Circular No 291

Newsletter for past alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.

Caracas, 30 May 2007. No. 291
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Dear friends,

In Circular 289 I sent out the latest email form Art. Here I am sending out some of his older ones that I rescued from an old archive, sorry Art, but better late than never.
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From: Art & Val Knaggs
To: gene@candw.ag

Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005 14:53:04 -0300

Dear Genevive,

Thanks for the update, at your end, and I go in for more tests tomorrow, will keep you all in touch.

How is my old buddy Ian doing, as we don't get much news from Antigua?

Does Stephen get the Mount Weekly Bulletin from Ladislao in Venezuela; it keeps us all (at different ages and stages) in touch with the happenings of Old Mount Boys, all over the World; great stuff.

My niece, Natalie, married a Goodwin - Avery (Antigua), and they are now living in the U.S.A. (he is a Phd. Micro Biologist working with the F.D.A. in Washington} they were just up for Thanksgiving.

Love to you all, and thanks for your prayers.

Art
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From: Gene Shoul <gene@candw.ag>
Date: Mon, 17 Oct 2005 16:54:29 -0400

Dear Art and Val,

Read your mail to Phillip.

Stephen does not use a computer either, does not even know to open one. :-)

But he said that he would call you.

Surprised to read that he has not done it as yet.

Will remind him.

Surprised to that Nicole one of our daughters his secretary and office manager did not reply to the e-mail either.

I sent it to the office e-mail.

Hope that all will go well for you - Art - on Wednesday.

Will certainly keep you in my daily prayers.

Glad to read that you are feeling a lot better on the new medication.

Please do keep us updated.

Also if you are planning a trip to the Caribbean, please do include us too.

We would love to have you both.

Love

Genevieve
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Art & Val Knaggs wrote:

Phillip,

Thanks ever so much for your wishes, and the therapeutic possibilities in Dominica, we will contemplate that in great depth.

Still going in for more Cardiac Dye Test on Wed and should get closer to a diagnosis as a result of them; will keep in touch.

We have very fond memories of our last visit and we keep in touch with Sr. Regina on e-mail regularly.

Do you get the Mount Bulletins from Ladislao?

He had a great one last week with some of the original oldies, brother Jack Knaggs, Cecil Ince & Scipio Soodeen in photo (reunion with me at Cecil's) in Barbados in February.

Feeling a lot better on the new medications.

Give my regards to the other Dominican Mounties, your brother Michelle and Donald Boyd.

Have you got an e-mail for Conrad Mc Intyre and also Donald, would appreciate them if you have it.

All the very best to you and your Clan.

I was recently in touch with Stephen Shoul in Antigua, but have not had a reply, and think Ian is Computer challenged.

Great hearing from you, and will keep you updated.

Art
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From: Art & Val Knaggs
Sent:,Friday, November 4, 2005 1:51 AM
To: ekayne@shaw.ca

Great news and a real, pleasurable, condensed history of your life, bringing us up to date.

I retired about 8 years ago, having worked in sales of engineering equipment (mostly liquid handling equipment) like pumps, meters, valves, and all the accessory stuff, hose, nozzles for all types of industry.

We have 6 off-spring, in our alphabetical way, A, B and C are in our area of Nova Scotia; D is in New Brunswick; E is in Sheffield, England; and F is in Tobago (her Husband Iain Mac Kinnon is with High Ropes and works on the Offshore Rigs in the North Sea (or where ever else they send him).

We have 9 Grans and another on the way; and love the snow (especially when we leave it and venture down to the W.I.

On Sept 2004 we handed over our home to Anne-Marie, Martin & son, to look after while we did the "Nomad" (or quite mad) thing and drifted wherever the tide took us.

Started at our Island Resort (very primitive - Fr. Ildefons would have a ball there); and stayed there intermittently till mid Oct when we closed it down for the Winter.

Then we packed up our camping gear and headed South through the U.S.A. Eastern Seaboard, moseying along camping or hoteling till we reached Maryland where we stayed with a niece for a week.

We then continued visiting relatives and friends as we cruised down to Georgia and visited with cousin 'Bumpy' Llanos (Douglas' wife - he was at Barclays Bk), and gathered her up and set off for Louisiana to stay with her brother for a few days.

We then mused along the panhandle, along the coast, through Mississippi camping again, cutting into Florida around Orlando, and gradually tracked slowly back up to Georgia, savouring the weather and friendships.

Stayed there a few days to complete some projects then cruised back to Nova Scotia, at the end of November.

Visited with "Shaves" Stanley Ferguson for a while in where ever the heck he is in Florida, and also saw the entire O'Connor crowd as we passed through.

Bumpy's daughter Mary is married to Richard.

Spent Christmas with the family in N.S., and Ed & Michelle with their baby joined us from Sheffield for the festivities.

On 2nd Jan we headed to Tobago where we spent 3 months, frolicking between Trin & Tob, and even snuck in a trip to Barbados, where we met Cecil Ince & Scipio Soodeen.

Back to Toronto in April to stay with Val's Mum &amp; the Burke/Bell Clan there; Back to N.S. to open up our Cabin for the Spring, and then left for Spain in June for 3 weeks (Ed & Michelle met us there); next, over to Sheffield for a couple weeks, then down to enjoy more family in the London/Kent area till it was time to drag our smiling faces, and enlarged hearts back in Aug to N.S.

Again a summer stint at our Island Retreat, as we gradually started to settle back into our "Home Sweet Home".

All else goes well, and here we are gearing up for the White Stuff.

Holy Macaroni Man what an adventure.

So we were here in Sept when you came through, but had disconnected our phone for the Year.

Our new # is 902-404-5845, but same address, and as you see we have a new e-mail add as well.

Thanks ever so much for Ian's e-mail, as we stayed with Ian & Brenda in June 04 when we were out in Victoria for a month, when Ed & Michelle had their first baby, Jesse (now they are expecting another in the New Year).

So that's us in a nutshell.

I have recently had a little challenge with a "Ticker Flicker" that had me on a Medical Roller Coaster ride for 6 weeks, but I am now on some new medication that has me feeling my old, 'young' self once more.

Still trying to stabilise my condition, so 'Don't worry, be happy'.

Fondest regards to you and your Clan,

As always, with love,

Art & Val
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From: Earle Kayne <ekayne@shaw.ca>
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 22:15:34 -0700

Hello Art & Val,

Thanks for the e-mail with all your news.

What with to-day being Halloween you'll probably think this must be a note from the grave.

Not so, Elaine and I are keeping well and even warm, as Calgary continues to enjoy a fabulous Indian summer (well deserved as winter seemed to stretch into September this year).

Also glad to have got your e-mail as I now have your correct address.

You had written in December telling of your planned junket and I had e-mailed back hoping to get to you before you took off, to make sure you looked us up if out this way.

When we passed through Halifax in Sept., on the way to Badeck, we were hoping to call you from the hotel but could not find your name in the phone book which included Halifax, Dartmouth and many smaller communities.

So figured you had moved to areas unknown.

A great pity we couldn't get together, as don't know when we will be back that way.

Also e-mailed you when we got back, but not sure if you got any of the e-mails as they were sent to a 'sympatico' address I had on file.

So much water under the bridge since we last communicated (when was it?), not sure where to start.

The long and short is 5 kids (3boys, 2 girls), all married except our free spirit (youngest boy) who works in the oilpatch in Saudi Arabia and plays wherever the surf's up (including near Halifax recently).

The eldest couple lives in Toronto, whilst another is in Calgary and the other two in Sherwood Park (suburb of Edmonton).

We have 3 grands (2 boys, 4&2yrs; 1 girl 6yrs.).

I retired four years ago from the heavy equipment company (Wajax Industries) I joined when I came to Canada and spent 29 years with in their parts operation.

It was a great experience, as we moved about, spending 21/2 yrs. in Vancouver, 21/2 in Calgary, 14 in Edmonton and back to Calgary for the last 10.

Thoroughly enjoying retirement, although because of lousy knees have had to curtail my hobbies (tennis, squash, racquetball).

Still, don't miss the 60 hr. weeks; besides Elaine, while not admitting it, is probably thrilled to have me home 24/7!

She also retired about 14 yrs ago, after 10yrs as a secretary with the school board in Sherwood park, where we lived when working in Edmonton.

That pretty well outlines the Kayne saga to date; so where and what have you folks been up to all these years?

Drop a line some time giving us the details, or better yet, come visit us.

Being so called 'empty nesters' we have lots of room!

Keep well and keep in touch!

Elaine joins in love,

Earle

P.S. Re. Wittet's e-mail, try bwittet@vtechworld.com Seems they seldom use it, but Elaine speaks to Brenda regularly and we'll will let you know if it's changed.
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From: Art & Val Knaggs
Sent: Saturday, November 5, 8:38 PM
Subject: Mount Old Boys

Ladislao,

1) Mike Kenny: I don't have his home add, only his e-mail (gave you); nor his phone #. 2) The e-mail you gave me for Trevor is actually Tyrone Soodeen; as is the phone # Tyrone's.

3) Got hold of Trevor Soodeen, he lives in Oakville, Ont. but does not have computer and does not do e-mail (trying to get him to use the library as we mostly do, or use our children's internet); he has lost touch with a lot of the old boys he knew, so I am trying to get him to use e-mail.

His phone # is 905-337-8491 but he faded out and I did not get his address.

Will try later, as he is not feeling well.

I will try and reconnect with some of the oldies of my era, and keep you informed.

As always, vaya con Dios.

Art
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From: "Ladislao Kertesz" <ladislaokertesz@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 05 Nov 2005 01:44:11 +0000
Dear Art

Please send me the full name of Mike and address.

God Bless

Ladislao

Also the Furgesons in Florida.

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From: "Art & Val Knaggs" <av_knaggs@hotmail.com>
To: mikeandval@dsl.pipex.com
Subject: Mount Old Boys
Date: Thu, 03 Nov 2005 16:22:01 -0400

Dearest Mike & Val,

Roses (Knaggs) Eckel and I have been exchanging adventures, and she mentioned crossing your paths recently, so I took the liberty of scrounging your e-mail address from her.

Time flies, and here we are in the autumn of our youth still ploughing along on our fabulous journey of life, and really savouring (as best we can) every moment, and every step of the way.

Every day is not always good day, yet life's voyage is a blend of attitude, aptitude and balance, with a sprinkling of laughter and good humour, and saturated in love and caring (always with our eyes and hearts lifted up towards He who guides us).

As I reflect on those wondrous days at the Mount, I seem to remember a nick name like "Donkey mane" and guess it came from the length of your hair (and no other extremity.

Don't know if you are aware (all the way up in the frozen North Sea, Aberdeen) but the younger generation have taken over the Olympic Easter Candle of the Abbey School, and have continued the race of drawing together and binding the various Years of Scholastic Wisdom, by putting out a weekly Bulletin which covers the goings-on of all the past students they can wrangle together.

Ladislao Kertesz of Venezuela, heads the group of enthusiasts working on this project, and I have taken the liberty of passing on your name so that you can be involved as a recipient of the various individuals that shared the spirit and wonder of the Monastery and the lives of the fabulous Priests and Brothers who dedicated their time, talent and treasure in moulding us into what we have become today.

If you can spare a few moments to update us on a brief synopsis of your journey, it would be a fantastic contribution to all those exposed to it I am sure.

I was at Mount from 1944 to 1949, and am retired now for about 8 years, having moved to Canada in 1978.

We have 6 off-spring, in our alphabetical way, A, B and C are in our area of Nova Scotia; D is in New Brunswick; E is in Sheffield, England; and F is in Tobago (her Husband Iain Mac Kinnon is with High Ropes and works on the Offshore Rigs in the North Sea (or wherever else they send him).

We have 9 Grans and another on the way; and love the snow (especially when we leave it and venture down to the W.I.

So do drop us a line, and if there are any other Old Boys hovering around your area, please 'sook' me onto them so we can make contact.

Just got hold of Vitalis Gomes, Earl Kayne, and the younger Tyrone Soodeen, along with Trevor Evelyn (who is computer challenged - so no e-mail).

Love to Val, and look forward to hearing from you.

Love and fondest regards,

Art & Val
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Some of the emails might have been repeated due to the lost archive, but even so it might be interesting to those of the old really old alumni.

This is for now, keep well.

God Bless

Ladislao
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Photos:
58RB00033a5UNKNOWN, Photo taken by Roberto Bodington.
58RB00033a6UNKNOWN, Photo taken by Roberto Bodington.
58RB00033a7UNKNOWN, Photo taken by Roberto Bodington.
58RB00033a8UNKNOWN, Photo taken by Roberto Bodington.
The first two numbers are the year the photo was taken, please help.