The Stone Family Reunion in Seal Cove, Newfoundland in 1985. From left to right in the back row: Ralph, Lloyd, Loretta, John, Ruth, Mavis, Eric, Verna and Hedley. In the front: Stella, Jessie (Mom), Edna and Paul. Photo courtesy of Verna Pye

Them days were the best of days
as the older folks do say.
But little do I remember.
Only what I hear from day to day.
I loved to sit and listen
to the old stories they would tell,
of how they lived and what they did,
and boy it was sure done well.

My dad, he was just a fisherman
from the good old Labrador.
In his days he worked quite hard
to get a catch ashore.
They worked from daylight until dark,
the days seemed longer then.
They were very tired when the day was o'er
from hard work and gales of wind.

But to give up was not their goal,
all this meant much to them.
Now its government grants and work projects
and the pay cheques rolling in.
The moms all worked to help the men
whenever they were there.
With the children small, there was fish to spread,
and it was all done with loving care.