Friday, December 7, 2012

My Current Facebook Banner

Coilbox, Continuous Casting, and Spiral Pipe Mill

Saturday, December 1, 2012

The Centre and Branches - 1986

Click:The Centre and Branches for a readable PDF copy.


And to enlarge the image below, click on it.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Help!!

I came across this article in the The Centre and Branches dated September 1981. Frankly, I have no recollection of this "Academy". Did it exist?? Pls let know

Jock
jock.mckay@gmail.com
Click article to enlarge it.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Bob Taylor

Rick Minion received this email today:

Hello Rick,

I thought that you might like to know that Robert is at the Hamilton General and is scheduled for spine surgery tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Leslie Taylor

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Centre & Branches - Oct 1978


More in PDF format (Easer to read and enlarge)

click

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Monday, September 10, 2012

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Friday, August 17, 2012

Annual Group Photo

Click on photo to enlarge it.


Santa Claus?



1 Rick Grigg, 2 Ellen Visser?, 3 Ann Clay,
4 ? Ikeda, 5 Stu McKichnie, 6 David McKay, 7 David George

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Stewart McKechnie (Stu)

Stu on a 3-week trip to China April 2012

Stu wrote:
Can't tell you how thrilled I was to find your blog and names and photos from the early days. Our youngest Grandchild needs a little extra help and Arlene was at a therapist with him in Burlington yesterday and asked if Stelco R&D had changed names and where the old CSG building was. Isn't Google a great tool.

To be honest it took a few minutes with some of the names but because so many were of the early gang they all came back eventually. Has Nick been able to fight his way back a bit?.
A little update: I left R&D in 1975 to join Michel Hone in Mtl to form a satellite R&D east. We lived in Mont St. Hilaire SE of Mtl. Adrianna was 2 1/2 and Alison was 6 months. During our stay 'til 1986 I had 7 different jobs starting with R&D then through a few mills as Met and QC and production jobs as GF Pipe Mill and GF Steelmaking and ended as Service Met for Jack Presho in the east. Arlene worked at a number of jobs in computer science (including giving courses in French) and eventually was a prof at a Community college. Our son Matthew was born in 1977. All three of our kids went to French Primary school..
We moved to Windsor as Sen Service Met with the Automotive Sales office. Arlene instructed at U of Windsor and quickly became bored and looked around for some new challenge. At age 42 she announced she thought she would like to go to Law school. To a mediocre student at best that sounded ludicrous and I said so.... so she promptly enrolled.
I loved the action in Detroit and the small group working out of the Windsor office. When a headhunter called late in 1988 with an offer to work in an Eastern On Rodmill I happily said " No. I'm very happy where I am thank you" and hung up. I told Arlene and she said that she might benefit from finishing law school in Ottawa with job opportunities etc. So I called back to say I was only kidding when I said to stick your job.
We moved in 1989 and there was lots of low hanging fruit as a service met and QA guy to help Ivaco get away from the nail rod mentality. I became Rodmill Super in 1993 and worked toward a major revamp of the RM in 3 phases from 1995 -99. Then I created a job called Manager of Product Performance that sort of dabbled from Production through QA and Service Met and I quite enjoyed that for a few years.

Ivaco got into financial trouble in 2003 and we were bought by Heico out of Chicago. They decided that I should actually work for pay and I became Manager of Operations. The strike from Sept. 2005 to Jan 2006 was all about DB vs DC pensions and we were asked to run the RM with staff. We did it and produced 72,000 tons of great quality rod and came together as a team like few others. Chicago was so impressed they suggested we move to 2 12hr shifts using outside help. Thank goodness the Union folded just as my crew were going to our first night shift.
Mid 2006 I named one fellow to take over production and another to cover my QA side (yes I know of foxes and chicken coops) and watched them grow into much better managers than I ever was and I retired on my 65th B'day.
While I was dabbling with steel, Arlene graduated and fast tracked to partner (at age 45 or so) in Ottawa then quit when our first gr. child was due and work as in house council and retired with me. She is very involved with a charity that educates girls in Tanzania called Project Tembo and has traveled to Africa 10/11 times over the last 5/6 yrs. In 2008 I was there for a total of 3 months building stuff for the project.
I would love to be part of the R&D conversation.
Stu

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

32 Years Ago

To enlarge the text, click on the image.

Click here for PDF view of the above page.
Click here for PDF view of the above page
Click here for PDF view of the above page

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Amazon Reviews






5.0 out of 5 stars
        A fun read for all ages, July 3 2012
     


This review is from: Old Lady Sweetly Is Twenty (Paperback)
 

"Old Lady Sweetly Is Twenty" is a fun story of the coming of age of the
sweet,  innocent and lovable Betty.  Each page keeps turning itself as
we cheer Betty on through her naivety, her eye-opening experiences and
finally her resolve. This is a definite read for all ages bringing you
back to a time and place of simplicity yet narrow-mindedness.  An
excellent first book for Denise McKay.




5.0 out of 5 stars
        Very Good!, July 3 2012
     



This review is from: Old Lady Sweetly Is Twenty (Paperback)
     

Reading "Old Lady Sweetly" feels like sharing a cup of tea with a new
friend: a new friend that is a great storyteller. It's hard not to love
and sympathize with Betty, the protagonist - her challenges, while
authentically 1950's, are also timeless and relevant to readers of any
generation. I'm a sucker for a good coming-of-age / overcoming-the-odds
story, and this book doesn't disappoint.



5.0 out of 5 stars
        Old Lady Sweetly is Hilarious!, July 1 2012 
     

By Judith Sylvester
 This review is from: Old Lady Sweetly Is Twenty (Paperback)

This book is the most enjoyable read I have had in a long time. The intrepid "Miz Sweetly" and the eccentric cast of characters she encounters as a teacher in the back woods of Needles, British Columbia are indelibly etched in my heart. Denise McKay vividly captures the naiveté, angst and lustiness of a young woman coming of age in the early 1950s. From avoiding the ramshackle outhouse at her one room schoolhouse, to winning over her unruly class, to staring down a grizzly bear while her would-be lover races away in his skin tight bathing suit, to being accosted by the minister of the Tabernacle Church for being a "whore of Babylon", Betty's many pratfalls are both endearing and hilarious. I highly recommend reading this fun and uplifting story!



Monday, July 2, 2012

Lorne Passed Away

MURPHY, Lorne Edward Passed away at his home in Burlington on Thursday, June 28, 2012 at the age of 87. Loving husband of Marjorie (nee Codd) for 48 years. Loving father of Mary Murphy and Bill Murphy (Robyn). Cherished Grandpa of Calvin and Marshall. Lorne retired after 45 years at Stelco. Visitation at SMITH’S FUNERAL HOME, 1167 Guelph Line, (one stoplight north of QEW), BURLINGTON, 905-632-3333 on Sunday, July 1, 2012 from 3-5 and 7-9 p.m. A Funeral Service will be held at Brant Hills Presbyterian Church, 2138 Brant Street on Tuesday, July 3, 2012 at 2 p.m. Cremation to follow. If desired, donations to Canadian Diabetes Association would be sincerely appreciated by the family. www.smithsfh.com

Please also see: Smith Funeral Home -- Times and Place

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Stelco R&D Retirees



Who's the Oldest?

 Garv Kennedy will be 89 this coming September. My guess was 75 give or take two years.






Saturday, May 19, 2012

Stelco R&D retirees breakfast

Stelco R&D retirees breakfast, Wed June 6, 2012 at 9:00 AM
Rick mass emailed this message:
Hello all you retirees, I’m glad to say that our breakfast get together will be back at the old Apple Annie’s Restaurant now restored under the same management and now called: The Skyway Diner 1-645 Plains Rd E, Burlington, ON L7T 4J5 905-592-1077 Hope to see you all there on Wednesday, June 6th, 2012 at 9:00 AM I will call them tomorrow to book it for us. Hope to see you there. Rick Minion

Denise McKay: Book signing at Chapters

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Book Signing

On May 17th, at Chapters Books, 2215 Fairview Street, (6:00 to 9:00pm) Denise McKay of Burlington will be signing her debut novel, “Old Lady Sweetly is Twenty”.

Book also available at "a different drummer books" on
513 Locust Street, Burlington. 


The novel tells the story of a bewildered nineteen year-old, novice teacher, who, in 1951, has been justifiably banished to a rural one-room school in a remote village located in central British Columbia. The writing style is multilevel humour, both prophetic and nostalgic, taking protagonist Betty Wheatley and her skewed logic to face: fifteen barn-scented empty-headed pupils, amorous advances from both sexes, and betrayals from best friends and lovers.


Denise is a well-known member of the Burlington Art Community. She has just completed 10 years of dancing with the Burlington Footnotes, after a 25-year career as a professional artist, creating artworks in porcelain and on canvas. On May 5th, 2005 she received the City of Burlington’s Civic Award for “Arts Person of the Year” in recognition for her work as set designer for the dance company and as developer of the Footnote’s Dancing Clown Troupe, and for her many years of earlier efforts at the Burlington Art Centre. She was a founding member of the Burlington Potters Guild, becoming its President in 1971-73, a founding member of Arts Burlington, becoming its President in 1979-80, and Chairman and President of the Board of The Burlington Art Centre in 1982. She was Chairman of the BAC's Acquisition Committee for six years, then, for four years, a member of the BAC Foundation.


Denise has had eight solo art shows and numerous group shows throughout the Golden Horseshoe, and as of 1997, has had works in "Fire & Earth", which toured Canada and then traveled to Japan. These works are now permanently on display in the Virtual Museum of Canada.

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Denise McKay's Novel



Google this: lady sweetly twenty  

Click on: More

Book is currently available at:

A Different Drummer Books
513 Locust Street, Burlington
Denise's blog

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Paul passed away.


Cam Howey wrote:
Ladies and Gentleman,
Passing on sad news about Paul Readyhough passing away last night. Paul was a true gentleman, and taught many of us about coal, coke, pellets and Excel. I learned a great deal from Paul about all three, and he taught me some tricks in Excel I wished I’d learned earlier. Paul was very active in AIST, McMaster and my community.
Service will be at St Joseph’s Church – Paul was a very active member, helping in many ways. If you need parking – my drive is open at 83 Stanley Ave, space for a few, and we’re less than 1/2 a block from the Church.
Trust all is well with you all, hit me a bit hard, Paul had been sick since January. We lost a neighbor earlier this week – perhaps a reminder to give those you love an extra hug.
Cam

Details of Paul’s visitation and service:
Dermodys.com
August 29, 1946 – January 25, 2012
Died peacefully at home after a long, hard-fought battle with cancer. Beloved husband of Ene. Loving father of Catherine and David, father-in-law of Kaan, and adoring granddad of Ayhan. Dear brother of Stella, Ruth and Peter (deceased), uncle of Michael and Matthew Suffoletta, and brother-in-law of Toivo Maaniit. Visitation at P.X. DERMODY FUNERAL HOME, 796 Upper Gage Ave., on Friday, January 27 from 3pm to 9pm. Prayer Vigil at 3pm. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Locke St. S. at Herkimer, on Saturday, January 28 at 10am. Interment, Holy Sepulchre Cemetery In lieu of flowers, donations to the Juravinski Cancer Centre would be appreciated.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Reminder!


Hi Jock,

Hope things are going well. Just a reminder re the Breakfast on Wed Feb 1 at 9:00 AM.

The location has been changed to the Golden Griddle at 3485 Harvester Road, just west of Walkers line. Apple Annie’s had a fire and is closed for restorations.

If you could post this on your WEB Site, it would be much appreciated.

Thanks and hope to see you there.

Rick