Muskoka, Windermere and a Ditchburn

NORM STRIPP, A DITCHBURN, A MARINA AND THE "BIOGRAPHER" DAUGHTER

IT TOOK A BLOG TO SHAKE-UP STATUS QUO

WHEN SUZANNE BROUGHT ME HOME TO MEET HER PARENTS, THAT FIRST TIME, MY REPUTATION AS A WRITER-KIND PRECEDED ME. THEY KNEW WHO I WAS, BECAUSE OF THE FACT I WAS EDITOR OF THE NEWSPAPER THEY SUBSCRIBED. THEY WERE ALSO RELATED, BY MARRIAGE, TO MY ASSISTANT EDITOR, BOB BOYER, A WELL KNOWN REGIONAL HISTORIAN, AND TOOK A GENUINE INTEREST IN THE WRITERS ON STAFF. ESPECIALLY ONE WHO WAS DATING THEIR DAUGHTER. WHILE I'VE MENTIONED, PREVIOUSLY, THAT SUZANNE'S MOTHER HARRIET, WAS ALSO A PART TIME WRITER, AND ARTIST, IT WAS THE BIG "IN" FOR ME; THAT AND HER GENUINE INTEREST IN LOCAL HISTORY. I GOT ALONG WITH HER FROM THE BEGINNING…….WITH NARY AN AWKWARD PREAMBLE. SHE WELCOMED ME INTO THE HOMESTEAD WITH A BIG HUG, AND THE KIND OF FRIENDLY CONVERSATION THAT TOLD ME WE WERE GOING TO BE GOOD FRIENDS, AND AS IT TURNED OUT, WRITING MATES ON A SMALL PUBLISHING PROJECT, WE CALLED "THE LEGEND OF TALL PINES."

HARRIET SHARED AN INTEREST IN LOCAL HERITAGE, AND AS HER FAMILY WERE GIANT STAKE-HOLDERS IN THE HISTORY OF THE UFFORD AND THREE MILE LAKE AREA, OF THE PRESENT TOWNSHIP OF MUSKOKA LAKES, WE HAD LOTS TO TALK ABOUT. I WAS, AT THAT POINT, A FLEDGLING HISTORIAN, WITH A FEW CREDITS….. BUT AS BOB BOYER USED TO TELL ME…."TED, YOU'VE GOT A LONG, LONG WAY TO GO." I TRUSTED BOB'S ADVICE ABOUT THIS, AND SURRENDERED TO HIS ONGOING TUTORIALS. I ALWAYS HAVE FELT QUITE PRIVILEGED, TO TELL MY CONTEMPORARIES, BOB BOYER WAS MY PROFESSOR. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES, HE GRABBED ME OUT OF THE MAIN OFFICE, ON AN INNOCENT FLY-BY, TO READ SOME SNIPIT OF LOCAL HISTORY, HE THOUGHT OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE AT THE TIME. POINT IS, HE WANTED ME TO KNOW ABOUT IT, AND BY GOLLY, HE'D FOLLOW UP ON IT, TO MAKE SURE I REMEMBERED. HIS OFFICE LOOKED LIKE IT WAS DESIGNED AS A STAGE, FOR A CHARLES DICKENS STORY. THE POINT OF MENTIONING THIS ONCE MORE, IS THAT THE CONNECTION, AND APPROVAL OF BOB, HELPED CONVINCE HARRIET I WAS A DECENT SORT…..SUCH THAT I DIDN'T GET THE BUM'S RUSH OUT OF THEIR WINDERMERE HOME THAT DAY. NORMAN BOWED TO HARRIET'S INSTINCTS. I THINK HE FIGURED I'D BOLT IF THE GOING GOT TOUGH. SO NATURALLY, HE DIDN'T MAKE IT AN EASY FIRST MEETING. SO I JUST TALKED TO HARRIET, AND LET HIM READ HIS NEWSPAPER. I TOO CAN BE INTUITIVE TO PENDING DISASTERS.

NORMAN WAS NOT AS FUSSY ABOUT REPORTERS, ESPECIALLY ONES SITTING ACROSS FROM HIM ON A SOFA. HE MIGHT HAVE ENJOYED READING WHAT REPORTERS WROTE ABOUT, IN HIS DAILY PAPER, BUT I WAS FROM A WEEKLY. THAT WAS DIFFERENT. I WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH TO WORK ON A DAILY. I COULD SEE THE DOUBT IN HIS EYES……WHEN HE LOWERED THE PAPER TO OCCASIONALLY GLANCE AT ME, WONDERING, I SUPPOSE NOW, WHY I WAS STILL THERE. COULDN'T I TAKE A HINT? OBVIOUSLY I LOVED HIS DAUGHTER MORE, THAN MY FEAR HE WOULDN'T APPROVE, MY INTENTION TO MARRY HER

FIRST OF ALL, I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT BOATS. SECONDLY, I DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE ABOUT ENGINES. IF HIS GRANDSONS, AND SON-IN-LAW UNDERSTOOD ENGINES, AND WHAT MAKES THEM WORK BEYOND A KEY IN THE IGNITION, THEN THE BLOKE WHO MARRIES HIS YOUNGEST DAUGHTER, SHOULD KNOW HOW TO CHANGE THE OIL IN HIS CAR. WELL SIR, I DID KNOW HOW TO DO THAT. I TOLD HIM, "I JUST MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AT THE GARAGE, AND THEY DO A DAMN FINE JOB." IF YOU KNEW NORMAN, OR KNEW OF HIM, GETTING LIPPY WAS NOT THE BEST WAY TO ENDEAR HIM…..OR TAKE THAT FIRST SENSIBLE STEP TO ASKING FOR HIS DAUGHTER'S HAND IN MARRIAGE. I WON'T SAY HE ROLLED HIS EYES, WHEN I EXPLAINED MY LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ANYTHING MECHANICAL (INCLUDING AN ALARM CLOCK), EVEN MY MANUAL TYPEWRITER. I ALWAYS HAD TO ASK SOMEONE ELSE IN THE OFFICE POOL, IF THEY'D FIX MY BUNGED-UP TYPEWRITER FOR ME. SUZANNE CAN ATTEST TO THIS, BECAUSE SHE HAD HER HEAD IN THAT TYPEWRITER CARRIAGE, AS MUCH AS I HAD MY FINGERS ON THE KEYBOARD. SO NORM WAS WARY OF A GUY, GETTING INVOLVED WITH HIS DAUGHTER, WHO COULDN'T FIX A DAMAGED MUFFLER, REPLACE THE BRAKES, OR EVEN REPLACE A TAIL-LIGHT. I SAID TO HIM FRANKLY, "I COME FROM A LONG LINE OF FAMILY WHO HAVE NO APTITUDE FOR MAKING AUTOMOTIVE REPAIRS." NORM, BY WAY, COULD PRETTY MUCH TELL, WHAT BOAT WAS COMING DOWN THE LAKE, BY THE SOUND OF THE ENGINE. NO ONE DOUBTED HIM EITHER. MY GRANDFATHER COULD BUILD A HOUSE, BUT NOT FIX HIS OWN CAR…..EVEN IF IT WAS A MINOR REPAIR. MY OTHER GRANDFATHER, EDDIE, ON MY FATHER'S SIDE, WAS A HARD LIVING, HEAVY DRINKING IRISHMAN, WHO WOULD SIT ON THE STEP OF THEIR CABBAGETOWN BUNGALOW, AND EAT A POTATO OR AN ONION RAW, BUT NEVER OFFER TO HELP A NEIGHBOR CHANGE A TIRE. I THOUGHT I'D HOLD BACK ON THIS FAMILY HISTORY FOR THE TIME BEING. I DIDN'T WANT TO ADD TO THE CONSTERNATION.

NORM SEEMED SOMEWHAT INTERESTED IN MY CONFESSIONAL HONESTY, AND THAT WITH ME, HE WAS GOING TO GET A SON-IN-LAW WHO KNEW HIS PLACE AT LEAST. IF I COULDN'T FIX A CAR OR BOAT ENGINE, I WOULDN'T BE TRYING TO "BEST" HIM IN AN ARGUMENT ABOUT THE BEST METHODOLOGY TO EMPLOY, TO INCREASE ENGINE PERFORMANCE…..OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I FIGURED THAT IF I DIDN'T CHALLENGE HIS NEAR-ALCHEMY KNOWLEDGE, OF ENGINE AND WOODEN BOAT RESTORATION, THEN WE WOULDN'T HAVE THOSE AWKWARD GLARING MOMENTS AT THE DINNER TABLE. I LISTENED A LOT, AND FOLLOWED SUZANNE'S SAGE ADVICE. "DON'T GIVE HIM ANYTHING TO GET MAD AT…….SO JUST SHUT UP." HEY, IT WORKED. I STAYED UNDER HIS RADAR FOR YEARS, AND HE LIKED THAT ABOUT ME. EXCEPT ONE TIME.

ONE DAY, WHEN I DID GET INTO HIS WORKSHOP, BEHIND THE FAMILY HOME IN WINDERMERE, I WAS ADMIRING THE FINAL COAT OF VARNISH HE HAD, THE DAY BEFORE, APPLIED TO A BEAUTIFUL WOODEN LAUNCH, ALTHOUGH I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS A DITCHBURN OR NOT. IN A PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIP, WITH A YOUNG LADY, I HAD FOUND MYSELF IN A SIMILAR SITUATION, AS I WAS ON THAT DAY. INSTEAD OF A NEWLY VARNISHED BOAT, GORD SMITH, A TALENTED WOOD-WORKER, WAS SHOWING ME AN EXTREMELY HANDSOME, ROUND DININGROOM TABLE, WITH PRESS-BACK CHAIRS, HE HAD STRIPPED FREE OF AT LEAST FOUR LAYERS OF ENAMEL PAINT. IT WAS A GOOD JOB, AND GORD WAS SO PROUD OF THAT PIECE. GAIL HAD ALSO WARNED ME TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT OFF-HAND COMMENTS, THAT MAY BE MISCONSTRUED BY HER FATHER AS, "THE SNEAK ATTACK" OF A SMART ASS. I FORGOT. SO AS GORD WAS CAREFULLY DUSTING THE GLIMMERING SURFACE OF THE TABLE, JUST ABOUT TO BE SET FOR THAT NIGHT'S DINNER, I HAPPENED TO MAKE ONE TINY LITTLE OBSERVATION……THAT TURNED OUT TO BE THE PROVERBIAL GAME CHANGER. "SAY GORD, TOO BAD ABOUT THAT BRUSH HAIR EH?"

IT WAS LIKE I'D KICKED A WHIRLING DERVISH. "WHAT BRUSH HAIR," HE DEMAND, JUMPING ALL OVER THE KITCHEN, TO GET A BETTER LOOK AT THE TABLE-TOP. "RIGHT THERE," I POINTED. "CAN'T YOU SEE IT GORD. I THINK THERE ARE TWO OF THEM. NO THREE!" POOR GAIL. SHE KNEW BY THE ATMOSPHERIC CHANGE IN THAT ROOM, I WAS IN DEEP, DEEP DO! HE WOULDN'T TALK TO ME FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS AFTER THAT CANDID AND UNSOLICITED OBSERVATION. HERE'S WHAT'S REALLY FUNNY, AT LEAST IN RETROSPECT. WE PLAYED EUCHRE THAT NIGHT, AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES…..EXCEPT TO SUGGEST "A LOT," THAT THOSE PLAYING CARDS, SLIDING ACROSS THE TABLE WHEN THEY WERE DEALT, WERE BEING THUSLY STOPPED BY THAT WEE TANGLE OF VARNISHED BRUSH HAIR. EVERY SINGLE TIME, IT STABBED HIM IN THE HEART. I SWEAR TO GOD, HE THOUGHT I PUT THEM THERE ON PURPOSE. I DON'T THINK HE EVER SACRIFICED THAT OTHERWISE BEAUTIFUL FINISH, TO REMOVE THE BRUSH HAIRS.

SO WHAT DO THINK? HOW WISE WOULD IT BE THEN, CONSIDERING THE ABOVE PASSAGE, (AND WHAT I'D PERVIOUSLY LEARNED) TO SAY TO NORM, IN THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OF THE WORKSHOP, STARING DOWN THE LOVELY LINES OF THAT GRAND LAUNCH, "IS THAT A BRUSH HAIR?" NOT QUITE THE WHIRLING DERVISH I'D STIRRED AT THE SMITH HOMESTEAD, BUT THE KIND OF MINOR PANIC A REFINISHER DOESN'T NEED AT THIS STAGE OF RESTORATION. "WHERE? WHERE? A HAIR? WHERE IS IT," HE DEMANDED, WITH HIS FACE ALMOST PRESSED AGAINST THE SHIMMERING MAHOGANY. SUZANNE HAD THAT LOOK OF SHOCK I'VE LEARNED TO LIVE WITH, FOR ALL THESE YEARS. IT WAS NEW TO ME THEN. "I WAS ONLY KIDDING NORM," I RESPONDED, WHILE ON THE FIRST ROLL OF WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A LENGTHY, AND HARDY LAUGH. FROM BEING BENT OVER, WITH HIS BAD BACK, TWISTING HIS HEAD LIKE A COBRA ABOUT TO STRIKE, HE LOOKED UP AT SUZANNE WITH THAT LOOK OF ABSOLUTE TERROR, "YOU'RE GOING TO MARRY THIS WISE GUY?" I GOT SUCH A BAD RECEPTION THAT DAY, REGARDING THE HAIR, I'VE GOT TO BE HONEST…..THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A WHOLE BRUSH VARNISHED TO THE BOAT, AND I WOULDN'T HAVE SAID A WORD. IT'S NOT THAT NORM AND I COULDN'T KID ABOUT THINGS…..JUST NOT ABOUT STUFF AS CRITICAL AS THE VARNISH ON A FULLY RESTORED MAHOGANY LAUNCH.

WHEN SUZANNE PROOFREAD THE PAST TWO BLOGS ABOUT HER FAMILY, PARTICULARLY YESTERDAY'S STORY ABOUT MY RELATIONSHIP WITH NORMAN, SHE HAD TO ADMIT, TO HAVING A RESTORED INTEREST IN DOING A SOMEWHAT MORE INVOLVED BIOGRAPHY OF HER FATHER……A PROJECT, FOLKS WHO KNEW NORMAN'S WORK, HAVE BEEN ASKING ABOUT FOR A WHILE NOW. SHE HAS LOTS OF INSIDE STORIES ABOUT THEIR YEARS OF OPERATING THE WINDERMERE MARINA, AND THE MANY BOAT RESTORATION PROJECTS THAT WENT ON IN THAT CURIOSITY SHOP……AT THE REAR OF THE HOUSE. IN THE PAST, WHEN THIS ISSUE HAS COME UP, SHE'S BEGGED-OUT, CLAIMING SHE DOESN'T KNOW ENOUGH TO WRITE A SENSIBLE, RESPONSIBLE BIOGRAPHY. I THINK A LOT OF SONS AND DAUGHTERS FEEL THIS WAY, AND ARE MORE LIKELY TO RELENT INSTEAD, TO SOMEONE UNRELATED TO THE FAMILY, TO TELL THE STORY. I CAN'T REPLICATE WHAT SHE COULD ACCOMPLISH IN SUCH A PERSONAL, INSIDER, BIOGRAPHICAL EFFORT. UNTIL NOW. SHE HAS A LOT OF OLD PHOTOGRAPHS SHE'S BEEN GOING THROUGH, WHILE DOING HER ANCESTRY RESEARCH, ON OUR FAMILY TREES, AND I THINK THIS HAS HELPED STIR UP MORE INTIMATE DETAILS OF LIFE WITH NORMAN. I'M DELIGHTED SHE HAS DECIDED TO DO SOME WORK ON IT, FOR RELEASE ON THIS BLOGSITE…..POSSIBLY AS EARLY AS JULY OF THIS YEAR. IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE HISTORY OF MUSKOKA, AND BOATING ON THE MUSKOKA LAKES GENERALLY. I THINK SHE NOW APPRECIATES, HOW NORMAN FACTORED INTO OUR MARINE HERITAGE, AND HIS FATHER BEFOR HIM. I KNOW FOR YEARS, SHE HAD THE "I'M NOT WORTHY" ATTITUDE, WHEN IT COMES TO WRITING MORE ABOUT HER FATHER'S EXPERIENCES. IN THE LATE 1990'S, SUZANNE AND I CO-WROTE A SHORT HISTORY OF "THE SKIPPER," THE UPSTAIRS SNACKBAR AT THE WINDERMERE MARINA…..WHICH HAD AN ALMOST CULT FOLLOWING, DURING THOSE WONDERFUL SUMMER SEASONS BACK IN THE MID 1960'S, INTO THE EARLY 1970'S. WE HAD A BLAST WRITING THEM, AND IT WAS QUITE THERAPEUTIC FOR SUZANNE, WHO REALLY DOES MISS THE GOOD OLD DAYS LIVING AND WORKING ON THE SHORE OF LAKE ROSSEAU, IN THE VILLAGE OF WINDERMERE.

THE COTTAGE AT WINDERMERE

I HAVE LIVED IN THREE AMAZING LAKESIDE COTTAGES IN MY LIFE. THE FIRST ONE, WAS ON ALPORT BAY, OF LAKE MUSKOKA, ON THE EXTENSION OF BEAUMONT DRIVE, IN BRACEBRIDGE. THE SECOND, WAS IN A MINIATURE ENGLISH MANOR HOUSE, CALLED "SEVEN PERSONS COTTAGE," AT FOOTES BAY, LAKE JOSEPH, AND THEN FINALLY, AT THE COTTAGE SAM STRIPP BUILT, ACROSS THE CHANNEL OF LAKE ROSSEAU'S "WELLSLEY ISLAND." IT'S WHERE SUZANNE AND I SPENT OUR WEDDING NIGHT, THAT BLESSED OCCASION BACK IN SEPTEMBER 1983. IT WAS A TRADITIONAL MUSKOKA COTTAGE-TYPE ABODE, EXCEPT THAT IT HAD BEEN BUILT AS A HOME BY HER GRANDFATHER SAM STRIPP, CIRCA 1914. IT SAT UP ON A ROCK FACE, ABOVE THE CHANNEL, AND FROM THE VERANDAH, IT WAS A TRULY INSPIRING VIEW ONTO THE LAKE AND ISLAND. I USED TO ENJOY SITTING IN THE SMALL "SUN ROOM," FILLED WITH NAUTICAL MEMORABILIA, AND IN THE EVENINGS, I WOULD HUNKER DOWN IN FRONT OF THE STONE FIREPLACE IN THE LIVINGROOM, AND MAKE MY COPIOUS NOTES ABOUT COTTAGE LIFE. I WROTE HUNDREDS OF MUSKOKA SUN FEATURE COLUMNS, SITTING BY THAT HEARTH, IN A CHAIR ROBERT STILL HAS IN HIS ROOM TODAY. IT WAS A SOLID HOUSE, BUILT BY CAPABLE HANDS, AND IT WAS DEARLY LOVED BY NORM AND HARRIET THAT'S FOR SURE. BUT AT A TIME WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ENJOY SUMMERS AT THE COTTAGE, HARRIET WAS SERIOUSLY ILL, WITH NO CHANCE OF RECOVERY. SHE WOULD COME OVER TO THE COTTAGE TO HOST A FAMILY BARBECUE, BUT SHE NEEDED HOME COMFORTS AT THAT STAGE OF HER ILLNESS. THE STRIPP FAMILY HOME WAS IN THE VILLAGE, ABOUT FIVE MINUTES WEST OF THE COTTAGE.

THE REASON I BRING THE COTTAGE UP, IS NOT TO BRAG ABOUT THE FAMILY I MARRIED INTO, BUT TO QUALIFY OURSELVES GENERALLY, AS ANTIQUE DEALER / COLLECTORS, WHO ARE REASONABLY WELL VERSED IN MUSKOKA LIVING, BY PROFOUNDLY DEEP IMMERSION. SUZANNE AND I SPENT MANY INCREDIBLE DAYS, IN THOSE FEW YEARS BEFORE THE KIDS ARRIVED, HOLED-UP AT THE STRIPP COTTAGE, LOUNGING ON THE BOATHOUSE DOCK, WATCHING THE PARADE OF OLD MAHOGANY BOATS GO UP AND DOWN THE CHANNEL. SUZANNE WAVING TO MOST OF THEM, AS THE OWNERS WERE, AT THAT TIME, VERY FAMILIAR WITH HER FATHER AND MOTHER, FROM BOTH THE MARINA DAYS, AND OF COURSE, AS NEIGHBOR COTTAGERS.

"DAD REFINISHED THAT ONE," SHE'D SAY. "YUP, THAT ONE TOO." WHEN A LITTLE STEAM YACHT WENT CHUGGING BY, AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, "HE REFINISHED THAT ONE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO." IT WAS CONSTANT, AND I WAS ENJOYING EVERY MOMENT OF IT. I'D NEVER BEEN SO INVOLVED IN LOCAL HISTORY, EVEN AS DIRECTOR OF THE BRACEBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND WOODCHESTER VILLA AND MUSEUM. THIS WAS BY FAR, MY OWN MOST INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP, WITH THE MARINE, COTTAGE HERITAGE OF MUSKOKA. I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN HAPPIER. IT WAS OBVIOUS, SUZANNE WANTED TO LIVE AT THE COTTAGE…..FOREVER. IT'S NOT THAT WE DIDN'T TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THIS, AND EVEN WENT AS FAR AS PRICING INSULATION IMPROVEMENTS, AND A SNOWMOBILE TO GET US IN THROUGH THE WINTER. WE WERE JUST CRAZY NEWLYWEDS, AND HARRIET LET US KNOW IT WOULDN'T WORK, CONSIDERING THE KIND OF LIVES WE WERE LIVING AT THE TIME. SUZANNE A FLEDGLING TEACHER, ME, AN EDITOR WITH WILD HOURS. WE OFTEN PONDER THE "WHAT IFS" AND SPECULATE ON WHERE WE WOULD BE TODAY, HAD WE FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH THE IDEA OF LIVING IN THE COTTAGE OVER THE WINTER. "YOU'D NEVER HAVE MADE IT TED," SAYS SUZANNE. "YOU WOULD HAVE DIED WITHOUT CABLE TELEVISION. WE MADE THE RIGHT DECISION TO BUY A SENSIBLE HOUSE, A SHORT DRIVE TO WHERE WE WORKED." OF COURSE SHE WAS RIGHT. HARRIET WAS RIGHT. NORM NEVER OFFERED AN OPINION ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. HE KNEW HIS DAUGHTER WOULDN'T LET IMAGINARY SPLENDOR GET IN THE WAY OF SENSIBLE PROPORTION. I'D HAVE HAVE TREED A SNOWMOBILE, I CAN TELL YOU THAT…….LONG BEFORE I EITHER FELL THROUGH THE ICE, OR WAS LOST IN A BLIZZARD, BURIED SOMEWHERE IN THE PASTURE OF THE LONGHURST FARM…..BETWEEN WINDERMERE AND THE COTTAGE.

I HAVE A LOT OF REMINISCENCES ABOUT OUR SUMMER LIVING AT THE COTTAGE. WE LIVED THERE WITH ANDREW AND ROBERT, FOR THREE MONTHS IN THE LATE SUMMER AND EARLY AUTUMN OF 1989, JUST BEFORE MOVING HERE TO BIRCH HOLLOW, IN GRAVENHURST. BUT AS I'VE HALF-CONVINCED SUZANNE TO RE-TELL HER FAMILY'S WINDERMERE / LAKE ROSSEAU HISTORY, I'M GOING TO LEAVE THIS ASPECT OF OUR HERITAGE EXPERIENCES, FOR HER TO PRESENT LATER THIS YEAR, ON THIS BLOGSITE.

IF YOU ASKED SUZANNE, OR MY BOYS, ANDREW OR ROBERT, WHAT IT HAS BEEN LIKE LIVING WITH A WRITER /HISTORIAN…..ANTIQUE DEALER, FOR ALL THESE YEARS, THEY'D GET PRETTY ANIMATED, TRYING TO SORT OUT THE TUMBLE OF WORDS BANGING ABOUT THEIR MINDS. EACH COULD WRITE A "WAR AND PEACE" SIZED TEXT ABOUT "LIFE WITH FATHER." WHEN IT COMES TO NORM STRIPP HOWEVER, IT IS MARKEDLY DIFFERENT. WHEN HE WENT TO WORK, OFTEN NOT MORE THAN THIRTY OR FORTY STEPS TO THE BACK OF THE HOUSE, OR DOWN FROM THE COTTAGE VERANDAH, HE KEPT TO HIMSELF….OR CONVERSED WITH HIS HELPERS IF HE HAD ANY AT THE TIME. HIS WAS NOT A PUBLIC-DISPLAY EXISTENCE. NO SHOWMANSHIP, NO GRANDSTANDING, NO PUBLIC SPEAKING VENUES, TO TALK ABOUT THE MARINE INDUSTRY. HE KEPT TO HIS WORK SCHEDULE, AND DID NOT LIKE DISTRACTION……AND I WAS THE BIG "D". AS SUZANNE AND I WERE LEADING VERY PUBLIC LIVES, AND INVOLVED IN A LOT OF PUBLIC RELATIONS /MEDIA EVENTS, WE GOT USED TO MIXING IT UP ON THE LOCAL SOCIAL SCENE. WHEN SUZANNE'S FATHER DID THIS, ON RARE OCCASIONS, IT WAS ALWAYS AS "LION NORM," WORKING ON COMMUNITY SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE WINDERMERE AND DISTRICT LIONS CLUB. HE DIDN'T CARRY THE "BOAT REFINISHER" THING AROUND LIKE A BADGE OF HONOR. IT'S JUST WHAT HE DID AS A PROFESSION. NOTHING FANCY. NOTHING SPECIAL. AND HE CERTAINLY NEVER BRAGGED ABOUT BEING THE BEST AT THIS PROFESSION. NOT ONCE. IN FACT, IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW HIM, IT WOULD TAKE WEEKS OF DIALOGUE TO GET HIM TO ADMIT HE WORKED ON THE RESTORATION OF VINTAGE MAHOGANY BOATS. EVEN THOUGH HE WAS WELL KNOWN, AND RESPECTED, AMONGST BOAT OWNERS AND LOCAL MARINE HISTORIANS, MANY OF THEM WEALTHY COTTAGERS AROUND THE MUSKOKA LAKES; YOU'D NEVER KNOW IT BY HIS DEMEANOR. HE WOULD SOONER TALK ABOUT HOCKEY OR LIONS PROJECTS THAN WHAT HE WORKED ON, IN HIS SHED. THIS IS WHAT SUZANNE NOW REALIZES NEEDS TO BE RECTIFIED, EVEN FOR THE BENEFIT OF HIS GRANDSONS, AND THEIR EVENTUAL FAMILIES. WHEN SHE SEES ANDREW WORKING ON A VINTAGE GUITAR, SO PATIENTLY HANDLING THE INTRICATE REPAIRS, OFTEN HAVING TO BE MADE THROUGH THE SMALL SOUND HOLE OF A HOLLOW-BODY ACOUSTIC, I'M SURE SHE SEE TRACES OF HER OWN FATHER…..AS HE CAREFULLY INSERTED A REPLACEMENT BOARD IN AN ELEGANT OLD MUSKOKA BOAT.

I WILL LEAVE THE SUBJECT OF SUZANNE'S FAMILY, AND LET HER SORT OUT THE BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIAL AND CONTEXT, HOPEFULLY TO BE PUBLISHED BY ABOUT THE FIRST OF JULY, WITH SOME OF THE FAMILY PICTURES SHE HAS TUCKED INTO ARCHIVES BOXES, STACKED IN OUR BEDROOM. IT WILL BE AN INTERESTING STORY. I GUARANTEE IT!

THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING TODAY'S BLOG. PLEASE VISIT AGAIN TOMORROW, FOR ANOTHER GLIMPSE OF ANTIQUE HUNTING IN THE MUSKOKA REGION.