Wedding day

Happy Birthday dad

Would have been 90 today.

Random picture #213

Dad and Smallwood's books

One of the great Smallwood projects was the Books of Newfoundland. Starting in the Great Depression, Smallwood edited six huge volumes of all kinds of information on the province. I have often gone to them to get information that you just can't find in an easy form anywhere else. I'm sure they are riddled with idiosyncratic errors but my cursory looks haven't found them.

Smallwood made money off them (when he did make money) through books sales and advertising in the back of the volumes. Dad's company was one of those companies Smallwood touched for an ad. Dad told me that he saw those ads as more than just ads; they were the opportunity to tell his story in the great history books of the province. So he took out ads in Smallwood's publications when the occasion arose.

This is a scan of the ad from Volume 5 of the Book of Newfoundland (click to read larger image).

Goodbye mom

LONO, Yolande Quesnel:  Passed peacefully away at Chancellor Park long term nursing facility on December 29, 2007 in her 82nd year.

She is predeceased by her beloved husband of more than half a century, Simon Joseph Lono (d. March 8th, 2001) and her brothers Gaston and Bernard.  She leaves with fond memories, and with much thanksgiving for her long and active life, her sons and their families:  Norman Y. (Sarah) New Jersey, Gordon (Pat), Simon N. (Deirdre) and Marc (Nickie) St. John's; five grandchildren Bianca, Vance, Simon, Diana & Anthony; brother Yves; and a wide circle of other family and friends.

She was devoted to her family as a dedicated wife and mother.  She was a warm and calming presence in all our lives.  We miss her already.

Born in Trois Rivieres and raised in Montreal, she came to St. John’s in the early 50s with her husband with two small boys and she had two more boys here in the years that followed.  She spoke little English on arrival but that proved no barrier to her charm, energy and determination.  She was a lady of style, grace, charm, gentle humour, culture and talent, and a true mistress of the domestic arts.  A gracious hostess, she set a table that was second to none, especially at Christmas.  In addition to singing, drawing and painting, she also knitted, crocheted and sewed like a professional.

Outside the home she was active in the community as a founding and executive member of the Association Francophone de St. Jean, an executive member for the Association Francophone de Terre-neuve et du Labrador, and as a long-time supporter of the St. John's Multi-cultural Association.  She worked to bring people together.  She was formally recognised by the province when she was awarded the Newfoundland and Labrador Volunteer Medal in November 2001.

She will be resting at Carnell's Funeral Home, 329 Freshwater Road with visitation on Saturday January 5, 2008 from 7-9p.m. & Sunday January 6, 2008 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.  Funeral service to take place on Monday January 7, 2008 at 9:30 a.m. at St. Pius X Church.  Interment to follow at Mt. Carmel Cemetery.

The family wishes to thank the staff of Chancellor Park for their kindness and loving care during her stay.  A donation in lieu of flowers can be made in memory to a charity of your choosing. To send a message of condolence or to sign the memorial guest book, you may visit www.carnells.com.

Gone fishing. . . for votes

As of noon Friday, I am the Liberal candidate for the provincial district of St. John's North.

I have no illusions that this will be an easy campaign - I read numbers too. But the "best time to run" is only obvious in hindsight. At some point one has to put their name, time and energy where their mouth is so you can look at yourself in the mirror in the morning.

As in my municipal campaign 2 years ago, I have some personal goals: raise some issues, don't go into debt, keep my integrity and win. If I can do 3 of those 4 things I will be pretty happy with that.

I'll be happier with 4 of 4 but that's in the hands of the people of St. John's North. And the people are never wrong.

My campaign will discuss issues which face this province now and in the future. This will include a focus on matters like the economy; elder care and other social issues; and effective local representation. Too many critical issue have been pushed off the public agenda; it's time for someone to bring them forward.

Finally, I never intended to use this blog as a political soapbox and I don't intend to now. Simon Lono - Here and There is an outlet for family information and random personal observations and I want to keep it that way. So until October 9, I will not be adding any more posts here.

A link to my campaign site will be added when it goes live.

Take care and see you October 10.

Damn those tags

(Thanx, Nottawa. I guess I'm not as fast as I used to be. . . . )

Tag Rules:

1. All right, here are the rules. 2. We have to post these rules before we give you the facts. 3. Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves. 4. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules. 5. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

1. I used to be a hardcore reader of hard science fiction but now I find it hard to read any kind of fiction.
2. If I could live in any time/place, it would be early imperial Rome as detailed in I, Claudius.
3. I collect Prime Ministerial handshakes (6 of the last 8 so far) and visits to legislatures in Canada (11 of 14 so far).
4. I live in NL because I want, not because I have to (but I'd retire to Kyoto if I could).
5. I love eating in odd little exotic restaurants;I love that my son loves to too (is that two facts?)
   
6. I hate lobster.
7. I spend too much money on suits.
8. I will always watch Mythbusters and I think it's the best TV show in years.

Sorry but I don't know eight other people with blogs that haven't been already tagged.