Half a Century
May 17th 2016, 6:07 pm
#16
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Europe (to be specified).
Posts: 30,259
Re: Half a Century
I have visited the WWl and WWll battlefields and military cemeteries of Europe a number of times and never failed to be touched by the solemnity there and what those men and women did to ensure we have the lifestyles enjoyed today. I would have willingly given up visiting the other countries provided I was permitted to go there. I choke up even now when I think about it.
Did you check out the German WW2 cemetery in La Cambe?
Probably the most important and moving of them all.
May 19th 2016, 3:02 am
#18
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Europe (to be specified).
Posts: 30,259
Re: Half a Century
Of course these are both astronomical numbers but La Cambe is a stark reminder that ordinary folk on both sides of that conflict were the victims of the stupidity of war. It serves as a reminder.
May 19th 2016, 10:58 am
#19
Crazy Cat Lady
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 65,493
Re: Half a Century
I love the 'oldie' rewinds so thanks for this one. You've certainly lived life to the full and probably had a ball much of the time. 
Congratulations on your Canniversary and your long and happy marriage.
Congratulations on your Canniversary and your long and happy marriage.
May 19th 2016, 1:55 pm
#20
Concierge
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: Oakville, ON, CA
Posts: 8,320
Re: Half a Century
50 years, wow. This was an amazing post, thank you for sharing. I am in awe. Congratulations and here's to many more.
May 20th 2016, 12:30 am
#21
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 129
Re: Half a Century
I landed in Halifax Nova Scotia after seven stormy days on the MV Carinthia on 28 February 1967.
The place was knee deep in snow and it was still coming down in a blizzard.
I thought "What have I done"
At first my only plans were to get home as quickly as possible, but over time, you meet people, form friends and relationships, and adapt to the different lifestyle.
I was never out of work and so was never a burden on my adopted country and the only thing that the government has ever paid me was my old age pension which I qualified for at age 65 after paying into it for longer than most.
I live in the most southerly part of Canada, so we have a pretty warm nine months of the year and last winter I spent January February and March in Panama where the usual daytime temperature was 94F.
Sometimes things just work out OK.
The place was knee deep in snow and it was still coming down in a blizzard.
I thought "What have I done"
At first my only plans were to get home as quickly as possible, but over time, you meet people, form friends and relationships, and adapt to the different lifestyle.
I was never out of work and so was never a burden on my adopted country and the only thing that the government has ever paid me was my old age pension which I qualified for at age 65 after paying into it for longer than most.
I live in the most southerly part of Canada, so we have a pretty warm nine months of the year and last winter I spent January February and March in Panama where the usual daytime temperature was 94F.
Sometimes things just work out OK.
May 20th 2016, 2:22 am
#22
Banned
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 19,879
Re: Half a Century
I landed in Halifax Nova Scotia after seven stormy days on the MV Carinthia on 28 February 1967.
The place was knee deep in snow and it was still coming down in a blizzard.
I thought "What have I done"
At first my only plans were to get home as quickly as possible, but over time, you meet people, form friends and relationships, and adapt to the different lifestyle.
I was never out of work and so was never a burden on my adopted country and the only thing that the government has ever paid me was my old age pension which I qualified for at age 65 after paying into it for longer than most.
I live in the most southerly part of Canada, so we have a pretty warm nine months of the year and last winter I spent January February and March in Panama where the usual daytime temperature was 94F.
Sometimes things just work out OK.
The place was knee deep in snow and it was still coming down in a blizzard.
I thought "What have I done"
At first my only plans were to get home as quickly as possible, but over time, you meet people, form friends and relationships, and adapt to the different lifestyle.
I was never out of work and so was never a burden on my adopted country and the only thing that the government has ever paid me was my old age pension which I qualified for at age 65 after paying into it for longer than most.
I live in the most southerly part of Canada, so we have a pretty warm nine months of the year and last winter I spent January February and March in Panama where the usual daytime temperature was 94F.
Sometimes things just work out OK.
Happy (anticipated) BIG Canniversary to you for next year!
We'd love to have your story if you feel like posting your own thread - I've no doubt you have some great tales to tell! Would be interested to hear how NS has changed over the years - oh and about your trip over too!
May 21st 2016, 12:37 am
#23
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 129
Re: Half a Century
Actually, Halifax was just our landing point.
I ended up in Toronto where I spent my working life.
I lived for the most part northwest of the city in Brampton and like so many people, I commuted.
When I retired, I moved to Colchester Ontario where I have a lakefront home.
I ended up in Toronto where I spent my working life.
I lived for the most part northwest of the city in Brampton and like so many people, I commuted.
When I retired, I moved to Colchester Ontario where I have a lakefront home.
May 24th 2016, 2:29 pm
#24
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2012
Location: Qc, Canada
Posts: 3,787
Re: Half a Century
Lovely post! Thanks for sharing.
(And I too would love to hear DiC's story as well).
(And I too would love to hear DiC's story as well).
May 25th 2016, 3:42 am
#25
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2013
Location: BC, Canada
Posts: 3,874
Re: Half a Century
We arrived at the Peace Arch crossing into Canada in late August 1968, having spent the previous year in Texas. We took 6 weeks to drive from Texas, camping most of the way, and seeing as many of the sights as we could. We even ended up camping in the snow at Crater Lake in Oregon ........... allegedly the only time ever that snow had fallen there in August!
We actually left the UK on the 20th August 1967, landed in NY, I got my green alien card, and took a plane up to Montreal to go to Expo 67 for 3 days (the other half of our honeymoon!) .................. so we actually landed in Canada twice!
We came for 2 years, thinking we might move on after that, or maybe even go back to England, though there was no real desire for that.
Instead, we're still here. We took out Canadian citizenship in 1974, and, TBH, I now have no feelings toward or about England, in fact, I haven't had since we left the UK. It's a nice place to visit, but there is no way I would want to move back.
We have lived elsewhere ........ for almost a year in Australia in the mid-1970s, daughter and OH lived in NZ for almost a year in 1992/3 (I visited for 2 months).
We'll celebrate our 49th wedding anniversary in August, and our 48th year in Canada, with no plans to leave. If we did have to move ....... I would go to either OZ or NZ.
Meanwhile, we take the train regularly across Canada from the West Coast to the East Coast where our daughter now lives .......... I think we're up to 14 one way cross country train trips since 2004, plus 2 return trips to Montreal.
We actually left the UK on the 20th August 1967, landed in NY, I got my green alien card, and took a plane up to Montreal to go to Expo 67 for 3 days (the other half of our honeymoon!) .................. so we actually landed in Canada twice!
We came for 2 years, thinking we might move on after that, or maybe even go back to England, though there was no real desire for that.
Instead, we're still here. We took out Canadian citizenship in 1974, and, TBH, I now have no feelings toward or about England, in fact, I haven't had since we left the UK. It's a nice place to visit, but there is no way I would want to move back.
We have lived elsewhere ........ for almost a year in Australia in the mid-1970s, daughter and OH lived in NZ for almost a year in 1992/3 (I visited for 2 months).
We'll celebrate our 49th wedding anniversary in August, and our 48th year in Canada, with no plans to leave. If we did have to move ....... I would go to either OZ or NZ.
Meanwhile, we take the train regularly across Canada from the West Coast to the East Coast where our daughter now lives .......... I think we're up to 14 one way cross country train trips since 2004, plus 2 return trips to Montreal.
May 25th 2016, 6:25 am
#26
Banned
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 19,879
Re: Half a Century
Scilly!! Welcome back!!
What a lovely post - another long term ex-pat with a big Canniversary coming up (and wedding anniversary too). Would love to hear some of your stories of your travels as well!
What a lovely post - another long term ex-pat with a big Canniversary coming up (and wedding anniversary too). Would love to hear some of your stories of your travels as well!
May 25th 2016, 6:26 am
#27
Banned
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 19,879
Re: Half a Century
Actually, Halifax was just our landing point.
I ended up in Toronto where I spent my working life.
I lived for the most part northwest of the city in Brampton and like so many people, I commuted.
When I retired, I moved to Colchester Ontario where I have a lakefront home.
I ended up in Toronto where I spent my working life.
I lived for the most part northwest of the city in Brampton and like so many people, I commuted.
When I retired, I moved to Colchester Ontario where I have a lakefront home.
We'd love to hear any you would care to share..
May 26th 2016, 10:49 pm
#28
Dichotomus tinker
Joined: Aug 2013
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,678
Re: Half a Century
Congratulations on the 50 years in Canada 
strange but true, I get that also. 
Be honest, would you like to live some place else other than Canada to spend the rest of your days until the sun sets on you?
Be honest, would you like to live some place else other than Canada to spend the rest of your days until the sun sets on you?
May 27th 2016, 2:59 am
#29
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2013
Location: BC, Canada
Posts: 3,874
Re: Half a Century
Siouxie .... thank you!
not2old ............... as far as OH and myself are concerned, no, we would not want to live anywhere else. But then, we never have been unhappy in Canada. We felt at home when we first arrived in August 1968, and it is certainly home now after almost 48 years.
Mind you ................... if Trump wins, and then annexes Canada ....................
not2old ............... as far as OH and myself are concerned, no, we would not want to live anywhere else. But then, we never have been unhappy in Canada. We felt at home when we first arrived in August 1968, and it is certainly home now after almost 48 years.
Mind you ................... if Trump wins, and then annexes Canada ....................