Author: John A. Ross

Everything at our Sechelt place had been safely put away for the winter. It was a sunny afternoon in late fall. There was plenty of time to catch the next ferry, so I sat for a while on a big boulder down by the water. Leaving Fido Bay closed up…

I remember a night at Sechelt—one so quiet that if a dry leaf had dropped I think I would have heard it. When waves from a boat that passed by over in the channel swashed along our beach, it was as if someone’s boots were tramping and scuffling through the…

For years Kay and I used to go for an hour-long walk before breakfast, even when it was still dark. Those walks along Spanish Banks kept us in good physical condition, and sharing our concerns also kept our marriage strong. Once at a conference over on the eastern shore of…

Time has perplexed most of us at one time or another in our lives. Why does the world keep changing day after day? Will our love and life last forever? Will I be late for the meeting? What time is it on Venus? John Ross, too, has wondered about many…

Years ago a big up-to-date supermarket opened not far away from where we lived. Checking out the new store turned out to be a somewhat uncanny experience for me. When I stepped up to its glass door, “something” seemed to know that I was there and intended to enter. A…

Suddenly I became aware that I wasn’t really reading any more. My eyes had closed and my rudderless brain was drifting off to nowhere. Enough of that! It was four-thirty. Time to get out of my study and do something else for a while. Maybe give Kay a hand. Heading…

Setting the table for breakfast, when I tipped the plates the sunlight shining through the big window bounced reflections onto the walls and ceiling. Porridge was still cooking while Kay finished dressing and tidying up. Eventually the minute-minder on the kitchen stove sounded off with its dull, rattly bing! ……

A diary is supposed to be a kind of historical chronicle describing personally significant events which happened during the day just passed. However, merely describing what occurred on a certain occasion doesn’t really say much in depth about time. Time is far more than the day-by-day experiences of a single…

October 17, 1929 Time can change a little boy into a ten-year-old. Today I became one of those. Mom had a dandy birthday supper for me with spare ribs and butter tarts – my favorites – and a big chocolate layer cake. Jim and Grant were here and so was…

June 25, 1930 The bell tower at the fire hall is the tallest building in town. It stands apart from all the stores, just off Main Street and across a small park from the railway station. Unless there is a strong wind in the opposite direction, the bell in that…