The Gill Net Lodge
SUMMER / FALL 2001

North West Miramichi River

---

This Page Features Notes From
DESCENDANTS OF SAMUEL AND LILLIAN KINGSTON
(And Guests)

---

---

---

---

A Birthday wish to Billy on his big 80.  How is everyone in Wayerton?  All is great in Glencoe, especially enjoying our grand daughter Sara who is 4 months now.

Love, Patty

HI Aunt Patty,

Nice to see you checking in at the Gill Net.  It was great to see Uncle Billy when I was home - all the Kingston's including Uncle Joe were up to the camp for an evening - I took photo's however haven't recieved them back yet.  It was great to see everyone.  We celebrated Dad and Billy's 80th at the same time.  That is something!

There is a whole new generation of kids coming through - you will be up to the test if you can track their birthday's as well as you do with mine and your generation!

Just in this evening from a 5 hour, 50 minute flight from San Diego to New York.  6'9" frames are not made to sit in airplanes for so long..:)

Hi to everyone in your "neck of the woods".  John

Just returned from Wayerton and Dad's 80th.  Bill and Monica and Carmel and Don came by for a visit.  Your parents look great, John...hard to believe those guys are 80 but then again it's hard to believe I'm 50....Aunt Bernadette called as well.

Patty, you do a great job of keeping track...you will have to submit a list to this page so that everyone can have it on file.  The air is beginning to lose some of its humidity and there is a hint of fall in the air but still lovely, lovely days...rain would still be great in this neck of the woods.

Take care and love to all,
Brenda

Hello - here goes!

September 1 st -  Bill & Monica Vickers wedding anniversary.  September 2nd - Brendan Kelly Birthday. September 3rd - Mary Carmel (SULLIVAN) McAlpine Birthday.  September 8th, Pat & Bernadette Sullivan Wedding Anniversary.  September 12th - Don & Carmel wedding anniversary.  September ?- Brenda (Kingston) McK. Birthday.  September 29th Kevin Vickers Birthday.  September 30th - Carmel Leslie Birthday. Perhaps others will fill in here and there. Patty.

A few more that I know for September:

Ken Kingston -- September 7th
Tommy Kingston -- September 23rd (I think)
Al & Eleanor's Anniversary - September 24th
ME -- September 28th
Ann & Nick Napke have an anniversary this month as well around Mom & Dad's, but I am unsure of the date.  I think Ann has a birthday this month as well (?)

Hi everyone,

The kids are back at school!  Carolyn(12) started middle school yesterday (Grade 7) and Emily started Grade 4.  I am going to be substituting this year as well as working part-time at Headstart.   My year starts Tuesday.  We had a great summer--Theresa came to visit, went to Vancouver to visit, and the Grand Finale-- Yellowstone with John, Heather, and family.  It was so spectacular- buffalos in the road, a lakeview with a moon growing bigger everyday from our campsite, Little Grand Canyon, geysers, and of course Old Faithful.  We also went to Seattle last weekend to see a Mariners game- they won!  Go Mariners!!!

On the birthday trail: it is Anne Marie's birhtday on the 18th.  I can't believe Tom is turning 40 this year, because that would make me really old!!  Hope everyone is well and has a great year.

Hello people,

After two months, 9 hours and 6 minutes, I believe our humidity has broken and you can go outside here and not feel you are standing beside a 350* oven with the door open..:)  The biggest benefit is not having to live with air conditioning 24-hours a day.  I always thought you had to go further south before encountering this type of steady heat.  It's gross.

Flying off the Indianapolis, Indiana this evening (where ever that is) for a convention.  Have also opted to return home for a fall flyfish on the Northwest in October - soo exciting!  I hear you can actually catch one that time of year..:)

Bye, John

Hi Everyone:

Has anyone heard from John Vickers? Please post if you know how he is.

Best, JoAnn

Hello John, are you O.K.?  Isn't it terrible?  What kind of minds have people got?  Mary W. are any of these happenings near you?  Give us a hello soon.

Love Patty

Hi All,

Safe and sound here.  When the first plane crashed, I was struck in traffic about half an hour from Manhatten - I am now of the view that traffic jams can be a good thing.  It took me about four hours to get turned around amidst all the chaos.

It's very sad here, people are crying and many are worried about loved ones.  My sales administrator's sister works in the Trade Center and she has no clue as to her whereabouts at the moment.  To see the cloudy New York skyline leaves the impression it is under a massive fire.

Canada has been on the news here for offering to accept arrival of U.S. flights looking for a place to land.  God Bless America.

John V

Our administrator's sister escaped after the first crash and was able to run out of the area without getting hurt.  She ended up staying at a friends home and had no way to contact family as many phones are down.

Phones are still screwed up, cells usually don't work and at the office incoming calls come in however outbound calls don't work.  I called to inquire about repair and was informed our phone system network was located in the World Trade Center.

Saw a fleet of ambulances travelling along an interstate towards NYC...27 of them in a row, lights flashing, driving the speed limit, a very somber scene.

US Flags have appeared in the front yards of almost every house in my neighborhood.

So many stories, one of a guy who happily found out his brother made it out of the World Trade Center alive only to discover moments later his sister and her daughter were on a Boston plane that crashed into the Trade Center.

People are very upset.

John Vickers -- Thank God -- you are safe.  I checked in with my parents on Tuesday to make sure.  I have been overwhelmed with sadness about how my veiw of the world and safety has changed.  I find it difficult to tear myself away from the coverage either on TV or CBC radio.  I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop.  Evil is real.

People who have to work at finding surviors are true heros and show how Goodness can still occur. The Canadian response and participation has made me proud to be a Canadian.  My thoughts are with all of you.

Anne Marie

Hi all,

In thinking during the 3 minutes of silence I believe we have to deal with the economic disparity of the world, educate our children and the children of the world positive solutions, to stand up and express our veiw that violence is not okay for anyone, create a true universe of peace, provide everyone the basic necessities of life, elminate emtional injury and attempt to be a role model for others.

Send out postive energy in every interaction with those you encounter in daily life.  Be real and express your emotions and provide an opportunity to accept understanding from others.  Isolation leads to confusionand human contact decreases it.

Love to you all, and may Peace be with you and the world.

Anne Marie

Before the Canadian memorial service started today, Bronwyn and I went down to our local church and spent a few moments of silence.  There's hope and there is so much good out there....Anne Marie said it all in her e-mail......her sentiments are just so easy to forget when life returns to "normal"....let's all remember that Palestinians, Iraqism, Sudanese and all the peoples of the developing world are human beings, too...pray to a greater Power that our leaders listen when they hear the "Our Father", when they read the Koran, when they take time to reflect and focus on why we are where we are today.....

Love to all,
Brenda

(click to enlarge)

What a terribly sad time in our history.  John Vickers, thank GOD you are alright!  My very best friend from college has lived in Manhattan all her life and has two brothers who are NYC firefighters.  I called her immediately and she's fine.  Her brother Paul retired from the force last year but it was his unit that were among the first to respond.  All his buddies were lost.  Her brother Joseph is down there on the front lines and it is more awful than anyone can imagine.  The bodies and body parts they are finding are in horrible shape and he really doesn't think they will find anyone alive. :-(

Jack and I are still reeling from this unspeakable, senseless tragedy.  I'm at a loss for words.  I know life as we have known it will never be the same and some basic sense of truust and safety has been dashed to bits.  John, I can't imagine what it's like being as close to this tragedy as you are with so many people you know affected.  We will get through this.  We will.  There's a flag flying high on our house.  Every place in the city of Milwaukee is sold out of flags.  So Jack decided to fly the flag that was placed on his father's casket, a WW2 veteran.  I think Jack Sr. would be proud.

A big hug to all of you,
Mary W.

Also wanted to say sorry for being away for so long.  I just kind of got out of the habit of coming here and will try not to let that happen again.  We went hiking this afternoon and while walking through the woods, I suddenly stopped dead in my tracks and said "JACK!  John Vickers lives in NYC!!!!!!"  It had totally slipped my mind or I never made the connection or I don't know...I'm kind of brain dead these days. :-)  Anyway, I jumped right on the Gill Net when I got home and was so glad to see everyone is okay.

George and Nancy had a wonderful time up there and conveyed many warm wishes from my Canadian relatives.  Thank you!  Please hug everyone for me who is not online...especially Uncle Billy!  I'll close by including something my friend Connie sent me (the friend mentioned in my previous post), knowing my mother was Canadian. Thank you Canada.  You are and always have been such a great friend to the USA.  I don't know that we're all as wonderful and un-selfserving as this guy purports but it's sure nice to know you think so. :-)

TRIBUTE TO THE UNITED STATES

This, from a Canadian newspaper, is worth sharing:

America: The Good Neighbor.

Widespread but only partial news coverage was given recently to a remarkable editorial broadcast from Toronto by Gordon Sinclair, a Canadian television Commentator.  What follows is the full text of his trenchant remarks as printed in the Congressional Record:

"This Canadian thinks it is time to speak up for the Americans as the most generous and possibly the  least appreciated people on all the earth. Germany, Japan and, to a lesser extent, Britain and Italy were lifted out of the debris of war by the Americans who poured in billions of dollars and forgave other billions in debts.   None of these countries is today paying even the interest on its remaining debts to the United States.  When France was in danger of collapsing in 1956, it was the Americans who propped it up, and their reward was to be insulted and swindled on the streets of Paris.  I was there.  I saw it.

When earthquakes hit distant cities, it is the United States that hurries in to help.  This spring, 59 American communities were flattened by tornadoes.  Nobody helped.  The Marshall Plan and the Truman Policy pumped billions of dollars into discouraged countries.  Now newspapers in those countries are writing about the decadent, warmongering Americans.   I'd like to see just one of those countries that is gloating over the erosion of the United States dollar build its own airplane.  Does any other country in the world have a plane to equal the Boeing Jumbo Jet, the Lockheed Tri-Star, or the Douglas DC10?

If so, why don't they fly them?  Why do all the International lines except Russia fly American
planes?  Why does no other land on earth even consider putting a man or woman on the moon? You talk about Japanese technocracy, and you get radios.  You talk about German technocracy, and you get automobiles.  You talk about American technocracy, and you find men on the moon - not once, but several times - and safely home again.

You talk about scandals, and the Americans put theirs right in the store window for everybody to
look at. Even their draft-dodgers are not pursued and hounded.  They are here on our streets, and most of them, unless they are breaking Canadian laws, are getting American dollars from ma and pa at home to spend here.

When the railways of France, Germany and India were breaking down through age, it was the Americans who rebuilt them.  When the Pennsylvania Railroad and the > New York Central went broke, nobody loaned them an old caboose.  Both are still broke.

I can name you 5000 times when the Americans raced to the help of other people in trouble.  Can you name me even one time when someone else raced to the Americans in trouble?  I don't think there was outside help even during the San Francisco earthquake.

Our neighbors have faced it alone, and I'm one Canadian who is damned tired of hearing them get
kicked around.  They will come out of this thing with their flag high.  And when they do, they are
entitled to thumb their nose at the lands that are gloating over their present troubles.  I hope Canada
is not one of those." !

Stand proud, America! Wear it proudly!!

Welcome Mary!  Nice to have you visit us.  It is absolutely amazing how that Gordon Sinclair letter is getting around here in this area.  The other morning at work someone left a copy on my desk.  I went to a cocktail party on Saturday night and someone walked up and said, "You're from Canada, aren't you?"  I said yes.  He proceeded to pass me the above letter and told me it was great to have a neighbor like Canada.   I was at lunch today and someone else said they had read a "great letter" written by a Sinclair guy from Canada.

The letter was written many years ago and Gordon Sinclair has since passed away a while ago.  It is great to see these words continue to mean so much, particularly at a time of crisis.  I believe a Parisian woman interviewed on CNN said it best when she said - "We are all Americans when we stand under the shadow of this tragedy."

John V

"We are all Americans when we stand under the shadow of this tragedy."

Aptly said and thanks for sharing, John.  One of the most touching things I've seen is a poster that is displayed in Union Square.  It depicts a NYC firefighter and NYC policeman standing together atop a mound of WTC rubble. The caption reads "New York's other Twin Towers".

I pray this country makes thoughtful and wise decisions in responding to this attack.  The fate of the entire world may well depend on it.  Very scary times.

Mary W.

Wed PM - Further to my notes re:Sinclair letter, I recieved an email labeled important from a Dallas supplier today, opened it and there was the Sinclair letter.  I worked out at my gym tonight and stuck on a wall in the lockroom was the Sinclair letter..whew! JV

Hi all,

I just spent my lunch hour discussing the traumatic events in the USA and debating about what is the right thing to do from here.  I tell ya', I can't understand why in 2001 we are still using archaic means of resolving disputes i.e. guns and missiles rather than conflict resolution.  No one wins in war.  There are innocent people, desparate, people living in Afghanistan who will receive the bullets and fire.  The terrorists are in safe havens and could care less about the women and children.  There has to be a better way.  We are suppose to learn from our History lessons what not to do rather than repeat it.

Sunrise, Saturday, September 22nd
Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey

Happy 40th Thomas Kingston!

Monday - I received these yesterday from the far north!  (Canada's war effort following budget cuts)

(Another pumpkin carving season begins again....:) JV

>Monday - I received these yesterday from the far north! (Canada's war effort following budget cuts)<

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!! Too funny, John! Your trip into NYC sounded so sad.  I just can't even imagine.  A friend sent me this and I thought I'd share:

Who am I?  I am no one special.  I'm the little boy that gives up his favorite teddy bear so that a stranger may be comforted.

I'm the single mother who has been trying to teach her child to sleep in their own bed, who holds them tight long into the night, thanking God it wasn't her child that died.

I'm the old man, angry and resentful that his military doesn't want him becauseof his age.

I'm the teenaged girl that spends hours cutting ribbons for others to wear as a symbol of remembrance.

I'm the young man who doesn't understand why his father was running up the stairs as the building fell, trying to save just one more person, instead of saving himself.

I'm the old woman who will never see her grandchild again.  I'm the little girl, playing with her doll, who can't understand when someone screams hateful things at her because of where her family is from.

I'm the police officer, trying to keep idiotic reporters safe, when his wife is still among the missing.  I'm the fire fighter that called in sick that day,only to discover that someone else died in his place.

I'm the man who survived the falling building only to learn that his sister and baby niece were in the plane.  I'm the secretary, angered by the seemingly callous response of those around her.

I'm a spelunker, who is climbing down into the remains of a building, hoping to find someone still alive.   I'm the dog handler, searching for bodies, that has to comfort my animal when only death remains.

I'm the woman who stands in line for five hours in order to give blood, hoping to help strangers in need.  I'm the man who gets up and goes to work every day, in spite of the tragedy, because he still has a family to feed.

I'm the first passenger to get back on a plane, even though I'm terrified, because I know somebody has to be first. Who am I?  I'm nobody special.  I'm just an American.