Wheelhouse

The seafaring history of Newfoundland means that nautical terms are in common use in everyday language. The term wheelhouse is one of them in my husband's family.

We were reminded of the term recently when our 'dog house' was put in place at the back of the garage. It houses the generator for emergency use. Before it was even built, Rick and I called it the dog house, and the contractor called it that too after he heard us use the term.

The structure reminded us of the cabin we bought from Rick's grandparents in Robinson's, Newfoundland which was previously owned by Rick's great grandfather, Joe Lawrence. Joe, from Channel, had a boat for transportation and fished for food. This cabin had a water pump outside in a little house which Joe called the wheelhouse and everyone else did too.

            Three year old Rick

Also when Rick was young, before child car seats were compulsory, he sometimes sat in the back seat while his father, Melvin, drove. His father often said, "Come up in the wheelhouse with the skipper."

Then Rick sat proudly in the front seat, without a carseat or seatbelt. Those days for children are long gone for sure.

The dog house has a new name now.