Life Lessons

July 31st, 1956

Almost half the town was at the Ashford farm that night. It was the wildest party on the east side of the river. Boy did the Ashfords know how to party. That's the word around tonight. Tonight was a different occasion. It was the wedding of Eddie Ashford and Edith Benson. Eddie had met young Edith working at the railway station when she came into town and he was smitten immediately. His jaw dropped and his heart started beating fast. Eddie was in love with this girl and he needed to take her on a date. The rest is history as they say. The sparks flew like a fourth of July celebration and soon the whole town knew of Eddie's love for Edith. You could see it in the way he talked. The way he smiled. The way he looked at her and the way he respected every movement that woman made. July 31st, 1941 was the biggest party that town had ever seen as Eddie and Edith danced the night away in the old Ashford Barn.

December 25th, 1960

Christmas Day at the Ashford house. Eddie always decorated the inside of the barn with a beautiful recreation of the birth of Jesus every year. This year was especially different. The city had asked Eddie if a local theater company could use his barn for a small Christmas set production. Of course Eddie lit up like the tree he had fully decorated in the center of the barn. His smile went from ear to ear. Eddie was known around town as the person with the friendly smile and the old farmhouse. It was a massive turn out and Eddie got a profile piece written about his barn and even made it on the local news channel. He was so proud of that nativity scene for as long as he could keep it up Eddie would never miss a year.

March 19th, 1962

Eddie and Edith Ashford welcomed the birth of their daughter Mary. She was Eddie's little girl through and through. She was the spitting image of Eddie and had his natural charisma. She was spunky from the get go and never missed a beat. As she got older the old barn on the property never went without love and care. Eddie turned it into a place of magic and wonder where his children could play without any restraints rain or shine. Eventually even a horse joined the ranks of the Ashford family. Edith always joked Eddie couldn't say no to Mary and if the barn could hold them he would buy his little girl 1000 horses just to make her smile.

November 17, 1970

It was cold, especially early that year. Eddie was not prepared and didn't have the barn up to winter status for the horse. Eddie took that day off from work to winterize the house for what would be the most difficult winter of their lives. Eddie was up on a ladder that day and fixing up some holes and insulating to keep the horse warm when he slipped and fell and smashed his head. Eddie twisted his knee and hit his head hard off the ground. He could never recall after the accident a lot of his childhood and it took repetition and guidance for him to remember some of the traditions and things he was used to doing. He was forced out of his job at the railway station. He eventually took a job at the grocery store when he was cleared for physical activity. A lot of folks point to that day as the day Eddie Ashford lost himself.

June 25 1979

Eddie was never the same after the accident but he tried to be. Today was the day his only daughter was set to graduate high school. He had been having more memory problems as of late but the one memory Eddie never seemed to forget was the night of his wedding. The most amazing party he had ever had. He wanted to top that for his daughter so he held a party for the graduates. Mary was happy to oblige her father who was growing older now. Eddie and Edith let the kids have their time in the barn and Eddie was happy to pass the good time onto the next generation.

August 10, 1982

It was a somber day for the town. Eddie Ashford the heart and soul had died peacefully in his sleep after spending his final day prior tending to the horses that now occupied the barn. Eddie had fallen in love with horses after his accident and going to the barn was one of the few activities he could still do. He always got so much joy out watching Mary ride and seeing her hair blow in the breeze as the horse galloped across the property. Edith and Mary honored Eddie by spreading his ashes in the barn. A place that he had turned into a magical land where a girl could go on adventures with her horse. Memories that could last a lifetime.

January 22, 1990

Mary Ashford had met a man of her own while studying at college. She found out later while home for Christmas she was pregnant with her first child. She was filled with excitement but scared as well. On this particularly cold day she had driven 45 minutes from the city to feed the horses and take them out for a jaunt around the yard. The cold was hard on her mothers joints now so Mary had taken over most of the work during the colder months to help ease the pain on her mother. Edith had already begun having conversations with Mary about what would become of the house after she passed away. Mary said she would keep it for as long as possible but was unsure of what the future would bring.

September 4, 1990

Mary Ashford gave birth in the barn with a midwife present and named her Baby Boy Edward. Her mother was on hand for the birth as was her fiance Jeremy. He was just as keen for horses as Eddie had been all those years prior and it was one of the things that sparked their initial conversation. They had both attended a local event and they started chatting and casually became more than friends without even realizing it. Life had just happened before they could even really begin to think about it. Mary was happy with Jeremy and the little family they had created for themselves.

February 26, 1995

Edith Ashford passed away at the hospital as heavy snow fell. She was surrounded by family and as she took her last breath she hugged them tightly. Mary held onto her mother for a little while after she had passed on and then finally said her last good bye. It was a hard year that year trying to work full time and keep up with the house and the barn chores. Jeremy was working full time as a Loader so he was always tired and Mary was always on the go with little Edward. The barn got neglected and Mary often remarked that Eddie would have cried at the site of it. Mary always had intentions of keeping horses in the barn but young Edward was more into Sports like Hockey and Football so it was just another chore for the family that started feeling like a burden.

January 1st, 2000

It was during a drunken new years celebration that Jeremy came up with the idea that would take one of Eddie's old loves and turn it into something great for a new generation. He wanted to apply for a small business loan to turn the barn into a larger scale Horse Riding Academy. They would secure the funds by taking a loan out on the house and refurbishing the old barn that had been sitting on the property. Mary laughed in his face that night on new years but Jeremy was persistent and came up with a design that would expand the barn and allow for people to board and use their facilities.

July 4, 2001

Over 18 months after Jeremy and Mary had come up with plans to open an Equestrian Training and Boarding Facility the Eddie Ashford Training facility was opened. Many of the locals had heard stories passed on from generation to generation and it wasn't long before Jeremy and Mary had a full barn and a waiting list for more. Now as they watch their two children play Mary flashed back to all the times Eddie talked about his wedding night and all the things that one amazing evening would set in motion for three generations to come. Eddie and Edith would be proud and Mary often thought how crazy it was that this all started with a smile in a train station.