Fwd: As we age married

 

Happy Birthday Bert! Welcome to the 80's club :)

 We are grateful to have Bert as our Fraser Lake neighbour.  You couldn’t ask for a more easy going and kind person.

Happy Birthday and the best of health for the future!

Nancy, Rod & Family

 

Birthday Wishes, Doc Gillanders Bombardier Machine, and The Holmes Barn

 

From the Card...

This round barn, constructed in 1907?, by William Holmes, is of the same general designs as the first round barns built by the Shakers in New England. Located on Holmes Road, at Way's Mills, in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. It is now owned and operated by Stanley Holmes, grandson of William.

There are nine round barns remaining in the area - all beautiful and interesting, but some threatened due to needed repair.

Gordon Ladd - 

https://www.barnston-ouest.ca/en/culture-patrimoine/grange-ronde.php

"Shorty" Sherrer

Is this it???

A Fart by any Other Name Would Smell as Sweet

 

By Popular Request...

Looking for story behind the moniker "Bert" and "Fred"

Bert's 80th zoom party

Birthday Wishes

Hi Bert,

Or better known to us at the farm as "Winston".  Where on earth did Bert come from?  We remember those visits at your farm and never knew if you had another new name!

Best wishes on your 80th Birthday and trust you have many more.  Stay safe and healthy.

Love from,

Janice, Barbara, and Grant

Little Red Riding Hood

LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD.

In December 2009, Bert made the trek west to visit Matt & Emma.   He though it best to  visit his sisters on the island before heading to Powell River.   He flew into Victoria & spent a few days with Lane & Don.   Being a train fan, decided to take the dayliner to Courtney.   Bob suggested I meet the dayliner in Ladysmith & ride to Nanaimo with Bert.     What a great idea, so I  shared my plan with Lane & Patty.     Then it took off from there.    More than a few phone calls back & forth, just enjoying ourselves immensely as to what Bert would do.   Of course,  I could be Little Red Riding Hood ! !        I had red heels, a red T-neck sweater & I grabbed a red felt tam from my hooker friend. ( She hooks rugs not the other kind😊☺)    A bit worse for wear so to cover the  hole on the top,  I  decorated it with a bright  red & gold snowman brooch.   It was the right colour !      My black cape would be perfect.    What to carry his lunch in,  a basket of course, covered in a red & white tea towel.   I had some lovely large red rimmed plastic glasses.   Lane & I had worn them off the plane a few years before when Patty, Ken & Bert had  met us at Dorval.   Needless to say they were a hit then,  so why not use them again?   Her basket was full, a couple of generous egg salad sandwiches. some tangerines, a pop & a hostess gift for the party that would meet him in Courtney.     Bob drove me to the station & who is waiting there  as well  ----- is  a girl I worked with ! !   She is  seeing her in-laws off to Courtney too !       I assured her I did not always travel looking like this & explained my plan. " Here" she said, " stand by the luggage with your back to the train"  .   The train pulls in  with two coaches,------- oh no------ where would Bert be!     At that point Bob who is watching all of this yells, "Bert is in the last car"   Apparently Bert  had got up to look out at some machine they had just passed.  The conductor gave me an odd stare & once again I  found myself trying to explain my plan ! !     " My brother, he is going to Courtney, this is a joke & he doesn't know I'm getting on"    Without a pause, he took my ticket,  "he will be in this car."    For those of you who have worn those plastic glasses know your vision is somewhat impaired.   I stepped out of the sunlight into the dim car & I was suddenly nearly blind, I could hardly see a thing.   But I had to keep walking.    Of course everyone always looks up as to who just got on.   I got the end of the car & no BERT.   So as casual as I could be, I turned around,  lifted up my glasses & started back the way I had come,  up the isle.    The second seat from the front I found Bert, crouched down in the corner, nearly on the floor.    He said I should have known.  The passengers around us enjoyed the prank & a nice young kid offered to take our picture.   It was a fun trip to Nanaimo, said our farewells & Bert continued on his way to Courtney.   Bob met me & as soon as I got in the car I  phoned Patty & Lane  who were dying to find out how it all went down.  That was so much fun.    

Whitehorse

Dad, you mentioned Whitehorse and Yellowknife. I remember getting ready to go to Dawson City and calling you up and saying, "How soon can you get to Powell River?" You jumped on a plane and beetled out here, we had a couple days here and then went Powell River to Anahim Lake to Smithers to Bell 2 to Bob Quinn Lake to Dease Lake. Then things got interesting. From Dease Lake to Atlin we had to dodge a few thunderstorms and I seem to recall at one point glancing out of the corner of my eye and your face seemed to say, "Are you sure you know what you're doing?" All good into Atlin, managed to track down the fuel truck and then in to Whitehorse. We spent the night in Whitehorse and the next morning I carried on to Dawson and I think you went to Edmonton yes? A whirlwind tour for sure.

M

Happy Birthday

All the best on this special day! So many great memories.. you were never "not" a part of our lives. Lots of love. Andrea, Jolyon et al

Birthday Dinner

Baloney and Mashed Potatoes. Better than the Keg?

Happy Birthday Bert from the G. Roy Family

Happy Birthday Bert!!

 

We wish you many more years of happiness at Fraser Lake and elsewhere!

 

Best wishes,

 

Gord, Josée-Anne, Matt and Marc

Thanks Everybody.

Zooming. With Cake.

Birthday memory wishes

Dear Bert,

 

How time flies, 2020 = 80 but so what, it's just a number!

 

We first met at the Montreal Institute of Technology not to be confused with the other MIT.

3 Anglos in the electricity course, joined by others from various trade courses who have kept in

touch all these years.

 

We fondly remember back in say 1966 our spring trip to the farm in Glen Sutton

during sugaring season. We still remember sitting around the family dinner table, it was

like Christmas (so many people) but it was just another dinner with two extra guests.

Lighting the green and white lanterns at the Glen Sutton flag-stop was a real experience,

this to flag the train to get on for the trip home.

 

We all went our different ways 'electrically related' but we still kept in touch – not

as much as we should have, but then life gets in the way.

 

So her we are at mid – life, our children are grown up and our grandchildren will soon be the age

we were when we met. Overall life has been good to us – with a few big speed-bumps along the way

but nevertheless we are here to wish you all the best on this your special day.

 

Hope you have many more celebrations on December 1 and we look forward to getting together once this fiasco is over.

 

Happy Birthday,

Love Sandra and Peter

Train Trip 2011 - If a train leaves Chicago...from Montreal...to New Mexico...to Los Angeles....

As most people know, Bert loves trains.

I had the pleasure to organize a family train trip in 2011 to celebrate Bert's 70th birthday from the year before. We had a wonderful time sightseeing, playing cards, having laughs and making memories! Montreal to Schenectady, Schenectady to Chicago, Chicago to Los Angeles with a stop in Sante Fe and the Grand Canyon! Truly an awesome experience! We stopped in LA for a quick few days at Disney while Bert and Anne continued up the west coast to BC. 

In his typical humble self, Bert was so thankful to me for helping to organize the trip, when in fact, I am so forever grateful to him for taking us with him on this adventure!  

As Matt & Jim said: 

"it's a good thing our father was born before us"

Indeed.

You have raised wonderful boys who are fine men, and for that I am also forever  grateful

Nancy

xxx

 

 

A kiss for Grampy

 

Didn't know grampy was one to wear fluffy pink boas but you learn something new everyday. 

Elsie

Piano and Willie's Place

When I was younger, most of the time I spent with grampy was in his old van, and later his jeep, on the way to and from piano lessons. I remember the fact that his jeep always smelled new, even though he had owned it for at least 3 years. In addition to the new car smell, there was almost always Willie's Roadhouse playing. If it wasn't Willie it was some symphony orchestra. These stations seemed weird to me at age 5, but I can't listen to Johnny Cash now without thinking of Grampy.

Re: The Way I Remember it.

All right Brother, so we're going to start airing the dirty laundry are we?

I think back to what I can remember of that trip and recall it as one where I was chronically on Father's nerves.  "When are we going to get there?  I'm hungry!  I'm thirsty!  I need to pee.  When are we going to go home?"  

I fully agree that Mom quite likely might have caved just to shut us up and I was given the opportunity to imbibe a delicious ice cold orange pop.  The part about you taking the high road and getting a water I would politely call BS.  Pretty sure you had the same thing, difference was you could handle your soda and I evidently could not.

Naturally I chose the most inopportune moment to get nauseous.  Fortunately for me, it was unloading time, the time where everyone on board basically had to walk past where I had chosen to throw up.  Why fortunately you might ask, well I'm nearly certain that had there been no one around, Dad may have understandably taken the chance to simply toss me overboard.

Anyway, he obviously counted to ten or took a deep breath or did whatever he needed to do to dig deep and keep his cool.

Perhaps he just said to himself, "Time will take care of everything".

M

This Cat has Nine Lives

I know sparse details but I want to hear again how, while on a ladder, unable to let got because he became the ground, Dad had his helper Mike go cut the second unknown power source, took a short break to regain his composure and then finished the job.

I can also remember that on rare occasions that we were brought to a jobsite.  

The instructions given to us in case of an emergency was...

1. run to the truck as fast as possible
2. find his hard hat and run back
3. throw the hardhat on the ground to make it look like he was wearing it.
4. call for help

CSST or Workers Compensation Boards have changed slightly since then.

How many times do you think Bert has been zapped.  Leave your answer in the comments below.

I have no idea what this is but it looks like a party

 Give us your best caption for this one.

Update: That was Bert & Linda's first Christmas after they were married. We drew names then & I got Linda so I made her the flannel night gown & Lane thought Bert should have something too so made Bert's get up, complete with a tail. This was taken in December 1965 at our home in the Glen. Mamma made the curtains which I thought at the time were pretty snazzy. How young everyone looked. Lois R.

The Way I Remember It!

 

So adorable as my brother and I were, we did in fact have of times that drives parents crazy.

 The way that I remember it was that we are on a delightful ferry ride from Prince Edward Island, going back to the mainland before it was connected by a bridge. You can see beautiful blue skies, calm calm water and we are both almost smiling.

I think the "awk awk" bird got the better of Mom and she finally let my brother have an orange soda after his persistent nagging.  I was fine with water.

Anyway, it was time to disembark and over the PA system everybody was summoned back to their car.

I remember holding on to a parents hand and taking the lead in order to keep up.  You had to do that with short legs.

All of a sudden I get yanked back and almost dislocating my arm from its socket as we came to a dead stop. As I whirled around like a wild kite caught in a gust, all I can remember is the amazing fluidity at which the masses, who, flowed like a river around my brother who was staring down at his orange pop that had decided to evacuate itself.

Anyway, I thought I would be appropriate for the decider to make the final judgment on this and weigh in to dispel any fake news or myths around this incident that my brother has been propagating that it was me who puked and not him for the past 45 years.

J

A Very Happy Birthday!

Wishing you a wonderful birthday. Thanks for the wonderful memories and great laughs. Much love.

Chris, Jacquelyn, Sammy  and Nico

Bert Memories

Where do I start to comment on the Best / Beast that Bert was to me all of my growing up years. Bert and Brian were such a pair and tormented we girls without mercy!

When we were still little, Lois, Patti and I made a little house out of sticks at the end of the road.  Someone who had visited had given us girls a quarter.  That was a lot of money in about 1952. Bert and Brian convinced us that we needed house insurance - and somehow we believed them and they took our quarter - and subsequently tore down our house.

For fun - Bert and Brian would say they were going to get our stuff!  One of them would block our way from going up stairs and the other one would go into our room and empty all of the drawers, tie our stockings to the door handles and then made a mess of anything that was in place, We would scream our heads off and so ran to Mamma.  She simply smiled and said - "once you are married once or twice you will have forgotten all about it" 

The tormenting never ended it and I seemed to have taken the brunt of their mischief.  I loved to sleep and being the last out of bed - they would drag me out of bed and say let's go for a mud run.  Remember it is April - the ground is still frozen in places - and I am in my bare feet and pjs.   Bert on one side, Brian on the other side - holding my hands in a farmer grip - then ran me through the mud in the barn yard.  To top it off in the summer - just for fun - Bert and Brian would catch me and drop me into the watering trough - clothes and all.

Never mind - I made up my mind to get even "even if it took the rest of my natural life" as Bert used to say.  When visiting MacLean Manor one summer - he was woken up out of a sound sleep by a Piper playing loud Bagpipe Music - just like the Queen at Balmoral I told him. 

I got him best when he came for a visit close to Christmas  - a few days after his birthday. I told him to put his nice shirt and sweater as we were having a few guests in after supper and I needed help getting ready.  He jumped in to help buttering the sweet bread, sweeping the kitchen floor etc so all was ready when everyone arrived.  Cliff Wilkins just happened to have brought his video camera.  When all was in place, a very pregnant Bag Lady came to our door looking for Bert "Loroque."  Being the gentleman that he is, Bert jumped up, shook her hand and introduced himself.  She then wanted to hold him responsible for her condition that had come about in the "lettuce express"    Poor Bert - then he knew he had been had.  She proceeded to take off the logging boots, big hat, dumpy jacket, let her hair down and put on "stripper music" and asked Bert to dance.  He was sure it was a neighbour and asked Marilyn Wilkins who she was but Marilyn wasn't any help. Anyway - Bert got up and danced. As I told Bertie when it was all over - this was just for all those years of getting our stuff and a refund on my house insurance!

Bert has been the best big brother anyone could ever ask for.  Bert is loyal to his family and is always good to laugh and tease with.  When Lois and I got on the train to come west, Bert took time off work and came to the station to say good -bye.   That was so appreciated.

Happy Birthday Bertie and many many more. 

We love you to the Moon and back dear Bertie.

Much love always

Lane and Don and Family

Happy 80th

Holy cow 80!!

Happy birthday Bert, all the best to you on this day.  Hope you can celebrate in some special way and we look forward to seeing you sometime soon.

Have a great day.

Sue, Marcus, Marissa and Katie

The budding artist

Can anyone elaborate on this?

M

Sent from my iPad

Time to get even ;-)

I was welcomed into this big, crazy, amazing Larocque family with open arms from the very first time Matt brought me home to visit, and I knew I was accepted when Bert played his first practical joke on me. Through the years there have been several, so I'd like to take this  chance to "out" him and get him back. :-)

 

That first time we had spent a few days up at Northfork. Jim and Nancy had headed home and Matt and Bert and I were cleaning up and closing up the cottage for the winter. Bert was under the house "shoring it up" for another winter (?) and I was taking some laundry down from the line, folding up sheets. Suddenly I heard Matt calling, "Dad's stuck under the house!! Em - come here! Dad's stuck under the house!" and I raced around the corner, truly alarmed, to find Bert with his torso emerging from the mud, trying to pretend he was in distress to no avail - neither of them could stop giggling.

 

When we went out a number of years later to Kevin & Coral's wedding, Jim, Nancy, Bert and Matt and I were all staying in a huge room - Matt and I in one bed, Jim and Nancy in a Murphy bed, and Bert on a mat on the floor (at his insistence). I can only imagine the fun he had planning his next great prank! In the middle of the night of course I found myself in need of the facilities, and got up, tiptoeing around carefully to make sure I didn't wake anyone. Just as I passed Bert's head he grabbed my ankle and I let out a shriek, which of course woke up everyone!

 

I feel so lucky to have Bert as my father-in-law. Though I've never lived in the same city, he is always close with us in our hearts. Happy birthday to the best prankster I know.

 

Emma xo

Happy Birthday Bert!

Happy Birthday Bert!

 

You truly are a limited edition!

Looking forward to celebrating your ‘Vintage’ age the next time we see you!

 

Love Tara, Will, Josh, Chris and Jeffrey xoxo

Happy Birthday Bert

Greetings from Victoria! I hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow on Zoom with your family! Do you even know how to Zoom? I did it once and that was enough, believe me!
Now my whole point in contacting you is that I am very upset how you attacked my dearest brother Ken when they were last at the cottage.
Oh I remember how you put the bats in my bedroom the last time I was there. Never to be forgotten.
How you torture the turkeys! Roasting them in a slow low oven for twelve hours when Islanders know hot and fast is much kinder when cooking them at Thanksgiving!
Now my real beef! I know you have alway been jealous of Ken's height, his charm, and his laidback attitude to life! ( I seem to be using a lot of !!!! in this dialogue) it is to compensate for not using
CAPITALS! Bad forum.
You do share his laidback attitude on reflection.
Now to get to my real issue.
How dare you creep up behind my brother as he took the dog down to the lake and push him in the water! With his memory loss from the incident he cannot take you to task. So I am. Now that you are 80 years old you must stop these adolescent
pranks. It is just not becoming behaviour.
It is downhill from here on in at 80+. Zoom might just be the right word for this time.
Enjoy your day! It will not pass this way again!
I know you are my favourite sister in law's favourite brother! Oh did I mis speak!
Big families have too many
people! I get confused.
Love you all where ever you live. 🥰 Pat

Pat Fullerton

Happy 80th Birthday from the Beaver Meadow Bunch

Bert,
Do you remember tipping the baby out of the bicycle basket when you were babysitting!
That was my first concussion!!
I remember the car that Irma Perkins gave you and how I loved Learning to drive with it!
I remember making syrup in the shack up in the woods at night, after a long days work, on a pot bellied stove that we could see right through and I have many memories of you and Brian making this a grand experience with your many humorous stories.
It was winter time and sometimes as a small kid i shared a bed with You. You would make up a story about bears in the room and get me to hide under the blanket and then proceed to profusely pass gas and laugh your head off!!
Another story I remember is You spending a prolonged period of time on the toilet....most likely reading Motortrend magazine.....Lane would run up the stairs rapidly, burst the bathroom door open and flush the toilet with you sitting on it. As I remember your response was "Ill get even with you even it takes the rest of my natural life!"
As a youngster it was great to look forward to you coming home on the weekend.
As a Teenager I remember the numerous time You and Linda came out and picked me up at MacDonald college and included me in many family dinners, trips to Glen Sutton, and supported me in woodsmen competitions.
More recently You have always been a great supporter on many projects that we had on the go such as wiring the new Lake place, wiring renovations in the farms house and the new sugarhouse. We always appreciated the hospitality of Norfolk and the many enjoyable family gatherings with cards games, swimming and food as well as solving all the worlds problems!
Brenda and I have appreciated your support with our maple syrup endeavors.
One "Bertisms" that I can think of is.....Time will take care of everything!
Thanks for all the good time and memories and we hope you have a great celebration of 80 years!!
Love Herb

How did I get here?

Almost 30 years ago, Dad and I were leaning on the fence outside the flight school in Sudbury watching helicopters come and go.  He said to me, "Are you sure you want to do this?"  "Yes!", I said.  My parents and numerous Aunts and Uncles have all supported me and helped me achieve a career that has taken me all over the country and allowed me to experience places some can only imagine.  Granted, I've spent an unusual amount of time in the more bug infested remote parts of Canada, but I have a job that I love and I never get tired of flying.

Dad never told me what to do, he always allowed me to make my own decisions and gave me his unending support and for this I am forever grateful.

M

Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY from out in the sticks. Have a great day
Rufus and Helen

Sent from my iPad

Bert's Virtual 80th Birthday

I remember, one summer a couple of years ago, Bert and I were delivering meals to our clients (Meals on Wheels).  Bert was driving and we were delivering the meal to this particular client.  Her house was near a street that was under construction.

 Bert parked the van and when I got out of the van I stepped into a very big puddle.  Needless to say my feet and the bottom of my slacks  were a little wet.

I am not sure if he did this on purpose.  We had a good laugh.

Bert,  I am still wishing you a very HAPPY 80TH BIRTHDAY.  Have a great day.

Olga

Happy Birthday

Hi Bert, Just wanted to wish you a very happy birthday.

We can see the end of the Yoke of isolation with the advent of vaccines on the horizon.
It will be great for you to be able to visit with all of your family once again, a fantastic birthday present....

Again have a wonderful day.

Mandy and David




Sent from my iPad

Birthday wishes from Judy and Ray Gasse

Hi Bert!

Wishing you all the best and may we be so bold as to award you 2 points?

Heard the farting story years ago. Nice to see it immortalized in a poem.

 

Happy Birthday,

 

Judy and Ray Gasse et al

Bertie as pilot!

lower lip ?????

sleeping again???

The Little Things

Jim and I were both fortunate enough to enjoy sports both watching and playing. In winter we lived at the outdoor rink in the park next to where we lived. In summer it was the same park but but with baseball gloves. As a teenager I played competitive inter city baseball and that meant a fair bit of driving me around for games in different boroughs. Mom and Dad often came to watch the games and at one particular home game it was kind of drizzly out so they were both watching from a spot in the parking area where they could stay out of the rain but still watch the game. I managed to hit a home run in this game and the ball sailed out of the park into the weeds over the fence in right field. I was pretty pleased with myself but most memorable was after the game, when Dad presented me with the home run ball. He had gone out into rough while I was in the locker room and rummaged around until he found the ball. When I got back to the car he said "here's your ball". It still sits on the living room bookshelf and if the house were burning down I would grab Emma, the cat and that ball.

M

2 Points

So one of the things that Dad taught me was about work and work ethic.  He had it in spades.

Recently, I received "2 Points", which from my Dad meant an indication of a job well done.

It would always be marked on an imaginary chalkboard with your finger in the sky. 

On that day, I was reflecting on how many points I had accumulated over time and I wanted to phone up my brother to boast about the recent points that I had received and stick it in his face.

So I put in the call in order to get a rough tally on where I stood.

This is what he said - "Oh, those only last for the day, you get to start over tomorrow".

Lesson - Do good work everyday and stay humble.

J

"Breast your cards"

Can you guess which one is cheating? 

Playing cards with Grampy from a young age has no doubt helped Elsie in her logic, reasoning and math skills. He has also certainly influenced her on the tactical aspect of the game - I sometimes find her looking at the reflection in the window behind me, yet she is quick to deny that she is looking at my cards in the reflection, with a small smirk on her face. I suppose it it my fault because... as Aunt Joan would say.. and Bert often says...and someday Elsie may say... you should "Breast your cards, Breast your cards"     Nancy

The Famous Watermelon Couch

Once again there seems to be a common thread...  #bertsleeping. Nothing but class when you have nice couch on your front lawn, complete with tarpaulin covers if needed.

This photo makes us think of another classic Bertism "Well I better go to bed now so that you people can go home" 

Two Ships in the Night - Memory of a night in a B & B, travelling with “the girls”.

 

Tucked with Ken and Bert in a room,

When out of the darkness the duo did zoom.

At first, I thought, just an anal slip,

Till the “tooting” increased to quite a clip.

“Stop that you two!”, I snarled in a threat,

But only Ken began to sweat.

Bert continued tooting away,

Snorting while creating his own little “play”.

I lay there in silence, starting to fume,

As the wretched stench slowly filled the room.

Suddenly I yelled, ”Cease those flatulent whirls.

Or you, I will send, down with the girls!”

“No, Liz! Please don’t do that!

I promise to stop being a brat!”

The silence returned and the air did clear,

As trembling Bert lay there in fear.

So, dear Bert, now that you’re eighty,

Remember those toots can become weighty.

Think before that tune even starts,

And you will remain close to our hearts.

By Patty, for Bert’s 80th ZOOM Toast

A kid at heart

From a visit to Powell River in 2007 that coincided with a visit from Kevin and Coral and co. Josh (Emma & Matt's nephew) is competing for king of the swingset.

Just another day at the cottage...

Looking for Bert? We think this has something to do with where he got his name. Can someone confirm?!

 

Matt & Emma

Firewood

He did all the splitting that day.

Matt

Sent from my iPad

Memories from a Montreal Visit

Wishing we could be there in person!

Firewood collection

Sent from my iPad

Just a Poke

 

Just lying around on the job again..