June 30........We have been camping a short distance from the Market square in Ottawa and are taking turns looking after the stalls that we have been assigned there. I took my turn earlier this morning and noted with interest that the main building in the square is the same one that Jill and I have shopped at, except that it is almost new and very clean. Rennie came for me at noon, when Jake and Polly took over for me, and he surprised me by bringing Nell and Ranger. He had also packed up our travelling kits. He decided that he had had enough of crowds for a bit and that we would go on a little trip of our own to the Gatineaus. It will also give Badger a time for running as well. He is used to travelling, and staying in one place gets to him I think. I often see him gazing off into the distance and wonder if he would rather be off hunting. He does go with Rennie on his walks, but I expect it is not the same.
I have to admit that the best times are the ones when we are travelling alone. I really like the people, but it is Rennie that I came to be with. He has finally explained why he goes on his own so often. Many times, when the Roma come to a town, the men are arrested for whatever charge the leading citizens can come up with. This, I remember was the case when they came to my hometown. The charge that time was for loitering and blocking traffic with the wagons, and the men were held for more than a week in the county jail. Because of this, Rennie is cautious about being with the band when they arrive in town. The thought of being shut away terrifies him.
July 4...... One of the things I did as we travelled,was to keep an eye out for the road that Jill lives near and I believe that I did find it. I did an educated guess at the location of the house and buried a small container where I think she will be putting the fish pond. She was talking of putting one in this summer, and had it all mapped out during the winter. Just a little note and a bracelet that Rennie made her. Knowing how she likes daisies, he made a fine chain of them. I do hope she finds it and likes it.
July 5.....We have been talking about many things on this little trip of ours. One of the things that fascinates us both are the time holes or gates or whatever they are. Rennie says he has often run across them in his travels and that they are not as rare as people think. He has never been tempted to go through and I wonder about what Josephina said about having to take Rennie back with me. He tells me that he can often see through them, though rarely does anyone seem to have the ability to see him. That's interesting, as I had no trouble at all going either way. He thinks it is because we are somehow tuned to each other. That's a lovely thought. The gates apparently open to different times and I can't help wondering if anyone gets lost in another time and cannot get back. Or if they do go through,will they end up where they are supposed to be? Or want to be ,for that matter. There are too many questions that no one has the answer for. The very thought of going back to "my time" makes me cringe.
In the evenings Rennie has been busy with his siversmithing, and has given me several silver tatting shuttles to give to the girls who are interested in learning the craft. He has made an especially pretty one to replace the one I brought. It is engraved all over with flowers and while it is heavier than the one I already had, I find it easier to use. The engraving makes it easier to grip and I don't drop the thing as often. I am sure the girls will be happy with theirs and wonder when we will be travelling with them again.
I am not that anxious to rejoin the band......I am having a wonderful time with Rennie. He carries the things that he wants near him in a small pack very similar to the one I take whenever I am to be away from the wagon for more than a day. You can never know when the weather will prevent travel,and make it necessary to hole up for a bit. Not that we couldn't find something interesting to do to pass the time!!!!
July 7......Rennie said this morning that we must rejoin the band today. We have had such a lovely ramble on our own.... quite like a honeymoon indeed. They are not travelling to Toronto the same way they came ..... but instead going back along the lakeshore. That will take us through Kingstown and points east. I am not as familiar with that route, so it should be interesting.There are some absolutely gorgeous homes in Kingstown, and to see them new will be very special. When we get to Toronto, I am planning to go and see if I can find my Grandparents. To meet them as young married couple will be a great treat.
We came upon the wagons just before the evening meal and I was quite surprised that everyone was glad to see us. I had not expected that. Jemmie came running over to show me a basket that he had made all on his own. A couple of the little girls came to tell me that they had taken over the care of the Bantams and that they were doing fine and still laying. Good for them .... children and chickens!!
July 9......We have stopped for a couple of days before getting to Kingstown. Things for sale at the next market have to be gone over and the lists of things to buy. I seem to be an accepted member of the band now, as the ladies have been teaching me about the plants that we pass and they are very proud to be able to show me things. I wish there was something I could do to repay them, but Rennie says not to worry....that they will tell me when there is something I can do.
I asked if they would agree to me teaching the children to read and they were pleased that I would want to. Before Rennie and I caught up with them, I stopped in one of the small towns and bought pencils,writing tablets and a few small children's books just in case it would be alright. The children are very quick, so they shouldn't have much trouble learning to read and write. I can give them little lessons after the meals in the evenings.
I got out my bobbin lace kit,this morning and was disappointed to see that my "good" packing job hadn't been that good. Being tossed around during the ride had tangled the bobbins badly and it took me an hour to get them all sorted out again. Josephina was quite surprised to see the kit and interested in learning how to do it. She said she can remember her grandmother making bobbin lace and was sorry that she had never taken the opportunity to learn it. I'm not that good at it, but I can show her the basics.I only brought a couple of patterns with me since it takes forever to do just a little bit.
Rennie seemed quite interested in the thing too and after asking all kinds of questions about how it all worked went off and a little while later returned with a creation to hold the bobbins in place without tangling while travelling. All it was was a row of hollowed out reeds wrapped in raffia to make a sort of raft. The bobbins fit into the reeds and a slotted piece fits over the threads and fastens to the sides to keep everything in place. Very simple and useful. The man is a wonder at figuring things out. He's a wonder at a lot of other things too. Tomorrow we get to Kingstown. It will be an interesting day.
July 13......This has been a terrible time. Just after we set up camp outside Kingstown, a group of "concerned citizens" arrived with the police in tow, who proceeded to arrest Stephen George, the chief, and drag him off to jail. It wasn't until the next day that we were able to determine the charges as kidnapping. How rediculous that is. The citizens decided that because Stephen's younger children are fair (as their mother,Jenny, is) that they had been kidnapped.!!!
I went into town in search of some legal help and found that I am considered one of "them" and some considerable time was wasted before I found a young lawyer,James Wilson, who was willing to help us. As he is just starting out and has his own office, he is not governed by the will of a partnership. Very lucky for us indeed. He accompanied me back to camp and took the affidavits of the adults, and feels that we will have no trouble in court with the case. I hope he is correct......the case is to go before the judge tomorrow. Jenny and the children have been allowed to stay in camp,provided that we do not make any attempt to leave.
This is the first time that I have come face to face with so much prejudice and it is not at all pleasant. It is one thing to read about it, and there is enough of it even in my own time to be sure, but actually living it is another thing entirely. No wonder the people keep mostly to thenmselves. I think James Wilson suspects that I am not a gypsy. He has not come out and asked me directly, but has commented that I am much better educated than most of the people he knows. Perhaps before we leave I shall tell him part of the story. He has asked that I keep in touch with him after we leave, should the event arise that we are in need of a lawyer again. I expect we shall be leaving as soon as we have Stephen safely back. There seems no point in trying to conduct any kind of market under these conditions.
July 14......Stephen is back home with us safe and sound but very angry, and not without cause. James was so pleased that the case went well, and did not want to take any payment from us. I did ,however, persuade him that he should at least take something for the time he spent on our cause. I am afraid that doing this for free would not be the wisest thing for his career,considering whom he was representing. I am not sure that I realized when I hired him that this would be his first case. If I had, I perhaps would have thought twice. At any rate things turned out just fine for all of us, with the exception that we have been ordered "to vacate the vicinity by noon tomorrow". I am quite sure that none of us are too anxious to stay here any longer than necessary.
Everyone is very quiet tonight. One good thing has come from all this ...... several of the parents came to our wagon tonight and thanked me for helping them out with James. They seemed to think that they would not have been able to get legal help by themselves, and I am not absolutely sure that they are wrong. How awfully helpless they must feel at times. They made me really feel a part of the band for the first time. They also wanted to make sure that I would continue to teach the children at every opportunity. They realize that education is the only way the kids will be able to compete, and with all the travelling they do, the children miss too much school to learn properly. I am thinking though,that it might be a good idea to teach the eldest girls faster and then they could teach the little ones, in the event that Josephina's prediction should come true. I hate thinking along those lines, but I would also hate to leave them wanting more and not be able to get the help they need.
July 19.......We have camped for a few days to regroup, after the experience in Kingstown. There is a small town close by, and to be certain that things would not be repeated, Rennie and I went into town to speak with the mayor. The attitude here is entirely different and we were told to take all the time we needed. That was such a relief. It was a great surprise when a small group of people from the town came out to the camp to enquire whether there was anything we needed. Talk about from one extreme to the other!!! It reminds us that we cannot judge everyone by the experiences in one or two places.
July 22......The past week has been wonderful and we are ready to move on again tomorrow. This afternoon I gave the children their first "exam" and far from being nervous and uptight about it, they were most anxious to show off the things they had learned. What a nice change from the awful feeling I used to get before any kind of test.!! We decided after the first few minutes, to make a game of it and to invite the whole camp. We set up teams and had a good old fashioned spelling bee that carried on into simple math and geography questions. The kids were in their glory and the looks of amazement and pride on the parents faces made us all feel great. I had explained days ago to the two oldest girls that they would be my assistants if they wanted the jobs and they were thrilled to have the challenge. I have often seen them during the past few days with their heads together, and wondered what was afoot, since they always covered the book whenever I wandered by. After the testing was over , and little prizes had been awarded, they stood up before the whole camp and read a little poem that they had written for me. How sweet of them and they did a really good job of it. I am really proud of them........of all the kids. I can't help wondering if this is just the beginning for this generation......they have a taste for learning that I have not seen before, and could really go places if they want to.
August 10......It's my birthday today and Rennie surprised me with the most interesting gift. I do not remember telling him when my birthday was, so it was even more of a surprise. He must have been watching my stuggles with the bobbin lace, for he has made the lovliest set of bobbins for me. They are carved from cherry wood and polished til they shine. The head is a silver bead in the shape of a rose and the weights on the bottoms are also rose beads. I see that he has understood that the necks of my others were not fashioned in such a way that the thread would unwind easily, or the thread would come loose when I was trying to twist the bobbins, and he has made these with a little slot to hold things together. They are heavier than the ones I had and this makes it easier to keep the threads taught.
We've been moving slowly these days. There is no time table to keep and the weather has been quite hot, so if we find ourselves in a really nice camp, then we stay a few days. It gives me some extra time for lessons. I have given the older girls the tatting shuttles that Rennie made for them and they were thrilled. They have caught on to the tatting technique much quicker than I did and are producing some really nice lace. One of the things that has helped also with the children's reading is writing their own little journals. They have always been quite interested in the one I am keeping of my adventures, and I thought it might be a way to encourage them to learn faster. I am not sure why I feel that there will not be enough time. Perhaps I think more of what Josephina told me than I realize. Rosie and Hannah are learning fast and I am confident that they will be able to take over for me. I wish I had read more on the history of these times. I am really limited in the things I can teach......I cannot, of course , say anything about the things I really do know about.
Our evenings are taken up with lessons, music and story telling around the camp fires after the evening meal is over. It's a lovely way to live for the summer at least. No one seems terribly anxious to return to their winter homes near Toronto. I have learned a lot from these people about how to get along in a rather crowded community. The only dark spot is the problem with Jake and Polly that continues to bother me, but by the code of the people I cannot interfer. He is very jealous of any time I spend with Polly , and though we have become friends, I try not to spend a lot of time there, or she with me. Perhaps it is enough for her to know that she has some support in the camp. Jake does not come out-right with his abuse, but it is known never-the-less. Jemmie has continued with his baskets and has progressed to the point where they are selling very well at the markets, and though the money he brings in is a bane to Jake, he does not turn it down.
August 20......We are approaching Oshawa, and are preparing for the large market there. The girls are anxious to see if the lace they have been working on will sell. I think they shall have no problem. I suggested that they try for lengths of trim, rather than a doily or mat that would take more time and only be one thing. Trim can be used in many more ways, and they have done some lovely work.
August 30.......Oshawa is behind us and the market there was a huge success. The girls were so pleased at the sale of their lace and Hannah has made a contract with one of the shop keepers to keep her supplied. Jemmie's baskets were gobbled up as fast as he could put them out. This has given them such an ego boost. Especially Hannah, who drew up the contract and signed it with very little help from me or the shop lady. My lessons are not going to waste for sure. The parents are pleased as well and it all gives the kids incentive to learn as much as they can.
September 4......Summer is winding down, and the nights are getting much colder. No one is in any hurry to reach Toronto and we have decided to camp here for a few days. Inventories are tallied and plans being made for what to do during the winter. Now that there are new crafts to be explored, there are materials to gather in Jemmie's case, and supplies to be bought.
I had an awful shock this evening when Jemmie and I were going over his lists. He asked me if I was going to be staying with them over the winter or if I would be going back to my own time !!!!!! I did not have any idea what to say to him , and finally managed to ask if he knew where I had come from. He said that of course he did and so did all others as well. The children had been made to promise that they would not say anything to me about it. Well...... I had to think about THAT for a bit. I had not thought of where I had come from in some time, and now I have to think again about Josephina's prediction. Horrid thought. I told him that of course I would be staying and he just gave a little smile. I told Rennie about the conversation, and he laughed. I had not realized that everybody was keeping my secret a secret. I guess that means that they like me well enough to want me to stay. I certainly like them enough to want to stay.
September 15......There is something going on with the weather. The last two days have been sweltering and very strange for this time of year. The animals are restless and Badger has been pacing most of the afternoon. He actually growled at me when I told him to go lie down !!! Rennie says a storm is brewing and from the look of the sky he is right. We spent the travel time after the noon meal looking for a good place to camp. If there is to be a storm we need some shelter for the wagons and animals. We have found a place that is protected on one side by a cliff of rock and on the other by a grove of large trees.There is a river near by, though not right in the camp. If there is to be a storm, I hope it will not flood us out. Everyone is sticking close to the camp and trying to make sure that there is nothing loose. The wind is picking up and even that is hot. I hate storms at the best of times and this one looks as though it is going to be bad.
Later........while there was still light, we moved the wagons into the shelter of the rock wall. The wind seems to be coming from that side, at least for now, and we will be able to use the cliff as a break. Jake has chosen to take his wagon to the edge of the forest, saying that the trees will afford more shelter. The others do not agree and several times people have gone over to plead with him to at least let Polly and Jemmie come over to one of our wagons, but he is adamant. All we can do is pray that they will be alright there and that he has made the right choice.
It is almost too dark to write now and I must put this away. The wind is howling and I think we are in for a hurricane. A little while ago, Nell herded Ranger into a bit of a space between our wagon and the cliff. He did not want to go there, but she nipped and bit and didn't give him much choice. It is a measure of the bond the two of them have that he finally followed her in. Badger is under the bunk and refuses to come out even to eat. What do the animals know that we don't!!! The wagon is shaking, and Rennie is ready to put out the lantern. A storm in the dark is definitely NOT my idea of a good time and even with Rennie's arms around me I am afraid. There has just been a tremendous crash that jarred the wagon. The horses screamed and Badger howled and I am really scared. Rennie says a tree has blown against the wagon and we cannot get the door open. I am sure I can hear screams outside and pray that it is the wind. I cannot write any more now.
September 16.......There is only a bit of time to put down what happened last night. This morning we finally, with the help of some of the others, got out of the wagon to see utter destruction. Very few of the wagons escaped damage and two are totally destroyed. The absolute worst is that Jake's wagon is gone altogether along with the family. There are pieces left and the men are organizing a search for the bodies. It must have been a tornado that went through the very camp. The only thing that saved us, I am sure, was the tree that came to rest over our wagon. I have been busy bandaging wounds and caring for some of the folks with broken bones. At that, we got off lucky too......three broken arms and one with a broken leg. Most of the horses are gone.......hopefully to be found shortly. Nell and Ranger are safe, though Nell has a nasty scratch on her back from one of the tree branches. Ranger is very nervous and won't let anyone but Rennie even close to him.
We have organized into two teams......some of the men are to search the wooded area, and I will take one or two of the older children and some of the ladies to search along the river banks. The water is terribly high and running fast, with all kinds of debris being swept along. I don't suppose there is much hope of finding them alive and my heart aches for Polly and Jemmie. I can ride Nell and be able to see farther ahead of the others and can keep my team in sight that way. Badger wants to go with me, but I have made him go with Rennie. His nose will be more useful in the woods where lines of sight are blocked by the fallen trees and underbrush. Only time to pack a few things into my little travel pack. I shall have to finish this later, and can only pray that we can find some sign of the little family. A hurried hug and kiss from Rennie and we are off on our separate searches.
