What I did on Family Day

I did something that has been on my "to do" list for a very long time, and can now check it off. I went through my Dad's family slide collection. I have been the custodian of it since his death, and it has nagged me that I should do something with it, before they fade away.

My Dad was a camera buff, both movie and still, and had hundreds of those little yellow boxes from Kodak stored away, with an index as to what was in each box, in the basement rec room. Today, I finally went through them. Now I'm not saying I went through them all, but picked a smattering of pre-me era photos, while my parents were even dating era photos, up until just before his death.

Where to start? How to edit out? Unfortunately a lot of the editng had been done for me, as many had faded to clear, or black, depending on the colour fixative that was used at the time.

I got very nostalgic. It was neat to see my parents so young, wide eyed, and very innocent. I enjoyed seeing my grandparents, younger than I remember them and many of my cousins when they were just toddlers. I saw the infamous crab apple tree in front of my house grow over the years, plus the birch tree my Dad insisted we, my brother and I, pose in front of each year. I noticed how there were oodles of boxes of baby Leo, and less of baby Kathi. I guess the excitement of the second child, and recording her every movement wore off when I came along.

While I was going through the photos I phoned my Mom and asked her if she wore a green dress, as her "going away" dress at her wedding, because I saw a lovely photo of my parents with confetti all over them, and my Mom in this lovely dress. I had to describe the neckline to her and the colour, and she said it was her wedding shower dress, and that she had had it made for the occasion. I found pictures of  my brother and I in front of many family Christmas trees, along with family landmark occasions, trips to Niagara Falls, family vacations and just every day things, like cutting the lawn in front of the house. These seemingly innocent pictures, in a way, captured my interest more. I love to look at all the details — the cars everyone was driving, the lack of trees on the boulevards, the clothes, the hairstyles and the expressions on faces. I was reminded of my first red CCM two wheeler, how little girls dressed up for parties, how adults dressed up for house parties and how this bygone time should be cherished & family should not be taken for granted.

Sadly I have no children to pass these on to, but perhaps one day, my nephews may be interested in what went on before them.

Me ice skating at our local rink circa 1968