Looking back over my life. I can honestly say the best time of my life was the innocent and tender years before responsibilities.

I truly loved the carefree feeling of hanging out with my friends doing the things I loved. Fishing off a big rock near my childhood home was my absolute favourite thing to do. Today looking at the rock it don't look quite as large. As a small child, I thought it was enormous.

We often caught Branny Tickles  in a little pond behind the house and placed them in a bucket of water so we could count how many we caught. Growing up by the ocean was so much fun.

That was back in the day when you believed in Santa Claus. I wrote my note to Santa. My mom told me to crumple it in a ball and throw it in the stove. From there it would go up the chimney to Santa Claus.

I can remember being filled with excitement and delighted at the thought of Santa magically getting my note, after I put it in the fire. I truly believed he did.

One year I remember getting a baby penny doll for Christmas. Santa Claus brought a baby penny doll and I was over the moon with excitement. So much so, I ran in to show Mom and Daddy what Santa had brought me. The day I found out there was no Santa was a very sad day for me.  I firmly believed in Santa Claus until I was 11 years old.

I had a older brother Calvin who lived in Labrador City at the time. He would send care packages all the time and me and my youngest brother loved to get packages.
Especially at Christmas time. My eyes would sparkle with delight each time we got a package in the mail. Mom would let me open the box and she would sort all the presents.

My brother Luke also went to Labrador City, a little later than Calvin, he would also send packages. That made our Christmas. To this day I still love to receive packages in the mail.

My best memories truly were in the tender years up until 11 years old. One Christmas my brother Luke made two large Christmas stockings out of old material; they were about 4 feet long and he sewed them together by hand. He put our names on them with red thread. Johnny on one and Jo on the other. What a treasure those stockings were and still are. We still have the stockings. They hold such sentimental meaning to me.

We were the two youngest so coming from a family of nine. Me and Johnny tended to be spoiled a bit more than the rest. By the time we came along. Our parents were in a better position to give us things. I'm truly thankful for the sweet memories. Although our parents are no longer with us. Their legacy will forever live on in all of us.