In Port Dover |
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The Veranda |
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| The veranda on Grandma's house was comparable to the recreation room in the modern house of today. There was a wooden swing swung up by chains and it had soft cushions. There was Grandma's rocking chair as well as some wicker chairs that would seat seven or eight people comfortably. Since there was no T.V. we contented ourselves with conversation. I remember that I borrowed a Greek book from Uncle Pet and I spent many happy hours learning the Greek alphabet and a few simple sentences. | |
Summertime |
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Grandpa made his living by hauling gravel from the lake and from the beach with his old horse and wagon. He sold this gravel to builders and contractors. This was alright in the Spring and Summer, I don't know how they made out financially in the Winter. He also raised pigs and had his own smokehouse for hanging hams and bacons. Grandma used to make a little pocket money by cleaning out the summer cottages and getting them ready for occupancy in the summer. I often helped her with this core by sweeping away the spider webs and cleaning the floors. Port Dover was always crowded in the summertime with tourists and summer cottagers. On the glorious 1st of July they would always have a celebration with a huge Galathumpian parade with bands and floats and they would have swimming and boating races on the River Lynn down by the docks. I remember that I won the swimming race one year. Big Deal. They would have band concerts in the band shell in the little park downtown. This was a great social event and everybody and his brother went. |
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Mistaken Identity |
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| My cousin and I used to spend a great deal of time on the beach tanning ourselves. One time after roasting myself all summer we went back to Grand Rapids and Mother and I were walking down Fulton Street and a car full of black fellows drove by. The rolled down the window in their car and yelled out, "How are you, honey?' Mother was mortified. | |
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