Edna Stubbert’s husband Vern Jordan enjoyed his summer vacation trips to Cape Breton. There are two events that happened to Vernon in Cape Breton that come to mind when I think of him..

Vern always looked forward to staying at Aunt Julia’s (LeBlanc) in Margaree. The room he stayed in had a tin roof and Vern really enjoyed hearing the rain dance on it. One year Aunt Julia had renovations done on the house and guess what? She had that tin roof replaced. Vern never really got over that. He constantly talked about it.

The other event brings tears to my eyes even today after all these years.

Standing on the front stoop of Uncle Rory’s (Rankin) home at the Banks, Vern looked across the field to where his new car sat. It was the first new car he had purchased in years and he was planning to wash the ocean spray off it but hadn’t had a chance to do it yet.

A crunching noise brought fear into Vernon’s eyes. There next to his car stood an old grey mare chewing on the fender of the beautiful car. In a panic Vernon chased after the horse but alas it was too late. There for all to see were large teeth marks in the bare metal left clean of paint by the teeth of the old grey mare.

“How am I going to explain this to the insurance company? They won’t believe a horse chewed my car!� Vernon swore.

Uncle Rory stood quietly in the bright sunlight a broad smile covering his strong face.

No, he thought, they won’t. Who in their right mind would?

• Vern Jordan: husband of Edna Stubbert
• Edna: daughter of Jack Stubbert and Mary Rankin; Mary was the sister of Annie Belle Rankin, wife of Jack D Macdonald
• Aunt Julia: Julia Stubbert, sister of Jack Stubbert
• Uncle Rory: Rory Rankin, brother of Mary Rankin and Annie Belle Rankin

While living in Nova Scotia, I got to know family I had only heard about. One time when I was out visiting Aunt Billie, we were talking about weddings and Anniversaries, and the way things were done and the way things were celebrated. Aunt Greet & Uncle Hughie were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. I could not go to Detroit [where they lived]; some of the other family was going.

I said to Billie, “You know, it would be great when Greet and Hughie come home this summer if we had a surprise for them. We could have a party and invite people they haven’t seen for years. We could have it at my place.” We knew we probably could not outdo the Detroit gang but it would be fun nonetheless.

With the support of Billie and her family, and of course my family, I pitched the idea to our cousin Kay Stubbert who lives in Timberlea. We put our heads together. Kay was a great one for parties, and she got contacts for people she knew in the area who knew Greet and Hughie. I enlisted the help of Danny’s daughter Jane Webber (that is a whole other story) and Janice Ferguson to give me the names and addresses of the Ferguson relatives in the area. I started calling people and sounding much like a telemarketer explained who I was and how I fit in the Ferguson crew, and invited all kinds of people I never met before to my house on an August afternoon to celebrate Greet and Hughie’s 50th anniversary.

Kay Stubbert enlisted the help of her sisters who were home visiting. Anna came from Vancouver, Evelyn Stubbert, myself, and Kay (MacKinnon – Stubbert married to Ambrose Stubbert). I don’t think Edna was home this time; I know she was home for the August party the year before. We made lobster sandwiches, egg sandwiches, tuna sandwiches, we had vegetables and dip, cheese — tons of food. We had a cake, tea, coffee, the works, and the people came, and it was a tribute to Hughie and Greet like no other.

Cyril Sampson got a piano and Kevin and Theresa [Macdonald]’s daughter Marie played a few tunes for us. We had music, but it was difficult to hear the music over the talking.

Alan MacKenzie (piper with the 78th Highlanders Citadel Halifax –- My son Coady was instructed by and played with Alan), stopped by late in the afternoon on his way home from teaching at the Gaelic College in C.B. to play a few tunes and the guests were entertained by Anne Marie (my oldest daughter) and Kevin and Theresa’s daughter Marie with a couple of dance numbers.

The funniest thing was when Aunt Greet came up the stairs and the place is blocked, she stops on the stairs and looks at the people.

She had that look that said, “I know all you people, but what are you doing in this house.� They had a marvelous time.

One of Uncle Hughie’s nieces still owes me Rocky Road Squares; I have to find the paper to remember her name.

Aunt Billie: Billie Macdonald, sister of Julene’s mother Edith Macdonald
Aunt Greeet: Greet Macdonald, Billie’s sister
Uncle Hughie: Hughie Ferguson, Greet’s husband
Kevin and Theresa: Kevin Macdonald and his wife; Kevin is the son of Charlie Macdonald, brother of Billie, Edith, and Greet
Marie: Marie Macdonald, daughter of Kevin and Theresa
Kay Stubbert: wife of Cyril Sampson; cousin of Greet, Billie, and Edith
Evelyn Stubbert: Kay’s sister, married to Greg Mullins
Kay MacKinnon: wife of Ambrose Stubbert, Kay’s brother
Anna: another sister of Kay and Evelyn
Edna: another sister of Kay and Evelyn

Danny: Danny Ferguson, Hughie’s brother
Jane Webber: married name of Jane Ferguson, Danny’s daughter
Janice Ferguson: daughter of Hughie’s brother Johnny

Coady: Coady Summerfield, son of Julene Coady and Everett Summerfield
Anne Marie: Anne Marie Summerfield, daughter of Julene Coady and Everett Summerfield