AUTOBIOGRAPHY
WILLIAM JAMES HUNT - LATER LIFE
CONTINUED
This was again the work of our lord Jesus Christ he knew I had to come to Canada to get to the bottom of why my lungs were cloudy, then that was how he brought Susan and Isabel into my life believe me, what I have already said throughout my life how our Lord God Jesus Christ has been watching over me, but remember it may take a long time for God to get it set up. I thank God every night when I say my prayers. Read on you will find a lot more of the work of the Lord in my Life. Always keep God-Jesus Christ in your heart and you will never regret it all your life. Also remember I am only an ordinary man, all my life with God, we are all equal.
Before I go further I would like to say what really took place when I eventually had a chest x-ray, back all those years in England when they found my lungs cloudy, before I came to live in Canada. After this I was sent to the specialist in Halifax hospital there and he gave me all the tests but still every thing was negative, he continued to check me every three months on and off. After Twelve months he said he would send this report and the x-rays up to the miners medical centre in Scotland, because I had worked in the coal mines for four years back in the 1935. That again came back negative, that was his last hope as it was not coal dust or stone dust. This is when he eventually gave up on me and said I would have to live with it.
Now you know how GOD had worked on me all my life, bringing people to me that he knew could help me just like he had brought Susan and Isabel into my life. Now you know if you believe in Jesus Christ you will have a better life believe me! My mother brought me up with "Keep God in your heart you will never regret it," believe me how true those words have been.
There are so many things like this happened to me all my life, when you read this story you will see for yourself how I have received the power of God's guidance throughout my life to this day in 2005. Also the little miracles that has happened to me from the time I could remember, (think back to the conversation of the Gipsy in 1925.) How true that as turned out to be right. I remember those words of that Gipsy so long back in the years, because God give me a computer memory and it is true. From that time I still can record things, and conversation that the lay preacher told me.
Let me again go back to Isabel, the next time I called to visit my Doctor, I told him what Isabel had found out about my "deep breathing," I told him when he received my medical papers from England what that was all about, and had all the checks in England by the specialist they could not find anything, all checks came back negative, I was so pleased that God got me to meet up with Susan and then Isabel. I told my Doctor that she give me a cure for my palpitations, his answer to me was, "I don't believe in them Bill." I told him I do not care what you believe in, she is the one that got me back in good health again. "Well, Bill, it's a free world, and you have the right to your own beliefs."
Wait until the next time I went to visit him, he again asked me what I had been given for my Thyroid. I said, I thought you didn't believe in them things, when I told him I noticed he wrote it down on my papers. But I did not tell him I could not take kelp. When I told Isabel I could not take kelp she told me to take one drop of iodine in glass of water instead. I was not going to tell him that.
Now I'know why some people die young, because they put their trust in such medical Doctors. I'm glad they are not all the same. The day is coming soon when they will all believe in other forms of treatment! I have medical papers from a Doctor Whitaker, M.D. Nutritional Medicine. I will tell you now, that you had better believe in Naturopathic Physicians; I go to one now that we have in Kelowna. I have found that when you receive your results it will show you what your body needs, vitamins and minerals, also if your body has too high amounts.
I was put on drugs when I first had fibrillation, the specialist tried me on five different drugs that he had, but they all made me worse in the end when I told him I could not take drugs as I had a very sensitive stomach. He told me I would have to have a Pacemaker put in to control it. If that is what it takes, so be it. I know that we still have lots of medical problems that vitamins are not the answer every time, the same goes for drugs. They still are finding cures for other problems. One day they will eventually do-away with lots of drugs.
The world is now finding out that Vitamins are much better for you than the Drugs but not in every case, I have been taking certain vitamins since I was fifteen years old. A book came into my life in 1950 the book is still with me today "Look Younger Live Longer" by Gaylord Hauser and at that time we only knew that vitamins like A.B.C.D and most of all was E. Just a list what he wrote: "THE WONDER FOODS" (VITAMIN B AND IT'S FAMILY) (BREWERS YEAST) (POWDERED SKIM MILK) (YOGHOURT) (WHEAT GERM) (BLACK TREACLE) (AMINO ACIDE) and A C D E (FORTIFIED MILK) We did not know about minerals in those early years, now today we are learning all the time. I got the magazine '"Prevention" indeed it is better than cure; I followed that for years.
(What my Dad forgot was that it was I who bought that book by Gaylord Hauser from the Health Food store; when I left for Canada in 1961 that book was left behind. He got the book when I left for Canada and not in 1950 - Keith Hunt)
Have your hair analyzed and you will find out what your body needs instead of just taking them haphazard. If you can visit your Naturopathic family Physician do so because when I first found one in Kelowna, I decided to make an appointment to see him, I found out that the main reason for having palpitations and what I needed to take. I was told again but I still stick to what Isabel said about the iodine and my thyroid, we are in, 2005 and now I do not have Palpitations. If I do, I will carry on doing what Isabel told me.
Remember, lots of time vitamins are much better than drugs the Doctor will give you. There are some things that drugs are all they have at the present time for certain things. I can now say I have not had any more trouble to this day December 2004. Remember, God had guided my life and this will prove to anyone reading this story how God guided me to Canada when God knew they could not clear out my cloudy lungs and then meeting Susan and Isabel. If anyone can tell me that it is not the guidance of the LORD then what is? Look back at my story as time after time in my life and see God has been with me each day.
Now it was New Year's Eve. I went with my friends to the Church to the morning service as usual the rest of the day I was at home. I did not stop up to welcome in the New Year as Edith and I used to do, I went to bed at the usual time 10-30 p.m. I always said my prayers before going to sleep and to thank God for another year in my life. I also thank him every night for the wonderful life I have received, and to thank him for the help he has given to all disabled children.
WE ARE INTO THE YEAR 1997
I was now back into the same routine doing my inside chores until the weather gets better then I will be working outside around my home. I was still going bowling until the end of April, I still kept myself very busy and would phone my friends in U.K. now and then; the days were passing by very quickly and last year I started typing my "Life Story" after I finished bowling at the end of April. I did try in April 1995 but it was to close to the loss of Edith. I will carry on this year once again after finishing bowling.
I did go back to my story inbetween all the other work I had in my life, I like to keep busy and still typing my life story. After the bowling finished in May, and all the banquets over I had time to work in the garden and get it nice like I always do. During the next few weeks, between finishing bowling and getting prepared to come to the U.K. I was not happy being on my own going on my trip to the U.K. but all my friends said you must go and pull yourself out of it, my best friend Irene said to me Edith would want you to go.
In the mean time while packing I got a phone call from Keith. The firm he was working for told him they would have to put him on insurance for the summer months. He had a suggestion, and he wanted me to think it over. He suggested that he came with me for the duration of my holiday. I asked him first, if he was coming on his own, yes he said, I then asked him if he had the fare to fly to Manchester, and he asked what the cost would be, at that stage, I didn't know what the cost of my own fare was going to be. I told him I would go out on Monday and get all the information, and if he rang me on the following Sunday I would have the prices for the full cost of the trip. I also told him that I would cover the cost of his stay over in the U.K. if he would drive me around at night.
When he rang on the Sunday, I told him it would be around $780 from Toronto to Manchester.
I thought about it all the next week and decided that I would pay that fare if he would drive me around at night as my eyes were not good for night driving, when he next rang me I told him that if he could find all the fare from Toronto to Manchester ($780) I would pay his fare from New Brunswick to Toronto, I will ring you , next week and let you know. The following Sunday he rang me again and said I can pay the full fare from Toronto to Manchester, I agreed with that and told him I would get the tickets from my agent for him as well if he promised to bring the money with him and give it to me when we meet up at Manchester.
Now, how I fell for one more of their dirty tricks, I trusted him to carryout what he had promised, what a fool I have been all through my life. The reason why I made that offer to him was because I had already asked my two best friends Bob and Barbara, if they knew of any student, or any one that would accompany me to Wales, and willing to drive me around, especially at night Of course, I would have to pay someone to do that, and pay them to stay in a hotel too. Once everything was settled, he said he would bring the fare money with him.
We had been staying in Pontefract, with Irene and Michael my one and only niece I always stay with them when I visit U.K. I had also booked a cottage in a place near my home village in a seaside town called Mumbles in South Wales for two weeks, I did this specially to give Keith a good holiday, and also booked another week (in Brecon, it's on our way home to Halifax).
We were going to set off the third Sunday of our holiday. We left early in the morning, so that we would get to Wales for suppertime. When we arrived at the cottage we could not find the key so we had to ring the owner, eventually was told where the key could be found, but it was too expensive to stay any longer than a week and to cold at night in that cottage. We had a bit of supper then decided we would go for a walk around.
It had been a very warm day, and the walk was very pleasant, then it was time for bed.
We only stayed a week in the cottage. It was freezing cold at night, and had to keep the electric fire on all night long. We moved on to Brecon, to a very nice flat in a farmhouse, but to expansive to stay any longer than a week. On our way back to Pontefract, we visited a few nice places, and got a few trinkets to take back to Canada. Keith bought a few little things.
Let me go back to the day we travelled to Brecon, we called to visit Nancy my sister-in-law who as a small farm in my home village. We had a very nice week in Brecon, and would have liked a longer stay there, as we had a very sunny week. We finally got back to Pontefract.
Now let me get back to the holiday we had in England and Wales. Keith did not stop enjoying the rest of the time we had left. He did take a very good video of the places we visited, and it was nice for me to have him to make that very good video as he were much better at that job then I. We were lucky as we had some very nice weather, and visited as many places as money would allow us.
While we were there in Wales, I sorted out my arrangements for our ashes to be buried.
When my time arrives to meet up with Edith again, first I talked to the stonemason about a headstone for my Mam and Dad and what would be the best way to go about things. He suggested that it would be better if I purchased one now for us, and also my Mam and my Dad, rather than later, because it would be cheaper to do it now instead of waiting. I decide to do that straight away for my Mam and Dad. While talking about that he said to me, I see you have also paid for your plot. I told him that I had promised to Edith that I would keep her ashes in Canada with me till such times as I passed away.
If you leave it until you leave this world again it would cost you much more than now. I thought about that, and I agreed that would be the best thing to do. He also asked me if I would like him to store it in his shop, or put it up in our plot in readiness for the inevitable. Whatever suited me best; there wouldn't be any problem. I did say to him would that be okay would we be allowed to place it there, no problem he said, I decided to let him do it. I thought about it for a little while of course Keith was all for it.
When I get back to Canada after my holidays I would send him all the details of inscriptions to place on our headstone. We also had a look at the part of the cemetery where my Mam and Dad are buried. That particular part had the old type head stones, and six feet stone full length, lay horizontally, and the lettering is somewhat faded and worn.
It doesn't look as if anyone looks after that part of the cemetery. Either passed away or moved away, I am the only one to visit my home country very two years. I purchased both headstones all in black marble, like the one I had chosen for ours. It is a new cemetery and well looked after. As I said it was in the new half of the field and right on the path where people would be walking to see it.
He gave me a price, and although it was costly I decided to go ahead and get it done. I had a very good Mam and Dad, I could not give them much in life, so at rest I gave them the best. Clive did that for me straight away, and put it in place before I was due back in Canada. Keith and I went back down to Wales to see it, and Keith took some photographs of me looking at the grave with it's new stone. We both were extremely pleased with it, and I also made arrangements to have flowers placed there at certain times of the year with Lesley who is young and I will open a bank account for her to do that for me when I'm no longer around. Looking back, I don't regret for one minute doing what I did for my Mam and Dad, although I must admit, it did leave me a little short of cash.
We are now back in Halifax as usual, when I visit England I meet up with my friends Bob and Helen, Barbara and Des, and we have a few nights out, and an occasional meal together. Then we have a Friday night in the pub, with as many of my old workers as they can make arrangements with them to get to our big night out.
Suddenly it seemed it was time to pack up and go back to Canada. Keith was due to go back a week before me; it suited us fine, as I could take him to the airport. He was going to stay with friends in Toronto for the weekend, before going back to his home in New Brunswick.
I had a week on my own then, which enabled me to do my shopping for the things I had to take with me, especially the Solpadiene. I have to get enough to last me for two years, as we cannot get them in Canada because they contain (paracetamol and iodine), also they are soluble.
I had the last few nights in Halifax to spend and say goodbye to my friends. They worked for me; a very long time, I worked at Mackintosh for 37 years, over 30 of those years was in management, I had a very good set of workers. I appreciate the hard work they always put in, and so I look forward to meeting up with them every time I come to England for a visit. I worked hard for my then manger Bill Eglinton (knew he had a good man, he soon realized how good I was, after the first year he gave me premonition). That was just the start, I was a acting manger on night shift, I worked at that job for the first nine years, then when night shift finished he got me on days and later onto departmental-manager. Of course, over the years, some of my young employees have move on, got married, especially the young girls and boys, and had children etc., I still think of them with great fondness.
I hope to see some of them when I visit again in the year of the new Millennium, the end of 1999 and into the year 2000. It's certainly something to look forward to. I lost Edith in 1994, we had planed going over for the last few years together and I would have loved having her with me. Unfortunately life does not always work out, just as we like it to be. I have kept in touch with all my supervisors, Barbara my secretary for over eighteen years, and still looking after my affairs in U.K. while I have been living in Canada over twenty-one years. Joyce and I run the factory; we were a very good partnership (Joyce passed away in 1999).
My life did not improve much after my return from my U.K. holiday. Keith's marriage came to an end. Now he phoned me to say he was on his way to come up to stay with me. My landlord informed me that he would have to increase my rent to $700 a month in 1998. I decided then to set the ball rolling about moving to Keremeos, as I couldn't afford to pay the extra rent, in fact, I was hoping he would knock something off my rent. Anyway, I got in touch with Edith's old friend in Keremeos to see what the housing situation was like down there.
Dorothy had kept the local papers for me, so I decided to take a trip down there in a couple of weeks time. I made the first on a Saturday. Keith was in Church that day; he was staying with me. He had the promise of a job in his shoe trade with a man he met when he came up here to say goodbye to his mother in 1994. Later on, I made another trip on a Sunday so that Keith could come with me. The first trip wasn't all that good, as I didn't like any of the old houses I had seen. Apart from that, I had plenty of time, as I wasn't moving until I found a place that was suitable. We made a few more trips, but sometimes, if it was Sunday, we couldn't get in to see the property. I had to go back again during the week. Dorothy was always there to come around with me and to see people I needed. I always had my dinner with Dorothy every time I had to go to Keremeos.
When Keith come up to stay with me to work to take the job in Penticton, he was about half way from New Brunswick when he stopped at a hotel for the night, and someone coming into the hotel could smell gas (petrol) coming from his car. He took it to the garage and they said they could replace the gas tank first thing in morning. He rang me to tell me his problem, he did not have the money to pay the garage, would I loan him the $500 and place this amount in his account first thing in the morning.
I went straight to the his bank and placed $700 to give him a little extra for gas money in case he run out, he said he would give it back soon as he started work. The rest of his journey went okay and he made his last stop at Calgary. Keith rang me a day before arriving in Calgary, asking me to get in touch with his son Keinan, to see if he would meet him the next morning. He spent some time with Keinan one or two nights. It had taken him 5 days to travel from New Brunswick to Calgary. It was a long journey, but he made it okay.
He rang to say he would be with me on the Tuesday night the 7th of October 1997, as you read this story you will notice how God was guiding me to better things. Having said what my Mother told us, keep the Lord God in your heart God will never desert you. It had taken him 5 days to travel from New Brunswick to Calgary. It was a long journey, but he made it okay. He rang to say he was on his way, of course, I had his bed ready for him. He got in touch with the man he was going to work for as soon as he arrived, the man that had offered him a job, and he started working for him the very next week.
When he knew for definite that I was going to move down to Keremeos. The next thing he had to do, was find himself an apartment in Penticton, and he did find a very nice one just outside the town. He was ready now to move to Penticton, which he did after a few weeks with me. I helped him a lot and hoped that he would make a go of it. He had a nice apartment, it was all above ground, and he could walk straight out to the lawn.
Before that we got an invitation from Honda garage to come and see the new 2001 accord. Keith and I went up and they eventually talked to us and then Keith talked me into changing my old one, the car was on lease and it looked very nice, I decided to go with it, it sure was a very nice one. I really enjoyed having the new car, especially with me thinking of moving to Keremeos. By this time the place I had been to see didn't have a garage or even a carport. I wasn't going to take it, unless I could get a garage or carport erected for myself. Keith had a word with the owner and he agreed to drop my rent by $50 as long as I would agree to leave it there if ever I left the house.
The owner also said he knew the right man to call - Mike who would do a cheap job for me, he phoned him and he was on his way to see us. So everything was agreed and I paid the owner $250 and left it to Mike to see to the garage and permission from the town council, and that was that. Mike rang me two weeks later to ask me if I was coming down during the follow week. I told him yes, and we made arrangements to meet him at the house.
Dorothy came down with me to meet him, and he gave me some bad news. He said there had to be two foot of foundation put down, and a further foot of concrete base. Well, I asked him how much that would cost, and Dorothy and I were astonished when he told me it would cost about $10,000 for the garage and $7,000 if we changed to a carport. I soon told Mike to forget it. I went to see the owner and told him I could not go ahead with it. As I could not afford to pay the $10,000 needed.
It was agreed at the beginning that I could have my money back if I couldn't put a garage up. He refused to give me the deposit back, when I asked he refused to give me my $250 back unless someone else would take the house. He didn't get anyone else to take it, and a month later when I went to see him, he had already deposited my money in the bank. But like me I trust everybody, and think everyone is honest like me.
I really should have cancelled the cheque at my bank, he had promised not to place the cheque in his bank until we knew we could put a garage up. But I never, for one minute, thought he would do that to me. It was a very expensive lesson I learned. He had a fruit stand and an orchard and seemed very nice person, but you never can tell what some people will do to you when it comes to money. The Lord knew that he was a bad man and eventually got me away from him, I again did not know that the home heating was all electrical otherwise I would not have taken the house in any case.
By this time it was getting nearer to the date of moving. When I thought I'd got the house and everything sorted, I had booked the movers. So now I had to visit Keremeos practically every day to look for a house. Well on my third trip, I did find one, and the landlord was very nice. He gave me the key straight away so I could start moving my things down; he wasn't going to charge me for those couple of weeks. I soon got everything ready to move down, and started by moving all the small boxes and it was a very nice place and the rent was only $500 a month. I had on top of that my own utilities. But at that time I did not know it was all electrical heating. I never think of asking that question.
Now it was November 1st, 1997, and I was extremely busy packing cartons with the smaller items, and when the car was full I would nip down to Keremeos every day. Finally it came to the actual moving day. Keith came to help me, and we were all loaded up by 10:00 am. Keith's things, which I had stored for him was put in last to be unloaded in Penticton. Then they proceeded to Keremeos. I had to stay behind to clean up the house I was leaving. Then I was off to my new home.
By the time I got there they had finished unloading, but they had unfortunately, all the big pieces of furniture were in the wrong room. After the move, I had to wait for Keith to come down on a Sunday from Penticton to help me to move everything into the right rooms. I didn't get my waterbed filled up for three weeks, and then Dorothy found a man to help me to do it. It took me to the end of January 1998 to get everything the way I wanted it. But I soon found that the place was heated by electricity it cost too much a month - $400 - I was not very pleased as it was a nice big place, but soon found I could not stay there. I thought the heat was gas. I knew in three weeks when I got my first bill, $380, I just could not stay there.
NOW TO MOVE ON TO THE YEAR 1998
I eventually got all my big furniture in place by then, with the house being all electric, it was taking me over $400 a month to warm the place. It had been a very mild winter that year. Well I knew I couldn't afford to stay there, so it started all over again, looking for another house. My friend Dorothy told me to ring Wendy, the lady she got her house through. I did that, told the lady my position, and I needed a house with gas heating for $500 a month. She was a very nice person, and within three weeks she rang me back to tell me she'd found me a home to rent. When I saw it I was very pleased indeed. That was my lucky break at last. It was a side-by-side Duplex. I moved into that on 15th April 1998. Now you think back I was once again asking God to help me in my prayers at night and look how through Dorothy he got me to Wendy and I had a nice home at last, I told you the Lord was always bringing the right people into my life when I needed help. I was very happy ones again as I love being in Keremeos and this home.
By this time Keith's boss put him on insurance, as he said he had run out of work.
This was one thing I did not like about his boss I thought that he fell out with Keith because he refused to make the boots or shoes the cheapest way. Keith told him that it was not the right way to do it. I know that because I called on Keith and he was in the office when I heard it going on. That was why I was expecting the boss would get rid of him the first chance he had. I also believe that he done him a favour, since it did not take Keith long to find himself a job in his own trade in Calgary. Plus the fact, that he was there to help me to move down to my new place in Keremeos, when I moved from the first home, and moved into the Duplex. Keith also gave his apartment up in Penticton. Then he moved in with me for the last month before going to his new job in Calgary.
Keith left to go to Calgary at the end of February month. I had to store his bit of furniture in my little bedroom, until he could arrange to have it taken to Calgary, I asked Mike to move him from Penticton over to me. Then he said he had promised Keith that he would fetch his furniture up to Calgary when he was up that way to pick up something or other, it would cost him only for the price of gas, but when the time came for him to make the trip to Calgary he asked me if I could pay him a little money as he was broke.
When the time came for Mike to take the furniture up to Calgary, he asked me for $250 and $50 for gas. I thought at the time he wanted me to pay a little bit off the job of building the shed he was doing for me. Now when he finished the shed in July, and I asked him for the bill. I looked at it and saw he had not taken the two hundred and fifty off, I asked him why he had not done that, as he had promised he would only charge Keith for the gas as he had to go to Calgary to pick a man up as he worked with him in the summer. After I paid my account that was the end of that. I had to go around fixing lots of little things on the shed myself, I'm afraid that was another costly lessen I've learned. Believe me, he will never do another job for me again. I found out much later on that he was well known all around Keremeos for doing all this lousy workmanship and had gone bankrupt.
The duplex that Wendy found for me was only hhree year old. It was plenty big enough for a family of two as I had a lot of furniture, some people would say I have too much but I have kept it the way Edith had it. I pay $500 a month rent for it. I like it very much thanks to Wendy, Dorothy, and our God-Jesus Christ. I had to layout a little money for washer and dryer, drapes, and other items bit by bit to get it the way I wanted it.
That, and everything else, like taking Keith on holiday with me in 1997, cost of hiring a car for three months, $3,600 plus tax of altogether $4,212 plus $1,000 for insurance. On top of that, I paid $3,000 for a gravestone for my Mam and Dad, and $2,400 for Edith's and my Headstone. So that left my finances at rock bottom, and therefore there will be very little inheritance for any one if I leave this earth to be with God and Edith. If I should leave this world within four years what little I have left will have to go to pay off my debts.
(Dad did not die anywhere near the next four years but lived until June 2014 - Keith Hunt)
I have settled nicely in Keremeos. It is a real nice country place, but I wish it wasn't so far away from Kelowna. I still go up there for medical, etc, and visit my friends a few times in the summer. I only go in wintertime when I have appointments to keep, for car services, or things that are really necessary and to visit my granddaughter, who still lives in Springfield, near Kelowna. Also I was still having to get good drinking water from Westbank. I went up every two weeks to get it. I did my shopping in Kelowna at London Drugs and at other stores, as we do not have those stores down in Keremeos or Penticton.
When I came back to Canada from the U.K. I like to pay off my debts on my master cards as soon as I can, because they charge 18.9% out here. When one hires a car in U.K. it must be on a card, when you return to Canada and any damage to car they will place the cost on your card. Unfortunately, I still owe on them, and it will take me without help to the end of the new year coming up. I couldn't pay any more than $70 to $100 a month plus charges, to get back on my feet financially.
It's been a hard year. With all the moves I've had to make, and the holidays to pay for. Christmas has been a quiet one for me. All my friends were away, so I spent all my spare time typing my life story and watching T.V. mostly watching all the English football at night as we were then having two English Soccer matches every Saturday Morning and I recorded them.
NOW WE ARE INTO THE NEW YEAR. 1999
Our Good lord is still watching over me, as he has done ever since the age of four or even before I could remember. I asked for help. When I needed help, it may take a while, but it will come to you, believe me. But everyone has to have patience bearing in mind he has people all over the world asking for is help. It's an ongoing thing, not once in a while thing.
I know, I have asked God to help me to find things that I have lost during my moving home, around six months later without thinking about the things I lost, it would come into my head, to go "and do something" and find the item I lost, that is the way God talks to you, believe me, I know some will say, "No!" It as happened to me, but it's the unusual way it happens, that it comes into your head, that you know it is from our Good Lord God. (YOU MAY REMEMBER ME SAYING WHAT THAT LAY-PREACHER SAID TO ME WHEN I WORKED IN THE MINES). I don't know how many have experienced the way God will talk to you, I can assure you I have. I would like to explain what happen to me, one night while watching my video recordings. I suddenly thought I would soon have to buy a pack of new videotapes when I go shopping. I still had not needed any more tapes and it went on a few months.
This is how God talks to you; it was about two month later I was watching my football on TV. Suddenly into my head came this! "What do you want to buy new pack of videotapes when you have all those English tapes filled with football and other things and you can't play them over here in Canada because they have a different picture line count." The next day I went to get a few out of the carton I had put away and forgot about them. Lo and be-hold there was the gauge I had been looking for since I moved down here in Keremeos and could not find it even when I went to the first place in Keremeos to live, (It was a special E-M-F Electro Magnetic Field) gauge.
When I moved from Kelowna I placed my English tapes in a small open carton. I put the gauge at the bottom to hide it and forgot about which one it was in at the same time I remembered I had placed it in a carton, I had opened every carton before I moved down to the Duplex, I never thought about that small carton. Now if that is not a miracle you tell me what is! I kept asking God in my prayers to help me to find this gauge, six month later when that came into my head about using those tapes, and also as well finding the gauge I had lost all that time. I would like to explain how it comes into your head; it comes in like a flash of light from God.
I also told Keith that I was hoping to go twice to U.K. once in June for a month, and then in December to January for the second month, to be over to bring in the year 2000 for the Millennium, I usually go for three month but only two months as I was going twice.
I told him I was not going for three months to start with. This was not to see my friends as he thought, it was my hope to bring in the new Millennium, as I knew I would never see it again in my time on earth.
In the mean time I had received a letter in the post from a firm called "Capital One" a few weeks before I had this conversion with Keith; jut after having that conversion with him I thought about having the loan and no one was going to stop me going to bring in the Millennium, not to see my friends, when mother and I had planed for going over the last two years she was with me. My friend Dorothy was here at the time I was thinking about it, I told her I was going to send to see if they would send it to me, I filled in a little form and waited to see what would happen. Well to my surprise within a few weeks they sent me the cheque, I just couldn't believe it, I rang my friend up and told her I had received it, and now ow no one will stop me going to U.K. in December.
Now everything is booked for my both trips to U.K.
Now let me get back to the time I moved from Kelowna to Keremeos, I knew that I would eventually have to part with my lovely little blue budgie, because I had no chance of getting a house sitter to look after her while I went on holiday to the U.K. I was going over twice in 1999. I had a nurse who used to house sit for me in Kelowna, but I didn't know many people yet in Keremeos. I started looking for a new home for my budgie in March by placing an advert in the local paper, stating that I was travelling a lot, and at the budgie needed human company.
Quite a number of people rang me up and now and again. Dorothy and I would go have a look at the places, I always asked people if they could leave the cage door open all day, as the budgie enjoyed the freedom and feed from the outside. A few of them said no, so I would apologise and leave.
This went on for some time. I had no trouble with her, she would come on my shoulder and be with me for long times, if I moved out of the lounge (Sitting Room.) she would fly back to her cage. I did not want to part with her she was so good with me, but what else could I do? This went on for a few weeks but so fair I did not like lots of them for one reason or another. I kept asking God in my prayers to help me to find a good home for her, and I had time to pick and choose, and with Gods help I knew that I would eventually find her a good home. I was getting at one time very worried then it came better.
There was one woman who said she boarded animals and she would board my budgie till I came back for it, I thanked her and said I'd be in touch if I couldn't find a permanent home. Another woman came to see me on the Friday with a child of about three with her. I wanted to show her how I clean out the cage, so she came back on the Sunday on her own. After we finished she asked if she could take the budgie home with her, she said that she had told the little boy that she was going to bring a little budgie home with her. I didn't want to part with her until June and would bring it to her home when the time came. But I give in and said okay as the little boy was expecting it. I would take it to her home, I would follow her home.
When we got there I noticed that they had a cat and dog? So I mentioned that to her, how could you leave the bird out all day as you said, you would, when the animals are indoors, she said, "Ho! They will not hurt my budgie", she said it would be okay, and they wouldn't take the slightest bit of notice of the budgie. I left and I was very upset about this, I wasn't very happy about leaving my little budgie there, after coming home, I prayed it would be okay and asked God to help me to get my little budgie out of there. I was then thinking all night how could I leave her there, I would rather go to the lady that would board her for me.
Now believe this or not, this is one more time that our good Lord answered my prayers and once more had come to my aid. I could not rest at night thinking about it. I just did not know what to do, then at 8pm that very Sunday night my phone rang and Linda, the lady I had just left the budgie with said "William, I mentioned to my husband, that you said you would like to keep her with you till June. He was mad with me because I wanted it straight away". We are going to bring it back to you on Monday morning. Ho! Boy. Was I so pleased and thanked the lord for changing their minds. Boy I was so happy when she told me that. They did bring the budgie back the very next day.
Now you may be thinking that was the end of that episode, but you would be wrong. I once again asked God in my prayers to help me to find a better home for my little budgie and it went on for four weeks. At that time I still had another two months to find a good home. I know that those of you who do not believe will be thinking I'm going soft in the head but I know when you read through my story you will believe what I have said about how God has been guiding me all the days of my life. Those who do know the bible will know when I say this. "I was born to be a leader, just like Moses." I have been a leader all through my entire life. Right up to my retirement. It is all in my story, in my working days did not think I was good enough to do the job of leading people, but that's how I always ended up in my work place, even when in the service, I was told that if I had been servicing my time I would have been promoted; I was told that when I left to get ready to go abroad.
A few days later I got a phone call from a man who lived in Osoyoos, he asked me if I still had my budgie, as he had just come back from his holiday, then he went on to say he used to breed budgies, and mine would have plenty of company, when I asked him if he had an aviary because he said his budgies lived in a apple tree indoors, they fly free and live in the tree, I asked him if I and my friend could come over to his home to have a look, as I have never heard of this before. I was just amazed what he told me. My friend Dorothy and I arranged to go over to Osoyoos on the following Saturday.
Sure enough they were in the tree, it was an apple tree that had been cut down and placed in a barrel of cement. They looked very happy in that tree, I said to him you don't need my cage then. We had a good talk and we decided that I would bring my little budgie over a few weeks before I left for U.K. Later, we went over to see how my budgie was getting along with his other two budgies. We were amazed to see how well they got on. I thanked him and said would he mind next year when my family came to visit if I could ring him to make arrangements for them to see the budgies in his apple tree, that was no problem he said.
Kristina came the next summer and I took her over to see them, then later my son Keith came and again we went to see them in the tree, and Keith took a video of them. What I did for Linda and her little boy I bought them a budgie and told them what I had done and they asked me if I would get them two for company, I did that for them and they still had the cage, and it ended, all were happy. I sure thanked our Lord God-Jesus Christ in my prayers that night and I was very happy at last and as I've said keep God-Jesus Christ in your heart and you will never regret it! Remember you can still enjoy your life like any ordinary young children.
Earlier in the year, I received a letter from Kristina; it had been back and forth for a while and had been returned to her in Saskatoon. Her mother (Karalei - Keith's daughter) had readdressed it to me, because the wrong code had been used. Anyway, it was to ask me if I could take Kristina to the U.K. with me, I said I would if she could get permission to leave school before their actual finishing time, and if she would pay her flight up to Kelowna, Karalei said, she would have a word with her teacher, and no problem finding her fare up to Kelowna.
I went up to Kelowna a week later and went in to the travel agents to see if I could book her on same flight to Manchester. I found out that we needed a letter from her father giving permission for her to leave the country. I rang Karalei and told her what they said, when she got hold of Darren (her ex-husband) he refused, so we had to cancel all the plans.
When Karalei found that out she asked the teacher if Kristina could still finish school early so she could come up to stay with me before I left for my U.K. holiday, the teacher said sure she can and that Darren could not stop it. She was not going out of Canada. She had a nice month with me until it was time to return to her mother. Ho, I forgot to say I also took her over to see my budgie and she was thrilled to see the three living in that apple tree. We had a very nice time after we left, Kristina enjoyed that day as I took her all the way round from Keremeos and back into Kelowna, a great lovely scenic ride.
In the mean-time Karalei took Darren to court and he told the judge that he didn't want to give permission because her Grandpa [on his side] was not a very well man and he was under the doctor's care etc. The Judge said she would not make a decision, it was up to both parents to come to a decision, and you know now he still would not let her leave the county.
He rang me up to tell me that the Judge would not let her go, he did not know that I was recording his message to me to let Karalei hear what lies he told me. I told him what I thought of him, but he put the phone down on me. Karalei said he was always like that, he doesn't listen to anyone. I know what type of person he his, his father would not have him working for him, so you can see what a bad person he was, I never did like him the first time I went to them for a holiday.
Anyway Kristina had a good holiday with me that month, we had some nice weather the whole four weeks she was with me, I also enjoyed having her with me. The day I took her to see the budgie, we called in for some ice-cream, it is a well known place we went outside to enjoy it as it was sunny day, we were by the fast running small river, she went up the big hill for a walk when she came back I said are you ready to set off, "Yes," she answered. I said, "I am going to the toilet so keep away from the edge of the river and do your lace's up." When I returned she said "Grandpa I went to kick a thing in the water and my boot came off." I said "Where is it.?"
She answered "It's gone down the fast running river."
'Ho Boy, you did not listen to Grandpa."
The next day I had to take her to Kelowna to buy her new boots, and when it came to pay, she said to the lady "I'm paying for these," and gave $20. The lady looked at her and said, "What are you paying for just the laces!" I said "Put it back in your pocket," the boots she like were $70.
Today Kristina was with me up at Heidi [her aunt] as she was going back home the day before I was leaving for U.K. We were waiting for Heidi to come home from work, we had been around shopping all afternoon, we were now at Heidi's waiting for our supper, and Kristina kept playing with my special cane I use for travelling on my flights; it breaks up into four sections for easy storage, I kept telling her not to play with it. When Heidi came home from work, we sat around
the table talking and I left my cane by the sink. I saw her looking at it, and then she got up and went straight for it and tried to pass me in order to go into the other room to play with it.
I put my arm out to stop her and she grabbed it and pulled me out of the chair onto the floor! I went BANG up against the doorframe hurting my back and my ribs. So I had to stay one more night with Heidi so that I could go to see my doctor before I started for my home. I took her to the Airport the next morning before going to my doctor, and saw her off, I returned to stay the night with Randy and Heidi. When I got home I took some pills that I got from England. You can't get them out here, they're Solpadeine soluble Tablets. It sure did help me to have a good night sleep.
It was still troubling me for quite a few days later, I decided to go up to Robert in Westbank for a message and I was so glad I did, he soon found the problem, it was my floating rib, that had been locked over my second rib. He worked on it and got it back in place. Two days later it was almost back to normal, and did not
give me any more trouble when it was my turn to set off to Manchester, England in two weeks time. It also helped me as I still had a lot of packing to do before setting off and Beverley my new neighbour helped me to get off the day I left. I was so thankful because I still had a little ache in my back.
The last few days I had before leaving for Heidi and Randy's, in Kelowna, I was once again putting this place right like I always do so that it is nice to come home to. I was hoping that my side would stay okay to travel all that way. At this moment it is still a little sore. This was the reason why I was so far behind with my schedule with having that accident with Kristina.
I planned to take some of my Solpadine the morning I left Heidi's to go to the Airport.
Now it's time for me to leave to go to Kelowna after I have finished my dinner. I will be there in time to meet Heidi coming home from work. I decided to take Randy and Heidi out for supper. Then back home to their place for a good night sleep. Again Randy will be taking me to the Airport to get my flight to Vancouver the next morning, he will pick me up a wheelchair and see me okay. I always give him $20; he does not want to take it but I always like to pay.
Here we are at the morning of Departure on my long flight to Manchester, England. We are ready now for Randy to take me to the Kelowna Airport to pick up my flight to Vancouver. Everything was okay leaving Kelowna. When I arrived at Vancouver I got the bad news that my flight to Manchester was delayed for two hours, now I had four hours to wait, I was not upset with that news as I was in a wheel chair and could look after myself. The thing I was upset with was the change at the Airport. The Airport had been extended and the service I usually had was no longer available after they had completed the extension.
I used to have a man to wheel me down to the departure lounge. If I needed any thing to eat he would take me there, then I would wheel myself around, when it was time to board he would come back and wheel me on. But this time I found that they had new wheelchairs with small wheels and that way I could not then wheel myself around, I could not even go to the toilet. There was no one there to ask to keep an eye on my cases, when I get back in July I will send them a letter to tell them what happened to me. I was discussed when I found out this is the way it will continue.
I found that other people knew this had changed so they did not come down to the Departure until the last minute. Not even anyone working there I could see to ask them to keep an eye on my cases, and as I said no one comes to the departure until their ready to board us, and not going to the toilet was the worse! I told them I needed to go straight to the toilet when I went on board in a wheelchair, we go on first, but are last off. They said that was no problem I could go there straight away as I thought I would have to wait until the plane was in the air.
After that long wait I was by this time very hungry, the first thing they came around with drinks. It got to an hour later when they started their rounds of food. Boy! Did I enjoy that meal, the next time I go on my flight in December I will take some sandwiches with me in case this happens again. When I did go in December after I sent them a letter, they sent me a letter stating that the next time I go tell them you need a wheelchair with big wheels so that you can wheel yourself around, as they still have those chairs.
The journey to Manchester is 8 to 10 hours, depending which flight you choose. We did not encounter any trouble, or any more problems on that flight. We arrived in Manchester Airport, at 10:30 am the next day. I like Manchester Airport, as they have not changed the way they have always been as yet. I hope they do not do the same as Vancouver has done. I have a man looking after me as I said before, he stays with me all the time. I always give them ten pounds for looking after me so good.
It's a very long walk and especially in Manchester, and to carry the cases after he picks them up at the roundabout. Then wheels me to pick up my hired car, then he wheels me to front of the building and sees me in my car and waves me off. I did the same in Vancouver before they change it, they are very pleased to do this I don't have to tip them, but I always do that as I'm very pleased that they look after me so good.
I am now on my way to Pontefract in Yorkshire to stay with my niece and only niece that lives there. All my other nieces live in London. When Irene's husband came out of the Services after a twelve year service they were told that Pontefract was a place to work at that time and so they went there to live. We were very pleased to have her there. It was about 32 miles away from where we lived in Halifax; still it was not too far to visit them very often. It was a nice day out for us and so pleased that they lived near us. Edith and I enjoyed our visit with their children and played games with them. I always give my winnings back to each one I would cut a card in turns with them. At first they did not want to play because they though that they would loose more, I did that with one of them, I said for one shilling we would have the best of three draws. I would let them go first, they would draw a eight, I would go and if my card was higher I would look at it and say, "Ho I got a six," to let them win, the next draw if I drew a higher card again I would say, "Let me see your card," if mine was lower I would let them see it, if it was higher I would not show it. I would say a lower card to let them win. I would let each one win, what I was going to give them in any case, they never did tumble to it, and every one was happy, and so was I.
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TO BE CONTINUED
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