Casement Windows

Triggered Memories

Casement windows are the old fashioned ones that crank open. We have them on our new house. Every time I look at them I am reminded of my childhood visits to my Granny’s home on Cambie Street in Vancouver.

Granny’s house had casement windows all across the front of the living and dining room. As children, my cousins and I would crank open the windows and sit with our feet dangling out, watching traffic go by on the busy road. Eventually Granddad would get tired of watching us hang out the window and he would offer to walk us across Cambie Street so we could play in the park.

Queen Elizabeth Park

Queen Elizabeth park is a beautiful, large park, in the middle of Vancouver; and it was our childhood playground. Once Granddad walked us across the busy street, we were free. We scaled cliffs, forded rivers, danced in fountains, and had untold adventures. OK… perhaps they were only creeks, and we got in trouble a few times for scaling the rock walls in the gardens…

In the winter, Queen Elizabeth Park had the best toboggan hill. We would spend hours there with our sleds. Occasionally the ponds froze solid enough for us to skate on.

After a hard day, playing in the park, Granny always had the best food for us. During the summer we would meet at a designated spot for amazing picnics. I have never tasted a better hot dog than the ones Granny brought us. They would be hot from her oven, encased in tin foil. The buns were toasty with melted butter and hot mustard inside. My mouth waters just thinking about them.

If we were not at the park, we were climbing in the cherry trees, or flying down the hill on a wooden wagon. There was no way to stop at the bottom of the hill, except to turn sharply and dump the wagon. After a few runs down the hill we would have to bring the wagon back to Granddad for repairs. He was always happy to fix whatever we had broken.

Sunday tradition

Sunday Dinner was at Granny’s almost every week. Roast beef… If the cousins were visiting, the kids table was in the kitchen. There was a kitchen nook with two swivel chairs and a curved bench. As one of the oldest, I usually got a chair and the smaller cousins were squished on the bench. I am pretty sure we would fit 8 or 9 kids around that table. Inevitably someone would find peas dropped into their glass of milk…. When we got too loud, the swinging door between the kitchen an dining room would open and Granny would give us a gentle reminder.

After Dinner, we always watched the Wonderful World of Disney, and then the adults would filter into the TV room for Lawrence Welk…

I have some pretty amazing Memories of my Childhood. Every time I look out my Casement Windows, I am reminded of them.