In the Begining

    I started life as we all did, young, wondering about all those looking at me, feeling for the first time lost. This feeling strangely still follows me ;-)

    Well this was on the Island of Montreal actually in the new suburb of Baie-d'Urfé circa 1953. Life was to start fast with me as I was soon to start on one of my first adventures. Father having a company, occupation "Consulting Engineer" was off to Brazil to build the first Pulp and Paper Plant there. Being a young ( New to the family way ) father, had his new family ( My Mother ,Sister(younger) and Myself ) follow soon after.

    We were to fly out of Dorval airport Montreal January 1957 (I think, I was young remember;-) on a cold winter day with no snow. I was bourne on the wings of PAM (Pan American Airlines) into the realm of Jupiter REX, God of the Sky. I was to go though the ceremony of crossing the Equator, to this day, a fond memory. Arriving in Rio de Janeiro in the middle of there summer, I was to melt to the point of dehydration, another story best told over a fine Scottish Whiskey or Jack Daniel's Sour Mash neat. Needless to to say many stories could be told but alas, this is a short Bio ;-)

    Well this journey with all its side trips (Peru), would come to its end in 1959 (Three years later). Returning to Montreal, moving back to our home in Baie-d'Urfé, this was short lived though. In the first (yes there has since been another) ice storm of my life. That wiped out, it has been said up too 90% of the trees here. Not that you could tell unless you had seen Montreal back then in its full spring bloom (ah, the memories). The power on the Island of Montreal went off, So Dad had us pack up again this time to move in with the Grandparent in Montreal TMR (Town of Mount Royal). Yes, move we did, but this was short lived too, We where soon off to Merry Old England.

    In the year of are Lord Nineteen Hundred and Sixty, Dad departed before us, with the family off on our journey this time by ship. The HMS Homeric was to be our home for the next week. We land first in Bordeaux, France. We then sailed off to the Cliffs of Dover.

    In 1960 London, now there was a time. Being a seasoned traveler at the tender age of 7, I noted the changes from Dry, Hot and Humid to Cool, Wet and well British, very easily. From Public School in London (Private to us North Americans) to touring the British Isles and trips to Europe. My education was to be set by being there and seeing (then in protest I think. You would have to ask my Mother on that one) every Museum, Castle, Art Gallery and Church (many Cathedrals) in those parts of the World.

    Well here I go again rambling on (I will have a book if I get into much more detail). Coming back to Montreal in 1963 in time for the rapid changes to happen here. Feller College (Private School) in the Hamlet of Grand Ligne (ST-BLAISE) Quebec, was to be my next home for the following three years with summers off to travel the Maritime, Nova Scotia Canada. I was Student and Farmer thanks to my Aunt and Uncle Ray (Ray D to all ).

    Well we changed our Flag in those years, to the one we have now from the British Ensign. Montreal hosted one of the largest ever Expos, Expo67. Being a season traveler and having seen lots of the sights and sounds of the countries there I had memories relived and many more added.

    From 1967 to 1969 I flirted with the Track and Field, Girls and the Canadian Arm Forces. Father Pete from the Lady of Annotation Church TMR got me this first time, of wondering around lost, and handed me an FN C1 at Farmington Quebec ( Being the Chaplain he pulled rank ;-) ) I was impressed till later on they discovered I had an eye problem. I earned my crown but by this time I was satisfied.

    Then the wonder lust of the 60s got hold of me and the road called. I knew the road East to the Atlantic Provinces so I headed out West on a two year voyage, of hopefully finding who and what I was to become. I think, now I know (Right! brother). I followed my nose and thumb through the next Two years till I ended up in Dawson Creek

    I was on my way to Alaska with a young Graduate heading to his first job there as a one room School teacher. Well I ended up North in Dawson Creek, British Columbia (Near got too Alaska that year). I was to see the North, Work it and yes love it, I was for the next 7 yrs at peace. In the bush, mines, seismic crews, oil rigs (yes on the oil patch), driving trucks, building homes and a slew of other occupations as well as running the Alaska Cafe which is to this day July 1999 still run by Charles and Heidi. If you get that far North drop by say hi.

    JC, was the first long hair there, I have had one hair cut since then, November 1980 ;-) I guess the 60s never left me. Well with Sue (A Flame) I headed to Vancouver Island from 1977-1979. Campbell River was to be my destination this time. Saw mills and three summers on the Nautilus a 26 foot Bayliner with my partner Greg. Diving with the fishing fleet doing inspections, undoing the net from the wheel (Propeller) they do back over them often enough to make a good living. We did deliveries and ran salesmen around the Pacific from Seattle to Alaska. Not a bad life if I say so myself.

    November 1980 I dropped anchor in the harbor of Victoria, British Columbia, Side tripped to Grandmother Campbells place there behind the tartan curtain (yet another story there), where I heard that my father had been waylaid in Soho, London, England. A chic place in the world at the time. Dad had been doing the finial touches to the first hardwood paper plant in the world in Cameron, Africa. He side tripped to London went out for supper the rest is history as they say. I had to see him again, so!.

    Yes you can guess, I was off like tumble weed. Well three years back in the Home town of Montreal which got me into troubles, no needed to get into it here. I rode a Harley Davidson, (Will again). I got sided by a young thing with the three day old licence. GRRRRR out of action from 1984 till the early 1990s, when I regained my feet (THEY, the Doctors said I would not. PPPHHHTTTBBBSS).

    Well, sad yes. I found my love in those times. The rest we will leave as history, best left behind, but I shall not forget ( Ne obliviscaris ). What love? you might ask, Ahhh, well here we are, this site is that love. Cyberspace, a place to wounder even when your legs and feet can not.

            JC