In the past few weeks I have spent a wonderful amout of time visiting with my nana and my great-nana. All too often I hear family members talk about a loved one that had passed away, wishing they had spent more time with them. While I have always been close with my nana's....I'm holding on extra tight to the time we have left to share our lives. It is amazing the things I have learned about my great-nana's life. Born the year the Titanic sank, she has seen most of what I have only read in history books. Hearing the stories first hand is incredible. But what is more amazing to me are the simple recollections she has of her youth. Don't ask her about yesterday, but her memory of 50-70 years ago is astounding.
In 1945 while family was visiting from out of town, my great-nana, her aunt and uncle and their company were spending a lovely Sunday afternoon walking along the boardwalk in Crystal Beach. She remembers how hot it was, how beautiful everyone was dressed having just come from church and how excited she was to have company visiting from out of town. They stopped at a market booth where her uncle bought everyone a bottle of cola. She remembers how sweet it was. Being from a poor family, she had seldom tasted anything artificially sweet let alone to imagine ever being able to affort a bottle of cola. That was something rich people drank. She kept her bottle for years after but it wasn't until she was nearly 50 that she had ever bought a bottle of her own. Can you imagine?
Even better is this one. Being from a poor family living on a tobacco farm near Delhi Ontario, my great-nana was sent to live with an aunt for a few years as her mother could not afford to raise her at the time. My nana would help with the farm and was taught how to cook and press laundry. Once a week her aunt would head into town to buy groceries and necessities for the farm. When my nana turned 11 (1923) she was invited to join her aunt for the trip. It was the first time my nana had seen the city. They shopped all morning at the market then sat at a bench that ran alongside the market where my nana had her first restaurant meal. She said she could remember feeling so grown-up and made sure to use her manners and ettiquette that her aunt had taught her. Even more amazing was that the total bill for two full course meals was 25 cents. You can't even use a public phone for 25 cents anymore!
Then, this afternoon as I stopped by to pick up a pot of homemade chicken soup she made for me we began talking about strip clubs of all things! Her second husband was the owner of a Chevrolet car dealership and was given an expense paid trip to Montreal for business which he took my nana along. Details were sketchy but somehow, a business dinner had been arranged at a strip club. Prim and proper, my nana had to sit awkwardly through a meal while above-the-waist naked women danced about. This led to talking about marriages today and how they lack the romance and courtship of her time. She fondly remembered a movie she watched when she was quite young. It was about a beautiful woman who desperately needed money and so when her husband was at work, she would escort. How odd that any story she has told me of her youth I could not relate to yet this movie I have seen and the story I know quite well. That movie, Belle De Jour sits under my matress. I didn't consider it wise to inform her about a documentary on the subject that will be aired soon. :rolleyes:
It is wonderful to hear of a time well before my years, to be able to appreciate her life and what her eyes have seen. What amazes me more about her is that she accepts change so well. She is not bitter for things she did not have but ever so thankful for the things that she does have. She still writes letters most every day, still crochets her hankerchiefs and knits all of us grown kids slippers for Christmas. I am so blessed to have these moments with her and just had to share some of it with you. Thanks for listening.
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