Harry Stemp April 02, 2009
Harry Stemp was born in Uxbridge in 1934. He started his career with the Uxbridge Times-Journal as an apprentice typesetter at age 14. He soon began writing sports for the Times-Journal and eventually owned 10 community newspapers in central Ontario including the Times-Journal. He started writing his award-winning Stemp’s Stew in 1965. The column came to an end shortly after he sold his newspaper chain in 1989, but was rejuvenated in 2006 when Harry became a regular contributor to The Cosmos.
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By the time you read this I will be settled back in my home in The Glens, well-used golf clubs hanging in the garage, bathing suits, shorts and muscle shirts all washed and stored away awaiting the arrival of summer.
It was a wonderful holiday. The sun and sea are important as well as catching up with so many friends made over the years while spending time in Barbados. Friends from nearly every corner of the world which makes for some very interesting dinner parties or hanging out at the bar enjoying a cold one.
Few of us stay in touch during the summer season so as winter arrives one wonders who will be missing. Illness or death takes a toll and there is a sigh of relief as old friends show up on the beach or at one of the many clubs dotted around the island.
Reflecting, it was good to know that an arrest was made in the Terry Schwarzfeld murder case. Bludgeoned to death in a robbery on a deserted beach, the death of the well-known Ottawa woman caused tremendous damage - especially in the Ottawa area - to the 'safe reputation' Barbadians are so proud of.
The suspect has already pleaded guilty to a number of previous robberies and will shortly be charged with the Schwarzfeld death. Barbados, like a lot of Caribbean islands, still has the death penalty (hanging) and, although seldom used, many residents, providing he is found guilty, are calling for the courts to show no mercy.
This tiny island faces huge challenges in these trying times but the government seems to have a good handle on things and is predicting things will turn around.
The people seem to be upbeat about the future and feel if visitors will take the view that the Schwarzfeld death was not the norm and will continue to visit everything will be fine. I hope they are right, but only time will tell.
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Barbados is famous for its Green Monkeys. Although not overly large, they are numerous and, at times, they can be very mischievous. While golfing it is not unusual for one to dart out onto the fairway and take off with your ball. This has happened to me many times but, before leaving, I wasn't quite ready for another animal to mimic the monkeys.
I had a great drive down the middle of the 7th fairway - townhouses on the left, trees on the right. As I walked along I saw a cat saunter out and look at my ball. The cat started bouncing the ball around with its paw. I wasn't too upset as he was pushing the ball closer to the hole. Every little bit helps.
But suddenly the cat picked up the ball in his mouth and ran into the house. I walked over and asked the lady in residence if I could please have my golf ball back.
She said, "So sorry. Is our cat up to his tricks again?"
I retrieved my ball and went happily on my way. Seems in life there are always little surprises in store.
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A little known fact about the Green Monkey (just a name, they aren't green) is that the monkey’s health system provides a steady supply of Salk vaccine, widely used in the prevention of polio. Monkeys are raised in laboratories at the Wildlife Preserve on the north end of the island and the Barbados Green Monkey provides about 70% of the world supply of the vaccine.
Amazing that these entertaining, but pesky, creatures do so much to allow children around the world to avoid this crippling disease. Knowing this makes it easier to accept when they run off with a golf ball.
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U.S. President Barack Obama has been credited with many accomplishments, but how sweet is this?
A quite white man, Charles Blossom from Leicestershire, England, has discovered he is a distant cousin of the President.
He has had this checked out by the New England Historical Genealogical Society and they have verified his claim.
For the first time in my recollection over 74 years, we are hearing a white man being boastfully proud of his black family. Can you believe it? Go! Obama! Go!
Has anyone checked out the lineage of Buckingham Palace? One never knows - stranger things have happened.
