Registered: Nov 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 621

Well my fellow curling friends it has been rather a roller coaster for yours truly of late. Had to miss all of the broom-broom talk to my chagrin.

To recap. On May 4 and 6 I was in the Toronto Western emergency ward. Coughing up a storm, and some blood, and so hard I've had a recurrence of my 'mechanical back' issue.....lord....

Oh yea....and there was an 'unexplained density' on my chest X-ray that will....hopefully.....be explained away with my CT scan on Aug 9.

In addition....like this story needs a new addition.....my bosses saw this as a fit time to fire me.....

So. I'm heading out of Toronto to Montreal to rehab, discuss with family my work and legal issues....and....hopefully have a bit of a summer.

In any case. I wish you all a great summer.

Take care. Be well.

Jeff Berg

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Registered: Nov 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 621

Thanks ML. Have done and will do. Cheerio....or as we say back home.....a la prochaine. JB

P.S. By the by I have a Winnipeg connection myself. St. Boniface really. Spent five summers of my life between there, Storthoaks, Saskatchewan and Carlyle lake where the parents watched the moon landing while we kids refused to come inside from playing......my mother insisted I'd later be sorry....gotta say....still not....lol...:-)

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Registered: Nov 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 621

My mom was born and raised in Storthoaks....not the easiest being a French Canadian in that time and place.....She managed though. One of seven, five foot 1 (and a half she would tell you:-)......105 for pretty much the whole of her life. Had that Elizabeth Taylor thing going on....was a nurse and a stewardess for Air Canada. Back when you had to be a nurse to become a stewardess....1957.....they rescinded the rule 6 months after she joined.....she was pretty much miffed about that one forever.....lol...

She...of course......revered Rick Folk, and Ron Lancaster, and ended up at the same golf course in Kelowna as Rick and that other monster Pat Ryan to finish her days in the finest of styles...what my momma most decidedly had earned and was provided to her by that best of men Earl Doyle. 37 years on the line at Air Canada.....RCAF fighter pilot before that....land speed record in a 767 from Hamburg to Hawai...kinda of the best of guys really.

Anyway. She missed making the big show herself on last rock in the Quebec final 1974 I think......playing for Peggy Ward/Gale. Another Air Canada family. The town I grew up in, Hudson, Quebec, was known as an 'Air Canada ghetto' back in my youth. What I remember is every single person being at or hosting a Grey Cup party. My dad owned the Belle Plage Inn with Charlie Daoust where the Alouettes used to 'break camp'. My mom got me Sonny Wade et als autographs....don't think I have that scrap anymore.....

Have a great summer and here's to my 'Old Monster Days' as I never had any young ones really when I was young. Didn't curl much as a kid as it conflicted with badminton season. Played in 5 provincials in that one. Former Whitlock golf and country club member where I caddied for 'Bob' Layton, Jack Layton's dad. He was the best! Gave you five bucks at the end of the day and didn't ever throw a club at you....was a thing back then....put that in your Ripley's and smoke it....lol....they also aimed at us and bet while we were picking up range balls....the times have gotten rather more civilized thankfully.

After university, Dalhousie and Western, oh....curling story from Western days. Playing in the house league skipping three babes.....I kid you not....we play Terry Kawaja in the final...John's brother.....we win....they toss their brooms into the Thames.....allegedly....wasn't there to see it.....partying with my babes....my vice and I were dating at the time.....always called her my principal vice....:-)

Last bit of curling fame was at age 21. Played Earl Morris in the Tankard playdowns....regions....the year it changed names from Consol to Tankard. Anyhoo......Art Lobel had just left Quebec and Ear was curling with Aitken, Steventon and Turner. Aitken was a complete bozo....that game at least....despite Earl's patience with him. We stole one in ten for the win, corner guarding their rock early in the end.....pre-free-guard zone......come to think of it was it twelve ends still.......don't think so....anyway..

Since then tried to get out of Zone 8 which has sported Wayne M, Mike Harris, John Base, all of the Oakville boys......and well.....little ole High Park has struggled somewhat with that particular task....it's cool kept busy in any case.

Speaking of which I've got some really white T-shirts to buy in Chinatown cause it's gonna be a hot one here in the big smoke or as I like to call it 'The mistake by the lake.'

Ciao for now. Nice chatting with ya.

Last edited by JB42 on 06-19-16 at 05:49PM

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Registered: Feb 2004
Location: Toronto
Posts: 2668

Stay strong JB. I'm an ex-Montreal gal myself. NDG being my old stomping grounds.

How awful regarding your work situation - I take it that you weren't part of a union. I dabble in Labour Relations & it boils my blood when I hear about people getting treat unfairly.

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Registered: Nov 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 621

I used to live in 'No Damn Good' as we locals call it....lol....Worry not ma chere.....I have no union....but am not without family and resources.....Cheers.

Jeff

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Registered: Dec 2015
Location:
Posts: 14

1974. Was that the year that Lee Tobin won the Canadian Scotties? If so, I was a member of the Montreal Caledonia Club and cheering her on. Sorry that she had to beat your mother.

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Registered: Nov 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 621

Cheers!.....It's a zero sum game...someone wins someone loses and....most of all.....the other gals/guys......are good too! Thanks for the 'shout out' as the kids say today.....

P.S. There is much I haven't forgiven Brian T. for as well.....(for me at least that is what passes for funny:-)

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Registered: Jun 2016
Location: wpg
Posts: 5

brings back memories.i curled in Montreal 1973-79

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Registered: Mar 2005
Location: Redneck Saskatchewan
Posts: 1503

quote:

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Originally posted by Manitoba Legend
When I was a fairly young cub curling reporter in Sask'n - I was also assigned by my station to host a remote broadcast from Carlyle, Sk. The RCMP Musical Ride was in town - and my assignment was to make musical equestrian sound interesting.

I guess they thought if I could make curling sound interesting then horses would be a breeze.

Not!

Met some very interesting a grand people of curling though -

Sam & Ernie Richardson, Jack Keyes, Old Garnett, The Pin Man of Weyburn, The Obst Brothers, The Lackey Auction Brothers, Dallas the Oil Supply Man, Chuckles Pachkowsky my old sidekick on curling broadcasts.

Many more too numerous to mention.

Remember sliding into Yellowgrass in the midst of a winter snowstorm to curl against the immortal Jack Keyes (multi-time Sask'n Brier rep from 50s to 70s). We were the young hotshots and Jack was just another crotchety old victim - except he schooled us! DAMN OLD MONSTERS!

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