The Biography of a Very Busy Great Grandfather in Three segments.

Segment One

I was born in Regina Saskatchewan January 13, 1943 (yep, half as old as Canada). My dad abandoned my two brothers and I when I was five, leaving my mom to raise three boys. I learned the principles of hard work and never quitting from her. I also learned the value of a becomine a dedicated parent; even at 75.

She supported every one of my ill-conceived plans or ideas with all her heart and showed me how to conquer life. In my dedication to her in my first book, I wrote; “She made me who I am”.

Late in life, she became a famous standard bred horse person, winning every award ever designed, for her excellence in raising, boarding, breeding and racing scores of magnificent ‘trotters’.

At 15, I ran away from a stepfather who did not want or like kids. After hitch hiking over a thousand miles and with $2 left in my pocket, I arrived at Fort St. John, British Columbia where a kind lady in a restaurant helped me reach out to my uncle and catch a bus going to Grande Prairie Alberta. My late uncle, a paraplegic, his wife and 2 children took me in and gave me a place to sleep until I got a job.

I had the great privilege of hunting and fishing with my stepfather and mother. They were both keen and accomplished hunters and our family only hunted for meat. To us, it was never a sport. Years later, I had 29 moose to my count but number 30 was my last.

I always had a keen eye to spot anything out of place and with this moose, it was the twitch of a half inch of his ear that got my attention. Like in chess, I knew his next move so I led him by 20 feet until he ran right into my sight-line.

I also knew he would only run a short distance and when I walked up to him, he heard me and looked up into my eyes. I will never forget that look. It pierced my heart and took me out of the hunt for the rest of my life. End segment one.