Village Squire, 1978-01, Page 7the exhiliarating feeling of. making the first skatemark on the
surface. Sometimes, of course, I'd 'be a little too anxious and
more than once hobbled home with wet, very cold feet where the
ice was still too thin.
Some of the finest moments in the history of hockey took place
in that meadow. Jean Beleveau, Rocket Richard, Gordie Howe,
Jacque Plante and Frank Mahovolich all played there from time
to time. The dramatic victory of the Penticton Vees in world
hockey was re-enacted there. Goals by the hundreds were
scored, all by a bunch of kids who turned over at the ankles from
wearing skates too big with three pairs of socks. Just like modern
hockey there were a few fights too, though they were remarkably
few despite the fact there were no referees. The unruly fans did
become involved now and then, however, such as when Shep the
dog stole the puck and made off with it.
After school we'd play until the light was gone then struggle
home in the dark. On Saturday we'd be up early doing quickly
any chores we couldn't wriggle out of and then meet at the pond
and play game after game of hockey all day long. We'd play until
we had to lie down or, the ice to rest our sore feet and aching
lungs, then get up and go at it again. We'd commandeer old
pillows and tie them on with old belts to try to make goalie pads.
We'd borrow a pair of dad's big work gloves because they looked
like hockey gloves. We'd find any protection we could for our
shins because with the eratic stickhandling and shooting skill we
had shinbones were as likely to be hit by sticks as was the puck.
There were a couple of other ponds in the neighbourhood and
if our pond suffered from a rough surface or other problem, we'd
usually make our way there.
One year though. I remember it wasn't hard finding a place to
skate. The road. as with most country concession roads, was
covered with a hard -packed snow when one Saturday night we
had a sleet storm. You didn't need to have skates to go skating as
one rarnbuncious neighbourhood young lad found out when he
did a complete circle with his car on the ice in front of our farm.
That Sunday every kid in the neighbourhood donned the blades
and took to the roads. There was no car traffic so it was an
endless skating rink past all the farms. It was fun going down the
hills but hard skating back up. We skated for miles that day from
one farm to another and back again like skaters on the canals in
Holland. I shudder to think what it must have done for the edges
on our skates because the ice wasn't completely smooth and the
odd pebble stood up here and there. but we didn't worry about
such things then.
That concession road provided many a happy hour for us. We
had to walk the mile or more to catch the bus and we might as
%.ell have fun as not, we thought. So we'd find a frozen lump of
ice and kick it soccer style (though we always pretended it was
hockey) all the way to our destination. We wore galoshes then
over hard shoes and sooner or later the ridge of the sole inside
the galoshes would cut through the toe of the boot and our
parents would be faced with buying a new pair of boots. which
%. asn't an easy thing to do with the state of the local family
budgets.
It was the snowbelt, of course. and that meant plenty of
snowbanks. I remember one year when the banks were so high
‘..c could easily touch the telephone wires when we stood on top.
Our imaginations went to work on one particularly high and
rugged piece of snowbank which we thought of as a mountain
range. We'd been reading about mountain climbing lately and
sown %.e .ere busy scaling the steep face of the bank. digging
footholds as we went. We were half an hour late getting home for
supper that night and how were parents to understand that we'd
been in the Alps for more than two hours.
They were fun times. They were simple times. I often wish I
could recapture a little of that enjoyment of winter today. Instead
like most people, I'm often in too big a hurry. I'm too busy to
slow down and enjoy winter at a leisurely pace. I've probably
been brainwashed by all those American television shows that
make it seem only those in sunny California really have it good.
We're ashamed of snow 1 think. It's part of our Canadian
inferiority complex. The best places in Canada are the ones with
the least snow. But kids know that there's nothing wrong wits
snow, that it can be one of the greatest gifts a young mind car
have. I guess we could all use a little more kid in ourselves
CARE *
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• Registered ir,demarr,
Your gift to CARE helps needy people improve their lives by their own
efforts. It is their labour which builds a durable house, a school, a nutrition
centre. a safer water system. a farm -to -market road. Through CARE. you
can reach out to those who want to help themselves to learn how to grow
more food, plant more nutritious crops and make the best possible use of
what they produce. Your aid helps them achieve a better life with self-
respect and dignity in keeping with their traditions.
Send your gift to -day to
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TRY AN ORGAN
THE PULSIFER WAY
•
#1 Take 2 Free lessons on our organ with several practice
sessions at the store.
#2 Have a modern organ in your home for 4 weeks with 5 Free
lessons included for only 525.00 total cost. No obligations to
buy: money refunded if purchase made.
50 Free Lessons are given with all organs sold here. Adults ,
of any age [retired persons especially welcome] can register;
for either plan [with the exception of present home organ
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Check our Targe selection of quality keyboards.
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VILLAGE SQUIRE/JANUARY 1978, 5