Author: terraviva

Begin forwarded message:

From: SKEOCH <alan.skeoch@rogers.com>

Subject: “GO, ALAN, IT’S YOUR 80TH BIRTHDAY

Date: October 2, 2018 at 8:49:07 PM EDT

To: Marjorie Skeoch <marjorieskeoch@gmail.com>

JUST in case one of  you wonders how  I spent the Saturday afternoon before my birthday party….take a look below.

Marjorie was busy  cooking and  packing for my 890th birthday  party on Sunday Oct. 1, 2018…I did not know that. She

seemed  glad  to get me  out of  the house.  Strange.  She usually comes  along.

Boring?  Not to me.  Riveting  in my opinion.  You  might wonder what I bought

-rope bed

-corn cutting box, primitive

-draughting table

-pot bellied stove

-crocks and  bottles

-ladders

-chains

-folk art horse and driver

-12’ solid oak distressed plank

“Damn fool,” my Dad would have said… yet he would  have  joined me loading  the junk in the truck with joy.  

On one occasion he loaded my junk and saw  there was room for more so began stuffing other people’s things

in the truck.  “Hey there, that is  mine…”   “What the hell do you want that junk for…I was doing you a  favour…only

a  damn fool  would buy this crap.”  Dad, was always  good  for some tension everywhere  he went.

At this sale I had

two loaders  with the same blood line.  See if you can  find them.  (Andry and  Jack)

alan skeoch

Sept. 30, 2018

for 

the Buckland Farm (century farm)

Saturday September 29th at 10:00am

5833  7th Line, Guelph/Eramosa, ON    Come East from Guelph or West from Erin on Wellington Cty Rd 124 to Wellington Cty Rd 26 (Bellwood Rd). Then North 7.6kms to Wellington 22. Turn west and go 1.4 kms to 7th Line. Then south on 7th Line 1.1km to sale on east side of road. OR   From Orangeville go west on Dufferin Cty Rd 3 (Orangeville Fergus Rd) 19.5km to Wellington Cty Rd 26. Then south 7.4 kms to Wellington 22. Turn west and go 1.4 kms to 7th Line. Then south on 7th Line 1.1km to sale on east side of road.  

                  

 **PARKING ON ROAD**     (A)Antique

Tractors/Combine:  AC 6070, cab, 4164hrs, dual hydr; MF 265, 594 Allied loader, quick tach bucket, dual hydr; Leyland 253 – not running; MF 410 combine – not running

Equip/Farm Rel: NH 469 haybine, 9′ cut; Lucknow 8′ snowblower, 1 auger; MF 124 sq baler with chute; MF 33 seed drill, 17 run, grain, fert, grass; NI 3pth fert spreader; Watveare 10ft 3pth cultiv; MH stack cutter(A); MF 3furr x12, 3pth plow; Kverneland 3furr x 16 3pth plow; NI manure spreader-parts; Grain-o-Vator wagon-1  axle; mineral feeder; feed cart; homemade squeeze; wagon undercarriage; seed drill(A); manure spreader(A); dump trailer(A); 11ft steel wheel cultiv(A); IH manure spreader; side rake(A); (5)wood gates 10.5′; (2)wire gates 10.5′; 20’x4″ grain auger; 670L fuel tank-new, never used; dump trailer-wood top, hand crank; lots to see here!

Shop, Misc: Tool chest; floor jack; (2)steel parts bins; cement mixer; barn beams; qty license plates(1923 & newer); garden tools; golf clubs; logging chains; hand tools; jack-all; pasture pump(nose waterer); Jonserd 625 chainsaw; car ramps; MTD T430 rototiller; push mower; antique tools(A); oil lamps(A); wood pulleys(A); buck saws(A); cross cut saws(A); wood tool boxes from binders(A); barn beam drills(A); wrenches; MH steel seat(A); hay saw(A); forge tools(A); (2)hand water pumps(A); hay hook(A); tractor seats(A); buggy seat(A); antique parts(A); walking plows (McCormick Deering #407, Flurey #21)(A); steel wheels(A); (2)bag carts(A); fanning mill(A); cutter sleigh(A); bag scales(A); 32″x80″ white screen door-brand new; and much much more! 

Lumber: 12″x12″x13.5′; 11″x11″x14′; 7″x7.5″x19.5′; ash/pine/hemlock/basswood-var widths & lengths; pine 12″-16″w & var lengths; cherry/beech/cedar lumber – var lengths & widths. 17 bush cord of seasoned hardwood;

Antiques (V)Vintage, Household:  (2)lg laundry drying racks; (6)wood chairs; gramophone; dining room table; china cabinet; wood trunk; bottles; carnival glass; oil lamp; hanging oil lamp; quilt stand; quilting frame; buffet; dresser with mirror; wash stand; magazine rack; fold down desk; moustache cup; shaving cup; radios(RCA, Stewart-Warner, GE, Electrohome); clocks; East Lake style washstand; doctor’s bag; wash basin & pitcher(Ironstone); NHL Pro Hockey table top game(V); Power play table top hockey(V); hockey & baseball cards; china cabinet/sideboard combo; everyday household items, some glass & china, Potbelly woodstove(D.Moore); something for everyone!

Lunch Booth                                                                                      Washroom Available

Note:  Property has been sold. First auction on this farm in 100yrs. 

           Preview Fri Sept 28 1-6pm

 

Order of Sale: Smalls/tools, household, shop, tractors(start at 1pm) & equipment

Terms & Conditions: Cash or Cheque with proper I.D. on day of sale. Owner and/or Auctioneer will not be held responsible for accident or loss on day of sale. All items are sold “As Is”. All verbal announcements on day of sale take precedence over written ads.

Auctioneers:     Kevin McArthur (519) 942-0264          Scott Bessey  (519) 843-5083

Begin forwarded message:

From: SKEOCH <alan.skeoch@rogers.com>

Subject: High Flying adventure on a grey windy evening at North Beech

Date: October 12, 2018 at 9:43:05 PM EDT

To: Marjorie Skeoch <marjorieskeoch@gmail.com>, benoitdargis@gmail.com

(Note to any reader:  All dialogue is  alan talking to himself.  Silly at times, he knows  that…but alan thinks

the dialogue makes  the pictures  come to life.   Sometimes it may seem  that Marjorie is speaking but

that is  fake news.  Of course some people never read the dialogue anyway

so alan  inserts a little test.  In this case the test is  simple, where is  NORTH BEECH?)

SOARING WITH THE  WIND ON A LONELY BEACH 

alan skeoch

Oct. 11, 2018

THE gate to North Beach,  Prince Edward County, sported  a huge padlock.   Closed  for the season…abandoned  save for the two cars parked half in the ditch  and  half out.

At the end  of a Dead  End  road.  Eerie.  Solitary.  

This  was  not tourist  time.  The sky  was  grey…the wind  was  ferocious…the weather was getting colder by  the second…and the sun  was setting.   Perfect setting

for adventure.

“Woody needs  a walk, Alan…I doubt anyone would care if we slipped  under the padlock.  No one here…”

“Wind is  blowing fiercely…first time this year in winter coats.”

“What is that funny blue thing way up in the sky…looks like  a balloon…half a  balloon”

“Holy Cow, we are not alone…”

“Two people way  out in the surf … racing with the wind …”

“Sailboarding…”

“With a couple of miles of surf foaming its way to the beech.”

“Flying.”

“Faster than a speeding bullet as was said in the  comic books”

“Well, not quite but fast enough to lift those guys into the sky at times.”

“Wonder who  they are?”

“Woody will find out…there he goes racing the wind to greet those guys.”

“Might be afraid of dogs.”

“Any persons  who attach themselves  to a billowing kite in lashing wind will not be afraid  of a dog like Woody.”

“Hi fellows, where  you from?”

“Montreal.”

“Long way from home, how  come?”

“The surf here is  breathtaking…seems  to be end  of that Hurricane called Michael”

(On the left is  Benoit Dargis…missed out on his friend’s name)

“Seems a bit dangerous Benoit?”

“Not really…we stay away from those big boulders on the south end.”

“Did  Woody bother you when you benched?”

“No…does he bite?”

“licks a lot…wags tail a  lot…presses his  warm and tender  body against us a lot…but does  not know the meaning of the word bite.”

“Would  you boys like butter tarts?”  

“No…no…ok…Yes…mmmmmmm!”

“See Alan in the car with furrowed brow…we’ll leave him one tart, OK?”

“OK…and here’s  a jar of honey from Quebec…from our own bee hives.”

And  so the little bit of adventure ended.

Post Scrip Below”

“Well, Woody, what say we buy one of those rigs?”

“I like my four legs on the ground, Alan.”

“You don’t have to fly, Woody, your job  would be to pull a beech  cart with all the stuff.”

“Forget it, alan, another lamebrain  idea of yours that will never see the light of day.”

“Sometimes Woody you break my heart.”

“Get over it….”

Begin forwarded message:

From: SKEOCH <alan.skeoch@rogers.com>

Subject: I FELL AT THE CURLING RINK: COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS

Date: October 16, 2018 at 2:18:32 PM EDT

To: askeoch@bellnet.ca, High Park Club <manager@highparkclub.com>

FOLKS…YOU BETTER BUY A HELMET

alan skeoch

Oct. 15, 2018

“It happened  in the twinkling of an  eye.”

“What happened?”

“I slipped…upended…feet n the air…crashed while curling”  (High Park Curling Rink)

“Careless?”

“Maybe a little too overconfident…maybe too aggressive…throwing a rocket rock…take out.”

“Smart aleck!”

“Maybe, certainly my fault for sure.”

“Anyone see the fall?”

“Too many saw  it.  Best way to  describe  it was  a failed attempt at a back flip in Olympic diving…only there was  no

pool just a solid sheet of ice backed by concrete.”

“Couldn’t you stop yourself?”

“Anyone who has fallen knows that it happens in the twinkling of an eye…in a fraction of a second…no chance to

regain footing.”

“Let’s  skip the melodrama, were you hurt?”

“Not nearly as badly hurt as  I could  have been.”

“Why?”

“Because I was wearing a helmet.  Spared me from a  major concussion.”

“So, this story is in praise of Helmets.”

“You  betcha…just the second game I wore a helmet after 40 years of curling.  Managed to buy the helmet 

at an auction sale.  Thought it seemed a good idea  since I turned 80 on October 16, 2018…day after my fall”

“Hit hard?”

“Hit the ice so hard , I cracked the helmet according to Shaymus, our lead who also wears a helmet.”

“Many others wear helmets?”

“Just three of  us out of 40 curlers.”

“Maybe the others are better on their feet.”

“That’s what they think, I’m sure because that is the way  I thought before the fall.”

“So  you are pushing for all curlers to wear helmets.”

“Yes, I most certainly am…now…especially after the hospital treatment”

“You went to the hospital?”

“Had to do so…911 medics insisted on it…anyone who bashes his or her head needs to be  checked out.”

“What happened in the hospital?”

“Triage  nurse asked  a trick question.”

“Like”

“Like…’What year is  this?’   I couldn’t give a  fast answer…as a joke, sort of, I said  1979.  Immediately she put

a red  star on my admission bracelet.”

“Brain concussion?”

“Suppose it was possible…my wife and I spend the next 8 hours in the Emergency Ward…checking mu heart, 

my chest, my back,  even my feet.  “

“Doctor could  find noting wrong but ‘Let’s  take a  couple of X Rays to be sure’”

“Dead  of night by then…3 a.m…got XRays  of lots of my body…even my big  mouth.”

“Any problem?”

“Not finished.   Then I was sent for a Catscan in a big special room with a giant donut in the centre.  The Do nut 

big enough to fit my whole body.  “Lie down  there,” said the scanner.”

“Then what happened?”

“I don’t know because I closed  my eyes fearing I might do some claustrophobic  whimpering .”

“And what was the final result of the hospital experience?”

“We can find nothing wrong with you, Mr. Skeoch,”

“Can I go home.”

“Yes, you were a very lucky man.”

“Why?”

“Because you wore that helmet.”

“Helmets are that important, are they?”

“Obvious.  They save you from a brain concussion.”

“I expect to be stiff and sore for a while…”

“Maybe…maybe not.”

“As  things turned out I am not even very stiff and  sore.”

alan skeoch

Oct. 16, 2018

My 80th birthday

Note:  I am writing this story about 20 hours after the fall at High Park Curling Rink.   I am not even

as stiff and  sore as I expected.  I am fine… my 80th birthday.  I am a very lucky man.

And  I owe my luck to wearing a  HELMET.  THIS IS A  CAUTIONARY TALE…A MESSAGE…GET A HELMET!