The Milk Cartage Business

In the early 1900s, the milk cartage business relied heavily on horse-drawn delivery wagons and large metal churns. Local dairies sent milkmen, like my great-grandfather, on daily pre-dawn routes to supply fresh milk, often before breakfast, serving as an essential community service before modern home refrigeration was widespread.

The horses were often highly trained, learning all the regular stops and walking alongside the milkman automatically. Early electric and motorized delivery trucks started appearing in the 1910s, though horse-drawn wagons remained the backbone of delivery operations well into the mid-20th century.

Up until the early 1900s, milkmen frequently dipped milk directly from large barrels or churns into pails and jars brought out by residents. Glass bottles with cardboard caps gradually became the industry standard in major urban centers. When bottled milk became the means of delivery, many houses had a small opening in the wall of the house with a latched door on each side, and this is where the milkman left your order.

I remember one time, when my father accidentally locked himself out of the house, that he lowered me feet first into the house via the milk box so I could unlock the door from inside. That milk box door inside is locked with a bolt lock now. It’s a different world than it was.

Do you remember getting milk delivery when you were young? I do. Let me know if you remember that too.

My Great-Grandfather - David Franklin Middleton

While perusing the old archives of my local newspaper, I came across this obituary for my great-grandfather. It details a lot about his life, things I never knew. Here it is in its’ entirety, as well as a photo of him as a young man (not in the newspaper obituary)…

OBITUARY – Richmond Hill Liberal - September 25, 1947 - page 3

DAVID F. MIDDLETON: Carrville community sustained a deep loss in the death of David F. (Franklin) Middleton on Friday, September 19th in his 71st year. Mr. Middleton was born in 1877 in Pickering township but his parents dying at an early age he went to live with his uncle, George Topper of Humber Summit, Vaughan township.

In 1900 he married Sebbie Rowntree who predeceased him by seven months. They resided at Thistletown where Mr. Middleton was engaged in the milk cartage business, later farming in the Weston Thistletown district. In 1921 he purchased the Shell farm on concession 2, Vaughan township where he resided until 1928 when he built his home in Carrville and engaged in market gardening.

Mr. Middleton was a great lacrosse enthusiast and was a lifelong supporter and promoter of the national game, first at Weston, and later at Richmond Hill and district. He was a staunch supporter of the church, being a former member of Humber Summit Congregational Church, later transferring to Carrville United Church where he served as steward and elder.

Mr. Middleton was a Conservative in politics and a member of the I.O.O.F. (Independent Order of Odd Fellows). Surviving are one son Robert of Carrville, and two daughters, Mrs. J. Oliver (Sadie) of Mill Road and Mrs. J. Barton (Myra) of Carrville, three sisters, Mrs. White of Moose Jaw, Sask.; Mrs. Stonehouse of Reston, Man., and Mrs. Adamson of Ernfold, Sask., and one brother, Mr. Fred Middleton of Thistletown, also seven grandchildren.

Services were held in Carrville United Church Monday, September 22, Rev. Dr. J. S. Duncan, assisted by Rev. Kent, officiating. Pallbearers were Ernest Bone, Frank Scott, Dean Wilson, William Stott, Elmer Middleton, Robert Wilson.

I posted a previous blog post about my great-grandparents that you can check out (here). The one major discrepancy is the year of their marriage which official records list as 1901. Since I never met him as he was gone long before I was born, it put a real 'picture' of his life in my view.

40 Words

I recently found this list of 40 words that most English speakers do not know. As I looked over the list, I tried to think about how many I knew or knew of and how many I had actually ever used.

Take a look at the list below...

How many are you familiar with? For me, I honestly have to say only about 12 of the words seem familiar to me, and at least one I've used to represent something other than it's real meaning. I will attempt to get acquainted with them all and try to incorporate them into my daily conversations somehow. Wish me luck!

More Junk Journal Questions

Can junk journals have a theme? Absolutely, you can make them for any theme or event you choose. Some examples: Christmas, Halloween, a family vacation, a recipe log, an art journal, your sewing projects, inspirational quotes, etc. The list is only limited by your imagination. Or like my personal journal, it can be totally random. You get to choose what works for you.

What size are junk journals? Well, they can be any size you want, big or small, from 2" X 3" to 9" X 12" or anything in between. They can have only one signature or multiple signatures. And before you ask, a signature is a stack of papers folded in half and nested together to form a single "section" of a journal. They are then stitched into the journal's spine to build the complete journal. My personal journal is a single signature, about 5.5" X 9".

Do you have to use only recycled, repurposed, and secondhand materials? This is where the definition of ‘junk journal’ runs into varied opinions. Some say that a journal only qualifies for the distinction if it is made exclusively with recycled, repurposed, and secondhand materials. This question has been much debated in the crafting community. And I'm sure the debate will continue.

However, the term is often associated with any handmade journal, even if new papers, printed digitals and scrapbook papers are used. In my experience, most handmade journals are a combination of new and used paper & ephemera. At the end of the day, if you want to call it a junk journal, that’s what it is. If you simply want to call it a handmade journal, that’s okay too.

Into My Personal Junk Journal

Ask any ten people what a ‘junk journal’ is and you will likely get ten variations of the same answer. Very loosely, a junk journal is a handmade book made from recycled, repurposed, and secondhand materials like old book pages, envelopes, greeting cards, and grocery bags. It serves as a creative canvas for memory-keeping, art, and emotional expression without strict formatting or rules deriving ideas, styles, or tastes from a broad and diverse range of sources. In other words, it can be whatever you want it to be.

I made mine a couple of years ago. I added to it quite consistently for the first few months then it was set aside as other projects took precedence. I have recently got back to it and have added quite a lot in the last couple of weeks. But what types of things have I been adding, you ask?

The tags from my new slippers, my new business card, stickers from fruit and vegetables I’ve purchased, tags from my new nightgowns, a receipt for breakfast with a friend, and the veterinarians’ business card are a few of the newest inclusions. Any paper that crosses my path and has a story behind it is potential ephemera for my journal.

Some people like to write in their journals, add photos of their adventures, or simply use the pages as a canvas to try out a new techniques and materials. Whatever you choose to do in your personal journal is correct. There is not a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to use them. Do you have a journal? If so, tell me what fills the pages of yours.

NOTE: If you want to preserve a receipt printed on that thermal paper, photocopy it to put in your journal. Eventually the print fades on thermal paper and you are left with a blank piece of paper.

Tree Pendants

My de-cluttering project is yielding some interesting treasures. I’m finding all kinds of things I’d forgotten about over the years. These tree pendants were an experiment in abstract art that never made it to a vending table.

So, I asked a friend who is attending an event in August if he could try to sell them for me. They need to find a good home and not be hidden away in a drawer, forgotten and lost. I hope they bring joy to their new owners.

I wonder what other treasures I will find along the way? The quest continues...

Knitting Needles Galore

Imagine, if you are able, the most avid knitter you can picture in your mind. She would be someone whose life revolves around knitting every single day. Her social life and relationships are only intrusions into her knitting time. Do you have that image in your mind?

Would even such a dedicated knitter require the number of knitting needles that I found in my house today? It took me over an hour to sort and match these things, carefully holding each set together with dental elastics at both ends.

And this is not all of them! I have sixteen singles without mates, several sets of double pointed needles (different sizes) and three circular needles. And I have not done any knitting for years. I seriously need to downsize a lot of them. It’s a bit ridiculous to hang onto so many, right?

EDIT: I forgot to mention the half dozen crochet hooks I found. And I cannot even crochet!

Forgotten Souls

Have you ever come across old photos in family albums, or in antique stores, and wondered who they are? The photo below was found in a box of old photos from my grandmother.

On the front, it is dated August 1959 (that is when it was printed) but on the back in pencil it says ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith, May 1942’. I have no idea who they are or how they fit into our family story. And the only person left that I thought might know does not. I wish there was a way to find out. It is sad that they are forgotten souls who may have played a pivotal part in my family history. But I may never uncover their identities or stories.

The next photo, I found in the most unlikely place; in a book purchased at a thrift store. It appears to be a picture of a grandfather, father and two sons. My guess it is from the 1940s. Perhaps that is a photo taken before those young men went off to war. It makes me wonder if they ever came back or if they were casualties of a horrific conflict.

And this photo which may have been the only one they had is lost to the family forever, as I have no way to identify or trace them. But let's take a moment to look at their faces and remember there is a story behind them. Even if we don't know their names, they were important.

Tablet Weaving

For many years, I attended events across southern and south-western Ontario with a medieval re-enactment group. I met a lot of wonderful people and learned a lot along the way. One of those skills was tablet weaving. I purchased an inkle loom, eventually a second smaller one also, and started making braided trim. I even sold some on Etsy and at events where my SO at the time was a vendor.

I’m no longer physically able to attend events like that and my craft interests have moved to other areas. I have not picked up the looms for many, many years now. It is time to find someone to pass them on to, along with the massive stash of crochet cotton I purchased to use with them.

Sometimes de-cluttering is easier than at other times. This is a tough one for me as I really enjoyed tablet weaving. Realistically though, I cannot see myself picking up the craft again, so there is no longer a reason to hold onto the inkle looms. I will find them a good home.

Attachments and More

My new/old vintage sewing machine came with several attachments. The largest one I knew was a ruffler (used to create perfectly spaced pleats and gathers) as my mother had one just like it for her machine. The other ones we had to do some research on. The attachment with the long arms is for doing pin tucks (narrow, stitched folds of fabric primarily used as a decorative detail to add texture, structure, or subtle volume to clothing). Two are for doing different types of hems, and for the life of me I cannot remember what the other one is for. To be honest, I’ll likely not use any of them, but it is nice to have them.

See a photo below of the machine the first time I opened the wooden carrier. On the left front side, you can see that one of the supports holding the machine level needed to be glued back in. That was easy enough to do as it was free floating in the bottom of the case. There was a piece of fabric wrapped around the neck with pins in it (mostly rusty). Apparently, this was a common practice back then to do that. The small, locked box on the right side of the carrier is where the attachments were found.

The wooden carrier is in rough shape with lots of dents and scratches. It might be nice to get it sanded and refinished at some point but that’s not a priority right now. There will be some re-wiring required down the road also. One of the cords has some electrical tape wrapped around it but is safe to operate at this time. I will have to find a permanent place to set it up though as it is a VERY heavy all metal machine, not something I want to be moving around a lot.

Singer 15-91

A friend recently called me to ask if I was interested in having his mother’s old sewing machine. Him and his wife are downsizing/de-cluttering just like me. I hesitated for a moment (I already have three sewing machines in my house, one an antique) but finally told him that I wanted it.

Am I ever glad that I did. I took it with me when I visited another friend in Ajax this past long weekend because she has several vintage machines herself and I knew she could help me assess and refurbish it. It is a Singer machine, model 15-91. It took a bit of online research to figure that out because we could not find the model number anywhere on the machine. By the serial number we could date it to 1948 which makes it 78 years old!

It was manufactured at the Singer St. John's factory, located in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada, a plant that operated from 1906 to 1986. The factory produced millions of renowned sewing machines (including iconic models like the Featherweight) and employed up to 3,000 workers at its peak.

We were able to find a pdf copy of the original manual online which is a bonus. After we cleaned the machine up a bit (it was very dusty) and oiled all the moving parts, we plugged it in to test it out. It sews like a dream even after laying dormant in storage for many years! I am very happy and can see myself using it a lot.

A Bit of Self-Examination

I thought I’d examine something I mentioned in yesterday’s blog post after a friend brought to my attention that I had never verbalized it before…depression. She asked if I should speak with my doctor about it. I figured it was worth taking a closer look at.

I looked up the definition of clinical depression, and I have highlighted symptoms that may apply to me.

Emotional Symptoms  Feeling sad, empty, hopeless, or numb  Restlessness, irritability, or anxiety  Difficulty concentrating or making decisions  Less interest or participation in activities normally enjoyed  Feelings of guilt or worthlessness  Repeated thoughts of death or suicide

Physical Symptoms  Low energy and feeling tired all the time  Changes in appetite or weight (eating more / less)  Change in sleep pattern (sleeping more / less)  Increased use of drugs or alcohol  Self destructive behavior, loss of control, or uncontrolled rage  May include headaches, aches, pains, digestive problems, dizziness

Depression can often be triggered by very stressful life situations such as:  A move  Divorce  Social isolation  Relationship conflict  The death of a loved one  Financial difficulties / Job loss  Demanding work / Stressful workplace  Health issues, especially a chronic health problem

Most of the highlighted issues stem from chronic health problems…pain, lack of mobility, etc. It has forced social isolation since I’m unable to get out as I used to. It is the reason for the low energy and feeling tired all the time too. I don’t have less interest in activities I used to enjoy but definitely have been participating less at times. So yes, it does make me a little sad but it does not dominate my life. For now, I think medical intervention is not needed but I will keep monitoring myself moving forward. And I'm sure my friend will too.

Things I Should Have Done

There are a lot of things I 'should' have done this month.

• Spend more time at my craft table. • Moved my de-clutter project ahead more. • Wrote some blog posts. • Spend less time watching mindless videos on YouTube. But I did not. Why not, you ask?

I can give you a whole litany of excuses (real or imagined). I could blame the weather, pain levels, lack of time, no motivation, procrastination, depression, etc. And while all that is true to a degree, I feel like I should have tried harder. But I honestly had no desire to 'push' myself on those difficult days and there have been many of those this month. I will have to make more of an effort next month. I know I've said that before and failed. Here's hoping next month is different.

What Did I Find?

Wow, it’s worse than I thought. Turns out there was more than just craft supplies in that box under my coffee table. Actually, there was hardly any craft supplies in that box at all.

Here’s what I found. • A receipt for work done on my car in 2021 • A paystub from the same time period • EMPTY envelopes that I’d received something in years ago • A CAA magazine from 2020 • A binder of Halloween ATCs that I’d been looking for • Scrap papers only good for recycling or shredding • Some Halloween ephemera and stickers • A couple of recipes that I cannot imagine ever making • Instructions for beaded and chainmail necklaces I will never make • A few greeting cards • Old junk mail • Two small stationary sets with pretty papers and matching envelopes • Covid vaccine certificates

It looks like I was trying to 'hide things under the rug'. A pile of stuff on my coffee table that I didn't want to deal with at the time. I must have swept it all into a box and hid it under the table. I HAVE to deal with it now.

There are just a few items from the box that I still have to decide their fate. A lot of the paper went into the recycling bin. The paper with personal information on was shredded. A bunch of stuff went straight to the trash can. The Halloween ephemera, stickers and ATCs were put in the appropriate places. It goes to show me that I should not put off until tomorrow what should be done today or it will come back to haunt me years later.