Digital Equipment of Canada- The Cat on the Payroll

 

October 4th 1972- Ottawa Journal

 

In 1972 a brand new Digital Equipment factory opened in Kanata, but in their old plant in Carleton Place unemployment rose by one. In their old Carleton Place plant Mr. Doyle said that the biggest issue in that old mill was mice. To relieve the issue a motion was made to place mouse traps all over the plant– and when I say all over, I mean even desk drawers, the problem was that bad.

 

Photo from the Carleton Place Canadian files from the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum

 

In reality it wasn’t such a good idea. One day when Mr. Doyle was having a very important meeting a mousetrap went off in the bottom of his desk drawer. Unhappy after that incident the maintenance man was hauled in and told to try and fix this issue. So the maintenance man thought about the problem for a spell and then a light bulb went off. The next day a cat was brought in to save the day, and save the day he did.

There was no doubt that the cat was efficient, but when the company moved the cat was phased out although it was said he still had run of the mill. As. Mr. Doyle said: they were probably the only company in Canada that had a cat on the payroll. No word was the cat’s severance pay was.

 

 

 

 

Norma Ford-– A pay cheque from Digital Equipment of Canada from 1970. It was the one and only pay cheque that my Mother had ever received. She was a stay at home Mom for all her married life (58 years) except for these two weeks. Dad had told her that she didn’t know what it was like to work “out” so she had to prove him wrong and got a job at Digital. There was lots of complaining about meals, washing and of course the house was not kept immaculate and it proved too much, she resigned BUT she had earned a pay cheque and HAD a job besides housewife. I think the “housewife” job was harder than the working out.

Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in The Townships Sun andScreamin’ Mamas (USA)

Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read. Also check out The Tales of Carleton Place.

 

Remembering Industry in Carleton Place- Digital and Leigh Instruments

Bomb Scare in Carleton Place

Somewhere in Ashton-The Ashton Curmudgeon

When Cats Attack! Better Adopt Today!

I have been writing about downtown Carleton Place Bridge Street for months and this is something I really want to do. Come join me in the Domino’s Parking lot- corner Lake Ave and Bridge, Carleton Place at 11 am Saturday September 16 (rain date September 17) for a free walkabout of Bridge Street. It’s history is way more than just stores. This walkabout is FREE BUT I will be carrying a pouch for donations to the Carleton Place Hospital as they have been so good to me. I don’t know if I will ever do another walking tour so come join me on something that has been on my bucket list since I began writing about Bridge Street. It’s always a good time–trust me.

Are You Ready to Visit the Open Doors?

 

The Tale of the Mysterious Lake Ave East Cat

Steve’s voice on the third floor became excited yesterday as he screamed,

 

“Something with a tail just walked by the door here.”

 

I immediately panicked as I hoped it wasn’t a squirrel or a raccoon. We have a varied amount of wildlife on this old property that call my home “their home”. After hearing those words my blood pressure shot up a notch or two.

 

“I’ll go get the trap!” I said frantically hoping that it was still in the garage. (Please note it is just a catch and release trap)

 

Sure enough it was still there, so I hauled it upstairs along with a bag of peanuts. If it was a squirrel it should be an easy task– but how in the heck did anything get in here. We had been gone for the weekend, but maybe whatever it was had entered the house when the garage door opened. One thing was for sure–if I saw poop– I  could pretty well figure out what it was.

So peanuts laid out in a trail we sat back to wait. If the peanuts didn’t scare IT maybe the zombies playing Twister would. Hours went by and nothing. Not a tail– not a noise–not a darn thing. Steve began to vacuum the second floor TV room -yes the same room our neighbours watch (see story here) and all of a sudden this “grey being” ran by me and it had a long tail.

 

“It’s a cat!” we both screamed in unison.

 

We couldn’t figure out if it had gone downstairs–or where it went.  I emphatically said (being Miss-Know-it-All) that I would have heard it if it had. So one by one bedroom rooms were shut off and the vacuum entered. I manned the first floor with a mop-in-hand after shutting first floor doors and opening the front door that somehow had opened –it never ever opens. Nothing.

 

When all was clear on the second floor we began our search on the Main floor. I opened the solarium door and bingo– there was the tabby cat that frequents our yard, and the very same cat that I once questioned about his possible role in eating baby chipmunk Pip. We looked at each other eye to eye and he said,

 

“Meow”

 

I screamed, “Stevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvve”!

 

If I was a normal person I would have gone in and tried to catch him, but I am deathly allergic to cats. So Steve went into the “battlezone” and came out tenderly holding the cat and talking softly to it. If it was a perfect world he would own a 100 cats- I on the other hand would stop breathing.  Unfortunately, it’s  just that kind of world. So, released on the front lawn the cat never budged-and instead he rolled around in the grass and lay in the sunlight. He was in no hurry to get home.

 

So the mystery remains– whose cat was it, and how the heck did he get in? I got my answer this morning. It was Tommy Tonic’s cat from just down the street. He wrote:
Hi Linda,

I see my kitty Michael did a break and enter in at your home today..so sorry 😞 He is safe and sound now and thanks so much for posting on Facebook on the Carleton Place Social Scene.  I couldn’t believe that I was scrolling down and then there is a picture of Michael.   Michael likes to go and visit Kim & Kev and their cats, so I guess he took a side tour of your place–thanks again.

 

If cats could talk they wouldn’t– so what went on in my home stays in my home with Michael— As for me–well, I’m not a cat am I ?:)

 

 

Steve and Michael a few months ago in our yard

 

Related reading

Just Another Day in Fawlty Towers

Buy Linda Secaspina’s Books— Flashbacks of Little Miss Flash Cadilac– Tilting the Kilt-Vintage Whispers of Carleton Place and 4 others on Amazon or Amazon Canada or Wisteria at 62 Bridge Street in Carleton Place

In Memory of My Friend FRed DaBrit Siamese

Truth be told I have never met my late friend FRed DaBrit Siamese, nor his lowly man servant Roy. All I know is they have been strong supporters of me and my shenanigans for years. It is amazing who you meet online, and how close they can become.

Today I got an email message:

FRed(tm) passed away last night after a valiant struggle.

R.I.P. my great friend and ally.

To you Roy, and your family all the way in the UK, I send you my sympathies as I too mourn Fred. That cat was so important to us all, and made us smile. I am not only sending my love but of course I am sending my controversial hugs.:)

Thrift Store Shopping — Crafting With Cats? – Zoomer

 

Thrift Store Shopping — Crafting With Cats? – Zoomer.

Potty Training — So Easy a Dog Can Do It? Really? – Zoomers

 

Potty Training — So Easy a Dog Can Do It? Really? – Zoomers.

 

“Years ago I believed that my eldest son was never going to be toilet trained. When he was 3 his biggest fear was not of the big dog in the yard, but the fact that someone might relieve him of his diapers and forced to make a go of it on the toilet. The youngest had been trained for almost two months when one day the oldest was told the store ran out of diapers. Throughout the day he cried and told us how much he hated us, but before the clock struck 6 pm that boy was doing his business on the toilet.”

My cat can still ride a bike better than you can – Zoomers

 

My cat can still ride a bike better than you can – Zoomers.

Breaking Bad – The Curses of Cats – Zoomers

 

Breaking Bad – The Curses of Cats – Zoomers.

 

 

“There is no doubt in my mind that in a former life I must have been a dog. I cannot find any other reason why cats hate me so much or inflict me with so many allergens they almost shut my lungs down. It’s not that I don’t like cats–in fact I love them–but there is something they sense about me they just don’t like. I have heard that cats have to think you’re worthy to be near you, maybe I am just not worthy!”

Serenade Your Cat While Drunk – Zoomers

Serenade Your Cat While Drunk – Zoomers.

Cat with Sombrero on a Bicycle in Mexico – Zoomers

Cat with Sombrero on a Bicycle in Mexico – Zoomers.

 

 

A terrific funny 30 second video