Monday, December 10, 2012
How does one begin to write about the significance of ones life? A mothers life. Not only did our mom nurture us with care but she nurtured us and our children with many hours and hours of storytelling. The stories came to us when we baked together, rolled meatballs or simply sat around the kitchen table. We will miss this. Here are some of the classics that Georgie told us that all paint a picture of who she was.
The bull
One day mom and sister Marian eyed a bull tied up in a neighbour's yard as they were children . She tells us that aunt Marion had a red sweater on and quickly took it off and started to swing it around and play bull fighter. The bull broke lose and proceeded to chase Marian and mom thought the school yard, down the school halls and all the way to their house. She tells us that father was not impressed when they told him that there was a full size bull in the front yard.
The roof at Merritt's Pharmacy
One day she and her 2 brothers and sister climbed the roof at Meritts pharmacy when it was being built. They knew that they were not supposed to be there and that they were trespassing but this did not stop them. Then they heard someone shout to them and they skirted away. Brother bobby jumped from the roof only to be cushioned by a bed of cow manure.
The flowers from holy angels school
One day she and her sister decided to pick some lovely flowers from holy angels school. They brought them home and gave them to their mother Matilda , who quickly placed them is a place of honour on the dining room table. The next day the family attended church and the priest apologized to the congregation that there were no flowers to be had to grace the church as someone had picked them.
The bike ride
I was about three years old and my cousin and I were riding our bicycles with new cushioned seats. Turns out that while mom and auntie June were having coffee both my cousin and I got into the ladies sanitary napkins box and decided that they should grace our bikes. My mother says they were mortified as they tried to get us passed the workmen on the street.
Mom nurtured us with home made baking everyday when we arrived home from school . Popcorn and TV dinners were a special treat when we would gather around the television to watch the yearly academy awards. She was up bright and early every Sunday to roll meatballs and get the sauce going. I fondly remember the wafting aroma that greeted me on those mornings and the ritual of sauce, meatballs and bread. She nurtured us with pizza pinĚata and tie plates and we listened and danced to Christmas albums played while she and her mother gossiped and baked. She rolled genetiees with her granddaughters and walked up to meet them and navigate them safely home when she took care of them.
She loved to use the expression the more you laugh the more you cry. My sister and I would usually laugh when she said this but it always seemed to be the case. We loved to tease her and she was a good sport. We did however know that the tv remote control was out of bounds and never conjured up the courage to try to retrieve this.
When we were in crisis mom always surprised us with her support and helpfulness though illness, the births of our children and even the death of our father and her lifetime partner Peter. With the support of my uncles, At age 60 mom got her drivers licence. She always seemed to gather strength when it was needed.
She was proud of and loved all of her grandchildren Rania, Emily and Hannah. She took delight in their accomplishments and enjoyed her time with them when she had it.
When she was with me she would tell me how hard heather worked and when she was with heather she would always tell her how hard I worked. I guess the bottom line is that she worried about us and delighted in our achievements. She fondly would give Sheila the real goods/scoop about life and she loved to tease Joe. Of course anything that Dacie would do was simply uncontested as she felt that he was simply too good looking to do error.
We were lucky to have such a good mom and grandmother and we will miss her terribly. Her stories ,her recipes and her expressions will live on and always remind us her and comfort us. The more you laugh the more you cry.
