What good news to start my day was the ever popular sign that brings back many memories; Welcome to Burns Lake Gateway to Tweedsmuir Park… yes it reminds us all of how important this sign is, puts Burns Lake on the map. No doubt the last unspoiled park in B.C. or maybe Canada, who knows.
Small Business
October 19 our local paper had a great spread on small business and so did the Interior News this week. It makes us realize just how important small business really is, they really are the backbone for any community large or small. We were in small business for all of our business lives being a general store.
We keep the business in our home town. Hired local help and bought local. We were just one of many local stores. It was always a job especially for the smaller general store to match prices with the big stores, but we did.
A lot of the small local stores would carry folks if they were having a job to make ends meat. It was called jawbone credit. We did get a very odd account that we lost but all in all was as a rule came out on top.
Every district no matter how small had a small general store and post office. These served the needs of most everyone. Also they would sell gas, lamp gas and kerosene this was important for all.
During our early years of the store business in the early 40s there were no wholesalers closer than Vancouver so everything, even some of the meats, came in by truck once a week.
The truck would leave Monday morning for Vancouver and arrive back here at the lake on Friday afternoon. Not long the wholesalers moved to Prince George which worked out much better and cheaper. Some of the wholesalers were set up in Prince Rupert and the groceries would come in by train.
During those early years Spencers and Woodwards would take orders by mail and these huge boxes of groceries would come through the mail from Vancouver freight paid.
My dad used to get upset when these huge boxes of groceries would come into the post office. He used to say we give them credit or jawbone for 30 days and then they get their groceries by mail. Groceries by mail stopped after about a year as the local stores were able to match the Vancouver prices.
An interesting thing comes to my mind. We would trade beef, pork, eggs, wood and hay in trade for groceries. This would be a no no in today’s business world, but they were good times too. Dad even traded groceries for a horse. It was a good horse and we used to kid my dad about his horse trading not many store keepers were trading for horses.
Halloween
Halloween has come and gone, everything went okay, kids had lots of fun all dressed up. I had 17 youngsters come to the door for their treats and to show off their costumes.
They were all so polite it was a pleasure to have them come. I think my little dog, Mandy, enjoyed it as much as I did. My friend Ron Meadows had the same number as I had.
It amazed me to watch what statistics said about Halloween and it was a surprise to me and a shock as well. Next to the spending at Christmas, Halloween comes next. It’s pie in the sky for the big stores.
In 1949 Jo and I were living in a cottage where the Wagon Wheel now stands, no power in those days. Halloween night came along and about six or seven so called cowboys stopped by our big shop right close to our cottage.
They were on horseback and planning something. It was as black as a pile of black cats, no lights at all just a very dark night. I picked up my big riffle and sneaked out the back door and walked among the riders. I was not noticed either by the guys or the horses.
I put two shots up in the air and all hell broke loose. Horses and riders going everywhere. In about 10 minutes there was nothing in sight. I guess I spoiled Halloween for the boys that night. Nobody got hurt and Jo and I got a big laugh out of the whole thing.
This was many years ago now but in the 50s things got a bit rough and for a couple of years there was some damage done as it got out of hand, then measures were taken to stop this kind of thing so Halloween has been a fun thing for the kids and for everyone from here on in.
I must not forget the fireworks display at Southside, it was just great to celebrate Halloween. From the Northside we were also able to enjoy it all. Thanks Southbank.
Fill a Shoe box
It’s so very important to give and to help out with the fill a Shoe Box for a needy child. Although the Grassy Plains Gospel Church is not so very large but the folks there have big hearts and they have gone out big time to make up shoe boxes for children who do not have Christmas.
We more or less take Christmas for granted but there are many children in many countries who do not have Christmas, but these boxes filled with the necessary things help bring Christmas a little closer for them and know that somewhere in the world there are people who care.
A little poem
While walking down the street one day I saw a child with eyes of blue, he stood and watched the others play seems he did not know what to do. I stopped a moment then I said “Why don’t you join the others dear.” He looked ahead without a word and then I knew he could not hear. Oh God forgive me when I whine, I have two ears the world is mine. With legs to take me where I go, with eyes to see the sunset glow. With ears what I would know, Oh God forgive me when I whine, I’m blessed indeed the world is mine.
Have a safe week and enjoy every day as it comes along, it’s so special and so important. Remember God always loves you and so do I.
