100 Years Ago 1911….Coronation Day.

Perth, such a pretty Heritage Town, it could be England. But Kate and Wills aren’t going there.

Well, we spent a few days west of Ottawa on a lake, nearish Perth, a place without cell coverage, visiting my sister in law, the granddaughter of Marion Nicholson, who wrote the letter below, almost 100 years ago to the day.

As it happened, Marion N. talks of a visit to Hudson, near where I now live, and where my kids grew up.

It’s Canada Day, July 1, 2011, and we didn’t stop in Ottawa on the way back, because we knew the crowds would be too crazy, what with the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Of course, back then, they’d just had the Coronation of, hmmm, let’s see, Wills’ great great grandfather…George V, Colin Firth’s Dad.

Well, 100 years to the day, and I have finished my first draft of Flo in the City, posted at www.tighsolas.ca/page10.pdf.pdf

I’m going to print it out and think about things for a while. Maybe I’ll listen to some dramatizations on BBC Radio 4, or some readings of Zola of litteratureaudio.com or finish my Sentimental Education, to clear my head and put nice rhythms in my head.
Hmm. I didn’t put anything about the Opera House and Lorne Elwyn. Someone was looking up Lorne Elwyn a few days ago and found this blog.

Tighsolas,
June 28, 1911
Richmond Quebec

Dear Father,

Your will see by the heading where I am. I only got here Monday evening for I went to Hudson with the Fields’ and had a fine time. They have a cottage by the lakeside and they also have a motor boat where I spent most of my time.

Then one of the men there had a yacht and he took us for a sail from Hudson to Ste. Anne’s and back and after all I find Richmond quite a nice place although it looks queer without a station.

Did I tell you that we really have got an increase of salary for next year so that I will be getting $650 next year and they have given me the next class on my way to the top so that my work I hope will be easier.

The next time you see me you will find me sporting a pair of glasses. I had Dr. Byers examine my eyes and he said that I should wear them all the time but I find that very hard to do and a great deal of the time they stay in their case.

Mother, Edith and Flora have gone to our opera house to hear the famous Lorne Elwyn and I am keeping house with Floss for protection from the tramps. Last night Dr. Skinner took us for a ride from Corris nearly to Trenholmville. It was great and the first time I have been cool for a week.

Since I have not been here very long I have not any Richmond news so will close for this time.

Lovingly,

Marion

Sweetgrass and Tulips.

French Toast and Sausage from the Sweetgrass Aboriginal Cafe in Ottawa.

My husband and I visited my son and his girlfriend in Ottawa, the final weekend of the Tulip Festival and tried out yet another brunch spot, across the street from the Resto he works at and right beside the bistro we visited last time for brunch.

This place wasn’t too busy (there are SO MANY restos in that area) but it had a wonderfully tasty and unusual brunch! And the supper menu seemed most interesting too! Elk!!

And then we went to Parliament Hill.

It’s been decades (well, about 40 years) since I’ve visited Ottawa at Tulip Time. My father often took me and if I recall, in those days, the tulips WERE the festival, now the festival has some tulips.

But I love tulips. They are my favorite flower and I suspect my childhood visits to Ottawa are one reason why.

The other reason: there was, back in 1964, but ONE solitary house on my street, Coolbrook, with any flowers at all in front and that house (somewhere between Isabella and Queen Mary) had a front lawn engulfed in flowers of all kinds, all spring and summer long.

One day in early May it snowed and I recall walking past the place and there was a 5 inch blanket of slow on top of a row of blood red tulips. (Alas, tulips were simpler in those days, yellow or red.) It was like FIRE AND ICE.

Anyway, I have not worked on Flo in the City these last few days. But I have noticed that many Canadians are downloading my PDF of Looking for Mrs. Peel. This is new. I have had lots of downloads from Europe, from the Netherlands and Germany the most, and a good deal from Singapore, of course. And from Russia. (I think they must like the Cold War part.)

But for some reason, last week, many many Canadians, from BC to New Brunswick downloaded the pdf.

Maybe I should get to work on that narrative prose version that the Publishing House was interested in.