EAST MEETS WEST, PART TWO

For the last four days we have been in the Niagara Peninsula; orchards, wineries, swimming pools and family. I grew up in this area until I was nine years old. It is my father’s country. Cousins abound and gravestones with the Calder name chiseled into Canadian Shield granite are found in many of the local cemeteries. We moved west to Calgary in 1960 and as an adult I journeyed back to reacquaint myself with these cousins. Over the years I have introduced our daughters to these cousins and they have developed long distance relationships with them as well. We have gone to weddings in Ontario for 2^nd cousins and those same cousins have come west to our weddings.

My cousin’s children have had children and our children have had children and now it is time to introduce this 3^rd generation to each other. Boy what fun we have had. Each night it has been a pool party at a different house. Saturday was the annual Calder Summer Party when this branch of the Calder family gathered to share good times together. It has been going on for over thirty years. This year there were 50 people in attendance. Not all with Calder blood as there are sons and daughters in law and boy and girl friends as well. The family ties continue to grow and deepen and plans have been made for eastern family members to come west to ski and for us to return next year.

GENERATION #1, ALL FIRST COUSINS AND SPOUSES

GENERATION #2 AND SPOUSES

SORRY NO GEN #3….TOO YOUNG