End of an Era, Safe Travels, Margaret and John

      The cabin is listed, the car has been sold, bags are packed, and Margaret and John are on their way to Panama. They are enjoying their new home and retirement in Panama, and finding the long-distance travel more difficult. As I write this, they will be somewhere between Oliver and YLW, with a red eye tonight to YYZ. I hope the stopover is less stressful than when they travelled this way.

    They are selling their beautiful log home, with some of Margaret’s great art work left behind. I treasure the quilted wall hangings that Margaret made for me.

      Margaret was a great hostess, not only at Smitty’s, but many large gatherings were hosted in their log home.  Of course, Baldy’s Best Dancer contributed greatly to the fun at lodge events.  

        Perhaps John’s greatest contribution to the community was when he was responsible for equipment and facilities for the BC Winter Games in 1985. Borderline Ski Club didn’t have much, and John was able to procure the club’s first electronic timing unit, and quantities of poles, bibs and flags that served the club for many years. I think the timer still may work, but not on the original battery.

            A few years ago Margaret and John stepped up at a large race event at Baldy and looked after the grill – many racers fed in a short time with the veteran restauranteurs in charge.

 Raising three daughters, and having the Giltrap girls share an outhouse with three Hospes boys generated many stories.

 Samantha, Tara and Kirsten all married Canadians, then they followed Margaret and John back to Australia. The cabin was rented for a number of years, and we were pleased when the family started coming back for winter ski holidays. With the cabin and Graeme’s cabin full of “rellies”, there were lots of happy times and Aussie accents on the hill.

    One story shared most often was about Margaret going to the Webster cabin for help during an emergency. George liked to tell the story of what Margaret was or wasn’t wearing when she came to the door.

     It is the end of an era. We do however have one member of the family still here. Kirsty met her future husband Tony at Baldy. After a family vacation a few years ago, Kirsty and Tony’s son Brenden did not go home with the family as he had met his future partner here.

    Enjoy your Panama home - I forgot to ask you if they grow spaghetti squash in Panama.

      Best Wishes for many more healthy years.

2008