When I was little, I used to love going to town with my dad. Most of the time, he took me so I would stop crying or whining. Basically it was bribery for me to shut up. We would go into K&P Handyland and I would get a pop and socialize with all of my dads cronies. It's a good thing there was no Timmie's back then, or I'd really have some serious problems now. Sometimes we would go and pick out presents for mom's birthday or Christmas, usually at Home Hardware. When I think about that now, I laugh, because if Dan ever went shopping for me at Home Hardware, he'd be in serious trouble. I still make my Daddy take me out when I go home in the summer. And yes, I usually con him into taking me to Tim Horton's for coffee. But going to town now, as an adult, is just not the same. I went to the mall in Pembroke today, and the power was out, so I couldn't do any of my errands (not that there are alot of shops in the mall to do errands at anyway). But I did get to have a lovely chat with 2 old guys who were finishing their coffee at Timmie's. They reminded me of my dad's old buddy's and my Grampy Howard, especially when one of them told me I was a cute little thing (he didn't have his glasses on). His buddy agreed with him,and told me I looked like I had a lot of power. More power then the mall apparently. "Yes George, she looks like a right little dynamo." I could almost hear Grampy Howard saying something like that now. It made me quite nostalgic for those long ago days of my youth. After chatting with my new found buddies for a few minutes, I came home. I hate driving to and from town, there is only one way to go, right through the centre of town. It is a most depressing drive. Pembroke has got to be the dirtiest, dingiest, most depressing town I've ever been in. John tells me that it looks exactly the same as it did in the 1960's. Actually, I'm sure it probably looks much the same as it did in the 1860's. I might add, the people also look like they are straight out of the 1860's or the movie Deliverance, take your pick. It's a bleak little industrial town, with little colour or life. In all fairness, it has grown since we were here 7 years ago. There is a Wal-Mart, and a Home Depot, which weren't here before. And that's about it. So after my whirlwind trip to town, I came home and cleaned closets. Wow, it doesn't get more exciting then that.
“When women are depressed, they eat or go shopping. Men invade another country. It's a whole different way of thinking."~~Elayne Boosler
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I kind of wish for those days to be back, before you got all grown up and married and away from home. Believe me, much as I love my grandkids, they are no replcement for my baby. And regardless of what you think, Home Hardware is and was a good place to shop for presents for me. He always finds something I want to use there. Your father bombed out geting me clothes because I'd wear them and hate them every second I had them on or I'd return them and get something I liked. As I'm ALLERGIC to jewellery, he can't go there either. Just remember your Christmas present came from CT. lol
Monnie, I can remember when going to town in Kentville was a BIG THING! As kids, we may have purchased a comic book (they were 12 cents) a pop (10 cents)and a small bag of chips (5 cents). If we were really lucky we would get a hotdog at the Dominion store! There was always The Met if you wanted to go really crazy and have a sundae!
There were a few good shops in town those days, long before retail migrated to all those dreadful big box stores! People actually still congregated in common areas and had a chat. I still do that here in Fall River though. Al says when I head over to our local Sobeys he has no idea how long I may take. The only real difference today is I may get three calls on my blackberry asking about my ETA, if I remembered some particular item, or inquiring as to who is "out and about"!!
Yers, Mary but back then Kentville had a lot of places to and things to do. It WAS a BIG THING!!!
Hi, I'm a friend of your Aunt Mary's, live in Lower Sackville NS. She shared your blog with me the other day and I have been enjoying reading about the Bobbitt Family Adventures! Seriously, I can REALLY identify with your situation. My husband was a military man too and my worst-ever experience was when he went to Cyprus for 6 months in 67-68, leaving me as a single Mom to three pre-schoolers. And where were we living? You guessed it - Petawawa! Love your "take" on Pembroke - not surprised to hear it's as dreary as ever! Hang in there - sounds like your sense of humour will carry you through this!
Sharon, have to agree with your assessment of Petawawa. We were posted there in 1973, and not much has changed since then. !!
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