RICHARD ALLEN SCOTT - Through the Years
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<strong>RICHARD</strong> <strong>ALLEN</strong> <strong>SCOTT</strong><br />
THROUGH THE YEARS<br />
Our transfer to Ottawa came this Spring, prompted by A/Commr Bergman, my former CO in “D”<br />
Division, so we put <strong>the</strong> house on <strong>the</strong> market for $135,900. If memory serves, we once again<br />
had to drop about $10,000 to sell it. The Winnipeg real estate market went nei<strong>the</strong>r up nor down<br />
during our time <strong>the</strong>re…not uncommon for that part of <strong>the</strong> country. So once again, we didn’t<br />
make enough money to transfer to <strong>the</strong> higher Ottawa market without a serious mortgage. In<br />
April, we had our house-hunting trip and after loads of searching found this one for $169,900<br />
and which we luckily purchased for $160,000. Kids were happy – it had an inground pool.<br />
Wasn’t a pretty house, and needed a lot of work, inside and out, plus new windows, plus it didn’t<br />
have air conditioning… which we couldn’t now live without.<br />
1192 St. Moritz Court, Orleans - 1994<br />
By this time, I was well into <strong>the</strong> morphine tablets to<br />
kill <strong>the</strong> agonizing pain of a pinched nerve/ slipped<br />
disk in my upper neck that affected my entire left<br />
arm. In fact, <strong>the</strong> month before we left Winnipeg I<br />
was unable to work at all. Had many tests done<br />
and a medical package forwarded to Health<br />
Services in Ottawa ready for when I arrived<br />
<strong>the</strong>re…and an appointment made for surgery.<br />
Both Winnipeg and Ottawa Health Services were truly efficient and effective on my behalf.<br />
‘Cept I was now seriously addicted to morphine, and coming off of that was pure hell. Plus, it<br />
got to <strong>the</strong> point where it wasn’t doing any good. I was cradling my left arm all <strong>the</strong> time. It<br />
eventually atrophied considerably. I’m convinced that years of computer work on nonergonomic<br />
chairs and desks was <strong>the</strong> cause.<br />
Being on sick leave and unable to drive any distance, we shipped our two cars and flew to<br />
Ottawa once <strong>the</strong> moving truck had left. Had a problem at <strong>the</strong> Winnipeg airport though, in that<br />
only 3 of us (plus 2 dogs) could get on <strong>the</strong> plane. Seems <strong>the</strong>re was no room for <strong>the</strong> fourth<br />
person of our family (Tim was off doing his ‘summer job with <strong>the</strong> military’ thing I believe). I<br />
absolutely lost it (I was on drugs, remember) and if that had been today I would have been<br />
arrested and thrown in jail. Long story short, Christopher elected to stay behind for an extra day<br />
(I’m sure so he could have a good time with his friends…which he did).<br />
June 2017<br />
183
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