Sunday, January 20, 2019

Through the bridge to Grandma's house.


 When I was a child, almost every Sunday afternoon we went to Grandma's house, Grandpa was there as well some times but when we were little, Grandma was the star of the show. I remember trying to figure out who she was, it was like having another mom only older, more patient and kinder. Plus she had some crazy baking skills unrivalled by anyone on earth. It made total sense to me that she was my mom's mom when I was finally old enough to understand. I have a lot of great memories connected to our Sunday visits.

 Like a story in a book, "Off to Grandma's House", go by the church, past the fields, down the hill, through the covered bridge on our way to Grandma's house. Every week that was our routine. The covered bridge, a local secret, the road is an obscure road mostly used by farmers and summer cottage types. I'm not sure how long it's been there but had the title of being one of the few remaining covered bridges in Canada. Once while in a doctor's office, he saw me staring at his painting of a covered bridge. It was giving to him by the previous elderly doctor who himself, had received it as a gift back in the 60's from a patient. The doctor said to me that no one knows where the bridge is or if it even exist anymore. I told him, "yes it's still there, I know because it's about two miles from my parent's farm", it was the bridge found in my life's story.

Yesterday however that story ended because of the destructive nature of some people. On a cold winter day when everyone was staying off the roads, some piece of garbage set fire to the covered bridge. I can't tell you how sad that made me. A local landmark, a part of our heritage gone forever. It's like we can't have anything nice these days, some idiot has to ruin it for the rest of us. If I had heard that the person or persons got trapped while doing that, I would have no sympathy, I'm so sick of this garbage.

 I have always been worried about something like that happening. There was someone setting covered bridges on fire around here years ago. I was uneasy that some government sites started advertising the bridge as a tourist attraction. I think what saved it for all these years was the obscure road it serviced. Only a few weeks ago I passed through it and was going to take pictures with my phone and blog about it. I changed my mind and felt I should return with my camera for better shots. I regret that so much now. It's also unsettling that there is someone so destructive like that around. Sometimes they start with bridges, then houses closed up for the winter, then barns. The thing that drives me crazy as well is, if they catch the person who did it and they are local, ninety nine percent of the time that person's parents were scum when they were young as well, generations of idiots and they will get off with a slap on the wrist.

 I feel sorry for the residents on the far side, many will have to travel far to get to work. Many farmers have farm land on both sides, making them have to travel for hours with machinery this summer. It will probably take a couple of years before a new bridge is built because it's not a main through way, it will have a low priority on the construction list but definitely one thing for sure... it won't be a covered bridge, it will be a modern, functional bridge that you won't even notice crossing.

21 comments:

Deedles said...

I'm so sorry, sweetie! This made me so sad. HUGS.

anne marie in philly said...

string that fire-starting bastard up IN PUBLIC!

Michael said...

Steven, This is really sad to hear. The world is filled with idiots, even in wonderful Canada. As always, you painted a beautiful picture with your words. I can actually visualize what it looked like...maybe it is because I grew up in Northern NY.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

What a shame! Another piece of history gone.

Mistress Maddie said...

What a bunch of assholes!!! I'm like Bob, some days I just can not stand people. If I were some kind of god, I always say most humans would have been exterminated by now. Rest assure I'm not. I have a covered bridge just up the road from me, and it was just persevered. It too is an old one, one of five here in Bucks County. It is quite lovely in the fall with the foliage.

And a hint...I always travel everywhere with a camera. A good new reporter friend once told me that. You never know when you may need it to capture a good in the moment picture or to capture something happening.

Willym said...

There is such a history of this in the Valley I really don't understand. I remember when the Wakefield Bridge burned down (that may not be the right name for it?) and the lovely Roman church in Aylmer. All arson, they never did catch the arsonists or probably didn't want to. Here on PEI there is a tradition on All Hallow's Eve of setting fire to abandoned barns and farm houses. The attitude seems to be - ah well nobody lived there anyway. Forget that it may actually be someone's home and heritage. And it is mostly Yahoos doing that sort of thing - good old boys!

I am truly sorry, and angry, that this has happened in your neck of the woods.

Harry Hamid said...

That's terrible. It's tough to have a sense of place. Things get torn down for the sake of money and innovation, and those that don't have something like this happen.

Old Lurker said...

It's so easy to take those little country bridges for granted until they are gone and you can't cross the dinky little creek any more.

Ur-spo said...

Yes it is sad.
I am glad you have the memories which shan't burn away

Sooo-this-is-me said...

Thanks Deedles, the whole area is upset by this.

Sooo-this-is-me said...

Anne Marie, you always seem to say what I'm thinking!

Sooo-this-is-me said...

Michael, they are saying it was built in 1923, stupid people, just a few years shy of its 100 years mark. :(

Sooo-this-is-me said...

Debra, a piece of history and a piece of "my" history, it's amazing to think that my parents, grandparents and great grandparents all used that same bridge.

Sooo-this-is-me said...

Bob, stupid is one of the nicer descriptions for that type of person.

Sooo-this-is-me said...

Maddie, it's sad when you have to design everything so as not to "trigger" the idiots in society.

Good tip about having a camera at hand.

Sooo-this-is-me said...

William, the Wakefield bridge was its pet name the real name was Gendron. Someone tried to burn it down a couple of times, they finally succeeded by setting a car on fire on the bridge, I don't think they ever found out who it was.

Sooo-this-is-me said...

Harry, it feels like someone took away an old friend or like they burned an old family photo album that connected us with the past.

Sooo-this-is-me said...

Old Lurker, true but a bridge like this was a landmark as well, part of the history of the area. The creek was wide enough but a tall man could walk through during summer and probably not get his shirt wet, however the ravine that held the creek is not dinky so there is no getting around it.

Sooo-this-is-me said...

Dr Spo, another chip broken out of the plate. Some day the plate will smash and nothing will be left but a faded spot where the plate sat.

Richard said...

What a shame.

Sooo-this-is-me said...

Richard it made me sad but I'm trying to find out more, I heard some disturbing rumors.