This summer, we managed to snag four beautiful solid fir doors with original hardware from our neighbours who did a reno on their 1920s home. Interior doors, two must have been closet doors since they had heavy bevelled glass panes. Sadly, one broke but behind it we discovered a fascinating surprise. May 17 and 18, 1949 editions of the Star Phoenix were used for padding behind the glass. I was able to extract the paper mostly intact after donning goggles and taking a hammer to the last of the glass. The ads are quaint, and news items are often blunt, and housewives sure had plenty of ads presented to them with ideas for pleasing their husbands. I love finding this sort of stuff! In the Fall 2017 issue of Saskatoon HOME magazine, we featured a story about other interesting artifacts people discover hidden in their homes. The doors have gone off to a friend’s son in Alberta, a woodworker, who plans to restore them to their former glory. If anyone has a suggestion about where to donate the newspapers, let me know. The City Archives has everything on microfiche, but maybe there’s a Star Phoenix collector out there?
Owners/publishers of Saskatoon HOME magazine, Amanda and Rob Soulodre, hosted the gang of us who create each issue of HOME to a Christmas lunch at their new office at Wall Street Common. We evidently go for an average height quota at this publication. Missed our foodie Craig Silliphant on this occasion, but he would have been right in line. We’re at work on the spring issue; grab your winter copy in the meantime at one of the many racks available around town (I always get an extra copy at Sobey’s). We’ll see you in early March with the 10th anniversary issue! From left, that’s Amy, Julie, Cheryl, Ashleigh, Jeff, me, Amanda and, towering overhead, Rob.
Karin Melberg Schwier 