The Icelandic Canadian - 01.09.2008, Side 10

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THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Vol. 61 #4
The Sigvaldson sisters on the porch of the house. Back row, left to right: Margaret, Olof, Valdine.
Front row left to right: Thordis, Kristjana, Gudrun, Anna.
Manitoba.
I was very pleased to see Jonina’s
youngest sister, Haddie Low at the
Heritage Village site at the Grand Opening.
She is one of three surviving members of
Sigurdur & Disa Brandson’s family of ten
children. Today the Brandson House con-
tains old pictures, furniture and loving
memories of past years and past friend-
ships.
As I walk towards our old home, the
Sigvaldason House which was donated and
moved to its site at the Heritage Village by
David Smolinski, who was the last owner
of the house, I am transported back into
our world in the 1940s. I see, in my mind’s
eye, Mother’s crisp white cotton curtains
that adorn the windows, the large kitchen
table, the lovely dining room buffet, table
and chairs which were presented to Mother
and Dad by the Arborg Community on the
occasion of their 25th Wedding
Anniversary. I am reminded of the day
when we got our piano. No one knew how
to play the piano so we girls ran to out
neighbours, the Andersons, whose daugh-
ter Sara was a fine pianist and asked her to
come and play for us. I am reminded of the
excitement of a sunny day in June 1940
when we went to have our family picture
taken in Winnipeg.
Now, sixty eight years later, as we
walk into our restored house we are greet-
ed by Cherysse Phelps, our great niece,
dressed in period costume. As she leads us
through the front hall we see a beautiful
high-backed chair with a mirror and hooks
across the top donated by Pat Eyolfson and
her family; in the dining room the buffet,
table and chairs have been returned from
White Rock by Kristjana, the china cabinet
from Wesley in Winnipeg; the original
family picture and the mantel clock, as well
as dressers, end tables and rocking chair
have come back from Margaret’s home in
Invermere; the dining room set has been
beautifully set with sister Gudrun’s Royal
Doulton dinner set; an old chest, brought
over from Iceland when our grandparents
moved to Canada has now been brought