NOVEL with Franco-American & Québec backdrop

Here's a portion of the first chapter to give you an idea of the book's flavor. It is at the publisher's and will be available later this year.

FAMILY SECRET

by

Connie LEMONDE

CHAPTER 1
“It’s a surprise. You’ll like it. Come on.”

August, 1947 “happened” and little Michelle’s life would never be the same again.
On that day she was humming as she grabbed a handful of grain from her blue bucket and scattered them around the chickens that were scampering all over their fenced yard. One of the hens stopped, looked straight up at the girl, and then returned to her dining. Michelle smiled back at the daring feathery creature and stooped to give her some extra food.
The girl’s father, Elphège Bellerose, had been gathering eggs in the coop when he noticed his daughter through the back exit that was still open. He quit his chore and walked to the door. For a while he stood observing his child, the only female out of five children. She was a beautiful six-year old: fair- skinned, a little tall for her age, with big, curious brown eyes framed by amazing eyelashes. The yellow pinafore dress that she was wearing over a short-sleeved white blouse was a strong complement to her long, dark brown hair that was tied in back and swished around a bit with every motion that she made.
After a few minutes, he called loudly, “Michelle, come in here!”
She jerked around and stopped short at the sight of her father, dressed only in overalls and mud boots, standing stiffly in the entrance.
The day was hot and sticky, and he drew a large handkerchief from a pocket and wiped his forehead. “Why do you look so scared?” he asked. “Did you do something wrong again?”
Michelle’s blue pail swung back and forth. “No.”
“Well, then, don’t worry. I won’t hit you. I just want to show you something.”
“What is it?”
He beckoned with his finger. “It’s a surprise. You’ll really like it. Come on.”
“A nice surprise?” the girl exclaimed excitedly, as she dropped her pail and started skipping ahead. Her father had never, ever given her anything special and she couldn’t wait to see what it was.
In the doorway, Elphège turned around and faced the front entrance as he waited.
Just as the child ran over the threshold, a loud, angry cry came from the front door that had just opened.
“What in the world are you doing?” roared throughout the whole room and the walls almost shook. Michelle braked short as her grandmother ran in waving her arms helter-skelter in the air. The woman was so incensed that her face seemed to be on fire.

Click on the ORANGE title above

to see pictures of the author,

Connie LEMONDE,

and of her Québec and Franco-American ancestors.

GENETIC Disease study in QUÉBEC

RETINITIS PIGMENTOSA (RP)

The October 2005 issue of the JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS had an article about the discovery of a new gene responsible for Retinitis Pigmentosa, a degenerative disease. The Québec population is often used for such genetic studies since only about 250 forefathers provide an ideal gene pool.

The study is under the auspices of the McGill University Health Center (MUHC) in Montréal, QC. More information is available by clicking on the ORANGE title above.

PETER USTINOV married a French-Canadian from QUEBEC

Born in Ottawa, Ontario,

educated in Québec,

SUZANNE CLOUTIER

(1927-2003)

married

Sir PETER Alexander USTINOV

(1921-2004)

in 1954

Educated in Montréal and in Trois-Rivières, QC, in 1945 Suzanne left for New York City, NY. where she became a model. Noticed by GEORGE STEVENS, the producer, she made several screen tests in Hollywood, CA. She was cast in TEMPTATION with Merle OBERON & George BRENT. Then, Charles LAUGHTON accepted her as part of his theatrical group to act in Shakespearian plays throughout the U.S. for the next 3 years. In 1949 she became a member of the JEAN DASTÉ French company to act in the great classics. In 1950 she acted in «Juliette ou la clé des songes» & then at the Edward VII theater she played the French version of one of Orson WELLS plays, LA LANGOUSTE. In 1951 she played with ORSON WELLES in the filmed version of OTHELLO. From then on, her work was non-stop. She died in 2003.

CLOUTIER Ancestry

(1)
Zacharie CLOUTIER
Xainte DUPONT
1616.07.18
Saint-Jean-de-Montagne, Perche, (Orne) FRANCE
(2)
Charles CLOUTIER
Louise MORIN
1659.04.20
Québec
(3)
Zacharie CLOUTIER
Jeanne BACON
1708.05.23
Château-Richer, Montmorency County, QC
(4)
Zacharie CLOUTIER
Agnès BÉLANGER
1737.11.13
Château-Richer, Montmorency County, QC
(5)
Jean-Baptiste CLOUTIER
Marie-Louise GAGNON
1774.08.01
Beaupré, Montmorency County, QC
(6_
Louis CLOUTIER
Judith FRIGON
1809.01.23
Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan, Champlain County, QC
(7)
Urbain CLOUTIER
Henriette COSSETTE
1851.03.03
Saint-Prosper, Champlain County, QC
(8)
Joseph Dauphin CLOUTIER
Joséphine LEDOUX
1889.06.25
Saint-Narcisse, Champlain County, QC
(9)
Edmond CLOUTIER
Hélène ST-DENIS
1922.05.23
St-Jean-Baptiste parish, Québec City, QC
(10)
Suzanne CLOUTIER
Peter USTINOV
1954

Click on the ORANGE title above to read a short biography of

PETER USTINOV

VERMET dit LAFORME

I've just worked on the following VERMETTE ancestors and thought I'd share the information with those of you, who may be interested.

VERMETTE

(1)
Antoine VERMET dit LAFORME
from St-Nicaise, FRANCE
Barbe MÉNARD
1669.08.26
Sainte-Famille, Île-d'Orléans, Montmorency County, QC
(2)
Jacques VERMETTE
Jeanne DUPIL
1706-10-25
Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Portneuf County, QC
(3)
Augustin VERMETTE
Marie-Josèphte/Josette JUNEAU
1750-11-16
Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Porneuf County, QC
(4)
Joseph VERMETTE
Geneviève AYOTTE
1774-09-26
St-Antoine-de-Padoue, Louiseville, Maskinongé County, QC
(5)
Jean-Baptiste VERMETTE
Marie-Anne PAGÉ
1812-11-23
St-Joseph-de-Maskinongé, Maskinongé County, QC
(6)
Norbert VERMETTE
Julie BELLEMARE
1842-09-13
St-Joseph-de-Maskinongé, Maskinongé County, QC
(7)
Norbert VERMETTE
Marie FRANCOEUR
1871-07-04
Saint-Tite, Champlain County, QC

Apparently, Barbe MÉNARD, who married Antoine VERMET dit LAFORME, was a King's Daughter (Filles du Roi). For more information about these women, click on the ORANGE title above ,

Churches to close in SHERBROOKE, QC

Two churches in the diocese will be permanently closed on Sunday June 11. St-Jean-de-Bréboeuf, on the corner of King St. West & Jacques-Cariter St in Sherbrooke was founded in 1946. According to environmental requirements, the church must be decontaminated of all asbestos. The buyer and the parish will share the cost. Très-Saint-Sacrement, the second church in Sherbrooke to be closed, was founded in 1938. Christ-Roi church, founded in 1940, was closed last April.
Since 1995, 23 churches have been closed in the diocese of Sherbrooke.

For more information about the

diocese of SHERBROOKE,

click on the ORANGE TITLE above.

Marie-Paule GIGUÈRE from housewife to foundress of a religious community

Foundress of the religious community of

Notre-Dame-de-tous-les Peuples

Marie-Paule is at odds with the Catholic Church and has been for years. Her story is interesting and well worth looking into as part of Québec, as well as Church history. Housewife, mother of 5 children whose husband was an alcoholic, religious experiences and circumstances led Marie-Paule to give her life to God. She still lives in the Community infirmary at Lac-Etchemin, QC surrounded by her followers.

Marie-Paule GIGUÈRE's Ancestry

(1)

Jean GIGUÈRE

Michelle JOURNEL

1599.07.26

Tourouvre, Orne, FRANCE

(2)

Robert GIGUÈRE

Aimée MIVILLE

1652.07.02

Québec City, QC

(3)

Joseph GIGUÈRE

Angélique MERCIER

1698.10.18

marriage contract

Notary L. CHAMBERLON

Montmorency County, QC

(4)

Chrétien GIGUÈRE

Dorothée RACINE

1732.11.24

Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Montmorency County, QC

(5)

Claude GIGUÈRE

Judith GUIMOND

1771.01.28

Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Montmorency County, QC

(6)

Ignace GIGUÈRE

Marguerite CLICHE

1803.10.03

Saint-Joseph-de-Beauce, QC

(7)

Narcisse GIGUÈRE

Théotise DOYON

1825.10.25

Saint-Joseph-de-Beauce, QC

(8)

Richard GIGÈRE

Joséphine DOYON

1861.01.08

aint-Joseph-de-Beauce, QC

(9)

Gédéon GIGUÈRE

Mélande GAGNON

1894.01.22

Sainte-Germaine-du-Lac-Etchemin, Dorchester County, QC

(10)

Ernest GIGUÈRE

Laura BÉGIN

1920.07.19

Saiante-Germaine-du-Lac-Etchemin, Dorchester County, QC

(11)

Marie-Paul GIGUÈRE

Georges CLICHE

1944.07.01

Lac-Etchemin, Dorchester County, QC

Simply click on the ORANGE TITLE above to discover more about Marie-Paule's life and the foundation of the Community.

KARMA and GENEALOGY

This afternoon I received an email from

Bill Williams

to which was attached a file containing

MY TRUTH

his philosophical views on life.

After reading the file, I began to equate KARMA with HEREDITY, genetic, social and learned, hence, KARMY is related to GENEALOGY as far as I'm concerned. Read on and think about it. Look back on your life and try to see how your ancestors have influenced it via heredity, thus touching you with their KARMA. You are part of them and they are YOU.

Karma is continuous on all levels of existence. Karma results daily in the material world through our actions & our non-actions as well as our thoughts and emotions. We are continually, minute by minute, second by second, nano second by nano second, creating and paying off karma. It works not only on the physical, mental and emotional level, but on the spiritual level as well. When you pick up something you must eventually put it down. That is Karma

You create karma by the act of picking the thing up and the unavoidable karmic reaction comes when you are forced or choose to put it down. Note, however, that if you do not choose to put it down, you will eventually be forced to do so. Not picking it up at all will result in the karma of the thing staying in place. If it is in the way of something you are attempting to accomplish, by choosing not to move it has created bad karma relative to you. So we do create our own karma.
When you die the excess karma goes with you. You may be required to pay it back on the physical level six lifetimes from now, or in the very next life. Karma is the Law and cannot be denied.

There are many forms of karma. When and where your karmic debt comes due (is balanced) is largely determined by you. Just as when you put down whatever it is you picked up is determined by your choice. But by the same token, if you choose not to balance your karma by choice, your payment will be extracted by force (by operation of the law). You will have lost the right to choose. The law is then enforced by circumstance. Taking responsibility and acting responsibly gives you control of the karmic result and gives you the ability to correct bad choices. The key is to act responsibly in the first place.

So the evil men do does live after them. It will be here for them in the form of karma due and the entity that created it will be held responsible for it when he returns. But what about the good a man does. The law always works and cannot be denied, so the good is rewarded with good and the evil will be rewarded with evil.

Most religions teach that you will be rewarded in heaven. But where is heaven? If the Universe is moving in a more positive direction and everything is getting more positive and if the occult statement of “as above, so below” is correct, the conclusion must be that heaven is in the future.

Is your karmic reward in the future? The answer must be yes & no. Yes if you have not collected it here. No if you have. He who understands this bit of knowledge will be rewarded with great wisdom, purchased with his karma.

The Universe is based on the need to know, the ability to understand and the wisdom to use the knowledge properly. If the great Hermes spoke the truth when he said “As above, So Below,” and if our karmic rewards are in heaven (a more perfect & positive place) then so are our punishments. If karma is the rule of law then reincarnation is its vehicle. With this key the wise man can see the other half of the half-truths.

St-Vincent-de-Paul Orphanage

Dear Murmur, Thank you for giving me info about your blog! I had fun reviewing the stuff that you had on it. Especially meaningful for me was information that you had about the St. Vincent de Paul boarding school. My three older brothers were sent to St. Vincent for a while. My brother Bob spent the most time there. My older brother graduated and went to a regular Catholic High School in Manchester. The middle brother spent the most time there--not with the happiest of memories. But now, at least, we are all understanding the move to the boarding school! Then I was sent to the Mount for my boarding school time! Oh, well, I met the nicest bunch of young ladies there! I really loved having the time away from my family and spending it with great friends.
Thanks again for the info!

View pictures of SAINT-VINCENT-de-PAUL Orphanage and Boarding School in Manchester, NH by clicking on the ORANGE TITLE above. This will bring you to one of my albums on Webshots. There are 13 pictures posted there of the Boarding School building as well as of former students. Of course, should any of you be former students of the School and should you wish to share pictures of those days, please leave a COMMENT on this BLOG or leave a message in the GUESTBOOK of the album on WEBSHOTS.