THE LIFE OF WILLIAM JAMES HUNT: TOWARDS LATER YEARS
My younger brother Arthur was a right show off person, he had got my mother a great big cross of Flowers. It would have been a lot better while she was alive, if he had done right to her as he had promised my Dad, I would have appreciated Arthur much more. After the funeral Edith and I went up to her sister's for tea (supper in Canada). Then we went back about two hours later to my brother George's home. When I knocked on the door, Eric, my brother George's eldest boy, met us. He told us, "Oh! Uncle Bill, you have missed the terrible thing that uncle Arthur did." He went on to tell us that while we were up with Nancy, a man from the British Legion came to ask for Mrs. Parkinson (that was our Win's married name), Eric called on uncle Arthur, as Aunty Win did not come to the funeral.
When Arthur asked him what did he want her for, the man said, "I want to give her the money due from the Legion." Apparently, Arthur thought that our Mam had signed for Win to claim the money. Arthur went really mad, because the man would not give him the money! He told the Agent that he was the one that had paid the payments of the insurance each month after our Dad died. What he did, after this discussion, was to go down to the cemetery, where he picked up his big Flower Cross, he had for his mother, took it back to the house and in front of everyone there he tore it to bits. I could not believe, what they told me I was really disgusted with him, he should have found out first instead of doing such a discussing thing in front of everyone.
He did not know that I found out what our Win had done with the Insurance Money. I did not happen to know, at that time, what she had done with the British Legion funds. If I had been there, I could have told him. When we arrived there, after getting back from Nancy's, it was all over and cleaned up, I told all of them that were still there, what Win had done about the Life Insurance Policy, I had never told anyone what our Win had done, But some one must have told him, I heard later that when our Win went down the next time to Wales, he went out of his way to find her, he broke her nose, and she took him to court and he got six months in prison. This is what I was told later by my brother George, I have never been in touch with Arthur since, and never will. When I visit Wales I always ask Nancy if she has any news of him each time her answer has been "NO". (I sure was disguised with him after I heard what had gone on,) and do not know if he is still living! To this day (2005).
(Arthur was basically dis-owned even by his own children, such was his bad nature. Dad and I found out after 2005 he had died of Alzheimer's decease. Only one of his daughters would look after him during his last months of life - Keith Hunt)
After my Mother passed away on May 14th 1967, we still had a few years going down to Wales, for our holidays. Then, we started saving as much money as we could, for us to be able to start preparing for our retirement, either back to Wales or Canada, as I said before. Every other year we started having our main holiday to stay with our Son, for all our future Canadian holidays. Keith went out in April 1960. On September 11th of that year, he was eighteen years old.
(Dad had the dates wrong. I left for Canada in May 1961 at age 18. I still have the original passport - Keith Hunt)
Our first holiday in Canada was in 1968. Keith was by that time 26 years of age. A long time away from us! Still we had our Lord God bringing children to us, as he knew we loved all children and enjoyed their company but it would have been better if our Keith had stayed at home and married his school girl friend Pauline. Edith and I still enjoyed our holidays in Canada with all his children we kept in touch with.
We went to Canada every two years after that. We had a nice time in 1970. We met a lot of Keith's friends, they were very nice people, and at that time they all belonged to, "The Worldwide Church of God"……
(My life with the Worldwide Church of God is all stated on this website…..a bitter sweet relationship - Keith Hunt)
Now we are back U.K. and back to work once more, and trying to save as much as we could ready for our trip to Canada in 1972. Till then we would visit our home village in Wales. We went down to Wales every other year for our holidays, after Keith left us to go to Canada we never went anywhere except Wales, we were happy doing that, we saw our family as much as we could. I remember that year well as I was now in a position at work to afford to buy an Organ instead of my dream of playing a piano. I have loved music. From my young days but money was very small in my time and my parents could not afford to buy me any instrument, my first choice would have been at that time a set of Drums which I loved playing.
(Dad had exceptional "rhythm" - he played the spoons like magic to the beat of songs on the radio; yes he would have been a great drum player - Keith Hunt)
When I was much older and able to buy one for myself things had changed in my life now I loved the sound of the Organ, there were a lot more instruments on the market and much smaller ones, I went to the shop to look at them I ended up by purchasing one in Halifax. I had been practicing for a few months with the organ as a long card came with the numbers of the keys on it and a book with songs you could play, the one I liked best was "Spanish Eyes." (If you have read my story up to this point you will realize that when I worked in the coal-mines and had all that extra money, I could have used it to buy what instruments I always wanted in the music line, instead I knew my mother needed money so I gave it all to my Mother).
(Dad was indeed always a generous man; he gave me pocket money all through my school years; but also taught me to use it wisely, i.e. when I wanted my first guitar at age 11, he told me to save up for it out of my pocket money, and I did - Keith Hunt)
We were going down to Wales on holiday in 1971 we made a visit to Nancy's son and daughter in law Barbara on the farm. They had a daughter Lesley I think she was around 10 years old at the time, and I soon found that she had got an organ just like the one I had. Just purchased. Well it did not take us long to get together and start playing a tune, it was Spanish Eyes and one that Lesley liked. I was really happy, we spent a lot of time together, she was a lovely little girl, we both enjoyed playing the organ for hours.
It was a nice warm day outside, later we went up the top field with all the other children, I really enjoyed that day, I was hoping that the next time we had a holiday in Wales, Lesley and I would be able to have time together once again, I still kept my organ until we emigrated to Canada. I can't remember why Lesley and I never had the opportunity to get together again, still, I never will forget Lesley to this day, I enjoyed playing with her, and that was a very nice day and the time I had with her, I enjoyed very much.
We only had a week to go before we went back home, we did travel around like we always do, and as usual I went down to see to my Mam and Dad's grave. I always put flowers on and cleaned it up.
Now we are on our way back to Halifax. We stayed to have dinner at the "Little Chef" then it was a non stop all the way home. We had a nice day all the way for a change. The next day we had plenty to do in the garden. We both worked really hard throughout those years, and our home in Elland was a "picture" when we got to the end of those first eight years it took us to complete it, the way we had planned it from the very beginning.
(Oh indeed it was quite the home. Dad did his skilled "paint graining" that I've never seen anyone do better; and he build a fish pond of concrete that could have been used as a swimming pool, it was so large and deep. Dad had what they call a "green thumb" in the garden - just made gardens most beautiful - Keith Hunt)
We made a very big profit when we eventually sold the Rancher in April 1972. It cost us 3,000 pounds with extras and sold it for 13,500 pounds. We bought a Street house for 1600 pounds. The idea was to get big money behind us, our choice was Wales or immigrate to Canada. We still had not made our minds up when I retired. We fell in love with Canada during our visits there, that was our aim in life, and with all God's help we have had through those years we knew we would make it to one or the other, eventually we kept swishing from one to the other, as we couldn't make our minds up.
Before we decided to immigrate to Canada and during our one week Easter or spring holidays, we went to look at nice small county places all over England and Wales. We had found one down in Wales and I bought the land to build a home there, I put a thousand pounds down with the Lawyer, and he did not know at that time that there was no building plans on that ground, so six weeks later we ended up having our money back. Then it was definitely for us now to immigrating to Canada. This was again the work of the Lord God guiding us to where he really wanted us to be. God was guiding me to Canada, it's all in my story!
We are in our last week working before leaving for our holidays to Canada in 1972. We had every thing booked and were leaving Saturday morning from Manchester…..
Your Mother worked in the mill and that was not an easy job. That was why I had been receiving all my life the Guidance of God. Because I always give my best and that was how God give us a good life, and we tried to pass it on to you….
Perhaps you sometimes wonder how you came to like music so much. Well, I was the same, when I was growing up I wanted to learn to play the drums. Later on, I also wanted to play the organ, as my Dad (your Grandpa) was very musical, also. He played the mouth organ, and was "stone deaf" from an early age. But, my Mam and Dad could not afford to buy me a drum kit or pay to have lessons. You were lucky that you could save to buy what you wanted. I know I could have saved when I went into the coal mains, (which was a very-very hard job), I did not save money to buy a Drum set, instead I give all my extra money to my Mother because I knew she needed it. I also knew how good a Mother I had.
I realized that money was very small in those days, and our parents could not help us, when your mother and I got married, we had to buy one thing at a time. This was the way we lived for most of our early years together. That also continued for a long while after we got married. And I never did get my Drum set. It was after you went to Canada I could afford a small Organ.
I also loved singing and I was very good at that time, many a time I was told I had a very good voice. That will come up again when I was in Australia. Just look how God gives to children that are disabled, and to grow up like my Dad who was "stone deaf' in the early years of his married life and could play so good. I have seen so many case's on the T.V. God always gives them something that they are good at doing in their life (that's why God gave me a long time memory). To be able to remember my life story because I did not have collage Education.
Our holiday in Canada is over. Now we are at the Airport, ready to set off back to Halifax. We were going back to the same old routine, day after day. We did have nights out with our close friends at the weekend, and went dancing a lot, in those days. This was the "icing on our cake" of our mundane life. Still we were very happy working at our jobs. Our good Lord God was looking after us, and our life got better and better. We also believe in helping others whenever we had a chance and I still do that today. When I was faced with all the good and bad things in life, I always came out on top with the guidance of our Lord God Jesus Christ.
CHAPTER 11
We were due to come out to Canada in 1973. That is the time in our life that Edith and I decided to come out every year if we had the money. Keith surprised us, in or around April 1973, when he rang us to ask if he and Dean with their new baby named Kaiola could come over to stay with us. He wanted to work over here. We were so happy to think that our Keith was finally coming home. They arrived soon after. The next day he asked me to take him to the Labour exchange to look for work, (I did not know that he could claim unemployment money.) Anyway, he did find a job in his trade it was a long way to travel. I set him up with a small car, as Keith got a job in the next town. He would have to travel each day, it was in his trade of "shoe making." In the meantime, I got Dean an easy job at the place where I worked, through Joyce, who was running the factory with me. We did not need a girl, but we decided to hire her anyway, all she had to do was sit at the end of the machine, and make sure wrapped sweets were in good packets coming off.
When I told Dean, she would not hear of it. "I will not work in a factory. I never have, and I never will!" So Dean stayed home and Keith worked. I had to get Keith a loan from my bank (as you were from Canada, they could not give you a loan). Keith would pay me back, when he started working. After working only three weeks with that job, Dean gave me the news, that Keith was finishing at the end of the third week. This is how she told me. "What do you think Dad, Keith is packing that job up on Friday." I asked her, "Why?" Her answer was, "They have old machinery." I then asked her, "Are they expecting his work out quicker?" "No," she said. That's when Dean showed her "true colours," as she got me into trouble with Keith because she told him a lie. You know Keith, I was never the same to her after that, no more was she going to "load a gun for me to fire."
This is what I said to her, "But that's not the way to do it; he should stay in that job until he finds another one." I was right, and tried to teach my son, the right way all my life. But at the time, it seemed that I was wasting my time, as you can't put an old head on young shoulders.
He decided to go down to Wales, we did not know what his idea was, we found out later he was trying to find work down there, they stayed with Aunty Nancy until she told them if they found work they would also have to find a house to live as she was not going to have them staying with her, but uncle Len could not find him a house so they returned back to us. If we had stayed in Wales where there was no work to suit me, you sure would not have had as nice a living as you did have in Halifax believe me!
One afternoon we got a van arrived at our door with some furniture, to drop of for Keith hunt. We had no room to store it so we had to send it back to the store and told the driver to store it for them.
The next thing we knew, Keith had found a job down in Newmarket, on the Racehorse "stud farm." He was working with the horses for breeding and selling. Keith and his family did move down there. We still did not hold it against them for not keeping us in the picture they had a very nice cottage on the farm.
Edith and I went down to see them every holiday that they were there. The second time we went to visit them and little Kaiola they were not at home. They had asked their neighbour to "watch" for us, and so we were at the neighbour's house having a cup of tea, when Keith and his family came home with the dearest little puppy in Keith's pocket, and also a tiny kitten. The puppies little head was sticking out, and he was sure an adorable puppy. "We saw it in the window and it was the only one there, so we couldn't pass him up Dad," he said, smiling. Edith and I had a good time with the puppy, too. They called her "Trixey" how did we end up with her will come into the story later.
Keith worked there for about eight months. The long hours of work were finally "catching up" with him and so he sought work at another Horse Farm, at Newmarket. This time, one that had "show" horses. Keith worked there and was in charge of five other men to keep the place "running." The horses won Three Trophies as a result of his efforts. They received Two Firsts and a Second on their first showing. Dean helped Keith get the horses ready for "showing." It was here, that I decided to put in a cement porch and rain gutter for them, as the mud was bad. I'm sure they appreciated my efforts. Keith still remembers that today.
Each time, we were able to get away from work and visit Keith, Dean, and little Kaiola we had a really good time we really fell in love with Newmarket and we went down to see every holiday. Kaiola had grown and grown it seemed, each time we saw her. We did enjoy our visits with them. We also liked Newmarket as it was out in the country and it was the first place we ever found that had the fish that Raymond told us about, it was called Rock salmon, I really liked that and we went to the little town and when we called into the Fish and Chip shop there was a notice saying: "Rock salmon cooked to order." I ordered some and believe me it was very nice. We went in a few times while we were with Keith and Dean and we never told them we had our dinner out.
When Dean's one year was up they sent a letter from the Immigration Office to find out if she was staying or going back to Canada. Keith and Dean made their minds up to go back to Canada for whatever reason. This was late 1974. Edith and I found out when they returned to Canada that it was Dean that did not like living in England. We had a nice two weeks with them up at our home in Clover Hill, Savile Park in Halifax, before they left for Canada. "Trixey" became our dog then, as they couldn't take her with them.
Trixey was a definite "welcome addition" to our lives, to help fill the spot of emptiness at all of them leaving England. It was first intended that "Trixey" be sent for, at a later date. However, this proved too costly, and after a few months, Edith and I wanted to keep her anyway. No way did we really want to give her up. So everything worked out fine for us. We really enjoyed having her she made a big change to our life and turned out to be so faithful to both of us, she turned out to be our wonderful dog. We had her until we immigrated to Canada.
CHAPTER 12
In November that year just after Keith and Dean had returned to Canada in December 1974. They eventually settled in Whitby, Ontario. Keith began again teaching "music" as his main job. However, he was working for another person's Music Academy. This is where he would only be making a small part of the actual Music Fee. Therefore he would not be making enough money to "keep" his family. He did not know that he should teach music for himself and take the full Music Fee. It only pays, when you have the students come to your home. This way, it is less expense and time for you and more money. He didn't want to stop teaching music, so he continued to work for the Music Academy at a very low wage.
Keith and Dean had another child the next year a baby boy. Born in Oshawa, Ontario. This was in the year of 1975. They called him Ty Roy. When Edith and I came for a holiday in (1976), we saw them then. He was just a little toddler. We really enjoyed being in Whitby, as we have often told Keith, it was like living in Wales, out in the country. We also enjoyed that holiday. Every day we went out somewhere. I took lots of photos of the beautiful places Keith and Dean had taken us to. I ended up with three rolls of film with 36 pictures in each
roll. I always had a camera with me. I have lots of pictures.
We had a beautiful photo of that big canal (Welland canal) one the largest Lift Locks in the world, what a beautiful sight that was. I can't remember the names of all the places we visited. That was the best time we had with them. The weather was so lovely, too. Sun day after day. We enjoyed our time there. But all good things must come to an end. Sadly, we were in our last few days before returning home. That was the first time we did not look forward to returning to England. This time I was looking forward to having those films developed as we were hoping to show our friends what lovely places we had been to.
We had another good flight to Manchester and again our friends were waiting to take us home. The first thing I did was getting my rolls of film out, and posting them off to have them "developed." I was looking forward to receiving them back. I must tell you right low the bad news. After waiting a month, they still had not been returned to us. I got in touch with the company and they sent back to say they had moved and never received the three rolls of film. We were in touch with them a few times. I again, wrote to them, and told them without doubt they had been stolen. It was either at their place or at the post office. Later on they wrote to us and said they had been in touch with the post office and sent the copy of their letter. They would check all the bags to make sure the films were not missed. They had my address and would let me know.
After a three months wait, they sent us a letter to say, there was no trace of them. However, they would keep on checking. Politely, they suggested, "If you do send any more film, would you please register them." It was not my fault, I did ask the guy in our post office in Halifax if I needed to "register" them, but he told me they would be okay. You can imagine Edith and my disappointment that we went through; I will never send my films away again.
We came out for our next holiday in l978. As I already said we loved that place at Whitby our last holiday we spent there. I found that one of my supervisors, Walt, had a sister-in-law living in Ajax, which was only five miles away from Whitby. Walt and Mary were also coming over the same time as Edith and I was planning to go. We arranged to visit them, at the home of their sister-in-law, over in Ajax. I had the phone # from Walt and arranged to give him a ring and make arrangements to visit him for the day.
We set off to Ajax, by bus, and Walt was there to meet us, and take us to his sister-in-laws. We had a full day with them, and had a walk around to see the whole little town and it was a very nice sunny day. We enjoyed the barbecue, when we had all our holidays in Canada. Walt and Mary only had a months holiday. We had six weeks that year. Before we left that night, we wished them a very pleasant journey home. I told Walt I would see him at work in two weeks. We thanked them all for a wonderful day, and said our goodbyes. Walt took us to the bus station to get our bus back to Whitby. The next two weeks we had a nice time travelling around shopping and doing other things to finish our holiday in Whitby.
We are now on our way to the Airport to fly back to Manchester. We again had a good flight all the way to Manchester Airport, our friends were there to pick us up and takes us home to Halifax. So, now we are back to our regular life in Halifax. Edith and I were working, and enjoying our leisure time together. Trixey, our dog, was still with us, and I was still taking her for walks and we both enjoyed her company. We went down to Wales for our two weeks holiday in the summer of 1977. Time passed, our bank account grew, and we began to look forward to our next trip to Canada.
It was 1978 our long awaited trip to Canada had arrived. We had now made all arrangements to leave for Canada, Walt and Mary had driven us to Manchester Airport, we had a little to eat before boarding and to give Walt and Mary payment for taking us and made arrangements for them to pick us up on our return. We boarded the plane with great anticipation and excitement!
The rest of that year we just stayed around Halifax doing our usual things around our home working and we still had our Trixey with us, and who could have wished for anything better.
When we got back to work after our holidays, I got the news that the firm was asking, in a letter sent to all staff, there was a letter waiting for me asking me to let the personal office know how many people I had within two years of Retirement that would like to retire early. The letter had been sent to all the stuff. I sent the list of those that would like early retirement. They would be paid two years wages. When I read that, I rang personal up, and inquired if that was including the staff, as I was within eighteen months of retirement. Miss. Farrar, the Personal Officer (manager) told me that it did not cover the staff. She asked if I wanted to leave them. When I gave my reply, she laughed and said, "I will see what I can do for you, as you have been with us a very long time. As soon as I have any information, I will let you know." I said my prayers at night and asked God to help me to get early retirement.
It was two weeks later, when our personnel officer came to see me with the good news that the management had given me permission to retire. I had been so good working all those years with Rowntree-Mackintosh that they had no hesitation in granting me permission to retire early. I only had eighteen months to the end of my time, anyway. I got paid right up to my official Retirement Date, without any usual stoppages. This suited me very much, as we could now go to Canada, for twelve months holiday, to stay in Kelowna B.C. as we had been told to visit there if deciding where we wanted to settle in that vast country. I was so pleased and surprised that I had been successful. It was March 1st 1984. I told you that that date came into my life a lot in the service and my working days. I finished work and went into Retirement straight away.
When I came home that night, Edith there, as she had retired two years earlier, She was upstairs. When I came home that night, I shouted to her, "I got very good news today! What do you think, love? They're retiring me early!" At first Edith was delighted, but unbelieving. I had to tell 2 or 3 times. Finally, the good news sunk in. We decided to get the wheels turning to plan a twelve months holiday in Canada to see how we liked it. I got straight in touch with Mr and Mrs White, the people we had met before in Canada, I asked if I need any advice from them. I wrote to them to ask them if it would be possible for them to find us some rooms for us to stay for twelve months. They sent straight back to let us know that it would not be a problem.
We had made our booking to go to Canada for our twelve months holiday to see if we liked living in Kelowna B.C. We were going to be very busy getting things sorted out ready for leaving. All my friends came to see us and give us any help they could, I told them when we return from our long holiday we may need help but at the moment we're only going on holiday to see if we like the place, I had already told them what Randy had told us about his place in Kelowna. We were very busy sorting everything out to set off. I kept in touch with Mr and Mrs White asking about different things that I still wanted to know about, they put us in the picture and stated that they knew of the place where we could stay, and also said that we did not have to be worried as there was lots of places to pick from. Now all we had to do was get ready to go. We kept corresponding to Canada, until we had booked to fly out to Kelowna. We were very busy getting our home all set up for the time we would be away. We had our neighbour across from us looking after our home while we were away. Our friends came to help us to get our place right, we gave her the keys to keep everything nice and clean until we came back home, we kept in touch by phone.
The White's found us a nice place to stay for the twelve months, for us to see if we liked it there. When we arrived in Canada, we had no problem at Vancouver When we went to the immigration office to ask for twelve months stay, we had it granted. We first stayed with, Wilfred and Doris for the first week. Boy! That was enough time to stay with Wilfred. They took us to visit the apartment that they had got for us. We met Mary and Lorne, our new Landlords. We paid the rent from the 1st of July 1984.
We enjoyed saying with Lorne and Mary. They took us all over the place to visit different towns and sites around Kelowna. They even took us for a trip to the United States! They gave us a loan of a little car, just for putting gas in it, so we were able to be independent, during the week as they were both working. Wilfred and Doris could not have found us a better couple to live with, they were both wonderful to Edith and I. We still had Doris and Wilfred as close friends and visited them often to play cards during the day.
We enjoyed staying by ourselves in the Apartment some days during the winter. Edith and I were used to being able to do whatever we wanted. With Mary and Lorne we could do that any time. Our stay with Wilfred and Doris, although, quite bearable, it was Wilfred that was the awkward one, he did not like us up early in the morning making a cup of tea before he got up, the trouble was they did not go to bed until after 2 a.m.
We were glad to get away from Wilfred, I know he did not like us there because we did not live the same as himself and when he was with us earlier he said before he left to go back to London the first week with us will be free, that did not materialize, Doris was so different to him and we liked being with her. We still kept in touch when we returned to Kelowna and often we went over to visit them and play cards, with their friends.
Edith and I ended up deciding that this was the place we wanted to settle down in - Kelowna. The year passed quickly, then it was getting close to Christmas 1984. We again had a wonderful time over the holiday with Mary and Lorne. We enjoyed ourselves and had lots of fun with Mary doing the Indian Dance. We were with Mary and Lorne the rest of that year 1985, and we had a very nice Christmas period with them. Mary was quite a "comedian" and entertained us with her impersonations of different people. Edith and I enjoyed that time Mary had off from work. At that time she worked in Woolworth's Stores, in downtown, Kelowna.
January in the New Year, 1986 we saw in the paper, a home for rent by the collage, on the way to the mission, south of Kelowna. We went to see it with Mary, and we liked it very much. The rent was $535 a month, which we could afford. We planned to stay there until we could buy our own place. We moved in at the end of January 1986. The house was just a little way out from town centre, and it was on the way to our friends, Wilfred and Doris, who lived in the Mission, that was only ten minutes away by car from our friends Mary and Lorne and closer to Wilfred and Doris, so we could keep in touch with them, and only a few minutes from town centre. I could nip into town to do our shopping it was very handy.
Mary and Lome helped us to move in and by that time I had got my own car. It did not take us long to visit either of our friends, so we were in a nice home. We used to visit them in turn, and then they would come to us the next week and so on. It was nice to be out in the country. We loved it there and I looked after that place like I would my own! I have a lot of pictures of our time there, especially in winter, when the ducks used to come to us for food. We very frequently visited our friends, Mary and Lorne……..
(Dad missed out completely how they had to go back to England, sell their house, pack things to be shipped over to Canada; and that I had to sign them into Canada, meaning they would not be allowed to go on any "social service" money for 10 years, if hard times came. It would all fall on me to care for them. Of course I knew that would not happen as Dad was getting a very good company pension as well as a British pension when he turned 65. They came then as landed immigrants, and 5 years later they became Canadian citizens. They did buy a new built bungalow and Dad made the garden as beautiful as always, with his "green thumb." I was in the Toronto area during those first years my parents were in Kelowna - Keith Hunt)
WE ARE NOW INTO THE NEW YEAR 1993.
Edith and I had a very quiet celebration as usual we stayed up to welcome in the New Year. Edith was not very well so we did not go or have our friends over to celebrate this time. We had a church just across the road from us, I was still hoping we could go to church on Sunday but each time I asked her she did not want to go, she said to me many a time "You go Dad, I will be okay" - but I would not go without her. I was hoping that Edith will soon be back to her normal health as we are planning to go over that summer to U.K. You know we had been looking around for a nice country place to move in 1994 (June) when come into the Canadian pension, we are looking forward to that year also. We still were back bowling until the end of April. We were busy getting things ready to go over to U.K. We were hoping to stay 3 months this time as you never know what can happen as you get older.
I believed that with God's help we would get to U.K. for three months.
During the summer of 1992 we had been looking around a few places out in the country of the Okanagan. One day when we were bowling I was talking to one of the players on the other team (he was also from England) and I mentioned that we had been looking around for a nice place to spend the rest of our time here when he asked me if I had been to Keremeos as he thought how nice a place it was, and he would like to live there. I went on to tell him we had been to look around and we liked it very much and had already decided that was where we would go, out of all the places we had seen, we did fancy Keremeos, and so, we made arrangements to go there, even before Dorothy told us about it.
I noticed that Edith was getting worse in health, so I did not talk about moving to her.
When Dorothy told us she was moving to Keremeos, we were surprised, but now we never mentioned anything about us definitely going for sure! We did not unpack a lot of things at Westview Village, as we were not expecting to stay there. Later on, things did not materialize, the way we had planned it. Edith's health was not very good and had started to deteriorate, I asked God to keep her going as I wanted to take her to U.K. as it might be the last time we could make it. Well we did manage to get Edith over there for a holiday. I was saying my prayers quietly and thanked God for keeping her well enough to make it.
Our planes were to have a long holiday in England and Wales, Edith and I went over for three months, and we had a great holiday! We did not know at that time it would be Edith's last holiday in England and Wales. In Crynant our home village in Wales, we visited all our old friends as we usually do, I was so glad we got around okay, although the weather was not all that great, but we enjoyed ourselves. We made a nice video in the garden at Len and Peg's place. I think that was the best week we had all the time we were there! We did travel round most days to the old spots we used to visit when we lived there, over those years. We were there three weeks, and then it was time to say goodbye to all our families, and hope to see them, all being well the following year. We left to go back to Halifax, England.
On our way back to Halifax, we did stop to look around Knighton and Presteign. This was where Edith and I worked before I got called up for the Services. We often called, to see if our work friends were still around. We did not stop more than a few days in the hotel. Edith and I didn't get much success this time, in trying to see a lot of our friends the last day we were there, I was outside the hotel, when a man was walking his dog. I stopped him, and asked him if he was there during the war. He was there! When I told him my time there, he remembered it, and knew my Boss! I mentioned to him that I was trying to fine him or others that worked there, I asked him if the boss stayed in Knighton, or whether he went back to Coventry. The man said that my Boss, Rob Boardman, married a woman who lived in Knighton, I told him, I knew her, as well. He said that my Boss had retired and that he lived, just the other side of town, but did not know his address. He told me to call at the post office. They did not find my Boss's address, I guess he had moved to the next village. So we set off back to Halifax Yorkshire, as I knew Edith was not up to it. I was thinking I would make our stay there longer, the next time we came over if Edith got better. I always called to see if I could find someone that could help me, as one never knows who they will run into, and so I would keep trying.
But as time went on Edith got worse and I did not want to travel around too much in England or Wales.
That gave us more time to spend with our work mates in Halifax. We were more successful in contacting our friends here! We had a right good time with them. Edith was trying to hide the fact that she had gotten worse in health. She didn't want her friends in England, to see her "sick." She was very good on our holidays. She stayed home lots of times, though.
Every good thing must come to an end, and now, it got to the time to pack our cases to go back to Canada. We arrived back around about the end of August. I had lots to catch up with my work around the house. Our neighbours next door had looked after the garden for us. We started going bowling again at the beginning of September. I was the one bowling, now, Edith just came and watched. She got a Trophy that year for being our "Greatest Fan."
Our team got the "Championship" Trophy! The winter that year was quite mild, and our health was about the same as usual. I started having fibrillation, but I hadn't time to go to the Doctor, and see about it, because I was looking after Edith. I noticed that she was complaining about being cold I put the heater up and I told her to let me know if she needed the heat up because I was so warm. Edith started with a "bad" ear, two weeks before Christmas Day. She told me it was wax trouble that she had before, and asked me to put some warm Olive Oil in it for her. This is what we have done in the past so, I did not think much about it. I kept doing that every day, for a while, and then she did not complain about it anymore. We were on our own over the Christmas period, and as usual enjoyed ourselves, together the very best way we knew, we did have some invitations from Mary and Lorne and other friends but again Edith did not want to go. I was beginning to get a little worried but I did not want to show her how I felt.
NOW INTO THE YEAR 1994.
Now we are celebrating the first day of the New Year 1994. Little did we know then, that it was going to be the worse year of my life! Edith was still having trouble with her ear. I kept putting the warm oil in each day. After two more weeks, I told her she should go to the doctor. She kept insisting, "It was just hard wax." Well this went on until the end of February. I asked Edith, "Isn't that ear any better?" She said, "No, not really." I told her she would have to go to see our doctor. She would not go. In the end, I made an appointment for both of us to see him, the first week of March. And that was that! I made her come with me.
When he checked her ear, this is what he said, "Edith, you have had an infection in your ear, now it's too late for antibiotics, as it is getting better." I told him that I wanted to bring her to him, sooner, but you know what she has been like, not wanting to visit you. I was just the opposite if I find something wrong with me I'm going straight to visit the Doctor. Still, now, I thought she was going to be okay!
I noticed after the end of April, that Edith was getting worse every day. She was hardly eating, and she was very tired all the time. Sometimes, she even fell asleep while she was eating! Then during the second week I noticed when she went to the toilet that she was getting very weak. I had to carry her otherwise she would fall. I sat her on the Toilet, this day, and I told her to give me a call when she was finished, but the next thing I heard was a "bang." I went to see what it was, and she was on the floor! "I have to try and walk, otherwise I never will," she said.
I got her back into bed, and she was comfortable, once more. Then, I went into the bathroom and was going to pull the chain on the toilet, when I noticed that there was blood in her waste. I took her to the doctor, and he had her stomach checked, and doctor Koss was standing in for our regular Doctor, checking her over he said he would make an appointment for her to be x-rayed. We followed that up and they found she had an ulcer! He gave her medicine, and after six weeks, she was cured! Which just goes to show you, that you should not be "afraid" to go to the Doctor at any time in your life! Lots of things that we make ourselves "go through" in sickness and endure, are not necessary at all. Doctors can help! Sometimes. So, use their expertise to your own health's benefit. I did try to get her to eat more and said to her if you fancy any thing to let me know and I will get it for you, still I know she was like that even when we first got married.
We had been ten years in Canada this year, 1994, as the "holiday" year was counted in as well. So, in July, we got our "old age" Canada Pensions for the first time! We were surprised to find that we each got one. Edith asked me if she could spend hers money on new earrings. I said, "Of course you could!" As the days passed, Edith kept putting off going to the store to get her earrings. Because she was now getting weaker, but trying to keep it away from me She would always say, "Tomorrow, Dad, I'm not feeling well enough today."
So, finally, I went out and bought her earrings, as it was her (Birthday on Sunday, August the 7th. Edith would be 73 years of age). I kept saying my prayers and asking our Lord to make her better. We slept in separate beds now as I was disturbing her sleep, as at that time I was in and out of bed a lot every night.
It was Edith's Birthday, on the Sunday. I brought her into the Lounge and set her on the Settee. I said, "Here Love, look what I've 'got you for your Birthday". She opened up the card, and I had the I earrings attached to it. The earrings had a Ruby in the middle and a lot of little Diamonds in a circle round it. "OOOh Dad, what did you have to get such a good set for me?" She said. She thought they were so beautiful. Too Beautiful for her! I didn't think that. She was my "all in all, my Sweetheart!" Nothing was too good for her!
As we progressed into the month of August, Edith's health was getting worse. I noticed that her chest was very bad! I had to carry her around, even in the house. I took her to the doctor. She was too sick to protest. Our Doctor was still on holiday, so it was doctor Koss. When he saw her, and examined her, he said she had ronchitis. He gave her the very best antibiotics. I went straight out after I got her home, then went and got her the medicine for her to take, straight away!
However, four days later, she was worse! I rang the emergency at K. G. Hospital as it was a Sunday and told the doctor what had happened, and that she was worse. I asked the doctor. "Should I stop the medication?" He told me. "No, bring her straight down to the Hospital." He believed it was more then Bronchitis, I also thought it was Pneumonia. The Doctor on the phone said it sounds to him to be more like Pneumonia. "Do you need the ambulance?" he said. I said no, I would drive her there straight away.
I told Edith that I had to take her straight to K.G Hospital; she did not want to go. As I got her ready, she said to me " I don't think I will be coming back home Dad!" When we were outside, getting into the car, she turned towards our home and said, "Good-bye home, I won't see you, again." I told her not to say things like that. It upset me a lot. But when I look back to other things she had said, I do believe she knew this was her final goodbye. It still upsets me even now, to think that she knew she was dying! I certainly wasn't thinking that way, and I would give anything to have been able to stop this event from happening. I stayed with her in the emergency from 3:00 pm. till 10:00 pm.
First, they did blood checks, and various other checks. By 6:00 pm the doctor came to tell Edith and I that they would have to keep her in, as she had no "potassium" whatsoever, in her blood. They did not know why, and needed a lot more "checks," to find out what was wrong with her. But Edith just wanted to go home. "No, I want to go home. I'm not going to stay!" I did not want her to stay either but the doctor knew it was very serious, he looked at me, I gave him a nod he left.
The Doctor said nothing and turned around and walked out. I said to her, "You should stay, otherwise, they will never find out what is wrong with you I want you to get better, love." After a while, about half an hour, really, I coaxed her to stay in for them to do the checks. She finally agreed to stay and have all the checks done. I went straight away, to let the doctor know, and he set the "wheels in motion" to get her a bed. I stayed until they had her bed ready and she was up in the ward. I said goodnight to her and told her, I will be waiting for them to let me in the next day.
I was back there for 2:00 pm. They let me in, straight away, to see Edith. Edith told me that I could be there in the morning, as they let people in for 2 hours. I asked the Nurse if that was right? She said, "Yes! We started it six months ago." While I was there in the afternoon, that day, a Specialist on Cancer came to see Edith. He said he wanted to take some cells from the small lump in her neck. (I had never even noticed it before.) He told her she would not feel a thing because he froze around the area. He got a big needle about three inches long, and took several samples of cells. He had is equipment out in the corridor, doing the testing.
After a little while, he came back to the bed, "Would you like to come out in the corridor and see what I'm doing?" He asked me. The Specialist told me that he was 99% sure that Edith had Cancer of the Blood Cells. He told me not to tell her! He said he was going back to his Lab to make double sure, and would let me know the following day: When I went back into the ward, naturally Edith wanted to know, what the doctor had said to me! I tried to be as calm as possible. "Oh," I said, "He just wanted to show me how the tests were done. He would let me know in the morning whether you had Bronchitis or Pneumonia." That seemed to make her feel a bit happier, and I stayed with her until after 10:00 pm. She asked later, if they were expecting to find anything else wrong with her? I said, "Don't worry love, if they do, you are in the right place, whatever they may find." I felt so bad not being able to share what the doctor had said to me, but what else, could I do? We had always shared everything all our life together. It was very hard for me to try to keep a straight face.
I made them all a cup of tea before I left that night. I gave Edith a big kiss, and said "I will see you at 10:00 am tomorrow. Try and have a good night's sleep, Love." I said goodnight to the others, believe me it was very hard to keep from breaking down right there at the Hospital. I was so upset with getting that news and trying hard not to let Edith know I was so upset until I got to my car. I was extremely upset at this news, especially when he said, "If this is the case, there isn't anything that can be done." He also said that it was a type of Cancer that could get into the body in so many different ways. Once he had checked everything out, he said that the hospital doctor would have a talk with me in morning. He assured me that Edith wasn't in any pain.
I had a very bad night at home, after leaving Edith, as I did, not knowing what to expect. I hardly slept all night, they would tell me the results, the next day! I was up at 5:30 am and waiting to go to the Hospital, I had a little to eat, and then at 7:00 am, the phone rang! It was the Doctor from our hospital, to let me know that Edith had had a relapse! He asked me if I could come in, straight away! I was off like a shot! When I got there Edith was under sedation.
The Doctors asked me if I would come into their Conference room. They wanted to ask me a few questions. The first one was, "Did Mrs Hunt have an infection some time ago?" I told them she had an infection in her ear, two weeks before Christmas 1994. They went on to tell me that she had Blood Cell Cancer. This Cancer enters the body through an Infection. It takes three months to establish its-self, and three month to end the person's life. I asked them, "Is there nothing you can do?" They both said, "There is absolutely nothing, we can do," then the woman Doctor said she is just sleeping.
I said "What about chemotherapy?" They said, "We could try, but we could only promise to prolong Edith's life for maybe a mouth to three months, at the very most!" I said, "No-way, would I let her go through all that, for just for three months!" The Doctor said, "No, only one month, maybe three, but very doubtful." I said, no-way will I let her go through all that trouble just for that short time. The Doctors both said, to me, "We are glad you said that you don't want us to give Mrs. Hunt, Chemotherapy, as if you had said, 'go ahead with it' we would have had to tell you that we couldn't do it, as she is too weak to stand it." They said they were very sorry, and told me I could stay all night with her. I did stay all that night as she was just sleeping.
On Monday night when I went home, I phoned Keith and told him that his Mother was very ill, and the Doctors had not given me much hope of her recovering." Keith said, "We'll arrange to come up on Friday. Can you meet us at the airport, Dad?" I said, "Okay." I never left Edith's side.
I did stay with Edith, the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night at the Hospital. I didn't get much sleep. I kept going over to see if she was okay (I never got the chance to speak to her again because she was under sedation.) Keith was coming up on the Friday night. We went straight to the K. G. Hospital. After Keith saw his Mother, I was going to take them home and come back to stay with Edith. But my doctor had arranged with a lady volunteer to sit with Edith that night. My Doctor wanted me to go home. I told him, "I want to stay!" I do not want to go home!" But "our" Keith said, "Come on Dad, there is nothing more you can do."
Most Hospitals, have Palliative Care workers who come into the patients room and stay with them to either play soft music, or read the 23rd Psalm to them, to give them hope of Christ's love for them.
They need the Blessed Assurance that Jesus Christ loves them. As you get close to Death, God becomes very real to you. It is the only thing that matters to you. Is my relationship with God good enough for Him to Love me and take me to my home, Jesus has prepared for me? You, alone with God, then, it is your will, to "give up the 'Ghost.'" Most people don't think of this. But, I guess it was time for Edith to be with God even though it was very heard for me to part with her after all the years we were together. Thank you God for giving us a good life.
(Dad and Mom had been married for 53 years at this time - Keith Hunt)
Well, I gave in and went home. We had a bite to eat and went to bed. We were only in bed an hour when the phone rang and a Nurse told us Edith had passed away.
We had lived four years, in the Bungalow, when I lost Edith! She passed away on my birthday, the 26th of August 1994. I was devastated; we had been together almost 54 years! It took me two years to get over it! Still today I have not got over the loss, I am each day wishing that she was still with me and as I had promised to keep her wish I still have her ashes with me and I talk to her every day. I still have someone to talk too, and I tell her what I'm doing.
When we left, the Hospital, I was very upset, and blamed myself for not making her visit the Doctor about that ear problem she had over Christmas! I kept thinking to myself, if I had put my foot down, she might still have been here with me, today! But all our lives, I never made her do anything she didn't want to do. I did everything to make her happy. Edith was the same with me. I always thought I would "pass away," before her, as all her mother's family lived long lives. Her mother and Aunty lived well into they're "nineties."
My mother lived to almost 83; my Dad only lived to 72 years old, that's why I thought I would be the one to go first, so I never thought of her going before me, so you can see how I felt, and when I thought back and the arrangements we had made about our ashes going over to our little village, and we made a packed that who ever was left would make all the arrangements.
At first Edith did not want to be cremated. Her English friend Maggie, who had died a year before, was taken straight from the hospital, and was cremated without the benefit of a Service. It seemed so cold. We agreed that we would have a Service. Anyway, some time later, we were talking about things, and I happened to say to Edith that I was not bothered which way I was buried. I would do the same as Edith. Then I said, "I would have loved to go back to our favourite 'courting spot' in Wales, where I was born." Edith thought about it for quite a few days, and then she said. "Dad, I've been thinking. If I agree to be cremated then we could go home to be buried, couldn't we?" We both agreed, that if our "courting grounds" were not suitable, that we would be buried in Crynant cemetery in Wales my village where I grow up. Edith was only a very short way from the Cemetery where she lived. I think now she couldn't do it and
wanted to go first to be with God. We agreed that whoever passed away first, the other one would carry out our plans, to make all the arrangements the next time one of us would go over too Wales. We would check it out, then decide if we want our ashes in our "courting spot" or taken to the Cemetery. I did promise to keep her ashes if she went before me, and they are still with me today. When I "pass on," our ashes will be sent together to Wales to be buried. I will have the job of doing that when I go over in 1995. I think now after we made arrangement Edith wanted to go first.
(A few years later Dad and I came to the agreement that I would take both of their ashes back to the grave site in Crynant, Wales. Dad and I set up the headstone and writing on it, when we were over together in 1997. All that needs adding is the date and year of my Dad's passing. So this has yet to be done now that Dad died June 30 2014 - Keith Hunt)
The funeral was on the next Friday. Keith conducted the service, which was beautiful, with memories and songs Edith loved by Slim Whitman (from the 1950s) and Harry Secombe (Harry being the famous Welsh Tenor in the 1950s). Keith sang "Peace in the Valley." It was all very touching, many friends were present. I could not stop crying. It was held at the Springfield Funeral home, in Kelowna. Later, many of our bowling friends that went to the Service, said that he did a very good job of it. However, they were so surprised that he was able to do it without breaking down. I know one thing I could not have done it!
(I was given strength to do the service without breaking down. I wanted it to be a wonderful service, that Mom would have been so very pleased with; and I think it was - Keith Hunt)
MY HEART
I BEGAN TO HAVE HEART BEATS THAT WERE IRREGULAR. They gave me a small machine under my skin to smooth out the heart beats, when it was out of correct rhythm. But the second part of all this was to be done in Vancouver, B.C.
I eventually got my appointment to go to Vancouver to have the second part done with another Dr: on June the 9th 1995. They had to stop my "Natural node" entering my heart. That is what keeps everyone's heart beating. Then when they did that my heart will be working from the Pacemaker all the time. Dr: Boon told me I would have to take (Coumadin.) for the rest of my life, to prevent blood colts. He also said I would never know the pacemaker was there! The doctors would only know when it was fibrillation, when they place me on the machine.
My sole aim now was to book my flight to go over to England, and Wales so that I could make all the arrangements I promised Edith I would do to make sure our ashes would be taken home to Wales. I also wanted to video all the places we had visited on Holiday. This was the same time I thought it might be my last time I would take my video Camera with me. This would be my first time to go to the U.K. on my own after I lost Edith in 1994.
It was the 6th of July Thursday 1995. I woke up that morning, feeling a little sad to think I would be on my own without Edith. Still God was there with me, and I would not feel so lonely, but all the way, I kept thinking about Edith. As usual I had a long wait before setting off to the U.K. I was in a wheel chair, and I found out after being left to look after myself, that the Wheelchair I was in, needed someone to push it. I was left on my own, until boarding time. I sure did report it and they phoned me to tell me to ask for one as they still had the old ones. This was my first time in Vancouver Airport after they had completed the extension to the Airport. I was amazed when I started to wheel myself to the toilet, and found very small wheels on the new wheel-chairs. I was waiting at the boarding spot, and as I was early, there was no one to keep an eye on my suitcases for me. I eventually got to the toilet by getting out of the chair and walking with it. Now the time has come, to board the plane. I had a very good journey all the way to Manchester. I arrived there on time, 12:15 p.m. I am so glad that Manchester has not changed, I always had a man to wheel me, to pick up my bags, then take me down to pick up my hired car. I always tip them well as they always spend a lot of time with me I gave him Ten pounds; they then take me outside to pick up the car, and to see me off, before he leaves my side. Believe me, it's a very long walk from the plane to the centre of the Airport, then more walking down three flours, and in a wheelchair they take you down and then to pick the car up. It's worth that money I tip them. He will see me drive off, and wish me a very nice holiday, then he would make sure I knew the different things to be able to drive in comfort.
I'm on my way to Halifax and then Pontefract on the motorway, to my niece, Irene and her husband Michael. I was also am thinking about visiting my work friends. Again, I had quite a good ride, and for a change a nice afternoon for travelling. I arrived there for 2:30 p.m. I had a drink of tea and went to bed for a few hours and that put me right for the rest of the night. After a night of talking, we all went to bed at 10p.m. I had a good night, and was up for 7:30 a.m., to start a new day that God has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. I always say my prayers and thank God once more for a safe journey to Manchester.
The next day, (Saturday) we spent the day, shopping for the weekend. We all got together for a meal with the family. We played games, with the children after supper (Tea Time in England). The next day, Sunday, we were off to Church in the Morning and then, we went out at lunchtime, with the boys for a drink in the pub. I don't drink any alcohol, but I do treat my family, as they like to I have an hour in pub, before dinner. The next week, I went travelling to Halifax, to visit my "chargehands" (that I had under me in my job with MacIntosh) each day the first week there. They always organize a Friday night out in the pub. When some of the men could make it, they were running three shifts at work since Nestle took over our firm.
As many of my old workers, as possible, try to get there. Couples came, wives and husbands and boyfriends, they would come from work, and see me at the pub and we had a right good time together! This went on every time I went over to U.K. One of my chargehands, Harry Butterworth now had Parkinson's disease I always went to pick him up in Elland and then take him home again, in my rented car. Harry was a supervisor and my assistant for a very long time after Les Parslow passed away quite young, and my first assistant for quite a few years. He was very true to me, and the very best assistant I had at that time.
The following week, I went out with Irene and Michael, to different towns to look around. I bought things I needed for my personal use. When we returned for dinner, I did some sorting out of my cases, like I always do. I was up early each day before they got up and I planned our days out. It's nice to have a nice bath every other morning! We went for a ride to the Seaside places as we have a lot, within short distances of home. First thing today I had to look around for good drinking water. I can't take the water in this place, as they are now putting chlorine into it, and it upsets me. I did find some mineral water and that was much better. Eventually I did find a place with good water, still not as good as we get out in Canada.
Monday, the 24th July, I decided to go down to Wales to visit all my Relations. I was up early for breakfast and set off at 9 a.m. again it turned out to be quite nice for travelling, and non stop to my usual restaurant. (Little Chef) I always go there for dinner. I got to Nancy's little farm at suppertime. The rest of night we walked her dog up the mountain, and I got to bed for 10:30 p.m. Here we are into another day! After breakfast we had a run into my little hometown of "Neath," where I used to visit the dancing halls, a lot on Saturday night, as I got older. As I said earlier, many a time, us, young boys lost the last train home, and had to walk six miles to get home! (Until we had the "sixpenny op" in our village.) But we still enjoyed our time in those days! We did some shopping and then we set off back home, on the way to my little village Crynant. I still say my prayers at night and thank God for keeping me safe and well.
Nancy and I stopped to see our old "courting spot" at the end of the village where Edith and I had planned to sprinkle our ashes, when we left this life, to be with God. I was so disappointed when I saw the change in it since Edith and I had left Wales! Remember, we left Crynant to work in Halifax, Yorkshire where Edith's mother lived, because there was very little work here to suit me. That was in 1947. Now we are into 1995, so, that was 48 years ago, I started working with Mackintosh in March 1948. I guess we don't realize that time passes on, and great changes appear. I took one look and told Nancy straight away that we were going to the cemetery without doubt!
Now I first had to find out who was responsible for looking after the Cemetery so that I could if possible pay for a plot for Edith and I for when the time came for us to be with God, our plans where to come back home when it was time for us to rest, we loved our little village where we grow up. And these were our plans. We promised each other that whoever was left would make the necessary arrangements. Now it was I that had to sort everything out as I made that promise to Edith, so I talked it over with Nancy and she did not know the person who was looking after the Cemetery.
The next day after breakfast I went down to Crynant to the street where I was brought up all my young days. While I was there, I was video taping in the Street when Lucy came along the street, walking her dog. She said, "Is that Willie Hunt?" I turned around and said, "Yes, you remember me, Lucy?" "Well, of course I do!" she replied, and then she invited me in for a cup of tea, just like we used to do when our mothers were alive! Lucy had lived next door to me when we were very young. She still lived in the same house. Lucy never did get married she stayed at home looking after her mother.
I told her I was writing my life story and asked her a few things to make sure I had it just right in my story and I had the date wrong, when we worked in Halifax and we came down on holidays we always tried to visit all of our old friends and Neighbours in Wales, we still did that when we lived in Canada, and each time we came over on holiday, I have lost a lot of the older ones over the years, I always tried to visit all of them especially my age.
This time her mother had passed away, Lucy was still on her (own ate we finished our tea I told Lucy what I promised to do when I lost Edith. Lucy said she would take me down to the Cemetery, only a little walk away from her home. I had told her what I was hoping to do with our ashes. She took me up to see Marjorie, a friend of ours. Next door, was the person that looks after the Cemetery, his name was Mr. Jack Crowther I met him, and he told me everything I needed to know to get our plans carried out, when my time came to be with God. He agreed to look after my affairs ever since that day and still doing that for me.
It pleased me immensely to be able to get things sorted out. I went down to the Cemetery to pick my plot with Mr Crowther. We went back to his home and paid him and got it all geared up that was necessary and I was very pleased I had met Lucy to give me all the information I needed.
Now I was ready and very pleased to go back to Yorkshire knowing I had all the arrangements I had promised Edith I would, also I would not take her ashes over until we were both together, see how our Lord God got me to meet the right people when I need help to keep my promise to Edith.
The following day, I went out specifically, to finish my videotaping around my home country, I finished my videotaping around my home country village, Crynant where Edith and I grew up. Then I went back to Nancy's home for Dinner. I stayed with them for two more weeks. We went driving around each day it was good to be able to walk the dog and talk and talk and remember "old times". And give her some help when she needed it. I can't stay at Nancy's too long as she only got one big bedroom. Also I visited my relations Colin and Barbara and family in Ammanford, they always' give me a very good welcome; Peggy, lived in Ystradgynlals, she was "Edith's and Nancy's younger sister, so we went down there to see her and we drove around the country and went to the Seaside. It was getting very-close to my time to go back to Pontefract. On August the 7th it was Edith's birthday. Nancy and I brought Flowers to the grave of Edith Mom, and my Mam and Dad. I also arranged with Nancy to keep putting Flowers on the graves at regular intervals. Nancy Had flowers around her place and she said she would. I did eventually tell her that I was having Lesley to look after the graves when it came to my turn to live with our Lords in heaven.
I left for Pontefract on Thursday, the 10th of August, then, on traveling back to Halifax, I called to visit Knighton where Edith and I worked before I was called into the Services. I was by myself, and I missed Edith, sorely. I did try to find our friends, we lived with in the "White House" Presteign (Fred and Joan), I called at the White house but I got no answer, and no one around I could ask so I went into the pub and asked a man drinking there if he could tell me if he knew Fred and Joan, he gave me the bad news that Joan had died but did not know where Fred was.
I Told him all about my life with them before I got called up. He said if I waited until he finish his drink he would take me to meet Joan's sister; I was very pleased about that so I stayed until he finished and I also asked him if he was there during my time before I got called up. He said he had been in the war from the start, I know that some of the girls that worked with me did not go home to Birmingham and stayed and got married but did not know much of later on what happened. I thanked him before he left me with Joan's sister, She said that Janet, Joan's daughter was now married and living away, but if I gave her my address she would give it to her when she phone. I hoped I would be able to come back in the near future, God willing. And maybe see some of the people I worked with, and arrange a get together some night with them. From there, I set straight off back to Pontefract. I arrived there early that evening, about 4:00 p.m. I had stopped on the way at my favourite Restaurant (Little Chef) as usual to have a meal then non-stop to Irene and Michael. Unfortunately Janet never got in touch with me.
On Friday, Irene and I went shopping for the next week's groceries for me, as they were leaving on Saturday, for a weeks holiday to Torquay, a big seaside place, down south. We had been there for many holidays when we worked in U.K. The Gold Mine in Wales had now opened up again, this year. I decided to send for the Rare Welsh Gold Ring, that they had advertised in their Brochure. I had phoned them, and they assured me that it would arrive, before I left for Canada. They were "true to their word" and it came by mail. I wanted it as a souvenir as all the royal family has had rings made for any important function at official ceremony. I only wanted the ring to show my friends and a keepsake.
Another thing that happened was sad news. One of my long time workers, Chris Pettifor was diagnosed with Cancer, and had only four months to live. But the saddest thing about it was, that her husband left her, after learning she only had 4 months to live! They had been married for over 20 years!
On the 19th of August. I had a mad rush to go to Castleford, to pick up Irene and Michael as they were returning from their holiday. I had gone out and got onto the Motorway, and was all the way to Wakefield before I realized I was wrong! Then I had to turn around and come back to Castleford! I was an hour late getting to them. I told them what had happened and the run around I had to get back to pick them up, how did I get it all mixed up I just did not know. I was a little late setting off and I guess I was thinking I was going to Wakefield. I had to put my foot down to get back as quick as I could, I just still wondered how I made that mistake.
We travelled to Blackpool on Friday, Carolyn, Mark and the children went down, one day ahead of us. I took my video Camera to video our time there. On Saturday, the children were playing on the sands, and in the water. We also went down on the Pier. I video and taped all morning. However, I saw a little black spot on the lens of my video camera, all morning. I couldn't see what it said as I can't use my glasses, so I ignored it.
That afternoon, we were going to the amusement Park, and the children were riding on the "Bumper Cars" there. I was about to video tape the children, when I decided to put my glasses on, and see what that little black mark was on the lens. Oh, was I mad! It said "No Tape" Everything I had videoed was not there! I must have forgot to put the tape back in after I had watched what I had taped the day before! So I can only remember that happy day with everyone, there's no film of it! I only had a few more days left, before I was to go home to Canada. I was feeling like I wanted to have my holiday go on a bit longer, however, "all things come to an end" and I accepted that it was time to go home. I had all my packing to do ready for my return.
Now it was once more time to go back to Canada. My flight date was Friday the 8th of September 1995. I must say though that we did have some very nice warm days while I was over there, it had been so beautiful! Now I was going back on had a very wet day. It was raining in the morning when I am getting ready to go home. I brought my car to the front so it was better for me to load up with my cases. When I finish I tried to get my car up the "grass" slop, it was so slippery, and the car kept going sideways. I had a difficult time getting it up there, I wanted to get the car as close as I could to bring my "cases" out, there was no one to help me that day.
I like some company when I go to the Airport, my niece who I stay with always came with me and I paid their fare back home. We got to Manchester in plenty of time, we had no hold ups on the "M-62" we walked around the Airport, we had a meal before it was time to board my plane, it ended up my flight was one hour late leaving, after I got on board they left to get their train from the Airport to their home.
I arrived in Vancouver on time, as usual had two hours wait for my flight to Kelowna, I don't mind that as I have a wheelchair so I can look around the Airport. Now it was time to get to the gate, we had a woman volunteer to wheel us down to the gate. Once again I was up in the air and it's only a one hour flight, and I will be in Kelowna. I had Randy picking me up at the Airport. He drives me to his home where I had parked my car, and then I set off to my home straight from there. In the summertime I do not sleep over night, it is light enough to travel straight back to my home in Keremeos.
As usual I had lots of work to do outside which I like to do as it gets me out of the house. I had been quite okay with my pacemaker while in England as I go to have my blood checked with Irene's family doctor and the nurse comes every Saturday to take our blood, then they will send the report back to the doctor and he will then tell me when to have it done again, like they do out here in Canada.
Monday I started back bowling with my friends, as soon as I got home from U.K, now I am back in the normal routine. We are I still having late summer weather this year. Today our summer days are over, since then we have had a few weeks of dull dry weather, still it is quite warm, and I am still working around the garden, cleaning up etc. Well I did have some bad days with my pacemaker soon after I return from England. I still managed to do some work outside even though I was still having a little trouble with fibrillation; I kept resting when it came on.
The next six months, it gave me a lot more trouble to the end of 1995. I had to visit the K.G.H. five or six times, and it was mostly in the very early morning when I got to the Emergency Department. The Doctor on duty put me on the special Heart machine, which (showed him, that I sure was fibrillating). The doctor said he could not at all understand how I knew! They eventually got in touch with Dr: Boon the specialist in Vancouver. He could not believe that I knew, they sent me to the pacemaker clinic, for them to check me over, and I still knew when I was fibrillating. The head nurse who have been looking after me could not understand why I knew as soon as I did not feel right, the head nurse Pat told me to come in to see her straight away.
I did go to see her in October, she checked me and my pacemaker was working okay to the setting they had placed me in. Then I was still having the trouble off and on, in the end Pat in the clinic said she would have a word with the doctor and see what they could do about it as I was still complaining, and would let me know. It went on like this all through the rest of the year, nothing special happened. I still kept going down to the K.G.H. and I told them I wanted to know why this was happening.
Now here we are almost at the end of 1995. Christmas day was very quiet for me and now it was New Year's Eve. I went with my friends next door to the Church to the morning service, the rest of the day I was at home. I did not stop up to welcome in the New Year as Edith and I use to do. But since I lost Edith I went to church every Sunday with my neighbour's to the church just across the road, as you know Edith did not want to go when she was not very well. I know the reason why she would not go.
WE ARE INTO THE NEW YEAR 1996.
We are now celebrating the start of the year 1996 and I hope they will get the Pacemaker right for me as it is still giving me trouble. I had to see Pat at the pacemaker clinic in April. I was still going down to the K-G-H in early morning and one day they keep me in for a few days and tried this and that, but still not working right. It was now time to see Pat, in the end she got me an appointment, to see the Technician from Teletronic's the firm that makes the Pacemaker. I got to see her at the end of April 1996.
The Nurse told the lady Technician what was happening. The technician took me off the machine. I was all wired up, she took me for a long walk, told me that she wanted me to walk the way I always did. So off I went, she could not keep up with me. We went right down to the water and back to hospital then, she had me going up and down two flights of steps! I was up the second before she got to the top of the first. After that she took me back to the pacemaker clinic. This was the conversation I heard her say to the two nurses.
Taking to the two Nurses, she said, "I know what is wrong with Mr Hunt, and it is not either of you two to blame. He is like a man of fifty to sixty years of age. The setting on the pacemaker is too old for him. It is set for a man between seventy to eighty I will place him on a younger setting, (she just did that) and he will have no more trouble again. I would like to add this, from that day in April 1996 when she put my pacemaker into the new setting I have not had any trouble with my pacemaker to this month of (January 2004.)
You can believe that or not, but it is absolutely true, I was so pleased when I went for my next six months appointment. I would like to mention this that when I tell people during a conversation, they just can't believe me, but if you have read the above what the technician said (to the two nurses), I have never had trouble again.
I started having another problem after a few months my heart was missing a beat! I went to my Doctor and told him, I was still having that trouble when I called on him, and he checked me straight away and said it was Palpitations. I asked him what he could give me for it? His answer surprised me, when he said "We do not have any treatment for it."
My next question was, "How come I was told by the specialist in Vancouver that nothing would stop the pacemaker working? I will not go into that as it was a complete waste of time. I would like to mention that when I went on Coumadin (blood thinners) he would have to check me every twelve months, as taking it regular may still effect my thyroid.
The only thing was he had forgotten about (that but it will come up in my next paragraph). I could not understand at that time that palpitation were entirely a different thing from Fibrillation. Now I found out that at the health food store. The lady in there knew more about it than my Doctor. I went a week after, to the health food stores, where I always get my vitamins. I happened to get a lady her name was Susan. We chatted, and she told me that she could help me, when I mentioned that I was looking for something to help my Palpitations. I told her about my pacemaker, and what my doctor had told me. He had no treatment for it. This lady was around thirty to forty years old and she went on to tell me what had happened to her when she was seventeen years old. She went eventually, to three specialists, and not one could find out what her trouble was! She just went on like this until she was twenty years old, until God sent this lady into the health store to help her.
Then, Susan talking one day to a lady, who had walked into the stores—(she was Reflexologist) a retired one, then Susan talking to her she happened to mention about the trouble she was having at that time. She told her to come and see her at her home and Susan went to see her, and she found out what was wrong with her! She was suffering from her Thyroid. Before I go into that, you already know what my Doctor said, when he put me on Coumadin. He said, about needing to check my Thyroid. Apparently, from what he said, it can have some side effects when one has been on Coumadin over a long period. What good would that do when they had no treatment for palpitations? I never went to my Doctor about palpitations again, and he also forgot all about what he had told me.
Now let me get back to Susan in the health store. She gave me Isabel, the Reflexologist's phone number who only lived just up the road from me, to make an appointment. I made an appointment to visit Isabel and believe me she found something else that had happened to me, years back! "Bill," she said, "where have you worked. You've got a foreign body in your lungs. Have you worked in a Chemical factory?" I said no.
"Have you worked on a farm?"
Again I said, "No, I worked all my life since I returned from the war in a sweet factory."
"I don't know but you certainly have got a foreign body in your lungs."
I could not think about it while I was with her, and after arriving home I kept thinking all night what could it be. As usual said my prayers at night, I was still thinking about it when I made my breakfast next morning, when it suddenly it came into my head about, something that had happened to me back in my working days, which had taken me quite a while to remember, and it was a message from our Lord God about an incident that happened to me one night back in 1955.
It was a week later when I went back to see Isabel, when I remembered the incident that happened to me in 1955 That was almost forty years before I went to visit Isabel in 1995. All she did while holding one hand while she went over my body with her other hand about 2 inches away from my body. It sure was a gift from GOD! I noticed before starting she held the one hand of mine and said a prayer. Believe me I am a living prove to what happened. It is so interesting believe me! I am telling the truth. With all the checks I had in U.K. they failed to find out why my lungs were so cloudy.
I had been working at the factory in Halifax, Yorkshire, when, one night, I went downstairs to find the night Mechanic. I needed him to fix one of the machines, upstairs. He was very busy - sawing a pipe off a gauge of some kind. I stood leaning against the bench, next to the gauge. I was waiting for him to finish cutting the pipe off, and come upstairs to get the machine going. All of a sudden, he had sawed through the pipe and a horrible substance came straight into my face, it made me gasp and take a very deep breath.
"OOOH, what the dickens was in there?" I exclaimed. I felt like I had breathed in something ghastly! A while after that incident I found whenever, I took a deep breath that I had to cough at the end of filling my lungs with air. When I did my exercises at home, I always go to my open window when I finish, to deep breath. This went on for the rest of the time. This happened in the year 1955, and went on for years. It was after Retiring to Canada, and visiting Isabel in 1995 that she eventually found the answer to why my lungs were so cloudy. And it will come up later the answer to that problem. This is one more time the Lord God-Jesus Christ came into my life as now I knew why God had had guided me to Canada.
Now let me get back to Isabel. She found out I had something in my lungs and also my Thyroid was below par. She put me on vitamins to clear out my chest, it was a six weeks course. It was Red Clover, and a Woodworm combination. It certainly did clear out my lungs. I had a broken tooth at the bottom right in centre front of my mouth, In those early days I went every six months to see dentist and he always asked me if it was giving me trouble when I said each time "No way." He always said okay will leave well alone, but even that tooth stump came out when Isabel put me on those vitamins. Then put me on to Kelp to treat my Thyroid and to stop the Palpitations. However I could not keep taking the kelp, as it made me feel nauseated. So, she changed it to one drop of Iodine in a glass of water per day and I now have it all under control! I have not been back to Isabel since, but if ever something else happens to me I will go straight back to her. When I visited the same health stores around the year 1999 I asked about Isabel as I wanted to thank her for getting me back to full health. I was told she had passed away.
I can now say I have not had any more trouble to this day August 2005. Remember, God had guided my life and will prove to anyone reading this story how God guided me to Canada when God knew they could not clear out my lungs in U.K. Then bringing into my life Susan and Isabel. If anyone can tell me it is not the guidance of the "LORD" THEN WHAT IS? Look back at my story as time after time in my life that our Lord God as not been with me. Just think how I lost that ground in Wales that made us decide it was Canada we would retire to. Remember also they could do nothing for me in Halifax England. I told you that God knows everything, and how did we make our minds up to come to Canada, when we had two choices to go elsewhere.
Before this episode started we had finally decided we would buy the land that one of our relations had found for us in Wales. We liked the land so went straight to the Lawyer office and placed a cheque for one thousand pound to hold it until he found out if there was planning permission on the ground; it was three months later he sent us a letter stating that there was no planning permission on the ground, and so he was returning our cheque to us.
………………..
WILLIAM JAMES HUNT - LATER LIFE
CHAPTER 13
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.
………………..
WILLIAM JAMES HUNT - Later Life continued
CHAPTER 14
The Year 1999
Now let me say a little about my month in U.K. I found a month much too short for me as I usually go in the summer only and have two or three month at one time. I did not have much time too rest, I had to get on with it and do the best I could, and it sure was a busy time. I did get to see a lot of my friends and did have one Friday night out for a meal. Barbara and Des, Bob and Helen had gone away and were not available. Later before I was due to return to Canada they rang me to say they were home and would take me out for a meal. I found out that at that time they found it impossible to hire a room for us to get together for the millennium, everything cost too much, never mind I would still be over as my flight was already booked.
The first week I was on my own as Michael and Irene were on they're holiday starting the 21st of July and returning the 28th of July. I was there to drive them to Castleford to pick up their bus taking them on holiday, as they have no car, then again picking them up when they returned. I used that week going back and fore to Halifax to be with my friends and work people, I found a lot were on holiday as the firm now "Nestle" have changed the holidays.
When I worked for Rowntree-Mackintosh we did have our holidays from the first Saturday in July, now they have different weeks to keep the factory running, and so this time I was not able to see a lot of my workers, I did manage to see my main Supervisors Bob and Helen, and Barbara, I was very happy about that. I hope to see more of them when I go over in December for a month and bring in the New Year 2000 with them (Millennium). That also did not materialize, still I sure was glad to be over there.
I did manage to go down to Wales for a week. I do not have a lot to visit these days; I do stay with Nancy. The next time I was staying at Heidi's I was telling her about me writing my "Life Story". The big surprise I got was when she said to me this: "Why are you doing that Grandpa?" I said, "Don't you remember when you were in England and I used to tell you some story's about Grandma's and my life and the funny things that happened to us from time to time during our courting life?" And once you said to me "Grandpa, why don't you write your life story. It seems so many funny things have happened to you." My reply to you was "Maybe one day when I'm retired I will."
Now let me get back to my days in England in the summer of 1999. Well the rest of my time went very well. But sure went very quickly. If I can manage to go over next summer it will be for two to three months. As I am getting close to the day I will no longer be on this Earth. I would like to go every year instead of every other year. The only time I will go in winter will be in December to January 2000 to bring in the New Millennium.
Dad had many years of life yet, but you do not know when into your late 70s - Keith Hunt)
I wish that Grandma was here with me like we planed, but if she had been with me I doubt very much she would have been strong enough to make it, even in 1993. One never will know what will happen in their lives, but that should not stop you making arrangements to enjoy ones retirement. I still say my prayers to thank our Lord every night.
Now I'm on my last week to the end of my holiday, Ho! I must tell you that the weekend before we had a trip to Blackpool. Carolyn [my niece's daughter] and family were already there; I did take my video Camera with me hoping I could take the children enjoying themselves at the fair ground and beach, to show people back in Canada. I did take the pictures and I thought things were okay, anyway I have to take my glasses off when I use it and of course I could see something on the Camera but could not read it. I was thinking I must check that to see what was there when I can put my reading glasses on, eventually, I put my reading glasses on to see what was in the eyepiece.
I could not believe it, it said "No Tape." I must have taken it out. I only used it a few days before going to Blackpool. I thought that the tape was still inside, I was very disappointed, believe me! The kids were having lots of fun on the sands and on the rides. Anyway, it was too late to do it again as I was returning to Canada on the Friday following.
The last five days of my holiday with Irene and Michael. We spent it doing my bit of shopping to bring back things that I cannot buy in Canada. Now it was time to get my cases sorted ready for my return to Canada tomorrow. We are now in Manchester Airport waiting to board, Irene and Michael were with me like they always do to see me off, They do not have a car so I pay their fare home to Pontefract and it's worth it. It is time to board so I said my goodbyes to them and said I will see you again in December.
Now I am back in Canada, my flight was very good we did not encounter any trouble and Heidi and Randy was waiting for me at Kelowna Airport. We went straight to their home and I stayed the night then set off home after breakfast. First I called in to have my blood checked, and to my surprise my blood was much to thick, I had to go and have it checked for three weeks until they got it down to 2.5 and I had to go back on eight mg. Believe me, I will never do that again. I thought when I had my last check with Irene's Doctor it was so low I decided to stop taking my Coumadin a few days before travelling back home to Canada. I had to put off going to Saskatoon to visit Karalei for over a month.
Then Keith wanted to have a week's holiday with me before I set off to Saskatoon. Keith came down to me on the 23rd and went back on the 29th after visiting Ty-Roy his son and Kaiola [another daughter of Keith's] who lives in Kamloops. When he was ready to return home to Calgary we made arrangements to meet at Sicamoose on the Sunday as I was to leave Kelowna at 10am and he did the same from Kamloops, and we met up within ten minutes of me arriving there. Keith had worked it out okay. We got on the Trans-Canada Highway with me following him to Calgary. I was staying the night with him before setting off next day to Saskatoon. We had a good run all the way stopping
a few times to eat and to give Puff [Keith's dog] a little walk and some water, we
got to his home at 9-30 pm.
I felt okay until early morning when I had an upset stomach, I guess it was something I had eaten on my way up. I had a drink of Eno's that eventually and it did the trick. After breakfast I was checking my shoulder bag to make sure I had all my Medication, I was surprised to find that I had left my oral Chelation at home. This was a real problem I could not go on to Saskatoon without them.
After talking to Keith, I remembered that we could get them from Regina, so we rang a friend and asked her to ring the firm and see if they could supply me with what I needed. I got the message to give them a ring and they would send them straight on to where I was going, and so they would be there when I arrived at her home. I paid with my master card and they were in Saskatoon the next day. I was pleased to be able to have them sent, as it was a new treatment for me.
Now I got that settled I got ready to go on my way to Saskatoon. Keith set off to take me to the highway leading to Saskatoon, I followed him through Calgary to the highway leading to Saskatoon; we stopped to say our good byes and I was on my way, I was not expecting to encounter the episode that followed after I left Drumheller. I was told to follow the 56 and 9 sign. I did this but was not told to follow the 9 when it branched off at a junction, a long way down the road, I went straight through and still followed the 56. I though I would stop at the first little village for my lunch. Eventually, I got to a place called "Settler" - they had a few restaurants there.
I ordered a meal and asked the waitress if they could direct me to Saskatoon. "After you finish your meal, I will bring you a map and show you." So she did. "Follow the 12 east and it will take you straight to Saskatoon." I was sitting facing the window and main road. I asked, which is the 12 east. Pointing to the main road running past the window she said, "There it is." Then I asked her which way to go, left or right? she answered. "Go right and only around the corner, you cannot see it from here, you will come to a T junction in the road, the right one is Edmonton, and the left one is 12 East, go on that one all the way and you will come to a sign for Saskatoon." I thought that was very good. I got on my way and she was right when I got to the "T" junction, I went 12-East.
Right, I was off like a shot, and I did not stop until I got to the end of 12 east, over 120 km. I arrived at this "T" junction. I could only go left or Right. There was a sign right in front of me but nothing saying Saskatoon. I spotted a man who was on a bicycle going left. I thought if I go up that way and wait for him to catch up with me I would ask him the way. When I did asked him, he said, "Go back to that junction and turn right." I looked at him and said, "I have just come down that way, and it is the 12 east."
"Where have you come from?" he asked me."
"From a place called Settler" I said.
"How did you come this way?" he inquired of me.
I told him the tale and then he said, "They have sent you the wrong way, now you will have to go all that way back. They should have told you to turn left at the restaurant, and kept straight on. You will come to 21 south that will take you straight into Saskatoon, you have a long ride ahead of you." I thanked him so much, and got on my way.
It was going on for 5pm. By the time I pasted the restaurant again. I travelled on and on it was a straight road with no place to pull in. Eventually I got to a place called Kerrobert, it was 7-30pm, by this time. I had had enough of travelling and pulled in to a hotel to stay the night. I got in touch with a friend by phone to let her know where I was and why, and told her what happened, I ask her to get in touch with her sister and let her know I would be there in morning, her sister was meeting me just after I got into Saskatoon. I was told I was only one and a half hours away. I told her that I could not drive in the dark, and would ring her before I left in the morning.
I had quite a good sleep that night, and was quite fit enough to go on my way, I phoned the friend to let her know I was ready to leave, and she gave me Else's phone # to ring Else [her sister]. When I got onto the main drive into Saskatoon. "Give her a ring when you get to the first Petro Canada gas station" I was told. I did that and Else picked me up within a few minutes. We set off for Warman with me following Else. We got a good ride all the way. I didn't think I was staying more than one night, as we were going the next day down to Karalei's farm in Spiritwood, which is out in the country. Karalei was there with as she had a court case against Darran. The next day I went with her to court to keep her company and here what went on.
We set off for Karalei's home after dinner, I had James with me, and I followed Karalei home. It was quite a way. Then I met Vern [Karalei's now new husband] for the first time, and I sure found him to be a very nice person. I very much hope things workout okay for them, she is a very nice girl and deserves a much better man in her life then the one she had had. I never liked Darren from the fist time I met him, and I told Karalei that. They were only living together at that time, this was in 1995, and had been together for some time, then, believe me, I was glad she got him out of her life.
I must say that I really enjoyed my short time on the farm with Karalei and Vern and the two children [Karalei had with Darren].
We did have a little trouble with Darren because the children did not want to go to Darren that weekend because I was there, he was asked if he would have them the weekend after, he was such a bad person, as usual he refused the request, the children refused to go, so he contacted the police and they had to go. What kind of a man would do that to his children? We had more trouble later on through him.
I must tell you this tale, one day when Vern came in for Dinner and we were sat around the table he was talking to us; one day he would be building a log cabin when he will be giving up working up North and working only on his farm. Then he said, "Would you come down here to live if I build one for you?"
Ho boy! How I would have loved to take him up on that offer! I said, "If I was ten years younger, believe me, I would not only take you up on that offer, I would have come down to help you to build it. I don't want to move from B.C. at this time of my life. I just hope that I can stay in this home the rest of my life. I'll never forget your offer to me."
I wish Karalei had met Vern years ago.
All good things must come to an end. Now it was time for me to go back home. I rang Keith to let him know as I had made arrangements to stay with him on my way back. I set off late in the afternoon and so arrived late. We had a good night and after breakfast I set off for the last leg of the journey to my home in Keremeos. Had a nice day with a few stops along the way. The worse part was coming through Kelowna to Keremeos. Arrived at my home at 8:30 pm.
Now I must get things together as there is not a lot of time to get all my work done. I started typing this a little at a time and hope I get all up to date before I leave for the 9th of December. Boy! With all the things I have to do and my own packing it is not leaving me much time. I only have five days to get all I have left to do before I have to be on my way for U.K. for the Millennium. I have wished for a very long time to live to bring in the year 2000 in the U.K. with my family and all my friends. All through those last two years I kept asking in my prayers for Jesus Christ to keep us well for us to be around to make the trip in the year 2000, the only disappointing thing is that Mam is not with me. It will not be the same for me without her; still life has to go on and Mam will be with me in my thoughts every day.
I do miss her so very much, remember we had planed for over two years before she passed away, as I said together it would have been the highlight of our life. But, I know that she would have wanted me to go, and this is why I'm going and will be toasting for Mother as well for the wonderful life the God gave us together for 54 years. I just hate travelling on my own especially in winter, as I can't get a straight flight to Manchester. I thanked God in my prayers for letting me live to see the Millennium coming in. I was trying to get all my things I needed to take in my cases.
I have to go to Heathrow London then change to go on to Manchester. I have a lot of waiting around at each Airport making it a very long journey, and it will be a big drag this time. Still, this will be the first winter, and believe me the last one. Now I only have ^wo more days left, this is all I have time for I will finish off the year 1999 when I return in January 2000.
I hope everything will go okay, this will be the only time I will be in the U.K. in winter. I wish they had charter flights likes as in the summer. I prefer traveling with the British Airways. It cost a lot more but they look after you a lot better. I know I would rather pay more to enjoy the nice meals and other services but British Airways do not fly into Manchester. I hope soon they will make Cardiff a bigger Airport.
I eventually arrived in Manchester for 4-45 pm on Friday the 10th of December 1999. I was not expecting to encounter another episode like the one going down to Saskatoon, well I certainly did! The man who was looking after me wheeled me down to level one to pick up my hired car, the same company as I did when I went over in June. As usual I handed her my B.C. driver's license. When she came back to me and asked me this question, "Were you born in 1920?"
My answer was "of course I was" She then said. "Our insurance covers you only up to 74 years of age. Well, I was 78 years old.
"Then I came in June and you gave me a car without a word being said. And I told you when I left in July, do not forget I have booked with you for a car when I come back in December." She admitted she did remember me saying that to her, she had to have a word with her Manager on the phone.
Now believe me that was a long wait, over 45 minutes. Then the manager spoke to me on the phone and said, "I do not know how we slipped up in June. I am glad you did not have an accident."
I bet he was! Why was he so long? He had to ring up all the other rental companies to find one that covered up to the age of 79. He did find only one, Avis. He had to transfer me over to them, I had more money to pay, $400 dollars more, because of the car was bigger. They did my company a favour by up grading the car free. The man that was looking after me never left me. Now after getting all the papers signed they told my man to take me up to level two and give him my car number. Here we are at last, usually they send me a man to show me all the switches, as they are different from Canadian cars. The man had to show me all he could. It was dark and raining outside, and I did not know how to work the de-mister when I got on my way. I had to open the window to keep the windshield clear. I got to Pontefract where I stay with my niece at 7:40 pm. Boy! Was I very tired! What I have learned from all this is, I will not be able to hire a car in U.K. any more. I thanked our Lord God in my prayers for looking after me and for a save journey all the way to my home.
When I arrived at Irene and Michael I was ready for a meal, and a rest as this was what I did, then we talked awhile before sorting my cases out, I mentioned to them about me just having my ingrowing toe nail taken off and with all the waiting at the airport it was bad and I was told to bath it in salt water every other night and rest it often, but I suppose they have enough to do with all the other things preparing for the Christmas day meals that they had a lot of things on their minds, especially Irene, so I guess they did not really worry about my problem with my foot, I did ask her if she had a bowl I could use, as usual the family came and so ended my asking.
Michael asked her something else so I kept quiet thinking they would ask me later but they must have forgot. Then after a few days I asked Irene again about a bowl, she came up with this, "I haven't got a bowl, I could clean out the mop bucket if that will do you,"
"Sure will," I said.
I had been up early in morning for three nights with the pain, and I did not care what it was as long as I could bath it, that is what I had been told to do, if I had not done so much walking and bathed my foot it would not have been so bad.
We had done a lot of our Christmas shopping to buy presents before I want down to Wales for a week or two before Christmas. I asked God in my prayers to keep all my family in good health and hope to see them soon. I was getting my cases sorted out ready for my trip to Wales. I never forget to say my prayers, no matter where I am as I know the lord above is still guiding my life.
I set off to visit my nephew Colin and Barbara in Wales on the 15th of December before Christmas, I only stayed with them for one week as I wanted to be back to sort out the presents that I had got for each of them all in Pontefract. I was ready now for my trip to Wales I had a nice journey all the way, and it was a very nice day for traveling, I arrived at their home for 4:30 p.m. I received a very warm welcome, later on after we had supper we got talking about things, I mentioned to Barbara about my in-growing toe nail that I had it cut out only a few days before I left Canada. There was no hesitation from, " Barbara take your sock off let me see it uncle Bill."
When she saw it so bad, straight away she went and got me a bowl to let me bathe it. I did that in salt water then Barbara got some ointment on it then put a little bandage around it, it sure felt a lot better. "Thank you Barbara that was very kind of you, Irene did not look to see how bad it was as I said she was so busy with all other things she had to do. I understand when she as all those children asking her things."
The next day after we finish breakfast, I started to mention the episode I had at the Airport when I arrived there, some how when I was over in June they had failed to notice my age when I picked up my hired car. Then I went on to tell them what happened this time, when I handed them my B.C. driving licence she said to me were you born in 1920 I said "Yes" then they found I was 79 years of age, I was held up for over an hour because their insurance only covered a person up to 74. ( I would no longer be able to hire a car any more.)
I have already said this previously, I told the whole episode. I went on to tell Colin and Barbara they do not take into consideration I have been driving in U.K. all my life until I went to Canada. I told them I had not had one accident in 44 years, driving in U.K. I have been driving in Canada the last seventeen years still without an accident but that did not make any difference to the insurance company. (Now in Canada 21 years (2005). I guess, they all have their own rules, still they should have noticed it when I was over there in June for a month.
Colin then came out with this, look uncle Bill, why don't you fly to Cardiff Airport and our Antony will pick you up and drive you home, I will come with him, I asked him if Antony would be willing to do that, Colin said he would be too pleased to do it, because he would be glad to get out of the house, when we go shopping he is only too pleased to drive us and sits in the Van waiting for us. I was very pleased with that offer, and I will do that the next time I come over. I forgot to say that Antony as "Muscular Dystrophy", Lesley and Antony met in collage and after a few years Antony came down with that trouble, what a nice person he is, I sure hope one day they find a cure for it, Lesley is Colin's daughter and so is Janet, they just have the two girls, I was so glad that Colin still lives in Wales with his wife Barbara and all his family.
Colin is my middle sisters son, her husband Cyril was in the army with Tubby you know that I have mentioned that earlier about Cyril. He died in the Japan war camp in World War Two; they had four boys and you may wonder how Colin came to live with his Grandma in Wales as he was born in London where all the family was born. During the 1939 war they evacuated all young children from the city out into the country, his three other brothers went down South but Colin was born with a club foot, my sister Maud asked her mother if she would take Colin, to stay with her. Mother said yes? Colin went to Wales to stay with her during the war. Colin never went back to his mother because she did not ask to take Colin, back.
When he became old enough to work she had the cheek to come down to Wales to take him back, so Colin decided to stay with his Nan (Grandma) that's the term they used in London. His Mother never asked for him back until he started working, so she thought, now he could bring her money to help to keep his brothers but Colin would not go and leave his Nanny!
I was proud of Colin telling his Mother to get lost, Colin by this time had a girl friend (now his wife Barbara) and she's still a very nice person, and still together to this day (2005). Colin's other brothers have never been in touch with him to this day 2004. What was worse his mother never was in touch with him either. I still keep in touch with Colin and Barbara and also their family.
Now the time I had with Colin and Barbara and their family was almost over, now to get ready to get back to Pontefract tomorrow. I have enjoyed my stay with them all, and Antony and Lesley's little boy was a scream, he was three years old and could sing a French song that he had heard on the Television from the adverts. We went down to the seaside one night and give him some nice rides, I enjoyed the time I had with them all, I will be looking forward to my next trip to the United Kingdom in 2001. I just loved that little boy he has a Welch name - Rhys. He was so bright for a three year old, the questions he asked me when I was saying or doing any thing, believe me. I sure love you Rhys!
Before leaving Ammanford, Janet's husband Graham give me a route to by pass the big towns to get to the main Chester road that leads on to the motorway straight to the my home in Pontefract, I followed that route and it cut my travelling time down by one hour. I have said my goodbyes and now on my journey home to Irene and Michael and thanked them all for their kindness in looking after me. I would like to say that I still said my prayers every night no matter where I was and to thank our Lord for once again looking after me and giving me this important time in my life to bring in the Millennium. Also said in my prayers to ask God to keep them save and well until I can visit them again. "Thank you all for the nice week I had. I hope to visit you again very soon, once again, if our Lord God-Jesus Christ in heaven is willing."
Now back with Irene and Michael once more, I told them what Barbara had done for me regarding my trouble I had with my toe, they asked me how it was, "It's a lot better at the moment, although I will have to keep bathing it."
That was the last time they asked me about it.
I know that Christmas was getting very close, I have already said that was all they had on there minds, I did not say any more about my trouble until we got into the new year. I was not going to let this spoil my enjoyment over the Christmas period.
I really enjoyed having the children around those few days before the Christmas day; we looked after them while their Mom and Dad went to do the Christmas shopping, we had finished our shopping. I did play some games with them and we enjoyed many good hours, I think they let me win some to keep me playing, I had good many hours and there was lots of laughter. Christmas time is not the same without having children around, it's been a long time since I enjoyed their company.
Now we are all together having our Christmas dinner, then it will be time to open our presents, Carolyn and Mark was taking a video of us watching the children opening them. Ho boy, what a thrill that was, they could not open them fast enough, paper was lying all over the place; I sat enjoying myself, then it was my turn, I was not opening them fast enough for the children, "let me do it uncle Bill, I let them do it."
Before I knew it they had them all done and the paper all over the place, still they all had a very good time. I really enjoyed being over there that day, it's a long time since I had Christmas with children. It was the best Christmas day for years and it brought back to me of my days when I was small, and believe me as I said before we always had a very good Christmas with my parents. How I would have loved Kristina to be there with me, I would have enjoyed myself. Later on that day the children were having fun and Michael was his usual self, I thought, he didn't like having the children around him, I had to remind him it was Christmas day let and the kids enjoy themselves, I don't think he liked Lee, as he was the only one he kept getting on to. I guess there was a reason, but I told straight up "Remember Michael, it is the day for them to enjoy themselves." He did not say anything else, but I could see he was annoyed with me. Still I don't like anyone keeping on picking at the children, especially at Christmas time.
We are now getting very close to bringing in the New Year. This is why I wanted to come over in winter and this special time will be my last time I will ever travel over in Winter. It was very sad for me to go on my own. I knew Edith would have wanted me to go because we talked about it a lot during the two years we had been planning to go. And after she passed away I kept asking God to keep me in good health to be there, and each night when I say my prayers I thank God for giving me the chance of a life time to be around, and for guiding me throughout a wonderful lifetime I have had.
The trouble with Edith she never looked after herself, Edith was a very picky eater and only small meals, and I could not get her to take any vitamins; if she had eating well Edith might have been a lot better. I said to her many a time, "If you fancy anything let me know and I will go and get it for you," because I liked a dinner every day at that time, I used to say when it was almost supper time (tea time in U.K.) "What do you want or fancy today Mam, but it was the same thing all the time. Edith would say, "I'll have the same as you Dad."
"Well just remember if you want anything else let me know."
This is the night of New Years Eve. Here we are now watching the Television and watching the entire celebrating going on around the world, (we are hours behind other countries in U.K.) that were celebrating in the new millennium before us in the United Kingdom. What a wonderful sight it was, I really enjoyed those few hours while we were waiting to celebrate our turn to bring the New Year in, we also had a great celebration it was all around us and went on until the early hours of the morning, and I packed it in at 2 am.
I was glad that I came over for the new millennium. Then it was time for me to retire to my bed, with the celebrations still going on. It was so nice a night to see all the fireworks around us. I went indoors and we had a little time to talk with my family and they all had a drink to wish each other the very best for the New Year; I was very tired by this time still, I wanted to make sure the whole family were also enjoying themselves, now I would retire as they all wanted to go back outside to watch the fireworks.
STARTING THE NEW YEAR 2000
The next day we had another celebration among our family to wish all a very happy and healthy New Year, this went on all day.
………………..
WILLIAM JAMES HUNT--- LATER LIFE
CHAPTER 14
WE ARE NOW STARTING THE NEW YEAR 2001
I hope I will have a better start than I did when I came back from my trip to bring in the New Millennium in 2000. Throughout the last few years I have said, how our "Lord God" as been looking after me, when I moved down to Keremeos how I lost a few things and when I thought I would never see those things again, and to me it is a miracle how it comes into my head to do a thing I never was thinking about, and to my surprise I find what I had missed month's before. Now I know some would say, "Ho! That as happened to me." Yes! It may have when you will be doing something one day, this is not the same, I am not looking for anything and it will suddenly comes into my head.
I am going to tell you of these two big Miracles that definitely came from our Good Lord God, first one, when I missed my E.M.F. gauge that is my story in 1998. This big one in the year 2000, when I lost my wishbone. This is when God really once more came to me after six months later when I had given up all hope of ever seeing it again. I had thought a lot of what I could do during that time, as you will know how much it had meant to me.
This is what happened to me, first the why! You may think, why is this so important to me, because it's the only thing I have left of my wife Edith. I had two appointments up in Kelowna on the Friday May the 5th 2000. I usually have a shower the afternoon before I go, that afternoon I was watching my recording and I was, getting undressed at the back of my "Rocker Chair", as it was almost at the end, I thought I would take my chain off so I could jump in the shower, now it was over I did just that, I had my shower and ready for my supper, then it
would be a restful night until bedtime. I usually take my chain off in the bathroom before jumping under the shower. This day I must have taken my chain off without thinking where I was undressing, watching my English sitcom, Coronation Street.
The next morning I got up early so that I could get on my way by 17 am. I was a little behind that morning, dashing around, now I was going out of the door when I suddenly missed my chain, dashing back into the bathroom to pick it up, I could not find it anywhere, it was not there, forgot where I had taken it off, I was on my way out to the car and when I got to the door, I was still thinking about it, where did I take it off. I eventually remembered just before I got into my car, I had taken it off at the time when I was getting ready to jump into the shower. Ho! I thought I was standing at the back of my rocking chair.
I dashed in to grab it, I was fixing it around my neck as I was on my way out to my car, I was off, a little later than usual. I had a good run to Kelowna, my first appointment was down town for an Ex-ray, dashed back to my next appointment at Westbank for a massage with Robert. I had Nannet with me as we were doing a little shopping then back to Keremeos. It was a very nice day and we had a nice drive home in time for supper.
Every thing was good and my night was enjoyable watching all my recordings until bedtime, the next morning, Saturday, I was having my usual morning wash and when I was drying myself I notice my wishbone was missing off my chain, I felt for it at the back of my neck as I some times if I forget to take it off I have found it up there, this time it was not there, I really panicked and thought I had taken it off at the Ex-ray or at Roberts when I have a massage, did remember that when I took it of at Robert's that I had not fastened it up I just put it on top of my shirt, straight away I thought that was where I lost it. I thought about this all the time, it so upset me I could not rest without this on my mind.
Straight away I rang his phone number to let him know, and knowing he was away fishing for the weekend, so I left him this message: First I told him I had lost my wishbone. (I had told him when he first saw it how much it meant to me) I thought that I lost it in his place when I had taken it off. Would he please check the room I was in first thing on Monday morning and would he please let me know if he found it. He knows all about my wishbone and how upset I would be if I lost it; it means everything to me and I was hoping he would find it or someone would have handed it in if they had found it after I left, I had rang Nannet and told her what I had done.
I thought after talking to them at the Ex-ray first thing on Monday morning, the lady I spoke to remembered because I was from Keremeos, she did remember me coming all that way, I told her I had lost my wishbone and what it meant to me. She said the nurse that looked after me had just walked in, and would have a word with her. When she came back this is what she said, "The nurse said you asked her if there was any need to take your chain off and she said no." I apologized and said that's right I do remember her saying that, she said good job as we use a very big vacuum machine and that would have been lost forever. Now in my mind I know where I had lost it, I had taken it off when I had the massage with Robert in Westbank. I hope that Robert would have some good news for me.
I was still waiting to hear from Robert, I could not wait any longer, by Wednesday night I rang him and was very annoyed for what he said, "We clean up before we leave on Friday, and I am sure no one would steal it, when I have time I will empty the vacuum." I never heard from him again. Then on the Friday I went up to see him where he has his massage room at his home. To ask him straight if he had emptied the vac. He said no, I have not had time, I told him straight if you have not had time then I don't have time to come to you any more, now cross me off as you will never see me again. Nannet came in with me, and when she heard me tell him straight, she walked out.
As usual I say my prayers at night and asked God to help me to find it, after the conversation with the Ex-ray and with Robert about the vacuum, I said in my prayers that following night to God, "Thank you for helping me to find my wishbone but now I know I will never see my wishbone again, because it most likely gone up the vac; and lost for ever, I thanked our good Lord God for all the help I have received from him all my life.
Now it was time for me to think what I could do to replace it; this went on for almost six month, many weeks thinking what I could do about it. I eventually came up one night with this. I will be going over to England in the summer of 2001, I will go to the shop in Halifax where I bought it for Edith and will see if they have another one, if not I will ask them if they could make me one and I don't care what it costs, I got it for Edith's birthday in 1970. And I had intended to have it with me to the day I go to our Lord God inheaven. We got that at our regular Jewellers in Halifax Yorkshire. He told us that it was the only one made, and Edith and I always looked out for one which we have never seen anywhere in England or even in Canada. I know it might be a million to one chance of finding one, as it was a one of a kind, we were told, and have never seen one like it through all those years.
Many a time even in Canada in summer, when I went to ask someone in a shop where I could find something [I did not have it round my neck in winter] they would spot it and ask me what it was, and I would tell them, they would say, "I've never seen one like that in my life before." That happened quite a few times in the Kelowna Mall when I called for something, and every time I went to a jewellers shop I would look around to see if they had one. Even one day I was in a Jewellery shop and the lady asked me what it was, when I told her she said, she had never seen one before.
It is now over six months since I lost that Wishbone, all that time I kept thinking what I could do if I could not replace it by buying a new one, then one day it came to me to ask my friend Bob in U.K. to go to the shop were I had bought it, he did that and found out for me that they had closed shop.
For weeks I was back to the start, every time I was on my own I wondered what I could do. I did remember there was another shop in Halifax where Edith bought me a gold watch one of the first Sulova watches with the second hand that goes round like the old type watch, and another one that as never been seen since. I will go and see if he can have one made to my drawing. As I have said
I know it will not be the same, but to me it will mean I still will have Edith with me where ever I go.
A BIG MIRACLE CAME TO ME FROM OUR GOOD LORD - THE DAY I EVENTUALLY FOUND MY LOST WISHBONE.
When I said to God every night in my prayers what I was going to do when I went to visit England next year to try and replace the one I lost for ever. I thanked him for all the help he gave me when I really thought it would never be found. I had already told God to forget it. Now we are in the sixth month and it was still on my mind. Then one morning, when I was having my breakfast on Friday the 20th October 2000, (I have been having this for the last seventeen years since I retired), Porridge with a banana mashed up for sweetener, then I sprinkle using my tablespoon, Rice Krispies over the top when it's cooled off a little while.
That makes me chew my porridge instead of swallowing it straight down, like most of us do. Every thing as usual went okay until I got to my dinner time after cooking I usually use my tablespoon to dish my food out, now I could not find it and as I only have one I had to use my dessertspoon as it was dinner time. I thought it best to have my dinner and then decide to check once again all over my house at that time I really had no idea what I did with my tablespoon.
After I finished my dinner and cleared up I set about searching my home high and low all over, in places I knew I would not have left it, I was at it all afternoon and eventually sat down for a break and a cup of tea, during this time I kept thinking what could I have done with it, I thought what did I use it for at breakfast, I only used it for putting my Krispies on, I got out the new big box and put the packet on the table as it was a big full box, I got it out of the box and laid it flat and went over it gently as I did not want to spoil the krispies; I thought it's not in there, the only place I never looked around was the lounge, maybe I had it in my hand and went to put a recording of a TV program going. I decided I would go and search around in case I just placed it down when using my remote control, I went in and searched everywhere it was not there.
Now I am on my way out to the kitchen when God spoke to me in my head, it came to me and I stopped before I got halfway to the kitchen, you have not taken the cushions off the chairs' - I turned back and started taking them off but found nothing, I was about to place them all back, when God spoke to me again and put this in my head, as I started walking back to the kitchen once more God said, "Now you got them off why don't you look down the back of the chairs, and the sides."
I turned back again and did that, I was really amazed when I placed my hand down the back of my Rocker chair, I felt a hard object but could not grip it to pull it out, I got my long nose pliers to pull it out. Before I did that I was really expecting to find a picture hanger as I remembered dropping the whole box down the back of the chair when I first started putting my pictures on the wall, I was overwhelmed with astonishment to see what I pulled out; yes, it was my one and only wishbone, I went straight in the bedroom where Edith's ashes are and said my prayer of thanks to our Good lord.
God who had guided me without doubt to find it by loosing the tablespoon. I was so pleased that I thanked God over and over again; if anyone cannot believe that was a miracle, I do not know what is.
This is how God talks to you, it's the way it comes into your head when you are not even thinking or doing anymore about what you have lost. That meant everything to me, believe me it's happened so many times how God helps me. When I say how Lord God talks to me, you have to experience how it comes into your head just like a flash, and stays in your memory!
My next episode how did I loose my wishbone in the first place? It all came back to me when I thought about it the next morning, was ready for my shower that previous afternoon before getting ready to go up to Kelowna for my Ex-ray and massage, when I was watching my recording and when it almost finished I was behind my rocking chair, and the only thing I had left on as I said previously
was the chain, and once more I did not fasten it up; I have said this earlier, if you have read it up to this point you will understand how it all happened. I still say my prayers every night to thank God even to this day.
THIS IS ONE OF MY PRAYERS THAT I LIKE SO MUCH
Asked the lord to comfort me when things weren't going my way;
He said to me, I will comfort you and lift your cares away.
I asked the lord to walk with me, as darkness was all that I knew;
He said to me, never be afraid for I will see you through.
I did not ask for riches; he gave me health and more;
The moon, the stars, the sun, the sky, and gives me eyes to behold.
I thank the Lord for everything and count my blessing each day;
He came to me when I needed him, I only had to pray;
And he'll come to you if you ask him,
For He's only a prayer away.
Thank you lord for the guidance you have given me throughout my whole life and still guiding me to this very day in my retirement. He loves each one of us, good or bad. There are miracles happening every day. Things that people do not realize.
I did not have any visitors for Christmas so it was very quiet as usual. What I did during the day was look around my home to see which would have been the best place for my computer, after checking I decided to have it in the small bedroom, I have already got a computer desk which I had to put together. I started in the New Year putting it up; it took me three days to put it together. I wanted to get a computer to put my story in memory, instead of typing it on paper, then to print it out when finished. I now knew I could use a computer myself instead of sending it to Bob in U.K. but would need some instruction.
This is where God came into my life again, a few weeks later I went into Penticton on a Saturday as usual to do my weekend shopping. I was walking into the store when God stopped me in my tracks, it came into my head like a flash; God said, "Why don't you go and see what they have," I had no idea of doing this when I left home. I went up to the "Radio Shack" in the Mall. I was outside looking at the units, and I saw one assistant doing nothing, I waved to him and he came to deal with me. I told him I didn't want to buy but would like to find out what offers they had. Well I found out that I could not only get it cheaper but also I could have it right now and not pay a penny for six months, and they only had one more to sell.
I thought what have I got to loose, by the time I have to pay I will be back from my visit from England. I accepted the offer and bought the computer. The boy I met that day was call Greg, he came up to fix it all up for me. I told him that I only wanted to work on my "Life Story." He asked me if he could read it, sure I said. After he read a few paragraphs he asked me who had done it, when I told him I had it typed. It was my friend in England who had said to me when I was in U.K. as I did not have a computer, "Send it over to maenad I will do it on my computer for you in book form."
This is not very good he said, I could do it for you but I do not have a computer, I offered him mine if he would do it for me, we agreed and I let him take it back to his home and when I returned from England he would have it all printed out for me as far as I had gone. I offered to pay him $50 a month and he said he would have it finished by the time I got back from U.K.
First I would like to say that I was still having trouble with that lump I found in my tummy back in the September 1999. I have been to the doctor five times to this day, and he keeps saying it is a Hernia, and by this time I was getting annoyed with him and I kept telling him it was not an Hernia as it did not hurt me when I worked in the garden, or when I was lifting 18.9 litre bottles of my good drinking water.
Only now and then it would stop me going to the toilet and giving me wind, he told me to take some Ovol for gas that will clear it. This went on all through the year 2000. In October I told him I wanted to see a specialist, his answer was there is a two years waiting list. I told him, don't tell me there is no other one doctor to book me in with, in Kelowna. He then said there is one you can see. and he would make an appointment as soon as possible.
I went to this other Dr: when he gave me an appointment in the third week of October, I told him all what I had told Dr. Hignel, he examined me and this is what he said, "Well, I do not think it is an internal Hernia either, he talked to me a little while and said it does not gave you any pain even lifting 18 9 litres and carrying them into our home?" I answered, "It only gives me a little wind sometimes and I take something and I'm okay for a little while. The Doctor then said, "I think we will leave it for next month November, and I will make you another appointment."
That was okay by me, my last visit was end of December, I visited him and as I was no worse, he said we'll make another appointment in January 2001. I just put up with it once again and it did not bother me as I kept taking Ovil when needed. It got close to my appointment in January 2001. When I got a call from his wife to let me know he was ill, and had decided to retire. He asked me to tell you to go back to your family Doctor.
My family Doctor made me an appointment with the Specialist for May the 8th 2001 I had to tell them that I. would not be available as I had booked to go to England for the 3rd of May, I knew it was getting more often but I did not think it would stop me, I was now getting within a month of leaving and got all my packing finished, only one week to go. I started getting trouble on the Tuesday night the 25th of April. I was still taking Ovol to break the wind but this time it was not working, it went on to Saturday the 30th when I ended up not being able to keep my food down.
I rang my friend Nannet up and asked her to come down to see me as I was sick, as usual she came straight down soon as she saw me being sick she said. "I'm taking you straight down to visit our doctor in Keremeos, and when he saw me he called the ambulance to take me straight into Penticton hospital, I ended up having to cancel going to England.
The specialist that was operating on me came to see me everyday because he found out I was on Coumadin and had to come off for four to five days. I kept telling him what my doctor kept saying in Kelowna and I kept saying it was not Hernia. They came every day to check my blood and so did the specialist Dr. D.K.Mcgiver, he examined me each day, I told him I had booked to go to England, but hee advised me to cancel my trip as this was a very serious, and if I went I would end up in hospital. I had no hesitation, as I knew it was God talking through him.
There is always a reason what ever happens to me, God is behind it all, the Lord works in miraculous ways and that as been happening to me all my life, I never forget to thank the lord every day for all he as done for me. The specialist went on to tell me, that they had arranged for my operation Thursday the 3rd May the day I should have been on my way to England. The surgeon Dr. Mcgiver who did the job came that morning to see me like he did each morning to see how I was. After the operation was finished I was in the recovery room for one hour, they then took me back to the ward. The next morning Friday, the surgeon came to talk to me.
This is what he said to me, and every one in the ward could here him. "Mr Hunt you were right all along, it was not an Hernia." He went on to tell me, I had a hole in my muscle and from the beginning your waste had backup, I was so glad I took his advice, he let me go home the next day, he also said if you have any more trouble you ring my office and see me only, and he gave me his card. I was very pleased that he told me the truth. He thought my Doctor was right because he told me it could have been an internal Hernia, just what my Doctor said. But I still told him it was no Hernia because I was still working around my home and still lifting 18.9 bottles of water. I was so pleased when Dr. Mcgiver told me the truth.
I have decided to now cancel my trip to the United Kingdom for this year. Now I hope I can get my Story finished right up to the present time before Christmas 2001.
Now I have my computer back and I did not know Beverley before I asked Greg to do my story, she was going to school to learn the computer, and I did not know it was free for the elderly, then again I did not know Beverley was a real Christian, I found out later how she helps other people every day and does not take money for what she does, I have been the same all my life I love doing things for others and no way do want paying. Now can you believe how God brings people into my life, Beverley had only just been in next door a few months. I was doing okay on the Computer until I kept pressing the wrong keys and something happened, then I did not know how to put it right. She said to me one day when I complained about Greg because he wanted me to fail so I would have to bring him to help me to sort things out when I did not know how to do it myself, and had to pay him. Then when Beverley found out she told me to ask her first and she came to show me the way and been teaching me all she knows. I now do not have to bring her to me a lot unless something goes wrong. And I do not need to go to school because she is a very good teacher, she is only learning herself and some times she don't know but she soon will find out and put me right, That is a real Christian, thank you Lord for bringing her to me.
This is the way God works, it may take a little time for God to bring help but I assure you it will come eventually, that's how it as happened to me all through my life. I said it so many times how God's guidance comes into my life each day you can read this in your bible from the Prophet Isaiah. He says, "…He who created you... fear not, for I have redeemed you: I have called you by name: you are mine when you pass through the waters, I will be with you: and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned: the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am your Lord God!"
We are into the last two weeks of August and do not have a lot more to put into my story. I hope to travel up to our Keith in Calgary on the 21st of August. I was packing the car up to go on my travels up to Calgary. I got off from Keremeos at 1pm with help from Beverley and Don next door. I stayed in Kalowna, went straight to my hotel, had a good bath and a good sleep ready to travel to Calgary the next morning. I had Keith to meet me up by the ski- jumps, at the Olympic Park, then went to his new apartment, we went out to do a little shopping, and took Puff [Keith's little dog] for a little walk at night, I did not sleep very well as Keith was in the basement and it was much to cold for me. I was awake most of the night, I told Keith next morning, he gave me his big blanket I could wrap it round me twice, I did sleep better after that. Keith was working up to 3 pm the next day, I went out walking with puff in the morning, and after Keith came home we had a ride to the little place for a meal. We had another day out all day, on the Monday the 27th. Keith took me up to see Cathy's home (the lady in the music shop Keith taught for) we had a nice ride and a nice day, she had a place after my own heart, she and her husband and made the outside so nice, it was a new home, I enjoyed that nice day. They had been in that home for eight years that is the same as it took us to get our place in Elland in Yorkshire England looking so nice.
Tuesday the 28th I was leaving for home today! I packed my car Monday night to be off early in the morning. Keith only lives a short way from the #1 highway in his new place, I followed him up to it and got on it, we pulled over on hard shoulder to say goodbye.
Then I was on my way. I only stopped for lunch and got to Kelowna, for 3:20 pm and home for 5:15 pm. I left all my unpacking until Wednesday morning; I had a talk to Nannet and Beverley to let them know I was home.
Planning a trip to England. This year I think this will be my last vacation as I am unable to hire a car to travel around U.K, and I always like to go to Wales to visit my Church in the country where I lived all my young days and my Church. The problem is getting a flight the day I arrive in Manchester to Cardiff Airport like Colin asked me to do it and then Antony and Colin would then pick me up at Cardiff Airport [they are relatives of the Hunt family].
I have now got everything sorted out for my trip to Manchester England, I was hoping I could book straight through to Cardiff in Wales, there was no flights to Wales leaving the day I was arriving in Manchester, the trouble is no big flights go into Cardiff Airport, I hope I can get someone to drive me down. I am leaving on the 2nd of May for Manchester and then will return on the 26th of July to Canada. Beverley and I decided that I should take my Story with me to U.K. with not having my own transport to get around to visit all my friends and trips to the seaside I would need to work on my story; how true that advice worked out for me, I did spend a lot of time going through my story.
This is my life in U.K. after arriving in Manchester on Friday 3rd of May 2002
I had a good journey all the way to Manchester. And although they have changed the arrival section the man that was looking after me took me to the right place; I wondered if Mark or Carolyn new that it had changed, I was sat there for just five minutes when they arrived, I was relieved when they came I was happy to see them. We called to have a sandwich before setting off to Pontefract. We had a nice day to travel and a very nice journey all the way home, Michael was with Mark when they picked me up at Airport and was I glad to see them both, now ready to set off for home.
I was indoors quite a lot as the weather did not seem to be very kind to me, after a few days on arriving there I did quite a lot of work reading through and correcting and adding things that came in my head with the help of God reminding me of the things that really happened. There are some that will not believe God will talk to you, God speaks to each one of us we need to hear His voice or influence, how does it come into your head. I read the Religious Perspective in paper (Celebrating Faith) "The Human touch of Jesus Christ." (It's in the paper every week in Canada).
I like Reading it every week. I go over my story from the beginning, as I think about what happened, I can also picture the place as it were in my days, that's when God puts things in my head and may bring things back to me to add in my story. So I had lots of time on my hands, then if the weather were nice I would go around the place for walks, I did not do when I had a car. I would like to add this. Let me say how the Lord Jesus-Christ talks to you when you are not even thinking of a certain thing, it comes into your "head like a flash of light, and you know what God is saying" I have experienced this and as you read my story you will understand how God talks to you.
As it was my first time to go on vacation without a car, it sure turn out to be a very good suggestion that my friend Beverley made, you bet it did. Believe me, unless things change I doubt if 1'll never go on vacation to U.K. again. If it were a dry day I would go for a walk. I did have a few bus rides to see my friends when they offered to drive me back to where I was staying, I was a little disappointed with a few of them it was "to long of a bus ride to see them just for one hour as I had to return by 3 p.m. as it had taken four hours Bus ride to get to Halifax.
I did have a lot of promises from my friends before going over which did not materialize. Bob did manage to drive me down to Wales at the weekend I wanted him to take me and bring me back, but, things had changed and I was not told about it at the time he came to visit me when I was staying with my niece in Ferry-bridge I told Bob I had case and a cold box and a shoulder bag Bob told me that was okay as he had a big car.
He did take me down when he had to go through Wales on his way down to Somerset to take his wife Helen to see her son, when arrangements were made he told me he had plenty of room as I told him what I had to take, he assured me there was plenty of room in his car, when he turned up for me he did not have the room and I Noticed that Helen had her mother with them I could see by their face's they did not like it. Also he would not listen to me of the best freeway to go, it ended up his way was longer, anyway we got there okay. And I was very pleased he could take me. I did feel unwanted as he also had his mother-in law with them and my case had to be between mother and I, it was a little cramped up.
I enjoyed my short stay in Wales. The weather was very bad it led on and off each day with a lot of mist on the mountains. I stayed on the little holding with my sister-in-law and helped her to do some little jobs, unfortunately with having bad weather I could not do all the jobs I could have done for her, I was able to run round in the village with a loan of her car shopping and so on. I could have stayed longer but I did not want to put on her too much, I would like to stay there all through my holiday if I could fly direct from Vancouver to Cardiff in Wales. I did try and book a flight but we found there was no connection until a day later. I will not ask any one again to drive me down, I will wait and fly down to Cardiff, If I ever go again I will not be spending my time to visit them.
When I was ready to come back I gave Bob a ring to see if he could pick me up at the next weekend but he wanted me to stay another two weeks when he had to go down to take Helen and her mother back down for Helen to see her son. I did not like what he said next, "if you stay until I go down to take Helen, there will be plenty of room for your case and so on, but not to pick you up on my way back," I decided to get back some other way, Thank you Bob I will not ask you again but you will still be my friend.
I was talking with Elaine, (Peggy's Daughter - EDITH'S SISTER) and she told me that when Gracie comes down from Halifax she always travels with the bus Greyhound. I went with Nancy to (Neath) our little town to try to book with the Bus, we eventually found the old booking office and found a notice in the window and we were surprised to find that the booking office was near where we lived. I got booked for the following week, also got Barbara (Nancy's daughter-in-law) to take me down to Swansea to pick up the bus, I have known Barbara for years and thank you Barbara.
I appreciate you taking me all that way. I do not like having to travel by Bus it takes so long to get home still I guess now that is the way I will have to travel if I ever go over again. I also notice that they were picking up in "Neath" my hometown. When I made my booking they said when I asked them if I could get on closer to where I lived. The girl where I did the booking said no, I would have to go all the way to Swansea to pick the bus up.
We were waiting for the bus to come in and I thanked Barbara for bringing me all that way, we were talking about old times until I was ready to board, now I'm in the bus and it was ready to set off, I waved to Barbara as we set off, I was expecting to go all the way to our next big stop, I was surprised it was in my town of Neath, we had no need to go down all that way to Swansea; anyway, I will know that when I come to visit U.K. next time, God Willing!
Our journey was quite good all the way to our next stop to pick passengers up, we were now about halfway to Halifax when we had a hold up for some reason, this went on for forty-five minutes. The driver got in touch with his boss on his phone and after a short break he was told to miss is next pick up and go on to Birmingham, we had to change buses when we got there. Barbara had told the driver to look after me when we changed and he took my case's to my next pick up.
I was on my own just few minutes until a lady came on her own, I asked her if I was left at the right place as I was going to Halifax, yes she said, then I asked her if there was any place I could get a sandwich as I had been traveling all morning and had nothing to eat, she told me where to go and she would look after my case's. Away I went, time I got severed the lady came for me as the bus had come in and the driver was ready to set off, and I was just on my way so she took my cup and I followed her back to the bus, she had already got her seat on the bus, she said to me, "You can sit with me if you would like too," I sure did as she was a very nice person and we set of on our last ride so I thought. She was reading a book so I did not talk much to her, then we eventually stopped at Leeds; I was surprised and said to the lady, "I thought we were going straight to Halifax," she said, "We have another stop at Wakefield."
"I wish I had known," I said, "I am being picked up in Halifax and they live near Wakefield."
She asked me, "Do you have their phone #?" I said "Yes I did," - she had a cello-phone and she got Irene on for me. I told her to ring Joanne and Kevin to pick me up at Wakefield. Once again how the Lord God brought this lady to me at the bus stop. We talked all the way to Wakefield and she told me she was also on holiday with her family and she had been visiting her other daughter who lived Birmingham and told me she had made that journey a few times over the years. When we arrived at my stop I thanked her very much and waved her off and so did my family.
I am back with my niece Irene in Pontefract in Yorkshire and I'll be there now until it will be time for me to pack my bags and return to Canada. Irene's daughter Carolyn was able every Friday morning or afternoon to take us to the shopping centre for our weeks grocery's to save us having to come back by taxi. She was to take me to the seaside with her family, her husband Mark was also working and could only help us now and then, it was very nice of then to do what they could to help me to get about and it was Mark that picked me up on my arrival at Manchester Airport; Carolyn was there to take me back to Manchester on leaving for Canada. Carolyn is always ready to help me if I run out of things. I phone her and she will send them out to me in Canada. Some things Canada does not have for whatever reasons.
I only have two weeks left of my holiday in U.K. I used the first week to sort out my cases and pack a lot of my things that I knew I would not need. I did a little each afternoon, after supper if it was a nice night I went walking. Sunday the last week we are going up to Catterick where Andrew and Lindsey and family are stationed with the Army, we are going for a day before I return to Canada. Andy is an officer and serving his time that he signed on for. We had a nice day so they took us to tour around the Castle in Richmond, for me going to the top was too much with my bad leg, I waited for them outside until the rest of family came back, we then had a walk around the town as I had never been there before.
When we got back for supper Bianca and I played "I spy" they call it (Downfall) I really enjoyed that hour or so with her as the rest was watching the T.V. until we were ready to be taken home, what a nice change that was for me, now we are back home in Ferry-bridge where I stay with Irene, I did not mention that Bob my friend had promised to pick me up one day to have me for lunch before I left for Canada. I never heard from him for three weeks until I had made arrangements to go the last week to Catterick to visit Andrew and family, then on the Friday night he rang up to ask me if I was okay for the Sunday for me to visit them, I had to say I could not as I had already made arrangements to go to Catterick, I have not heard from him since.
Now I have only got two more days to get all my packing finish and to get all my medical things that I take home with me that I can't get in Canada. This is now Friday Morning and I am already to leave for Manchester Airport, my flight leaves at 2:45 p.m. We left early in case there was a hold up on the highway. Carolyn drove me to the Airport, we had her children with us - Emma and Daniel, we got there without a hold up, that gave us lots of time for the children to look around, we eventually went for a meal before it was my boarding time. Carolyn is the very best great niece she always looks after me.
Now it's time to board and for me to say goodbye to them all, I said I don't think I will ever go to U.K. again as I cannot hire a car any more, I'm now to old to be covered by the insurance, with the car hired company's. We had a little meal and then we did walk around the airport and suddenly I did not have my cane. Carolyn went back to the place where we had a meal but it was not handed in so I lost it. It was a little sad to leave them, but I guess that's the way life is. I am up in the Air on my way to Vancouver, Canada.
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MY DAD DID AT AGE 85 IN 2005 DECIDE TO MOVE BACK TO CRYNANT VILLAGE WHERE HE AND I WERE BORN. HE THOUGHT HE'D LIKE TO LIVE HIS LAST YEARS IN THE VILLAGE HE WAS RAISED IN. YES AT AGE 85 HE UNDERTOOK TO PACK UP ALL HIS THINGS, SOME NOT SMALL, AND MOVE THEM AND HIMSELF BACK TO WALES.
BUT WITHIN 6 MONTHS HE FOUND BRITAIN AND EVEN THE VILLAGE OF CRYNANT, NOT AT ALL LIKE HE REMEMBERED IT GROWING UP AND INTO HIS ADULT LIFE. SO MANY THINGS HAD CHANGED IN BRITAIN NOW THAT IT WAS PART OF THE EUROPEAN UNION; THE BORDERS WERE GONE; PEOPLE FROM ANY PART OF THE UNION COULD NOW COME TO BRITAIN TO LIVE, WORK, GO ON SOCIAL ASSISTANCE UNTIL THEY FIND WORK. CRIME OF EVERY KIND IS VERY HIGH. THE ATTITUDE OF YOUTHS, FAR TOO MANY - NOT GOOD.
AFTER 6 MONTHS MY DAD HAD DECIDED TO RETURN TO CANADA AND KELOWNA IN THE OKANAGAN VALLEY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA. BACK TO WHERE MY DAD AND MOM HAD COME WHEN LEAVING BRITAIN TO EMIGRATE TO CANADA WHEN THEY WERE 63 YEARS OLD.
SO MY DAD WAS BACK IN KELOWNA AT AGE 86. HE ENJOYED LIFE FOR ANOTHER 5 YEARS IN RELATIVELY GOOD HEALTH. HE HAD DEVELOPED A POT BELLY IN HIS 60s THAT HE NEVER LOST. IF HE HAD I BELIEVE HE WOULD NOT HAVE HAD HIS STROKE AT AGE 91, AND COULD WELL HAVE LIVED TO BE A HUNDRED OR MORE, AS THAT WAS HIS DESIRE.
FROM THE TIME OF HIS STROKE HE WAS WHEEL-CHAIR BOUND, AND HIS SHORT TIME MEMORY WAS ALL OVER THE MAP, NOW AND AGAIN WHERE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN, BUT ONLY FOR BRIEF PERIODS. HE DID ENJOY LIVING IN THE 24/7 CARE FACILITY, AND THEY LOOKED AFTER HIM VERY WELL. THEY THOUGHT HE WAS GREAT, AND ALL THE STAFF ENJOYED HIM. I WAS GIVEN A STAFF CARD ON HIS DEATH WITH LITTLE SENTIMENT VERSES FROM EVERYONE; THEY OBVIOUSLY ENJOYED HIS 2 AND 1/2 YEARS HE HAD WITH THEM.
MY DAD DIED JUNE 30 IN HIS SLEEP 2014. HE DID NOT WANT A FUNERAL SERVICE; ONLY MYSELF AND A FEW OTHERS WOULD HAVE BEEN THERE, HE HAD OUTLIVED ALL HIS FRIENDS. HE ALSO OUTLIVED ALL HIS LINE OF BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND ALL FROM HIS FAMILY LINE OF HIS GENERATION.
HE DIED JUST TWO MONTHS SHORT OF BEING 94.
AS MY DAD HAS RELATED IN HIS LIFE STORY, HE REALLY DID HAVE ONE OF THOSE "CHARMED" LIVES; AS HE STATED TO ME MANY TIMES DURING HIS LAST 2 AND 1/2 YEARS, "I'VE HAD A WONDERFUL LIFE." HE INDEED SO DID.
I WAS BLESSED TO HAVE A GREAT MOM AND DAD. I WAS BLESSED WITH ALL THEY DID FOR ME AND GAVE ME DURING MY WHOLE LIFE UP TO THEIR DEATHS [MOM PASSING AWAY IN 1994 FROM A STRANGE PAINLESS CANCER THAT STOPS THE HEART IN THE END].
THE GREATEST BLESSING THEY GAVE ME WAS TO SEND ME TO A CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCHOOL, WHERE THE FIRST HALF HOUR OF EACH DAY WAS DEVOTED TO THE BIBLE; A GREAT FOUNDATION FOR MY LATER ADULT LIFE AND THE WORK OF THE ETERNAL GOD.
AS I ENTER THIS LAST PART OF MY DAD'S LIFE IN JUNE 2015, I STILL HAVE YET TO GO BACK TO WALES WITH MOM AND DAD ASHES AND PLACE THEM ON THE GRAVE SITE, MY DAD ALREADY HAVING IT WITH HEADSTONE AND WORDING [WE BOTH DECIDED UPON SOME YEARS BACK] - JUST TO ADD THE DATE OF MY DAD'S DEATH. I HOPE TO DO THIS IN 2016. I WILL WRITE A BLOG ABOUT IT ALL ON MY BLOG-SITE.
YES I DID INDEED TAKE MY PARENT'S ASHES BACK TO THE GRAVE SITE IN CRYNANT, SOUTH WALES. THE TRIP OVER WENT AS SMOOTH AS A BABY'S BOTTOM AS THEY SAY. EVERYTHING FELL IN LINE RIGHT ON TIME, NO HOLD-UPS OF ANY KIND. I PRAYED IT WOULD BE THAT WAY AND THE ETERNAL GOD GAVE ME MY REQUEST.
Keith Malcolm Hunt
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