Valerie Bosselait (formerly
Kramer) Resident of Seymour Arm 1974
Dear Carol,
I was very excited to locate your website, which brought back so
many memories of a time in my life that can never be forgotten. I lived
in Seymour Arm from July of 1974 until April of 1975. The space that
this block of time represents is much larger in my mind than what would be
suggested by a mere 10 months. It was a life altering experience which
has changed and shaped the ways in which I have grown ever since.
We first lived in the camper that we arrived in, from Massachusetts, and which
had been built by my husband, Stephen Kramer. We then rented the Devine's
cabin, and were neighbors of the Barretts, who were living in a trailer with
an addition on it. They had not yet built their house by the river. When
the weather got colder, we moved into Danny Larmour's small log cabin in town,
which had been in his family for many years. He had only just begun the
work on his house next door.
Steve had various carpentry jobs through the winter, and I worked for Wayne
Abbott, bundling cedar shakes. When I tell people how much snow there
was that winter, I know they don't believe me. Our life was very rustic,
to say the least, but in facing the difficulties and overcoming many
obstacles, I learned as I never would have otherwise the true meaning of
adaptability. I had a loom to weave on, I baked and sold bread and cookies,
made yogurt from scratch, split wood, used a hand washboard for laundry- the
list could go on and on. In the evenings we played pitch and cribbage by
the light of the kerosene lamp. And once a week or so the residents would
gather at various homes for potluck dinners and "Music Night".
Anyone who could play anything would do so, and the rest would sing as best we
could.
I knew the Barretts, the Lipsetts, the Daniels, and of course Wayne Abbott.
I don't remember the names of the brothers who ran the ferry, but I thought of
them as saviours, as they would come once a week (in the winter) with mail,
library books, and supplies. I would love to hear news of these people, if you
have any.
(And Danny Larmour as well.)
After we left Seymour Arm, we went to Edmonton, and lived there for a few
years. When our marriage broke up, I came back to Massachusetts for a
while, and then to Colorado, and Florida, before ending up back in Mass.,
where I have been for 5 years now.
Thank you showing me a little bit of what this marvelous place is like now, as
I've often wondered, and dream of returning for a summer visit. As I
have a sister in Seattle, we may plan a trip from there one of these years.
Sincerely,
Valerie Bosselait (formerly Kramer)
Amherst, Massachusetts