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WH1TBY FREE PRfeSS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 1991, PAGE 7, PAGE SEVE Ný Sunny.Sunîday Hurrying a six-ysar-old is like: cursing a garden te growi. It's SundaY morning. Alreadyws are rnning lats. The sunshine and late spring have capturéd a gfrl's spirit. "Corne on, hop in the car. Ws'll get you te Jon'asos you Ican drive wit Jon and Betty Ann in Georgetown."e The event: a pivate christening of a nmece. The day: last Sunday. The plan: our daughter will travel with her brotherý and-hie famnily te allow room in our car for otherË* relatives. Just a minute," Erin says, I have one thinig te do. It.~ <will b. a surprise." Sh. retreats ite the hous. She returna, holdingà'a pair of scissors. "This- will be a surprise. Close your eyes. Taa-daa." She bas led me to the three-foot high psony. Overnight bulging buds have opened. Tw o~,n three, now bold their faces te, the Juns sunahine. Working together, we scissor, ons flower, from the stock. Erin holds the, long stem behind ber bock. "She'll neyer guess." she says. Mother neyer gueue surprises. Even when it takes extra time te put surpriss in water. When lwe evsntually pull out of the driveway, we are onfly twenty minutes late. <The bouse in Georgetown sits on three acres of lawn. It is surrounded by -tewering trees. A rope swing sways in the breeze. Sunshine filters through the leaves. Twslve cars ait in the driveway. Karen Elizabeth Ann is two months oId. lier father greets us as we get out of the car. 'Everyone's herenowbut Jon and Betty Min." His voice says he will wait. Two ysars before, we had shared a similar afternoon for bis daugbter, Heather Kathleen. eéather is now almoot two. Her parents are not church-gosrs, but wanted their daughter to.bave a family welcome. Aunts,. uncles, grandfathers, took turns offering brief words of welcome. And for Karen Elizabeth Min, a sinular occasion will take place today. We wait. These two famihes have been together before: weddings, birthdays, christenings. They are beyond the stiff formality of strangeness. We learn about babies, boyfiends, boarders, car and jobs. Kids. meet the two litters of kittens. One dog trains people te throw sticks. By three o'clock though, we admit that Jon and Betty Ain are not coming. They have been lost by my vague directions. Karen7s father, Roly, gathers everyone under the best cimbing tre. in the world. Lawn chairs, a p*cnic table and outdoor benches allow evsryone a seat in &he shade. Roly explainsth why of this inormal ceremony. It is not meant te, denigrate cburch or religion. Yet we want te mnake sure Heather feels the emibraoe of family and friends." An aunt and future babyitter, Tanya, reads bier own words te Karen, about friendu and who true friends are. Her sister Jody leads everyonsi singing 'Edelweiss" in ber own words. Karen's sevsn-ysar-old master Eînily, reads ber composition: about being an older sister te pas on "rusty bikes, old clothes, and too-big shees." Somswhere a grandmothsr sniffes. I muible a few words about peonies, and families. Karenes mother thanka sevsryons and espscially ber own parents. Karen's grandfather then presents engravsd plaqueste be affixed te newly-planted pins trees bdering the lane, one for each. now and future grandchild. Then we eat: potlucçk, family style, with cold cuts, rolîs, coleslaw, a clisa tray and fruit punch. Just before dessert, a surprise: Jon and Betty Ami arrive. Hopelesaly lost in Georgetown, they bad driven forty extra miles and finally ptopped at a store, te aïk if anyone knew "Jody, Tanya or Iànda." And te b. teld, surs you mean the Edwards, take this rood thrss miles and watch fer th. place on the right. Later we retreat again te the lawn. Jon and Betty n get out the guitar and sinig Bob Dylan's "Forever Young" and thon 'Tfeach Your Children"'by Cosby, Stilîs, Nash and Young. No oe is in a hurry te blave. W. talk quietly in smal groups. Children share seats on the ropo swing Everyone crosses the driveway once te lean over the fec! where the young cow licks fingers. he dog trains several more TUE MtEN Mo$ T. $TI\~X~b(I P V4'~1WTW~T ~ t~91tG~T Y~ om:50RÉ, LN<'E IfiT REC-E$S5ON4 ï- CiRcAToR i I y' i ' ~=u ~=MMI I ... ,-, - ~ -.---.-*~-'. - ~ .~ - - A SCeNE AT TEE BROOKLIN SPRJG YFAIR JUNE 29,1928 The Brooklin Spring Pair was founded as early as 1913' and was held i VipondIs Grove where the Meadowcrest subdivision is now, unti the 1920a wlien it moved to its present site in the community park SinWinchester Rond WMUav Arcvmpho" 10 TZARS AGO from the Wded June 3, 1981 edition of the " An armed robber took $700 from a Becke?é sUor on Garrard Road. " A $400,000 fire giitted the, Snap Glass Services building at Dundas and Ash Streets on May 29.< " A tempomry tourist information centre will b. set upmn a trouler at Centennial Park. " The.EH.ll Drivers and the Carlsberg championship hors tearn are featured at the Brooklin Spring Pair. 25 TZARS AQO from the Thured4ay, June 2,1966 edition of the WIBY WEKKLY NEWS " Whitby's new general hospital wilV have a dgn of sculptured concrets says architect James Craig. " Witby Cube will celebrate the rganization's Sth anniversary with an Olympic Sports Day on June 4. " About 30 Whitby businessmen will, ciscuss the future of the Town's Coinmurîity Chest campigr- SWitby Knights of Columbus have donated $500 to the general hospital campaign. 715 TÉARS AGO fr-om the hrsd lue 1, 1916 edition of the WHITB AIND -CBRONCLE? " Large crowds turned.out to watch the ll6th Battalion' sham fight'on the Mitchell Farm west of Aimes Street on May 26. " Mayor Frank Warren hosted 1,500 people at the first garden party of the season at is homàe on Dundas Street West. " Composite Lodge of lMasonshosted a military, night for its members in'conn ection with the ll16th Battalion'svisit to Whitby. " Wdllam McIntosh Pringini the new treasurer of the Public Utilities Comnmisson.