Wonderful Windsor
ABOVE : My new church(Good Shepherd), my old grade school(now St. André but it was St. Gregory’s), my street(St. Mark Rd.), my old but newly renovated house(side and front), and my parents’ trees in the front yard above.
I thought I would take you on a trip to where I grew up and show you some of my old haunts. Above are images from the former “St Clair Beach” now called “Tecumseh”. I loved my childhood here. These were the days when no one had cell phones so when you left to go play on a summer morning, you sometimes didn’t return home until you heard mum calling out the door….” Laura, John, Paula, Pam, Marrrrrryyyyyyyyy!!!!!” Then you would run home from wherever you were playing and get inside to wash up for supper.
We kids were known for singing harmonies in the back yard as we swung on our creaky swing set. We walked to school and knew every single family on our street and many streets over too. We went biking on the ‘crazy roads’ (a series of interconnecting roads nearby), and we loved to climb ‘the hill’ behind St . Gregory’s school. This is the village where I met my first friend, Cathy White, when I was 3 years old and we are still friends today. On October 31st we would all dress up in costumes and walk through the crisp leaves to go door-to-door “Trick or Treating” and hoping for candy apples or a full size chocolate bar. We swam in the beach at the end of our road, danced in our carports, and had oodles of friends.
Most people had big families and we always had playmates. I can’t believe how many of my first friends, like my pals,”The Twins”, Dawn and Donna, are still connected with me to this day.
This is the place where we ran down the street past, St. Mark by the Lake church to go to “Stella’s” for penny candies and sometimes tried to avoid being threatened by the bully, Paul Murray( who is the most gentle soul and now a famous artist world wide…ha ha). We have a new seniors’ residence at the corner of Riverside Drive and Manning Road and this is the city (Windsor) where I met my future husband in “The Windsor Light Opera” (which plays now in the St. Clair Arts Centre). I had a great time in the Drama department at the University of Windsor and spent some quality time at “The D.H.” pub as well. The farmlands near Windsor are beautiful with all kinds of old barns and wind farms.
Terry’s best friend, Peter Hrastovec, helped get erected the large, Canadian flag one sees at the end of Ouellette Avenue and we enjoy looking across at Detroit, our nearest neighbour to the north of Windsor. Along the shoreline one comes across a gorgeous sculpture park and beautiful flower gardens. The big Casino is quite a beautiful building and my brother works there (when there isn’t a pandemic) and brings in top name acts to perform while he himself is in a well known band called, “Bigg Wiggle”.
We had great meals at the old “T.B.Q’s”, we sometimes hitched a ride over to Detroit to go to Greek Town or watch a Tiger’s game, and I loved playing “Roxy Hart” in the Canadian premier of “Chicago”. I didn’t have a car but my bestie, Barb, would pick me up and we would go to rehearsals (when we were younger in high school or at Windsor Light when we were older),or off to a movie or play. This is the city where I met my three best friends to this day, Rose, Barb, and Mary at Belle River High and we strengthened our friendships in Youth Corps , Cor, and,many hours spent at Rose’s-singing, gabbing, or even praying together.(Not much has changed there except this has moved into the Zoom call realm for the last year.
Windsor has a Fringe Festival and an International Film Festival just like Edmonton. I love all of the colourful murals and the surrounding farmlands too. There are many waterfront parks and Jackson Park is particularly beautiful with its many gardens and memorials.
But of all the beauty I have experienced over the years in Windsor, the most beautiful thing about the city is its people.
We never forget those we love and from where we’ve come. We were only in Windsor one week this time but we soaked up the love of dear family and friends too. I am SO happy that in only three weeks I will be returning and staying for an entire four weeks near these wonderful people. And next time I hope to see even more of my dearest friends…..
See you soon, wonderful Windsor…..