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6 Montgomery Days bring back memories As Norval gears up for the annual Lucy Maud Montgomery Days, I can't help but view it with mixed feelings. On the one hand, the residents of Norval will go all-out and celebrate the life and works of Norval's most famous resident. Rightly so. My mixed feelings come from the fact that it reminds me of my university roommate who died almost three years ago. If there was ever a real-life personification of Montgomery's Anne, it was Joana. A fiery red-head with milky white skin, she couldn't have been any more like Anne if she was reading a script. Like Anne, Joana had a knack for finding a way to involve herself in other people's lives, especially if it was a love life. She would get excited over things most people would find insignificant, and, yes, if there was ever anyone who could make the most mundane story melodramatic, it was Jo. Not surprisingly, anytime a Halloween party came along, Jo dressed as Anne. I once made what I then thought a mistake of deciding to spend a Saturday night in, thinking that I might watch a hockey game. Jo had just been released from the hospital after having another tumor removed. I never saw the hockey game that night, having to read the score in the newspaper the next day. Instead, Jo and I watched the Anne of Green Gables videotape she treasured. We watched Anne break the writing slate over Gilbert's head, get her friend drunk on preserves, and stage her own flameless version of a Viking funeral. I don't know how many times Joana watched that tape, though I would think quite a few as she seemed to know every character's line, saying them before the actors had a chance to. At the time I wasn't all that thrilled about spending a Saturday night watching something I had little interest in. Besides, I'd seen it before. I guess guys don't get as excited over it as our female counterparts. It's our loss. Looking back, I'm glad we spent that night together. It was one of those moments that could have easily been wasted doing a hundred other things. Instead, I spent time with an ill friend who would succumb to her cancer two years later. I wasn't able to go to her funeral, having moved to Hong Kong at the time. I didn't see her toward the end, when her normally positive attitude turned to one where she accepted her fate. Even in death, I was later told, Joana managed to maintain her Anne-like ways. Her step-mother told me that several times during her last night, she stopped breathing and everyone resigned themselves to the fact that she was gone. Suddenly she would take a big breath and sleep awhile longer before the next episode. After this happened a few times, her fiancé made a comment that she was just hanging on so she could make sure everyone was saying nice things about her. It may not seem a terribly appropriate comment, but if you knew her, it would make sense. ~ A couple of hours out of my life probably wouldn't be missed. That time provided me with memories that will last a lifetime. I wouldn't trade the time we spent together for anything. s As tourists from near and far tour Norval, I'm sure most will be remembering Lucy Maud Montgomery's works and trying to appreciate a lifestyle from another day. I'll be remembering my roommate who would have dearly loved to have been able to attend. I'm certain that Joana would braid her hair, accentuate her freckles, and wear her calico dress --a fine sight, indeed. The View From Here | With Jamie Harrison Jamie Harrison is a reporter with The Georgetown Gemini. THE GEORGETOWN GEMINI WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1996 /dunno Herb..... Maybe we should just quit. 'TETTERS Apartment fees 'too high' . To the Editor, Being a homeowner who is not a landlord allows me the opportunity to express objectively on the newly approved apartment bylaw. While I do agree that a fee is necessary to offset costs, the ap- proved fee is too high and therefore will do nothing to promote co-op- eration. Councillor Al Cook was able to see the forest for the tress unlike some of his fellow Council mem- bers, and I applaud his attempt to lower the fee requirement. Ifa homeowner wants to register his apartment now, he would have to pay $625, after which he may be forced to pay out hundreds or possi- bly thousands of dollars in order to comply with Municipal Standards. Once completed, he would expect to be reassessed, resulting in an in- crease in market value and thus prop- erty taxes of up to 20 per cent. Finally, Revenue Canada would want their share of the rental in- come. While these exciting options await the town's estimated 1,000 illegal landlords, I would not be installing traffic lights on the road- way leading to the Civic Centre to direct the crush of bodies fighting to be first in line to register their apart- ment. After taking all expenses, not to mention the bureaucratic red tape into consideration, many current or potential landlords may reconsider renting out basement apartments. A lower fee would have been a better inducement to landlords to register and thus promote commu- nity safety. Councillors should try and pro- mote civic responsibility. Mike Foley, Guelph Street Attention deserved To the Editor, Re: "For profit 'charities' target town," in last week's The Gemini. Thanks for setting the record straight and thank you, Molly Monahan, for bringing this issue to the attention of The Gemini. (This issue highlights the importance of having media alternatives). For the record, Wastewise is a registered charity and all donations to Wastewise are directed to reduc- ing waste in Halton Hills. Clothing is sorted, some is priced and sold at our location on Armstrong Avenue, and the balance is sold to textile brokers -- a process identical to that of The Salvation Army and Good- will. Our waste reduction and recy- cling operations save the Town of Halton Hills an estimated $30,000 in disposal fees annually. Best of all, if Wastewise's finan- cial situation continues to improve, the Board will consider supporting other environmental initiatives and concerns in Halton Hills. Diane van de Valk Project Manager, Wastewise 'Gem is top-notch,' reader says To the Editor, I would like to add my congrats to the many you have received for presenting a top-notch paper. As far as I can see, it is an inter- esting and accurate reflection of life in our vital living community. For instance, articles suchas Mike O'Leary's "Drop The Torch", and Jamie Harrison's "Bored of Educa- tion", in the Nov. 13 edition are so "touché" that they should be printed in The Globe or The Star where there is a wider readership. One question: When does Jamie sleep? It surely is not on the job! Good luck to all! Norma Reid, Moultrey Crescent SIN Publisher & Editor Paul Nolan Office Manager Linda Hayes Editorial Staff Jamie Harrison Frances Niblock Joanne Stevenson Advertising Staff Mimi Burdett Lynne Buscher Trish Henry Andy Kwik Production Staff Kim Konarzycki Distribution Manager Marie Shadbolt Regular Contributors Bill Ellis Eve Martin Steve Martin Mike O'Leary Terry Rouse Alex Tough THE GEORGETOWN GEMINI is published weekly on Wednesdays by Wicklow Hills Publishing Co. Inc. Mailing address: P.O. Box 145, Geor- getown, Ont., L7G 4T1. Phone: (905) 877-1113. Fax: (519)853-5040. Geor- getown administrative office: Per- sonal Secretarial Services, Unit 47, 360 Guelph St., L7G 4B5. Reproduc- tion without permission is prohibited. Ideas expressed herein are those of the author only. AD SALES: Publisher is responsi- ble for errors in advertisements to extent of cost of that portion of the space occupied by erroneous item. PHONE THE GEM: (905)877-1113 FAX THE GEM: (519)853-5040