(7:30) I had to answer the phone of course. (In response to the question, “What were some of your different roles as a warden’s wife?”) People would sometimes want directions, as to where a certain lake was or whatever and Ed would be away. So I would have to answer those questions. I wasn’t too familiar (with the trails) actually for a while. No, not if it was business, should I say. (In response to the question, “Would you and the boys sometimes go out into the district with Ed?”) Yes they were. (In response to the comment “They (Parks) were quite strict about things.)
(8:14) After Bow Summit we spent one winter in town (Banff). It was in one of Stan Peyto’s houses on Muskrat Street I think. Stan Peyto was very nice to us. He was very helpful. He found us accommodation…Then it was out to Stoney Creek. I still have a picture, black and white of our little Mike and Stan Peyto’s son. They were about the same age making a snowman. Which of course you couldn’t do in England.
Ed checking an old patrol cabin. Halle Flygare photo
(9:09) It was more like a little house. (In response to the question, “Was the Stoney cabin quite different from the Bow Summit?”) It was not log. And of course, it did not have all the facilities either, no electricity, no piped in water. But beautiful water from the creek made beautiful tea! It did, it was wonderful water. And there was lots of buckets of water for wash day. Sometimes I would carry the buckets, but I wouldn’t fill them. Doing the wash on a scrub board…yep that’s right. (Dorothy would have to wash all the cloth diapers.) Well, with a young one I did a wash at least twice a week. (In response to the question, “How often would you do the wash?”) You couldn’t do it every day it was just too much (to heat up the water on a wood stove). It was the same thing on bath night. That was quite an occasion too! We used to take turns. The bathtub was hanging on the wall, it wasn’t as long as a regular tub. You had to sit and get your back washed. So the baby would go first and then it was my turn, it was like a little sponge down and Ed would wash my back etc. Then it was Ed’s turn and then (tongue in cheek) we would do the dishes! You had to be very economical with your water. Everything had to be hauled up from the creek. The dishes had to be done too. We couldn’t afford to pile them up because there wasn’t the room. There was no room. It is a very small kitchen at Stony Creek.
(11:29) I had taken a Robin Hood Cookbook and I still have it. (In response to the comment, “You learned to cook on a wood stove?”) It is very tattered and torn. But that was the recipe I used to learn to bake bread. Step by step I had to do that. I had never baked bread in my life. I don’t think many people in England did because it used to be delivered by horse and cart, the old work horses and they brought it right to your door. Yes, definitely, even at Castle Mountain too. (In response to the question, “So at Bow Summit and Stoney Creek you baked your own bread?”)
(12:13) YES! (In response to the question, “Did you enjoy your time at Stoney Creek?”) It took one winter to do that though. The first winter was tough. It really was, especially when Ed was away on a ski school or a climbing school. We certainly weren’t allowed to go to that that was for sure! So we were left by ourselves that would be Mike, and I. Then Terry was born when we were out there. They brought me into (warden) Frank Bryant and his wife’s home. I stayed with them two weeks ahead of time and then Terry was born in November. Then it was back to the bush with my baby!
Ed and Dorothy at Mt. Eisenhower
(13:36) Oh yes, definitely! (In response to the comment, “I remember you told me once, that the radio was very important when you were in the backcountry.”) And sometimes I would get on the phone to try and get another warden’s wife and we would have a nice chat. We couldn’t chat very long in case the wardens wanted to use it. When the phone rang – I think it was two longs and a short when we were at Stoney Creek – but even if it was a long and a short and a long you answered it to listen in!
(14:19) Definitely that was very important! (In response to the comment, “I remember you said that Ed always had to have batteries for the radio.”) The radio was very important to me, it really was. Just to hear another voice and some music…Yes I did (also had my typewriter in the backcountry). And I did my exercises on the wooden floor. Especially at Bow Summit. I got a little homesick at Bow Summit. I belonged to an exercise group called the Women’s League of Exercise and Beauty…I think it helped because I did it a long time before I came to Canada (In response to the comment, “That must be why you are in such good shape now.” ) So that is why I was desperate to get on the floor and do some of the stretches and exercises. I can remember sitting there down on the floor when Mike was asleep!
(16:15) I was probably lonely more than bored. (In response to the question, “Were you ever bored out there?”) Actually later on I was never bored, at Eisenhower (Castle) there was always something going on in the warden service like rescues etc., and people dropping in.
(16:41) I looked forward to summertime. I had to learn to ride a horse which was difficult for me because I had never done that in England. I was never at home on a horse. I would rather do exercises on the floor!
