Look at this photograph

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 01/04/2017 (3104 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Did I ever mention that Mad Dog Vachon and I were once a couple? I present picture proof of that fascinating concept here today, with a notation in Mad Dog’s handwriting describing us as “cuties” — which we definitely were.

Yes, this is April 1, so I’m getting the spoof part taken care of right off the top — and this memory captured at Schmockey Night here in the ‘Peg many years ago with me on the left and the marvellous Mad Dog on the right shows you that not only the audience had fun, but that the performers did as well.

This was the year the media team brought in Mad Dog to help us beat the Bombers in the annual broomball game. Can’t remember if it worked, but I sure remember how much fun we had.

That’s what pictures do for us: they capture moments in time. And part of the reason I’m featuring some old pics today is to urge each and every one of us with old family albums or movies at home to preserve them for future viewing and appreciation by whoever! Whomever! Whatever!

My Dad was a picture-taking fiend and I’m so glad that he was, because I have a huge number of historical family pictures to browse when the mood strikes — and even the old square cameras he took them with. My Uncle Jack not only took pictures, but shot home movies as well, so I have a big box of movies that even includes a great walk up Broadway Avenue/Street in Killarney (that I’ve always called Main Street), immortalizing that summer day in 1952.

I soon have to take all his films to be transferred to DVD or whatever the appropriate technology is today, to ensure they are preserved before they disintegrate. My family LIVES in them, so they’re incredibly precious.

One of the most commonly recorded events back in the history of the Mustard family was the family picnic. They were so much fun and often arranged for a Sunday.

More formal attire was worn — everybody spiffed up (some even wore a suit!) to go throw some blankets on the grass in some pretty spot, eat sandwiches, hard-boiled eggs, pickles and potato salad and drink tea, coffee, or often water pumped up from a nearby well.

Those were wonderful gatherings. I miss those family times and the relatives our family spent so much time with back then. If you’re lucky enough to have pictures from your family’s past, treasure them. You don’t need to know the names of the people in them, just keep them safe and have a look through them now and then.

If you’re lucky enough to still have a relative alive who can name the people in the pics, get together and record that irreplaceable information before they leave and take it with them.

I’m a picture taker too, but I’m a tad concerned with all the digital shots we take today and store electronically, because I fear some day for whatever tragic reason, those pics will disappear from “memory.”

Being the techno-phobe I am, I don’t know if there’s a program or an app that will take those photos, arrange them on a page in the style of the old albums, then print them out so they can be put in actual albums. If that exists, I need it. If not, please — someone create it and enjoy all the money you make from my idea. You’re welcome.

This picnic “snap” I’m showing you today has my Mom, Dad, brother and sister in it and appears to be from the mid- to late-40s. Where have all the years and all these people gone? From the faces I can see clearly here, I believe the only one still alive is my sister Bonnie, the cute little girl far right.

In last week’s column I made an offer to take and preserve any family pictures or movies you may have that you and other family don’t want, just to keep captured moments of another time alive and safe. That still stands. I’ll eventually find someone who will do something constructive with them and will feel good that I have helped preserve the recorded past.

And just to remind you of how good looking at a picture can make you feel, I’m including this picture of our dog Shazzy, totally chilling in a big comfy chair. She is pure love and thanks to this great pic, I’m sure you have no difficulty seeing that.

Have a smashing April Fool’s weekend, thanks for reading and I’ll see you next week.

Comments or feedback, love to hear from you!

lmustard1948@gmail.com