MSS in process.

This morning I printed out the first pages of what will possibly be the final draft of Helen's manuscript of the fourth volume of her family history, "The Lawrie, Bones and Blacks, Scottish Settlers in Grantham Township, 1837-1925." This has to be done one page at a time to make provision for the several pages of maps, photographs, pictures and family charts to be included. The actual text is a little more than 40 pages long, but the final drafts will have more like 60 to 70 pages. I now have fourteen pages ready for the printer with three more pages to go at the front of the book.

Helen has been working on this manuscript since early in the decade. She had to leave it unfinished four years ago when she had her hip surgery and only returned to it in earnest early last year. She wanted to have it ready for printing before Christmas, but the task proved to onerous. All in all, I think it is going to be the best she has done yet. It certainly will be well illustrated with many old pictures rephotographed from much older photos, some from the 19th century and others from the early 20th century. In many ways it has been a labour of love for her, refreshing many of her own childhood memories and family story told to her by her Aunt Edith.