MEMORIES

Clare got me started on this blog.  When he was in Saskatoon for a curling bonspiel last weekend, he drove by the house that Mom and Dad owned in the Sutherland area and took these pictures.  They bought this house in 1976 so that is now 40 years ago since they

 moved from the farm five miles south east of Frontier where they had lived since buying it in 1943.  It was quite a move for them from rural life to big city life.

When it came to the actual move, Dad had cold feet and was ready to back out of the deal.  Too late!  He was depressed and didn't lift a finger to help pack.  Mom cried much of the way to Saskatoon, leaving six little grandchildren behind in Frontier.  But in time they adjusted well and there were two little granddaughters in Saskatoon to enjoy.  Sometime later a neighbour asked Dad "Didn't it bother you to leave the farm and move to the city?"  Dad's answer "Not a bit!"  

They became very active in activities not available to them in small town Frontier.  Dad joined a bowling league as well as curling once again.  He enjoyed working in the yard and was very proud of his lawn, the greenest one around! (The boys remember not being allowed to even play on it!) Mom took singing lessons.They were faithful attenders at Sunday services at Rock of Ages Lutheran church where they made many good friends.  After services on Sunday they enjoyed eating out with their new friends.

They joined the Norwegian Cultural Society and Mom even became the ambassador for the group. She did a lot of work at the group's pavilion for Folk Fest. She continued teaching Norwegian classes under the community college program, with Dad driving west of Saskatoon for classes in Lashburn.  They also flew with friends in a small plane and visited cousins of Dad's in Bismarck, North Dakota!

Mom continued to do lots of needlework.  We all have pieces of her handwork to treasure.  One year she made Christmas stockings for each of her twelve grandchildren!  They were made of burlap with cross stitching done with coloured yarn. I continued the tradition starting with stockings for the spouses and then for their children, at least in my family.  I am making one for my 9th grandchild this year and I am amazed how she ever got 12 stockings done in time for Christmas one year!

Jackets for the boys, nightgowns for the girls

Pillows that Mom crocheted for curling prizes at Frontier bonspiel

462 Birch Crescent, Saskatoon

Winter view (one tree was stolen for a Christmas tree!)

Mom and Dad enjoyed life in Saskatoon until Mom was stricken with a massive heart attack at the age of 64.  We thought it was a miracle when she survived, thanks to granddaughter Joan giving her mouth to mouth and being revived by paddles at University Hospital.  Her life was never the same after that.  She and Dad moved to a nursing home in August of 1984. She passed away on November 4 that year at the age of 65, not long after receiving her first pension cheque.  Dad was 12 years older than Mom so we always thought she would outlive him.  But he lived at the home for another three years and passed away on September 2, 1987 at the age of 80.  They were laid to rest at Bethel Cemetery, Frontier  along with five generations of our Erickson/Haaland family.  

Dad's parents, Albert and Sophie (Stenson) farmed southwest of Frontier.  Mom's parents, Hans and Bertha (Bottolfson) Haaland moved from Bergen, Norway to Fingal N.D and then to their homestead southwest of Climax, SK.  

Well,  I didn't intend to have this end up to be a history lesson so I better end things while I still have readers!  Those pictures just brought back a lot of memories.  Thanks, Clare for stopping by the house and sharing the pictures with us.