Hi Katie,

You said your husband worked with Margaret Hanna's dad Jimmy. Was that in the building trade?.The reason I ask, I have a very good friend here in St Catharines who also worked with Jimmy Hanna, his name is Paddy Phelan. Paddy came originally from Belfast but lived in Lisburn for a few years before he came to Canada. I was wondering if your husband might have known him.

Beano

Hi Beano,

Hubby worked with Jimmy Hanna in the Barracks, does'nt know Paddy Phelan, maybe more details could help.

Katie

Tom Mckay,
See I knew u as Tom, can'nt give u any more clues, but remember Paul McKeown, Edna Henderson, Sally Dowling (sadly now dead) who lived accross from ur house,forgot to mention ur dad what a lovely, pleasant man, always happy, remember wee Sammy Marshall the tailor and the Scott family beside Jim Campbell, head on down now. Have to say u were always a nice, quiet lad.
I was soo quiet, thats why u don't remember me a little quiet girl. Another clue.

Katie

My father also worked in the Barracks with Jimmy Hanna and Louis Bradley, also a man named Ross. When my father and Jimmy Hanna retired, both of them, along with Joe Duffy, used to go down the line for a walk every single morning. They were like "Last of the summer Wine". Good days though. Lisburn's a small wee place, isn't it.

Hi Ann,

Just looked in, after ironing all morning, I am
Knackered or jaded (for ur Pat). Sweetie worked with
Jimmy Hanna as a Beautifcer, Embellisher of British and Foreign Furniture.
Ann ru under the table with the thunder and lightning.

Katie

Katie, you're not far wrong. I did let a big yell and lucky enough my youngest son was here so he came limping into the kitchen. He's home from work after hurting his back lifting a heavy weight. Lay on top of the bed saying my prayers but turned out the storm wasn't too bad. I hate when it happens at night.

Beano,

Asked hubby about Jimmy Hanna, Jimmy was a French Polisher, had to go to England to work,(Southampton we're are talking years ago), then came back and worked in the Barracks as a labourer, his brothers were in the buidling trade, he than got a job in the Barracks at his proper trade French Polishing, worked at that until he retired. Hubby used to visit him, when her retired a least once a month.

Jimmy and Isobel had a great garden and grew their
own vegetables, cabbage, lettuce, peas, beans etc.,
they used to send them up to us, I especially loved their lettuce.

Katie

Do you see the price their old house is on sale at? Can't remember offhand but with the big garden, etc. it's going to fetch a lot.

Ann,

Someone told swettie £350


Katie

Hi Katie and Ann,

Surely you don't mean 350 pounds, maybe 350,000. That is one of the things that blew my mind when I was back recently, was the price of housing in Lisburn. I have a large Detached Bi-level (raised bungalow), on the upper level I have a large living room, dining room, kitchen, 3 bedrooms and a 5pc. bathroom. On the lower level I have a family/rec.room,laundry room, computer/craft room and another 5pc. bathroom. It is sitting on a lot(freehold) 165'long x 64'wide, I have a large cedar deck and a driveway that holds four cars. And the price I would be asking, if selling, would be $260,000, at the present rate of exchange that's less than 125,000 pounds.
When we came to Canada, it was the other way round.

Beano

Hi Beano,
Where are you? In Calgary the average house price is about $500,000 (dollars) probably for the same size as your home. I can't believe the cost of a terraced home in Lisburn or the ones that my family lived in which then belonged to the council.
Thelma

Hi Thelma,

We live in The North End of St.Catharines Ont. 10 mins.from Niagara Falls. Are you in Calgary?. I did notice the time difference.

Beano

Hi Beano,
Yes we're in Calgary. I have brothers in Hamilton because that is where we came to when we arrived in Canada. I see you lucky people are having 29c today and hotter for tomorrow. Our current temperature is about 9c I think and I had the fire on today as I was chilled.
Thelma

Beano,

Hubby says, he will put a offer in now £120 thousand,
he'll sell up here and still have enough to live on. Beano u would get a million or more for that here, property developers are buying up every bit of land here that they can get their hands on. (houses,gardens even garages).
Should have moved to Canada when we were going to in the late sixties.

Katie

Beano, I was very impressed with the Niagra Falls, imagine you living fairly near to it! Tell me this, have you got used to it and never go near it, or do you go often and still marvel?

Just wondering
Liz

Hi Liz,

We never cease to marvel at the "Falls", and do visit it often. We go more in the winter as it is out of this world with all the frozen mist on the trees. Also they do a "Festival of Lights" on the whole Niagara Parkway Dec.to Feb.,it is brilliant, words couldn't describe it.

Beano

Yes, Beano, I agree - Niagara Falls is the most wonderful sight I have ever seen. Do you ever visit the Casinos there? Didn't mean to bring this up but here I go. A few years ago my sister and I were visiting my niece (her daughter) in Mississauga, which is only about an hour's drive from Niagara. She decided to take us to see Niagara Falls which, as I say, was wonderful. Went on the Maid of the Mist and thoroughly enjoyed it. All I could think of was Marilyn Monroe making the film "Niagara" there and of her actually being there. Anyway, after the boat trip we were just wandering around looking at all the sights and visiting the "All year round Christmas Shop". Then I spied a casino, which, as you know, we don't have much experience of here. I said I would love to go inside and my sister says, "Och, you don't want to go into that oul place". I asked her if she had ever been in one and she said she hadn't. So in we went. We bought some chips (instead of money) and took a machine each. My sister's machine started to spit out coins, rattle, rattle, rattle. My niece and I looked down at her but she was away in another world. We smiled at each other and pointed at her, she who didn't want to go in. After a while she looked up and I could have sworn she had dollar signs in her eyes. She was hooked. We ccouldn't get her off the machine, she was on a winning streak. We had a great time although in the end none of us won anything. We had spent so much time there that when we came out it was pitch dark and the place was almost deserted. I forgot to mention that my sister had been complaining of her age and that she couldn't walk as fast as we could. Anyway, when we came out and realised that it was dark, I happened to say, "God, this place is so isolated now. No-one about, we could be mugged or anything". Talk about getting her legs back. She took to her heels and fairly flew up the road, my niece and I in fits of laughter, although I was a bit scared too. The mist from the Falls had us soaked but we got back to the car safely, checked into our hotel, and had a good laugh back in our room. Some other time I will tell you more about that visit to Canada.

Ann,
Some mothers do have them, great craic.

Katie

Ann,

I would like to hear more of your exploits in Canada.
They have built a new "Casino" in the Falls, it is huge, has a built in 500 bedroom hotel, 44 shops,and 4 restaurants. Every week is a new theme,week before last it was "Pirates of the Carribean", and guess who was there in person, non other than "J.D." himself. You would have been in your element, they were also giving away cardboard cutouts of "Himself". Seriously if you are ever this way again I would love to meet you.

Beano

Beano, that new casino was just being built when we were there. Wish you hadn't mentioned the Depp word at 10.20 pm. It disturbs me. I had a wee peep into the bedroom just now. A grey head is on the pillow, snoring quietly with a wee grey dog beside it (no, silly, not me). Now I have to go in and gaze at Johnny to put myself to sleep.

Thelma & Beano,

As I told u, my daughter is touring a part of Canada, she phoned to-night,she has been in Lake Louise,beautiful, is in some place tonight where Roxanne was made, then heading for Calgary (hope
spelling right) few more stops after that, then heading down to her friends in Vancover Lake,she is really impressed so far with this part of Canada. She still has more to see and will be there until 21st June.

Katie

Hi Katie and Beano,
Western Canada scenery is very beautiful but living in Calgary is just too far away from the water. This isn't where I'd be given the choice. The economy is great and there are lots of jobs. When we lived in Hamilton, Ontario, we'd pack up the car and go to the beach at Port Dover every weekend.

Beano, do you ever go to Niagara-on-the-lake? It's such a nice place to walk around and all the little shops to visit. It's full of Americans spending their money which is great for Ontario. Have you done the wine tours?
Thelma

Hi Thelma,

Doreen and I are just back from N.O.T.L.,Doreen had a walk around while I sat on a bench and had an ice cream. It really is a beautiful place, the flower beds are an abundance of colour at present, it is nice to be so near,15mins.takes us there.

As far as the West Coast is concerned we love it as well, especially Vancouver Island.

Beano

Hi Beano,
The East Coast (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island) is beautiful too. Have you been out that way? A drive along the Cabot Trail is almost like being in Ireland.
Thelma

Hi Thelma,

Never been to the East Coast. Friends of ours have been down that way recently, like you, they said it was just like Ireland. Maybe sometime in the future we will try it, we are not getting any younger!!!.

Beano

Beano, NOTL, that's where my sister and my niece and I stayed whilst visiting Niagara Falls. It's an absolutely gorgeous place with all the flowers, etc. Olde worlde too if my memory serves me right. I think that's where the All year Round Christmas Shop is. You are so lucky living there. As I say, I've never seen a more spectacular sight than Niagara Falls. Hope to go back with hubby some day.

Hi Ann,

You are right on about The Year round Christmas shop,it is in NOTL. Did you go into the Irish Shop?, it has now moved across the road into much bigger premises. They have also added an Irish Tea Room. Also since you were here, they have built a very nice Pub called the "Irish Harp", the food in it is excellent.
The Olde World styling will stay that way, that is a council ruling. Every Christmas they have a Candlelight walk round the town singing Carols, it is a fantastic atmosphere.
Next time you come to Canada you will have to contact me.

Beano