could be right before your very eyes - just beyond a door that's open wide - could be far away or in your own backyard - there are those who say, you can look too hard - for your place in the world - could be one more mile, or just one step back - in a lover's smile, down a darkened path - friends will take our side, enemies will curse us - but to be alive is to know your purpose - it's your place in the world
Most kids will have similar memories to this. Visiting your grandparents meant stepping into a home where the furniture rarely changed and there was a familiar sense of hominess. I had a similar childhood.
Visiting Grammie & Grandad meant feeling the warmth of the stove in the front room. It meant hearing the tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock GONG from the clock. It meant looking at the photos proudly displayed on the buffet inside the front door. And, it usually meant Grandad would be relaxing in his favourite rocking chair.
For many years, I never sat in that chair because it was Grandad's chair. After he passed away, Grammie would often sit in it but occasionally, I had the chance to sink into it's soft cushion and be wrapped in it's comfort. I loved that chair.
This is the only photo I can find of the chair previously.
I loved that chair so much that Grammie promised that one day I could have it. And she followed through on her word when she sold her house and moved into an apartment. By that time, the chair was in pretty rough condition. The wood was nicked and scratched, the upholstery had seen better days and it needed a good clean. It also needed a bit of a tune up as it was a bit rickety. But, I had a vision.
Now, just because you have a vision doesn't mean you are motivated to complete the vision immediately! I didn't have the skills nor the money to complete the project so it sat in my garage for quite a while. After a time, it made it's way to my dad's shop where he squared up the frame so it was good and solid. He also gave it a coat of white paint at my request. It stayed in that shop for quite a while.
During this time, Grammie would occasionally ask "did you get that chair done?" She wasn't prodding but she was pleased that I wanted to breath new life into it and was anxious to see the final product. Each time I would have to report "no, I haven't gotten around to it."
We got married three years ago and Grammie made it a goal to attend the wedding. We were elated that she accomplished that goal considering it was a very early morning for her and a bit complicated to get there via special transportation and with one of her workers from the nursing home. She was beaming. She was so happy that I now had a husband AND a family.
She asked me what I would like for a wedding gift as she wanted to get us something special. My response was that her attending the wedding was the only gift I needed. But, of course, that didn't sit well with her. She wanted to give us something. I thought about it and I had an idea. I suggested she give us some money towards upholstering the rocking chair. We both thought that was a great idea.
Grammie passed away five months after we got married and sadly, she never got to see the chair completed. The chair now sits in our livingroom and is beautifully restored. Special thanks to Rene at Frantic Upholstery for creatively recreating this chair. The new colour and fabric blends in nicely with our furniture but it's a wonderful reminder of past visits to see Grammie & Grandad. I know they would both love to see the chair enjoying a new lease on life.
Last week I had a little extra time on my hands after work so I decided to stop by the TV station. I spent nearly 15 years of my life within the walls of that newsroom and the people became like family.
What a wonderful time I had catching up with old friends. I wasn't sure what faces I would recognize as it's been five years since I left. Fortunately, I knew most of the people that were working that day!
Working in TV was such a unique and rewarding experience. I truly loved my time at the station and the fun I had with the people. We worked as a team - sometimes under tight deadlines and pressures - but how rewarding when we pulled off a successful show. It was a great group of people to work with and have fun with. Countless potlucks, coffee runs, ice cream runs, Dutch Blitz games and even re-watching old bloopers together.
Some poignant and memorable moments happened in that newsroom:
I found out I was an aunt for the first time
I watched 9-11 unfold from a "behind the scene" perspective
A few of my closest coworkers stayed after the late show to await news on my first-time house purchase
During a 3 minute commercial break, I got a call that Dad had a heart attack. I had to keep it together for the remainder of the show and was surrounded by caring and concerned coworkers when the credits rolled
I took a call from my sister Connie in the middle of the busy newsroom to discover they had just adopted a baby!
I found out about the deaths of George Harrison and Ernie Coombs from the wire alerts
I excitedly sat through the noon news before picking up my first Beetle - yellow - my dream car! I promptly drove it back to the station for everyone to see since they were still a novelty at the time.
Thanks for the memories! A great chapter in my life and happy to have shared it with such amazing people.
While looking through some video files, I found these treasures from January 31, 2015. I had decided to document some of Grammie's memories - for posterity. I'm not sure why it ended - possibly I ran out of battery or something like that.
I really enjoyed watching these - hearing her voice and reliving those memories that she would often share.
Wanted to share them here for my family to enjoy as well.
Grieving the loss of someone you love is relatively new to me. Fortunately I have not lost a lot of loved ones. I was only 6 when my Grandma Mills passed away and the loss was much different as a child. My Grandad died when I was 18 but we didn't have a close emotional attachment so the grief was different, yet again.
Losing my Grammie in November was like nothing I've ever experienced. I am so fortunate to have had such a close and loving relationship with this special lady. Not only was she my Grammie, sharing stories of her youth and from the past, but she was also my friend. A confidant. Someone I could talk to. Someone I could LAUGH with. We laughed a lot. She was quite funny.
I feel that I have mourned in gradual stages. Several years ago, I started to see signs of her aging. It became more difficult for her to get around and our trips in the car were less frequent. As superficial as it sounds, she stopped dying her hair and started to look older. She moved from her home of 60+ years to an apartment, to a retirement home and then to a nursing home. Our phone conversations were not as long and our visits were shortened by required naps. All of these stages gave me time to process what was happening and what was inevitable. Although I could not imagine what it would feel like, it wasn't as overwhelmingly crushing as I thought it might be. I'm grateful for the gradual grieving.
However, you never know when an emotional moment will hit you. While putting up the Christmas tree this year, we carefully removed ornaments from the box and hung them on the tree. And then I opened a box that brought out the tears. It was an ornament I had given Grammie many years ago. Last year she returned it to me to hang on my own tree. As soon as I saw it I was overwhelmed with sadness and started to cry. Cody wanted to know what was wrong, so I explained to him that this ornament was very special. I had given it to Grammie and she had given it back to me last year - as if she knew that she wouldn't be with us this year. He rubbed my arm and said "I'm sorry you're sad Emmy."
Today would've been Grammie's 90th birthday. The last two days have been difficult. Yesterday a memory popped up on my Facebook feed. It was a video I had put together for Grammie's birthday 2 years ago. As I watched the photos fade across the scene, I started to cry - right there in my office. Fortunately, no one else had arrived yet so I was alone, but it was a full out "ugly cry" as Oprah would call it. I think I'm lucky to have loved so much to have lost so much.
I will always miss this special lady but am incredibly grateful for the memories I will always carry with me.
On Saturday, November 12 we lost my precious Grammie. If you know me, you know how incredibly special this woman was to me.
I was honoured to be asked to write the obituary and give the eulogy at the funeral. Until I can compose myself to share my personal reflections here, I wanted to share what I wrote earlier this week.
Good afternoon. For those of you that don’t know me, I’m Janice, one of Olga’s granddaughters. I’m honoured to have been asked to share with you today – a glimpse of who my Grammie was and why she was loved by so many.
She was born in Manchester England in 1927 and grew up during the war. During those uncertain days, the children were shipped out to the countryside to keep them safe. Grammie and her sister Vera stayed together but were separated from the rest of the family for 11 months.
She returned to Manchester and became a young milk maid. It was at the end of her run one day that she happened to meet a dashing Canadian soldier at a bus stop. She happened to mention where she worked and was surprised to find him waiting for her the next day. The rest, as they say, is history. My history. Our history.
Grandad and Grammie were married in 1946 and soon came to Canada to start their new life. After living a brief time in Moncton with the Murrays, they headed west to Ontario and eventually settled in Corunna. I know we’ve all heard the stories many times – they lived in a four room garage while Grandad built their house. Times were tough – he even re-used nails having to straighten them first. They had to use an outside toilet and pumped water from a well. Quite an adjustment for this young wife and mom.
I often have thought about how it would feel to be 19 and leave everything you knew behind you and set sail for a brand new life. Of course, this was before the days of email and skype to make communication easy. Information was shared by sitting down to write a letter – only to have the contents read many days later! Imagine! I know being a new wife and mom, I have lots of questions for and advice to ask my mom and call her daily! For Grammie, a trans-continental phone call was reserved for only the rarest occasions.
She certainly had determination. She raised a brood of five boys and a girl, went on to have 19 grandchildren and 31 great grandchildren. Her family was her pride and joy. Any chance she got, she would tell you about the exponential growth of the Murray family and would often follow that up with “and there ain’t an ugly one in the bunch”. She was so incredibly proud of each and every one of us – in our own way.
When chatting with some of my cousins this weekend, this was certainly a theme that came up. We each felt encouraged and loved by the way that she loved us individually. She kept tabs on what you were up to and would be sure to ask about it. Whether it was about your soccer team, your job, your kids or your car! She would pick up on what you were good at and compliment you with a “you’re so clever”.
Sometimes people don’t seize the opportunity to tell loved ones just what they mean to them. And perhaps that is the case. But I can assure you that through our many visits – in person or on the phone, I heard about each of you – how much she loved you and how proud she was of you.
As her only daughter, Grammie shared a special relationship with my mom. On many occasions, she would look at me and ask “What would I do without Ellen?” Indeed! I can’t imagine growing up in that Murray house full of boys! They shared a lot of tender moments as well as laughs over the years. Grammie recognized my mom’s big heart and her need to help others and always commented that she deserved to have a break. She was so grateful for the countless ways you helped her in the later years Mom.
Grammie thought a lot of Uncle Cliff. She was proud of his accomplishments when he moved to Toronto and started his life there. She was so grateful for the way Cliff and Penny have cared for Melvin and would often comment how loving and giving you are.
Uncle Doug was pretty special in Grammie’s eyes. I think she loved that he had inherited Grandad’s knack for “MacGyvering” anything. She enjoyed many lovely meals with you and Carmelle, tucked in by the woodstove. I know she missed you so much when you moved to Nova Scotia but was so happy that you were fulfilling your dream.
I remember hearing a number of times how Uncle Russ was such a beautiful baby. He had such lovely curls. And, you still have those lovely curls! I know she would enjoy your trips to Tim Horton’s when you would ride your bike down from Sarnia. Grammie kept me updated on all of your latest adventures and was so pleased with your growing family and the many musical talents of your kids and grandkids.
Having Uncle Dave close by in Corunna for so many years was a blessing to Grammie. She always enjoyed your visits and could count on you to take care of her tech support – hooking up the TV, figuring out the remote, etc. Grammie enjoyed the many family events that she was included in over the years and cherished your quiet and faithful support.
And Uncle Mel. I know there is a special place for the baby of the family and you had that place of honour in this family. Grammie always shared with me about what you were up to and enjoyed your regular phone calls. She was so pleased to see you cutting lawns, clearing snow and going on trips!
She cherished each of us and never missed sending a card on our birthdays. And that’s a heck of a lot of birthdays to keep track of!
We all remember the Merry Murray Christmas. Grammie loved getting everyone together once a year to celebrate Christmas. Uncle Dave recalls going to Kreskie’s with Grammie to do the Christmas shopping and stopping for lunch at the snack counter. He had the inside track of what the older kids were getting for Christmas, but somehow Grammie always managed to have a surprise under the tree for him on Christmas morning.
Uncle Cliff remembers the Christmas chaos that happened each year – after the Christmas Eve service. Grandad would wait to get a deal on the tree and they’d put it up on the 24th. Grammie would be madly wrapping gifts for all the kids and putting the turkey in the oven to cook over night.
When reminiscing about Grammie, there were a number of things that came up that took you back to childhood years. Some of our favourites included:
• The smell of the woodstove
• The sound of the clock above the sideboard
• Putting pennies on the railway track
• Grandad’s rocking chair
• Sleepovers with cookies & milk
• Vacation Bible school
• The crayon drawer
• Her spoon collection
• The plates hung on the wall
• Getting Avon samples
• Her hand-knitted mitts, sweaters, ….even Barbie doll clothes!
Another thing we all seem to remember is her pie. She was famous for her pies and Grandad was famous for volunteering her to make them for events at the Moore Museum! It was always a treat when you walked in the door and the smell of fresh pie greeted you. She has passed this skill on to many of her children and grandchildren!
Speaking of the Moore Museum, who remembers the countless events we all attended there? I know it was near and dear to Grandad’s heart, but Grammie continued the tradition. I loved attending the Victorian Tea with her on the May long weekend.
I am so blessed to have many years of treasured memories with my Grammie. I know that my life’s circumstances allowed me this opportunity. For many years we would talk about how I was still single and how she just couldn’t understand why I hadn’t met a “nice young man”. She even joked that there needed to be a war so myself and a couple of other single cousins could find a husband. And as much as I wanted the next chapter of my life to begin, I look back and see what a blessing it was. I was able to invest in my relationship with Grammie in a way that I could not now that I have a husband and family.
One such opportunity was in 2006. It was declared the “year of the war bride” and a big reunion was happening at Pier 21 in Halifax. I had the privilege of attending with Grammie & Mom. What an amazing experience to see hundreds of ladies transported back in time as they reminisced with each other and danced to the songs of the era. I know that Grammie was so pleased to have done that trip and talked about it many times over the past 10 years. I know I will hold onto that memory dearly.
While chatting with my cousins this weekend, another theme that seemed to emerge was Grammie’s tea. Of course, being British, she loved a good cup of tea. But heaven help you if you made it the wrong way! I recall getting a scolding when Josh & I were visiting and I made some tea. I was never a big tea drinker, but when Grammie made it, it just seemed to taste better. And she always had cookies to go with it. Usually Peak Freens. We all loved Grammie’s tea and have a variety of memories of her favourite go-to meal when she had us over. From a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup, cold cuts or spaghetti. Food has a way of uniting people.
Grammie had a wonderful sense of humour and we laughed a lot. One of my favourite stories involves this little card here. She has told this story countless times over the years and it only seems appropriate to share it here today.
We were at my sister Connie’s birthday party at a place called “My Mother’s House”. It was an old victorian home that had been converted into a restaurant. We both needed to use the washroom and realized the lock was broken. She agreed to “stand on guard for me” as I put it and I would return the favour. So, she dutifully stood by the door while I used the facilities and then it was her turn. Unfortunately, I got distracted talking to someone and forgot to watch the door. Wouldn’t you know it, someone walked in on Grammie. I was horrified! So upset, in fact, I made this little card to apologize. It’s in the shape of a toilet and says “Sorry”. Grammie was tickled pink with this card and it had a place of honour in her china cabinet for many years. She would often remind me that each time she heard “O Canada” and they came to the line about standing on guard, she thought of me. In fact, when we attended The Nutcracker – they played O Canada before the performance. Grammie and I both had a chuckle as we looked at each other during that point in the song.
I was so pleased to share with her when I met Devin. She was one of the first people to know about him and was excited to meet Devin. She wanted to ensure she had proper notice of when we would visit, so she could put some make up on! Grammie was so accepting of both Devin and his son Cody – welcoming them into the fold.
She made it a goal to attend our wedding, and there were a few times when I wondered if that would be a reality but I am so grateful that she could be there to share in our special day.
These are some of my stories of Grammie, but I know we each have our own memories that we will tuck away in a safe place and savour them for years to come.
As we say good bye to Grammie, we know she is in a better place and reunited with Grandad once again. We are left with an abundance of memories to carry with us and are grateful to have had this wonderful lady as the matriarch of our family.
Thank you for the opportunity to share with you today.
During my final year of high school, I had big decisions to make. What career path would I choose? I tossed around several ideas - everything from radiology to photographer. I finally decided to take a one year certificate program at Lambton College called Media Fundamentals. Taking this course would give me some more time to figure things out while I continued to live at home and explore the media industry further. I loved that first year at Lambton. We learned all kinds of cool stuff related to shooting, editing and producing video, DJing the campus radio station and a sprinkling of journalism thrown in. It was great! As the end of the year loomed ahead of me, I was back to decision making. What next? The program at Lambton had an agreement with Mohawk College's Radio and Television programs which allowed students to enter into the second year of their third year program. I decided to go for it and jumped into the world of TV broadcasting.
Two years later, I was an intern at "The New PL" in London. I worked with the Creative Services department on projects like Station IDs, Episodic promos, and commercial shoots. It was a great seven weeks and when I finished, they offered me a part time job in the newsroom. The newsroom?? I didn't consider that to be my dream position. I wanted to be part of the Creative team. But, at the encouragement of established staff members, I took the job with the intention of moving into Creative in the future.
That move never happened, I remained in the newsroom for 14 years... fourteen years of loving my job! I loved coming into work each day not knowing what to expect. I loved working furiously to meet a deadline - which really was a DEADline. If you missed it, your work was all for not and the show moved on to the next story. I loved the adrenaline rush of an action-packed show, a breaking news story or an election. I was able to participate in and have a unique perspective on some major events during my time in the newsroom - including 911 and the Bandidos massacre.
The people in that newsroom became my family. I spent far more time with them than I did my actual family or my friends. It was a unique atmosphere, heavily relying on a team dynamic while working wonky hours. We encountered situations which might seem absurd to an outsider. I recall one day in particular, we had to move the entire crew to a different studio and control room during a 3 minute commercial break because the audio board caught on fire!
I have such fond memories of my life in TV. Unfortunately, media started to evolve and change and "cutback" and "layoff" became common language. I could see into the future and I would not be one of the ones retiring after 45 years of service. It was time to make a change and the time was now. I enrolled at Fanshawe College and soon after closed the TV chapter of my life.
Leaving the people (my TV family) was the most difficult for me. Sure I missed the excitement of a major news story and having creative control when it came to the graphics of the show, but most of all I missed the camaraderie of my people.
In December, the media landscape changed once again with major cutbacks across Canada. CTV London was no exception and many of my friends and former colleagues lost their jobs. These are talented people that excel at what they do. Unfortunately, what they do is extremely specialized and in a shrinking industry, those skills are becoming redundant. What a shame.
To all of my TV friends, I wish them well. Life does go on outside the walls of the station and they will land on their feet and even excel in their new-found path.
I've always enjoyed doing "experience" gifts with my Grammie. There is no better present than spending quality time with someone you love. And, we always have a lot of fun together.
One year, during the holidays she mentioned that she had always wanted to see The Nutcracker. It did, in fact, seem to be a traditional thing to do at Christmas. So, I filed that away in my memory bank.
The next year when I saw that The Nutcracker was performing at The Imperial Theatre in Sarnia, I ordered tickets for the two of us to attend.
It was such a wonderful night together and memory for me to treasure. We enjoyed dinner at Swiss Chalet, the ballet and took the long way home so we could enjoy the Christmas lights on the homes along the river.
I hope you have enjoyed my 12 Days of Christmas memories as much as I have enjoyed remembering them.
I'm not sure who came up with the idea or why it came about, but in 1999, our family volunteered at the Inn of the Good Shepherd in Sarnia on Christmas Eve. I think it was related to Jo-Anne & Nick being unable to join us until the 25th. Regardless, it is a warm holiday memory that I think we should replicate.
our 1999 family Christmas photo
My mom acted as the coordinator - contacting the Inn and getting instructions, list of ingredients, and prepared the menu. We served up chili with garlic buns - comfort food on a cold night.
I love how our family worked together as a team while setting up, serving and cleaning up. We were able to share some love with people that particularly needed it at that time of the year.
This memory isn't one particular moment, but an annual tradition. I guess it started during my first year of working at The New PL. My friend Lisa and I were working on the morning show and decided to host a Christmas Eve breakfast potluck. It was AWESOME!
We had our staff lounge buzzing with people. We cooked up bacon, sausages, eggs, pancakes... we even blew a fuse and had to move one of the cooking stations to the hall. It was a great morning and people just loved coming together on this special day.
So, the potluck became a tradition. Over the years it morphed from breakfast to a full blown turkey dinner, with all the trimmings! As soon as the credits rolled, the newsroom was transformed to a family dinner table. We all settled into our roles - Jeff brought the ham, Jim did the potatoes, Scrappy made gravy and I always did the stuffing. Turkey duty rotated - depending on peoples' shifts.
I'll always remember teasing Ross relentlessly when he brought buns & butter. He put the butter in the fridge when he got to work (so it wouldn't spoil) and we had rock hard butter at dinner that ripped the buns to shreds. Poor Ross. He took a lot of ribbing over that.
The food was always great and the company even better.
After Jesse was born, the Koiters invited me to join them on Christmas Eve and wake up with the excitement of Christmas morning with the boys. It has been a lot of fun...and chaos!
One moment, in particular, will always remain in my memory. It was just too sweet not to tuck in there! It happened about five years ago, so Jesse would be four or five years old.
Christmas morning arrived when my door flung open and light poured into the room. A little face was beaming at me, telling me it was time to get up. I wasn't quite ready to get up yet, so I told him to come and snuggle with Auntie Janice. He turned the hall light off and crawled under the covers with me. We talked about how exciting Christmas is and how he likes it when I sleep over.
He snuggled right up to my face, took a deep breath in and announced I smell good.
I asked "what do I smell like?"
"You smell like Auntie Janice".
Hmmm, well. That's interesting.
"What does Auntie Janice smell like?"
Another deep breath.
"Like candy".
Ha ha ha...I laughed and laughed and then we both got the giggles. A great way to start the morning and a moment I'll always remember. What a cutie.
My first Christmas in my house, I decided I wanted to be home for Christmas. It was also my Grammie's first Christmas not in her house as she had moved into an apartment in October. My first thought was to have her sleep over on Christmas Eve. However, the logistics of stairs and other mobility issues kept that from becoming reality. The idea of hosting did come together though.
Two of my cousins - Josh and Deidre - didn't have anywhere to be on Christmas Eve so they came to my place. We had yummy snacks, played Rock Band and laughed a lot. We all know that Santa can't come until you're tucked safely in bed, so we headed there eventually.
In the morning, my parents, Jo-Anne, Nick and the boys arrived and we cooked up an awesome Christmas morning brunch. After the dishes were cleaned up, we played a few games and relaxed for the afternoon.
This was also the same year my Aunt Peggy had been in the hospital for several months. She came home just in time for Christmas. My cousin Esther invited us to share their Christmas dinner. What a special time to celebrate someone we all love so much.
This Christmas might not seem memorable in any particular aspect, but these multiple moments added up to be one of my favourites.
It
was December 24th ten years ago. My friend Charlene and I were meeting
Jo-Anne & Nick for breakfast at the Riverdale. It was a nice way to
start a relaxing day and the beginning of the festivities of Christmas. After we
ordered, Jo-Anne brought an envelope out of her purse. She had some
photos developed (yes...back in the day when you developed photos) and
thought I might like to see them.
As I flipped through the pictures, everything seemed normal until I saw a picture of her & Nick holding
three...magic markers? I couldn't quite make out what they were holding
but it looked to be markers. I casually asked what that was all about.
Her response brought me to tears. They weren't markers...they were
pregnancy tests! There were three because she couldn't believe the
results and wanted to MAKE SURE! I was elated.
The
only problem was... I was going to Petrolia that night to attend the Christmas Eve
service with my parents and the rest of the family. Jo-Anne & Nick
wouldn't be revealing their news until the next day. I was bursting to
tell someone, but I could not! It was a painful 24 hours until they
arrived at our family Christmas and shared the surprise.
I
clearly remember Jo-Anne telling all of us that the baby was the size
of a peanut. From that moment on, Jesse has always been my Peanut.
My brother John was quite a prankster as a youngster. One year, he had an idea to pull a prank on Connie for Christmas.
It was the year we moved into the new house and there were lots of leftover bits of this and that in the basement. Dad had recently installed a garage door opener and the box was just the right size for what John had in mind.
This Christmas photo was from approximately that era.
Connie had been asking for an electronic keyboard for Christmas and John decided to set his plan into motion. He filled the box with leftover bricks (naturally) and carefully wrapped the box. (see First Day of Christmas) Then he had mom write on a gift tag "to our musical Connie". The box was hidden under the pool table in the family room - but clearly somewhere Connie would see it before December 25th.
She saw the box. She took the bait. She thought she was getting a synthesizer! On Christmas morning, the presents were unwrapped one by one. It was finally time to get the "big" present from under the pool table. Connie excitedly ripped off the paper only to discover a box full of bricks and her brother laughing uncontrollably!
I've had the privilege of being friends with the ultra creative and crafty Karla Ann and over the years I have received some pretty cool gifts from her. However, there is one that stands out in my memory.
I believe it was the year we graduated from college. She was either working part time or not yet working - so she had a lot of time on her hands :) One day, she told me she had the best idea for my Christmas gift. However, it was going to take a long time to make it, so I'd need to be patient. But...it would be sooo worth the wait.
I was curious. I asked questions. I asked for progress reports. I waited.
One of my favourite pages. She has a sense of humour!
Christmas came and went and the gift was not yet ready. What could she possibly be making? Well, it wasn't until the next Christmas that I finally discovered what she had been working on.
I was quite pleased with my gift for her that year. I had found a Vincent Van Gogh doll (with detachable ear) and Van Gogh mug that made his ear disappear when you poured hot liquids into it. I was pumped...she was going to love this gift. And she did! But, then I opened my gift. It was the gift.
She had created a 365 day flip calendar with each page being a different memory. She had carried around a notepad in her purse and when something would come up, she wrote it down. It contained birthdays of people that we like, snippets from our past and even a video tape. (yes...it was that long ago) On days with a TV on the page, I got to watch what was on the tape. It was insanely creative and awesome. I still have this calendar on my desk at work.
I don't have to reach too far in the the recesses of my mind to remember this Christmas. It was only 2 years ago.
Around Thanksgiving, my cousin Carol Ann emailed me to ask if I'd be interested in meeting her in Paris for Christmas. I'd never had such a decadent invitation and I didn't know that I could really turn it down!
It was the first time I'd ever spent December 25th away from home before and I was concerned that I would be overly nostalgic that day. Well, I was worried about nothing. On Christmas Day, we had breakfast in bed, opened a few presents, lounged about in our pajamas all day, Skyped with family and then did a four course dinner aboard a cruise down the Seine. It was one of the best trips I've ever done!
Carol Ann & I were perfect travel companions - leisurely eating our way through the city of lights. It was a beautiful city to see at Christmas and a treasured holiday memory I can relive each year when I put the Paris ornament on my tree.
Just three months after Jo-Anne & Nick got married, they moved to Thompson, Manitoba. They lived there for two years - in isolation. (look it up...it's about 8 hours north of Winnipeg)
For their first Christmas away, they sent a box of presents to be unwrapped on Christmas morning. We all received handmade native moccasins and gloves - fully lined and trimmed with rabbit fur. There was one present, however, that Jo-Anne instructed me to keep until all the gifts were unwrapped. It was for Mom.
As she tore the paper off the gift, her eyes welled up with tears. It was the Robert Munsch book "I'll Love You Forever". She tried to read the book to the rest of us, but the tears were now spilling over onto her cheeks and she just couldn't do it. Steve ended up taking over and reading the book for us as we all sat weepy and missing our first sibling to leave the nest.
Looking back, I really admire the courage it took to move so far away from home. During their time in Manitoba, Jo-Anne taught herself some awesome cooking and sewing skills. It was tough having them away, but great having them back.
Today's memory is from when I was about 10 years old. Grammie & Grandad came out to the farm on Christmas Eve and when it was time to go home, there was a snowstorm. They decided it was too risky to head out on the roads and hunkered down for the night.
Being "snowed in" can be a fun experience - as long as you're safe and with people you love. As a kid, it was so exciting to have unexpected guests on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning! I seem to remember Grandad bringing special chocolate for our stockings too.
When Grammie recounts the story, she likes to point out that the next day when they drove home the roads were just fine. But, out on the farm it seemed like "Siberia".
As a naturally nostalgic person, I love reminiscing. This year I thought it would be fun to do the 12 days of Christmas memories. Just a few little tidbits that I remember from Christmases past.
So, to kick off my series... Learning to Wrap
Seems like an unlikely story, but I remember learning how to wrap presents from my brother John. I watched as he meticulously measured, cut and folded the paper. I would hand him bits of tape to keep it place.
He taught me how to fold the ends into a triangle and cover the ends of the box. He also taught me the importance of never showing a "raw edge" of paper. Always fold it over to have a nice seam.
John & I had a tradition for a number of years of going to Lambton Mall for moonlight madness. We'd get all of (or at least most of) his shopping done in one night. Usually I would help him wrap up his packages once we got home.
One year, I got to help him with a very special gift on that shopping trip. An engagement ring! He had already picked it out, but I gave it my seal of approval when he picked it up at the store. What an honour to be in on the secret!
September 11th is a date that will be recalled with infamy. It is one of those pivotal moments that is frozen in time. One that you'll always remember where you were and what you were doing when you heard the dreaded news.
On September 11, 2001, I was working in the newsroom at CTV London. My shift started at 10:30am, just in time for the noon news. I was tuned in to the radio on my way to work when I heard that a plane had crashed into a building in New York. My first thought was that it was a small hobby plane and, though tragic, not a lot of harm done.
When I walked into the station, I was met by commotion in the hallway. People were gathered around the water cooler talking about what had happened. It seemed two planes had crashed into the twin towers in New York. There was a lot of confusion about the facts, with rumours swirling about multiple targets.
I walked into the newsroom and observed clusters of people gathered around TV monitors. Other than the audio from CNN, the place was eerily quiet. I made my way to the control room where our noon producer was watching her screen intently. "The tower just collapsed. I can't believe this!" She said it in disbelief. We were all in disbelief. The scenes on the monitors were like that of an apocalyptic movie.
I remember being scared. I wasn't sure why this was happening or what would happen next. I remember wanting to talk to one of my family members - but I couldn't seem to reach anyone. I remember my co-worker insisting this would lead to war and he would be drafted. I remember being unable to walk away from the constant barrage of information and horrifying pictures on TV. I remember that when I did walk away, I found myself in the staff lounge watching Sesame Street. It was the only channel that was not taken over by the carnage in New York.
We didn't produce a newscast that day. We flipped the switch to CNN and followed along with the rest of the world. In retrospect, I was situated in a really unique spot to observe the biggest news event in my lifetime unfold. Where were you on September 11, 2001?
It's funny how, despite our expectations to the contrary, time does not stand still. When you're a teenager or even in your 20's you're living in the moment, life is good and getting older seems like a lifetime away.
I've been feeling nostalgic lately with subtle reminders of the passing of time and this weekend was a great example. We gathered yesterday for an awesome Easter dinner, egg hunt for the kids and some family time. After dinner John had the idea to watch an old VHS tape of a fishing trip he took with Dad and his friend Joel over 20 years ago.
The men and some of the kids watched the video while the rest of us chatted or played a game. I occasionally looked up to catch a glimpse of a lake, a forest or the highway. When that video was over, we started rummaging in the drawer under the TV to see what else was in there. We found Mom & Dad's 25th anniversary party, Christmas 1991 and one that contained Connie carrying the Olympic torch in 1988.
As we put those in the VCR, everyone seemed to stop what they were doing and gathered around to watch. What fun to see how we looked 20 years ago! There were lots of other family and friends that popped up and the room would burst into laughter, exclaim "look at her hair" or let out a collective "awww".
I must admit, I got a little teary when Grandad came on the screen and especially when I heard his voice.
It was great fun to relive some memories from the past and it was such a reminder of how time moves on. John remarked that he is now the same age as Dad was in one of the videos and I pointed out the same to Abby.
Can't wait until next time we get together. I have a great tape in my basement I'm going to bring :)
