I suppose, for several years, I took Ma and Pa pretty much for granted. Then, as I grew older and more sophisticated, I developed a desire to learn more about them and their "just for grantedness". Well, in due time, it was revealed to me, that they were, indeed more than just as they seemed to be -- my parents.

Mama, it seems, was born an American, that is to say, in the United States. For quite a while she kept letting folks know this too. She had her American flag to prove it. Papa was born in Ontario, Canada. So, how did they ever get together?

Mama was born and carefully raised to young womanhood in the protection of a loving Quaker family, on a Pennsylvania farm in Lancaster County. Her. Papa was a well respected Elder in his Meeting, as well as a successful farmer. She had two brothers and two sisters in a close-knit family. Her mother, Ellen Conard Webster, claimed to be a direct descendant from that original line of Conards, or Kunders, who came from their German homeland at about the time of the founding of the State of Pennsylvania. It was a member of this family who took to the sea and in time established the great Cunard Steamship Line.

This, of course, made Ma's Mama somewhat of an aristocrat, and in turn, my Mama a "Somewhat Aristocrat".

It could be said that this young man who was to become my Pa, was somewhat more than just the son of a pioneering family who emigrated from Pennsylvania to Canada at the turn of the last century. According to reliable genealogical records, the Muma Family originated away back in the Scandinavian World. They were Norse People, presumably Swedes. So, I guess this gives my future Ma and Pa a common background of sorts. Both of these young people were birthright members of the Religious Society of Friends, commonly called Quakers. Their first meeting took place while attending the Friends General Conference which was held at that time in the, then, new Massey Hall in Toronto.

Natural Boy and Girl things followed and in due time, in spite of the apparent huge distances separating them, their minds were made up. Pa made the decisive trip to Pennsylvania to meet the rest of his fiancée's family and friends, and subsequently to make arrangements for the nuptial event.

After the conventional honeymoon, arrangements were made to return to Canada -- together, of course. So, after the sad but happy farewells to her many friends and family, they made their departure. Ma brought with her, among certain personal things, her American Flag, a Parlour Organ, an old spinning wheel that had served its useful days in her family before her time, a newfangled carpet sweeper -- an invention of a cousin of hers, George Webster -- as well as certain sums of money, her share of the family estate.

Most importantly, Mama brought with her some things that money cannot buy -- years of experience with farm life, a Quaker heritage of honesty and simplicity, and a pioneering spirit of determination coupled with a faith that somehow, sometime, all will be well. These spiritual assets were to serve her well in the years to come.

They started their married life together, not in a little dream cottage, which the Muma family could not then afford, but in her husband's family home. All of his family were there -- Father, Mother, Sister. It was a modest, two-storey wood frame house with all of the modern country inconveniences, including that two-seater outdoor privy, hidden away out in among some vines and tall weeds -- it was said that Grandma sometimes got lost on her way to this vine-covered house at the back.

She was to share this house on a large, run-down farm with this aging father-in-law, mother-in-law, and an unmarried sister-in-law, all of whom were well established in this, their home. Naturally, conflicts arose which affected both sides -- a giving-in on one side as ownership was established on the other side. Imagine the shock and, yes, disappointment, for our young bride -- and so far away from her maternal home. Then there was always the usual country gossip. She was an American, a Yankee. Why did this young lad have to go to the United States for a bride. What was wrong with the Canadian girls. Well, this is the way Destiny arranged it. Soon it was seen that "yankee" girls were just as desirable as Canadian girls and John had chosen wisely after all.

It soon became evident that their house certainly was too small for this second family. Forthwith, our young people got their heads together and planned an addition. This addition was to be a kitchen with a cold cellar underneath and a rainwater cistern in the ground just outside to collect and store the runoff from the house roof.

The cistern along with the rainwater barrel usually provided enough soft water for laundry, etc. -- provided we were careful. Just outside the front door was the fresh water well supplied with a good old-fashioned iron pump. This well not only supplied us with a plentiful supply of potable, cool water, but also provided a facility for deep cooling in the summer months for things that had to be kept cooler than was possible in the cellar. Yes, my folks did have running water. It was frequently the job of one of us boys to "run for a pail of water", when needed.

So John and Polly were settling down to their remodeled lives in their remodeled home. As has already been shown, John was, indeed, quite versatile with many things mechanical. Polly seemed to fit into this new situation, proving herself not only to be an excellent housekeeper, cook and eventually loving Mother, but was, as well, a versatile farm hand. In time she was able to make allowances for the duality of command in the kitchen and found that this Sister-in-law was often a very useful helper, as well as a very nice person. In fact, this Sister-in-law was a necessary part of the household when Ma and Pa started being Ma and Pa.