This is the neatest thing! A few weeks ago I got an e-mail regarding my blog post about the house where I grew up. It was from the present owner, Ryan Young, who teaches media studies at John Abbott CEGEP. We arranged a meeting on Labour Day weekend. The above picture shows the house as George and I walked up the hill towards it. I felt pretty excited and a tiny bit apprehensive, but as it turned out there was nothing to worry about; we had a wonderful visit and met two lovely people.
This is it. 25 Lamarche. It still looks the same and as I was to discover, much of the interior remains unchanged.
I can hardly believe it, here I am sitting on the front steps with Ryan. I was 13 the last time I sat here. (in 1956, you can do the math!) Ryan and Kate graciously showed us around. To me it was like the Twilight Zone.
Ryan is inviting us upstairs.
Here is Kate at the top. The staircase is exactly as I remember it. The painting is one of many by Ryan's Mom. There is an elephant in this one. I'd like to meet her some day and talk about art.
The old grate is still there!
The only room I never saw when I was a kid: the attic. It was not like this back then! Ryan's Mom has hung it with fabric so it looks like a Moroccan tent and was used as a loft/t.v. room. There is a ladder permanently installed to gain access but being a bit of a chicken about heights I only went half-way up to get this shot.
My old bedroom window overlooks the screened porch. The poplar trees are now HUGE.
In what used to be our dining room a music studio has evolved containing a beautifully refinished old piano and Ryan's drum kit...
...and another painting by Ryan's Mom. Creative expression abounds throughout the house.
The door from the kitchen is still the same, leading to the porch.
After our tour we sat on the screened porch, drank tea and chatted. As you can imagine there was much to discuss, to remember and to discover. One of the bonuses was Ryan's film about the history of the village, its merger with the city of Montreal and its subsequent de-merger. George and I purchased his DVD called THE VILLAGE RESISTS and watched it when we got home, a perfect finish to this extraordinary day. I would highly recommend the film to anyone who has the slightest connection with the delightful town of Ste Anne de Bellevue. It's available through:Vision 9 Productions,
25 Lamarche, Sainte Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, H9X 2A9
(514)-457-9758
