ZEPHYR & SANDFORD by Pat Asling

You know when you are advised to dress in layers if you are going on a hike or being out all day? That’s the way you needed to dress this past week with high afternoon temperatures and below freezing in the evenings. It was a beautiful fall week, especially since many times it felt like Spring. You could get those odd jobs done or just enjoy.

And then there was Saturday, when my thermometer reached +15C in the morning! Soon after noon you could feel the change. The wind started to pick up and the temperature plummeted so that by 5 p.m. it was one of those ‘dark and stormy’ nights.

Our lights flickered only once but others around were not so fortunate. One neighbor to the north had the top of their silo torn apart. A tree fell on a transformer on Feasby Road and burst into flames, the only light around. More big trees fell on the 3rd so parts of both Zephyr and Sandford were without power, some into the morning. Many other roads, yards and fields were littered with broken branches and other things like signs, chairs, yard toys etc were tossed far away. I think even parts of Uxbridge were without power so things were running a bit late everywhere no doubt.

Thankfully I have not heard of any injuries from that but I have heard some COVID stories, not great to hear since the new variant is sweeping the country. One friend told about both his uncle and cousin dying two weeks apart. The cousin’s wife was also sick and all were on ventilators but the wife was pregnant. She survived and her baby was born at 32 weeks in the ICU! A good/bad story! Another told of an anti-vaxer who got COVID as did the rest of his family. They all recovered but he passed away.

Happy birthday to Lorraine Ottolini! Her family were just getting ready to celebrate her birthday when the power went out. She must be the only one who had a transformer burst into flame rather than a bunch of candles.

Ken Welsh reported he lost both his tree house and his toolshed. Pastor Gord Shreeve lost a recently acquired trampoline which took off like a kite. There are reports of trees down over many of the roads, making it extremely hazardous to drive.

Sadly the Fantasy of Lights was also cancelled Saturday and Friday nights, probably due to all the big trees and power outages. No doubt many of the displays will be damaged, unfortunate after already having been vandalized.

Our church service was at Zephyr United Church, Sunday with Pastor Gord Shreeve, of the Missionary Church leading in worship. His message was centered around the well-known Christmas Carol, “What Child Is This”. He used texts from both the old and new testaments, and what Jesus said about himself, to answer this age-old question!

Believe it or not, next Sunday will be the last Sunday service of the year as we will not be meeting on the 26th. There will be a Christmas Eve Service at Zephyr United Church, at 6:30 p.m. with our own Adele Boy leading the worship. Please worship with us but let Linda Wagg know if you plan to attend as it is necessary to make seating arrangements. Call 905-473-3346 or email: l.m.wagg@hotmail.com.

I have also been asked to advertise the Christmas Eve Service for Trinity United Church, at 7:30 p.m., with Rev. Karen Croxall leading worship.

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