Category: Stories

“Born On The High Seas”

One thing I’ve been doing with my spare time lately is digging into some family genealogical history. That means I’ve been running search after search on some provincial archive websites for the past few weeks.

At one point the other day I had tracked down some records relating to my great grandmother. Emphasis on the “some.” A couple of records that I was looking for were proving elusive.

Eventually I found a record where great-grandma had given an attestation for the birth of my grandfather’s sister, which she signed with the surname “Rose.” Nothing odd about that, except my g-grandfather’s surname was McLean and her maiden name was Flynn. This might explain why I can’t find her death records by searching for Flynns and McLeans.

So, I dug a bit deeper, and I found a marriage registration between my great-grandmother and a gentleman named, no surprise, Rose. A wedding that was witnessed by my grandfather and his sister and that took place when both the bride and groom were 75 years old. Three weeks before the groom’s death, according to another record I found registered with the province. Huh. Well, it was the 1950s, so I guess things were different back then?

Anyhow, I have more free time than I know what to do with nowadays, so I ran some queries on young Mr. Rose as well. I quickly found another record relating to his parents that showed his mother was from Northern Ireland, and that his father was born… literally, and I’m quoting here… “On the high seas.”

I bet there were some interesting stories that came out of that family history!

Archived birth certificate showing child's father was born on the high seas.
Archived birth certificate showing child’s father was born on the high seas.

Suffice it to say, this was a much-too-long way to get to the joke this reminded me of:

I’m not saying ships were slow back then, but ships were so slow back then that a heavily pregnant woman approached the captain one day and says “I need a doctor, I’m going to have a baby!”

The captain says to the woman, “Ma’am, you shouldn’t have gotten on board the ship in that condition!”

To which the woman replies: “I didn’t!”

Anyone else got a funny/strange/unexpected story from their family’s past that they care to share? I’d love to hear it!

Remembering Stuart Maclean

When I think of truly great storytellers, Stuart Maclean is the first name that comes to mind. His stories on CBC Radio’s “The Vinyl Café,” were windows into the everyday lives of characters that felt like old friends. Stuart had this incredible gift for turning the simplest moments into something special, finding humor and heart in places most of us might overlook.

“The Vinyl Café” wasn’t just a radio show—it was a much anticipated weekly gathering, where I would get together with Dave, Morley, and the colorful cast of characters who occupied their world. Stuart’s storytelling was pure magic, balancing humor with tenderness. He captured the little quirks of life and made them universally relatable, which I think is why his stories resonated with people around the world.

What made Stuart’s work really stand out was his knack for making us laugh and tear up, often in the same breath. His stories reminded us of the importance of community and the beauty in the ordinary. Whether it was Dave getting into a ridiculous situation while cooking a turkey or Morley reflecting on the quieter moments of motherhood, Stuart’s tales always left you feeling both grounded and uplifted.

And here’s the good news—if you missed “The Vinyl Café” when it aired or just want to revisit those wonderful stories, you still can! The podcast “Tales from The Vinyl Café,” hosted by Stuart’s long-time producer Jess Milton, is keeping his legacy alive. It’s like a time capsule of everything we loved about his storytelling.

Check out “Backstage At The Vinyl Café.” Each episode is a reminder of Stuart Maclean’s unmatched storytelling ability. So, grab a cup of coffee, tune in, and let Stuart’s warmth and humor brighten your day.