I live in Lethbridge with my spouse and 5 of our 6 children. I’m a writer, focusing on social issues and the occasional poem. My politics are radically left. I recently finished writing a book debunking several capitalism myths. My newest book writing project is on the labour history of Lethbridge.
I’m also dichotomally Mormon. And I’m a functional vegetarian: I have a blog post about that somewhere around here. My pronouns are he/him.
Above is my cultural heritage: paternal on the left and maternal on the right.
Cr = Cree
Cz = Czech
D = Dutch
E = English
F = French
G = German
Sc = Scottish
I have a little Spanish in there that goes way back, and I may have Danish but have been unable to confirm that yet.
Spring is in Lethbridge. The buds are opening, flowers are coming up, and the grass is green.
The apple trees on 5 Avenue South downtown are blossoming; they look beautiful and smell great.
I don’t walk home down that block often, but I’ve noticed the blossoms lately, and I would’ve kicked myself had I missed a shot of them before they disappeared.
Say hello to our newest addition.
Aiobheann Bree Holly Siever was born 1 March 2009 at 03:38. She weighed 3 kg (6 lbs 10 oz) and was 48 cm (19 in) long. She joins her sisters Sinéad and Aisling and her brother Regan.
A couple of weeks ago, the presidency of our children’s Sunday School asked for family portraits for all the class instructors and all the children.
When we got home, I got out the tripod Mary gave me for Christmas, moved a bookshelf oiut of the way, and opened up our living room blinds to do a family portrait.
Our youngest was being difficult, and I ended up having to combine the two best photos into one in order to get the finished result I wanted.
I am pleased with how it turned out, and it printed pretty well. So well, in fact, that we took it in for processing and got four 8x10s and two 4x6s. It’s now hanging on our living room wall and adorning my work desk.
My only regret is not having Aisling sitting further back. She’s a bit blurry in the photo and her head sees abnormally large compared to the rest of us.
Another year’s gone by, and it’s been one of a few accomplishments for me. Here’s what I did:
What did you do?
I got rid of my dog today.
My neighbour sent three complaints to the City complaining Apollo was barking incessantly.
It’s an odd claim to make because he rarely barked. When he did bark, it was usually a single bark. On the occasion it was more than once, each bark was about 30 seconds to a minute apart.
I have heard incessant barking, and Apollo’s barking was not it, not by a long shot.
When the City informed us today they were issuing us a $100 fine, we decided to take him to the pound. We can’t afford to pay $100 regularly because Apollo’s barking echoes in our neighbour’s head.
We got Apollo to keep people out of our yard. Prior to getting him last fall, several persons used our yard as a thoroughfare to get to and from the alley. We’ve had things stolen from our yard, including clothes from the clothesline.
I guess it’s all moot now though.
Goodbye, Apollo.
This week, I received the most current issue of the London Road Neighbourhood Association newsletter. On the front page was a short article reporting on a recent meeting where members discussed the hypothetical widening of 6 Avenue South.
The City is studying the feasibility of building a third bridge between the Westside and Southside. A part of the study, they are considering to different locations, as well as what would happen if no bridge is built. One of the scenarios that has popped up in the case that no bridge is built is the widening of 6 Av S.
This roadway is an extension of Whoop-Up Drive, the city’s heaviest used freeway. It consists of two lanes in both directions, light-controlled intersections every block until Stafford Drive, left-hand turning lanes at each of those intersections, and a parking lane on the south side of the street.
Naturally, nearby residents are concerned that a widening of the roadway would have several negative effects, especially endangerment of pedestrians and closer proximity to front yards.
A solution exists that can provide a six-lane roadway without actually making the roadway any wider.
1. Eliminate left-hand turning.
2. Eliminate on-street parking.
While this does address safety issue, it means drivers will have to change their driving habits. Those travelling east who need to turn north will have to do so at Scenic Drive or Stafford. Those travelling west who want to turn south will have to do so at Stafford Drive. They could do it at Scenic, but it would be pretty convoluted. Likewise, parking will have to be done off the back lanes.
We went to the Remembrance Day ceremony downtown today.
A few years ago, I came across something that made Remembrance Day memorable for me each year. Somehow, I found out my Grandma Abel (technically, she was my great-grandmother) had an uncle who fought and died in World War I. His name was John Loskot. I think I found this out from her niece.
Shortly after that, I discovered the Government of Canada had a website for soldiers killed in combat in the world wars. Sure enough, I found information on John and his death. I then found the diaries his battalion kept had been scanned and were available online.
Here is the diary for the day he died, 27 April 1917. I tired to keep spelling and punctuation. I’m sharing it with you to try keeping a name and a face behind the nameless battles.
TRENCHES, 28-4-17
Weather – fine and warm
Wind – N.W.Battn. Attacked at 4.25 a.m. and gained objective, which was a sunken road to the north of Arleux running S.W. through the square T.29. d.d.7. An account of the attack will be sent with the May Diary.
Casualties – 10 Officers 230 O.Rs.
And the account from the May diary:
Appendix referred to in April, Diary.
REPORT ON OPERATIONS CARRIED OUT BY THE 5th CANADIAN INFANTRY BATTALION on April, 28th, 1917.
On the night of April 26th, the 5th Canadian infantry Battalion relieved the 4th Canadian Infantry Battalion. In the front line which the extended from T.22.d.0.0 to T.28.d.7.0. Northwest of the Town of ARLEUX.
During the night of the 26th a jumping-off trench was dug from T.22.d.9.0 to T.29.d.0.0.
On the following day it was seen by the enemy and heavily shelled. Fortunately, we had not placed any men in this trench.
On the evening of the 27th Operation Orders were received for the 5th C.I. Battalion to take part in an attack on a Brigade frontage by the 1st Canadian Division, with the object of taking and consolidating a line extending from T.30.b.2.9 to T.30.c.2.5.
It was decided that the Battalion should attack on a three Company frontage, four waves in depth, with one Company in support.
The Zero hour was set at 4.25 a.m.
At 2.00 a.m. the Battalion dug in about 150 yards in front of the jumping-off trench, already discovered by the enemy. The night was dark, and the operation of digging in was carried out without hindrance from the enemy and no casualties were sustained. The order of the battle was as follows:-
“D†Company of the left flank of the Battalion, under Major K. Campbell.
“C†Company in the centre of the Battalion, under Lieut. P. Andrews.
“B†Company on the right flank of the Battalion, under Lieut. R. Lawson.
“A†Company in Battalion support, under Lieut. M.M. McGregor.The 10th C.I. Battalion were on our right, and the 25th Canadian Infantry Battalion on our left. At 4.25 a.m. it was possible to see 100 yards or so in the twilight.
Sharp on the Zero hour our guns opened up with an intense barrage. The enemy threw a curtain of fire in front of the discovered jumping-off trench, but the Battalion with the exception of “A†Company was on the enemy’s side of the curtain, and his barrage caused very few casualties, even among “A†Company who went through it.
On advancing it was found that the wire on the left flank of the Battalion front was uncut, with the exception of one path. The enemy’s parapet was lined with Germans and a great many machine guns, which accounted for a larger number of men, especially those who were unfortunate enough, to have become entangled in the grass covered trip wire.
Major Campbell, leading “D†Company, saw that there was only one gap on his front, and that covered by machine gun fire, and knowing that it was a case of getting through at once, or not at all, he bravely attempted to rush the gun and bomb the crew, closely followed by his Company. The gun was eventually silenced by hand and rifle grenades, but not before it had taken its toll of lives, including the life of Major Campbell. By the times the support Company had come up, and seeing the difficulty that “D†Company were having in gaining their objective on account of the wire, a party under Lieut. Foulkes entered the trench on “C†Company’s frontage, and bombed up to the left, soon clearing the trench of all Germans. The centre and right flank of the Battalion found that the wire had been well cut, and everything progressed satisfactorily in that quarter.
Having cleared the first objective, the Battalion advanced onto the second objective, namely, a sunken road running from T.23.d.8.0 to T.29.d.9.5. and quickly took that and passed onto the final objective, leaving the mopping up parties to clear out the dug-outs. So far everything had been successful, and the number of casualties not as high as was at first feared might be the case, but as luck would have it this state of affairs did not last very long, for it was discovered that the left flank of the Battalion was in the air. The Battalion on our left hand, unfortunately, mistaken a sunken road some 300 yards in front of their jumping-off trench, for their final objective, which was a sunken road some 600 yards further on.
The enemy mounted a couple of machine guns on our left flank, and enfiladed our advancing waves, particularly down the sunken road, forcing our left flank to fall back to the first front line, in order to keep a connection with the left Battalion. The right flank progressed rapidly, and were soon in touch with the 10th C.I. Battalion on their right. The fighting at all stages was very stiff, and the enemy put up a much stronger resistance than is usually the case.
Work was at once commenced consolidating the new positions, and taking up posts ahead of our main front line, in order to be prepared for any counter attack, which he might launch. The enemy shell-fire was quite heavy all the day, but his shooting was wild and he seemed unable to locate the position of our men. As the Officer losses had been very heavy, Capt. E. Day, and Lieutts. W. Willis, D. Bissett and H.D. Hedley. were called up from the reserve of Officers at the Transport Line.
During the afternoon it had been reported that the Germans were massing on our left for a counter attack, and about 8.30 p.m. several S.O.S.’, a long distance to the right went up and the Germans immediately opened up with an intense barrage behind our lines., An S.O.S. was sent in, and our artillery replied at once with a very dense curtain of fire, and no attack developed. About 4.00 a.m. the above performance was repeated.
The following day, April, 29th, everything was more or less quite in the morning, but the shelling grew in intensity toward the evening, particularly in the area of the village of ARLEUX, where the enemy appeared to concentrated his heavies.
At 4.00 p.m. we received an order to withdraw our left flank toward ARLEUX, down to the point T.29.b.6.5., and that the heavies were to be opened up on the enemy’s trenches north of this point, when the 25th Battalion would come up and occupy the position originally allotted to them. This operation was completed.
At dusk on the evening of the 29th, an Order stating that the 10th C.I. Battalion would probably relieve the 5th C.I. Battalion was received, but owing to their heaving casualties, they were unable to take over any great amount of our area, and the Battalion remained in the line until about 1.00 a.m., when relieved by the 13th Canadian Infantry Battalion.
A recent conversation while waiting to turn right at a red light in Lethbridge.
Me: You can turn right, you know.
Woman in front of me who refuses to turn: It’s a red light.
Me: This isn’t Québec.
Woman: Your car’s a piece of crap.
Lethbridge is in a state of emergency today after 42 mm of rain fell over a 4-hour period.
