers on the table to keep time. She sang songs too, mostly chanting.

Name of favourite pet

Okay, I never had a pet of my own. My mamanaun had a cat. She called her Gaunzheganse (cat in Indian), and the cat only understood Ojibwe. She slept in a basket under our bed. When mamanaun had her evening pipe, Gaunzheganse would jump up onto her lap, laze there and enjoy the heat from the stove, while mamanaun rocked in her rocking chair. My mama had three pipes a day. At 10 in the morning, 2 or 3 p.m. And 7 or 8 p.m. She mixed tobacco with red willow bark. She probably used it as a pain reliever because she had rheumatism very bad.

First Job

When I was 11 years old, I babysat for my cousin Addie. She had a cleaning job over in Michigan Soo for a couple weeks. No pay for me. That was alright. My mom arranged for me to babysit so Addie could work and buy some badly needed food. Then when I was 12 years old, mom arranged for me to work for a lady (Monica Adams) in Michigan Soo for two weeks babysitting. She was having her 8th baby. A red haired boy who weighed at birth, 13 pounds. Her sisters kept the three oldest children, and I kept the four younger.

It was during the depression and war years. Being the second eldest of a big family, I had lots of experience. I did all the housework, laundry, cooking and child care. Monica was a wonderful lady, and mentioned her appreciation many times. The children really got along well with my care. When mom and new baby came home, I made sure she had her rest. I took on the care of bathing and changing the baby and making the formula. When I left to come home, she paid me $12.00 plus an added $3.00 for a bonus. With the extra $3 I bought a large jar of peanut butter and a large mayonnaise, two loaves of bread, two spice cakes and some candy for the younger siblings. The $12 in the envelope was for my mom to grocery shop. During the war, if your child could work to help out for buying food, you were excused from school.

When I was done with my job, Monica Adams made arrangements for me to ride on the bus that her brother in law, Joe Leask drove. We crossed on the ferry to Sugar Island, and I got off the bus at Myrtle Lesage's home (my mom’s good friend). Her two daughters, Emily and Frieda, brought me over on their row boat to my home – Garden River. It was November and the first of winter snow with strong winds made for very rough travelling. They were good boat drivers, my good friends.

What did you do to Celebrate Birthdays growing up

In my growing up years, in the depression years of the thirties and the second world war years, we had what was called food ration coupons. So whatever the situation at that time of a birthday, a cake was always a treat. If there was more than one birthday in the family that month, one cake would do for all, and it continued in that manner. I always shared a birthday cake with my sister Doreen on her birthday, which was October 8th, mine the 5th. Sometimes I'm thinking too of the circumstances of not living with my mom and Pa, so there was a difference. My mamanaun always made molasses cake and molasses cookies, which was a favourite for everyone. I always had a special treat of maple sugar in the winter, sprinkled on my bread with sour cream. That was a really good treat.

Helpful Gardening Tips:

Gardening to me was always a job of, first of all, dropping the potatoes into the dig outs. Someone else coming with a hoe and covering over. Same as the corn. The vegetable garden was done near the house, and was the last to go in after the potatoes, corn, turnips and cabbage. Tomatoes were planted over by the Elm trees near the fenced in area for the pigs. Squash, pumpkins and cucumbers were near the barn where the corn patch was. We had three areas where the potatoes would be planted. A good size garden that kept us busy weeding and getting rid of the potato bugs. Then the berry picking started. Mom, aunt Charlotte, along with mamanaun did the canning. There was a roothouse for the storing of vegetables, and the sauerkraut was kept there too.

Memorable Books as a Child

Tarzan and the Apes I got from the Sunday School Christmas parcel. I read that in the outhouse, a lantern for light. It was a sad story, but an interesting one of being raised by the apes in the African jungle. Black Beauty I read in school. We had a half hour reading time if we finished our school work. Then we had a teacher, Albert Smith, who read to us every Friday from 3 to 4 p.m. He was one of those readers who could make us feel we were right in that story book too. We laughed, we cried. The White Oaks of Jalna, Wuthering Heights, Little Women. He was a great reader. We also walked up to the rapids to listen to the water rushing, and picked spring flowers. We enjoyed the beginning of new life, birds singing, all the buds coming alive, a good feeling.

“Love to all”

I am really pleased to receive these books. Thank you deep from my heart Lannie Louie. She brought these ones home on June 25, 1992. She was away to the General Synod meeting in Toronto for the Council of Native Ministries of Canada. And with much emotion, I was able to view a tape of Lana when she spoke of the needs of the native people. My daughter-in-law Adyne took the time and patience to make the tape. Thank you Adyne. Whether my children are aware of it, I take much notice of all that they do. My heart fills with love, pride and joy. I appreciate and love my family. (hand drawn picture of a person with their arms stretched wide - Love them this much)

My True and Only Love

George Ray Grawbarger was named after his mother's brother, George Clarke. He was born on September 7, 1913. His heritage was Irish (mother's side) and Dutch (father's side). Our first date was in December of 1945. We went out for dinner with Sheila (George's niece), Gertrude, me and grandpa. He was 32 years old when we met, and he lived in Thor Lake (behind Sudbury) at the time. He earned his living as a guide for a tourist lodge, a trapper, logger (teamster) and lumber man. I liked him because he was a good person and very kind. I found myself thinking about him all the time, even when he was away, and looked forward to seeing him again. Grandpa said he liked me because I was the most beautiful girl in the world (even after children and our tough times together). When we dated, we liked to visit eachother at my parent’s home, and also at his sister and brother-in-law's home.

Our courtship lasted two years. When I told my parents, they talked about it. Grandpa had to ask permission to marry me, because consent had to be signed (under 18 years). My mother had asked me how I felt about it. We became engaged in the spring of 1947, and I received my engagement ring in the mail. When grandpa proposed he said “I know I am a lot older than you. I struggle with that. You are all I think about. I love you and I would like for us to get married. I can't imagine myself being with anyone else.” He was having a hard time with our age difference, but I knew it would be alright.

We were married on September 25, 1947 at 2:00 pm at St. John's Anglican Church in Garden River, Ontario. I wore white satin with a pearl studded veil. We celebrated our wedding day by inviting friends and relatives to a feast and dancing at the community hall. Our wedding was celebrated for three days, as was the tradition then. Our most memorable wedding gift was the beautiful feast and baking my mom and relatives prepared. The most vivid memory of my wedding day was the walk down the aisle, holding my Pa's arm and saying my vows to the man who would be my husband, and listening to his vows to me. After we married we travelled to a lot of homes of elderly people who couldn't make it to the wedding. Some were bedridden. I gave my bouquet of Gladiolas to Sarah Wahbunosa, who was very sick.

When Dad and I were first married we lived in Garden River. He worked in a sawmill in summer and the logging camp in the winter. We moved to my dad's logging camp, and my husband was a very hard worker. He drove a team of horses to haul logs, and I cooked there for the men cutting logs. We lived there for 2 years with my mom and Pa. When we took trips we went to Garden River to visit mom, Pa, my sisters and brothers. We also watched t.v. Programs. We went home every 3 to 4 months and stayed overnight. As a wife I tried to be kind, loving, caring and worked hard to look after my family. My fondest memory of our first home is after I came home from the TB Sanitorium in 1951 and was reunited with my husband and our two eldest children. It was nice to finally settle in our own home. We were so happy in our little house. Dad was a Slinger at Algoma Steel from 1950 to 1976. He retired with very bad arthritis in his feet and legs.

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GRAWBARGER, Betty Lou Erskine Shingwauk. October 5, 1930 – December 19, 2014. It is with grateful hearts that we celebrate our awesome Mother, and the incredible human being she was. She nurtured in us, her family, the love and unfailing faith we needed to care for her and let her go. She will always be with us, for love never dies. She will be reunited with her beloved husband George and son Kevin and all our relations who have gone on before. The second of twelve children of the late Daniel & Loretta Pine. Beloved sister to the late Gertrude Kehoe (late Stanley), Daniel Pine (late Yvonne), Geraldine Kitts (late Leonard), Doreen Lesage (Harold), late Donna Pine (late Albert Boissoneau), Beverly Belleau (Bernard), Edith Zack (John), Gail Souliere (Stanley), late Joanne Louttit (Leslie), Willard Pine (Marie), Morley Pine (Marlene). We, her children, entrust her to God and his never failing love and care. Trudy, William (Adyne), Loretta (late Marvin Wagner), George (Faye), Lana Lou, John (Jennifer), Betty-Anne (Vernon), Theodore (Carla), and her precious son Kevin, who left us much too soon. She leaves a legacy of 18 grandchildren, 27 great grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren, with one on the way! She married into the Grawbarger clan of Restoule in 1947 and loved her “husband’s people” very much. She will be lovingly remembered in the hearts of countless nieces and nephews in the Pine and Grawbarger families. She made an indelible impression on everyone she met and was a true friend. Family and friends are invited to call at the Arthur Funeral Home & Cremation Centre on Sunday, December 28, 2014 from 4-10pm. A celebration of Betty Lou’s life will be held from the chapel on Monday, December 29, 2014 at 1pm. Right Rev. Dr. Stephen Andrews, Rev. David Jack and Mr. Willard Pine officiating. Memorial contributions to the Algoma Residential Community Hospice (ARCH) would be appreciated by the family. Expressions of sympathy may be made at www.arthurfuneralhome.com.