The Village Squire, 1981-06, Page 25GUEST HOUSES
(cont. from page 6)
Janet Amos. A sister, brother-in-law and
;.iece of the theatre's seamstress also
sta , ed with the Lawries, who assumed
the role of baby-sitters for a few hours.
A lady in her eighties drove her stick
shift Sunbeam Arrow from Petrolia. Blyth
streets were under repair at the time, and
she had to have her car pulled out of a
hole before she reached the Guest Home,
but she was undaunted.
"She stayed for two performances."
recalls Mr. Lawrie. "The second one, I'II
Be Back For You Before Midnight, was
scary so Janet and I walked her home
after. She said she was glad we did."
The third day she spent touring the
countryside. "She doesn't stick to the
main roads," Mr. Lawrie smiles. "She
likes to take the back roads."
This woman also visits the Stratford
Festival each year and uses the bed and
breakfast accommodations in the city.
She said she would be back to Blyth and
the Lawrie home this summer.
Mr. Lawrie remembers an amusing
incident: "We thought a couple had
smuggled a dog in. We didn't mind but
we closed our bedroom door, and so did
the other couple sleeping upstairs. just in
case the dog decided to roam during the
night."
At seven the next morning, the lady
rushed out. Mr. Lawrie assumed she had
taken the dog. She was gone some time
and when she returned, he learned the
couple had left the dog in the car in a
parking lot overnight.
"I offered to take care of the dog while
she ate her breakfast," he continues. "It
was the first time I had walked a dog in
my life! I took it around the block - or it
took me - and through the park. We must
have spent about 10 minutes at one hydro
pole."
Most visitors are interested in the
village and its people as well as the
Theatre. One man walked around the
town inspecting the work being done on
the streets.
Most guests brought their luggage to
the house, unpacked and then walked
uptown. Many' enjoyed the weekend
church suppers that have become a
popular attraction of the summer theatre
program.
After performances. Mrs. Lawrie
offered them a cup of tea. According to
Mr. Lawrie, that's when they really got to
know people. "Sometimes we'd talk until
one in the morning...Everyone has a
story.
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrie received
numerous thank you and Christmas cards
as well as invitations to visit. They say
they have pictures and good memories of
their first summer of operating a guest
home and are looking forward to having
some of their guests return, as well as
welcoming new people when the Blyth
Theatre guest home program beings
another busy season. 0
ST. LUKE'S
(cont. from page 13)
garden of St. Luke's. He's been involved
with the CPRI landscaping for 16 years or
more. Now he sadly ponders the fate of
the chapel garden that has already won
five Trillium awards. "There are just too
few of us left to maintain them in their
present condition." he claims.
Hank is true gardener, and a
perfectionist. He can't
visualize the gardens in terms
of reduced splendour. He would like to
see enough help to ensure the perfection
they have enjoyed in the past. Garden
lovers will easily understand his concern.
One thing is certain - Hank and his
team have done their share cowards
making the chapel the little gem it is
today. And to those of us who have grown
to love it, St. Luke's -in -the -Garden will
always be a quiet and distinctive oasis in
a bustling, artificial world, a citadel
where time almost stands still. ❑
Jie Sato yallfy
Paintings, Watercolours, Drawings & Photographs
Originals & Limited Editions
65 Montreal St.
GODERICH
A Division of R.J. Nephew Photography 524-2029
Closed Mondays
Custom Photography,
Artwork & Framing
Museum
Mounting
and
Framing
PG. 24 VILLAGE SQUIRE/JUNE 1981