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LOL Alberta - no doubt our ancestors crossed paths then - I have one old gal I think I take after on my dad's side - who smoked a pipe (always burning her apron when hiding it away if company came by - when the tobacco was still hot)...She produced thirteen children - mostly sons who have gone on to produce the backbone of my family.

Another gal embarrassed her sons when she got up on the makeshift stage to sing at a barn dance and had two different colored shoes on...which could be seen when she was on the podium...

Apparently they had a lot of mail order brides - French girls I think from Quebec, and some immigrants from the old country willing to try their strength in the "wild west".

I wonder if they were able to "return to sender" any of the ones they didn't like haha.

I love those old family stories - I like to think I inherited some of that "in your face" kind of take on life.

My admiration goes out to them all for having such courage and fortitude towards contributing to the building Canada when survival must have mean huge sacrifice. What a heritage.

Also contrary to what I read these days, they traded and even intermarried with the native peoples. I don't know if they were all "close friends", but their lives were intertwined in mutual benefit and the native peoples taught them much about getting through those first winters.

I can't even imagine it when I grumble about frozen fingers!