1990
Brimley Michigan August 4 Saturday
I am sitting on the bench in front of the
cottage at Brimley eating the broken crumbs of chocolate chip cookies, drinking
my Earl Grey tea, and contemplating change.
Brendon and Christina are 19. They have graduated
from Sir James Dunn as Ontario scholars, and Brendon with an award for the
highest mark in history. “Canada in the North America contest” or something
like that!
This
weekend they are in Montréal orientation for McGill University, the college of
their choice.
Mary
Jane and Suzanne are down with them, it is for the parents but John was playing
so he couldn't go. Brendon got a scholarship to York and Guelph but McGill was
his first choice. Brendon was out here once and Christina three times, once for
her birthday. They have both been working. Brendon delivering for a pharmacy,
and Christina as a hostess at Jimmy John's restaurant in the Water Tower!
Joanna is sitting beside me eating her
breakfast. She just got up it is 12 noon. We are the leftovers! Steven is in
town working at First Choice Pet Shop where he is the tropical fish expert.
Michael York has developed an aversion to cottage life unless he has a friend
with him. The first week here was hectic. I had Rachel and Kyle, Dana and
Joanna, Patrick Ryan no I'm wrong.
The first week was Donna, Rachel, Kyle,
Patrick Ryan, Joanna and Steven. Suzanne and Mary Jane were out here as much as
they could as was John, and Michael Punch. Michael York came with his friend
Jeremy Rebek.
On the
Sunday we had Adam Veale, the Veale’s, the Vena’s, anyway it was 19 for supper
whoever they were. Dana, Joanna's friend, Michael and his friend Trevor, Rachel
and Kyle were there the next week with others in and out by the end of the
second week.
I was very stressed out, different from being
tired, the other stress is that Wilfred isn't driving. His glaucoma has worsened;
he had a car accident, so he no longer has a license. That is another story, so
we have to depend on other people to get him here. He still doesn't like the
cottage, I'm not ready to give it up yet although there have been times this
summer when I have questioned its value to the family and to me.
Michael York
has to have action, noise and action. The
stereo must be blaring even when he is on the beach. All the ones of his age or
thereabouts, Joanna and Kyle need sound, but with Michael it has to be strident
sound, loud, loud, loud.
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| Christina's 19th Birthday with Joanna |
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| John Yorke on the Bongo's |
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| Michael Yorke on the guitar |
I suggested that the last two weeks would be
family week’s visitors by the day but not overnight so Michael hasn't been out
since. Suzanne brought Vicky Muncaster, and she stayed Tuesday to Friday.
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| Angela Rachel Sarah and Joanna |
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| Suzanne and Jimmy on the beach. |
 |
| Rachel Joanna and Michael |
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| Steven watching the boats. |
Jim and Mary
brought Wilf on Thursday; the others have been in and out at odd hours, so he
hasn't been out here too often. In fact I took him in from here early in the
week and suggested that he not come out for a few days. He was in his usual
cottage mood, compounded by what he is going through emotionally from the shock
of not being able to drive. I feel very sympathetic towards that loss, but I
thank God that he wasn't killed, nor did he kill anyone else in the accident.
However it isn't easy for him. Although he is supposed to be adhering to his
diet, when he is out here he eats far too much and watches the children afraid
that he isn't going to get more food than anyone. I mentioned gluttony to him,
which was quite harsh, but I hoped that there may be some shock value, but
unfortunately there wasn't!
The
weather has been spotty a couple of nice days and couple of bad ones. Michael Punch
and Donna brought the “obstreperous” out and anchored across the bay at Bay
Mills last weekend. Michael came and got me and I went over to the Anchorage, a
lovely spot. We picked stones for my flower bed.
Mary Anne and Lauren, Megan and Luke have been
out a couple of times. Lauren stayed overnight one night with Joanna. She idolizes
Joanna and Joanna is very good with her, makes time with her for her which is
nice to see.
I wish that I had kept this writing by the
day. One night I was pretty tired so I took an extra strength Tylenol. I have
been taking them every morning because my bones were aching more than usual.
The next morning the young ones asked me if I
hadn't heard the hullabaloo. Dana and Joanna were in the bed in the middle room,
Trevor and Michael in the large room and I was in mine. The girls heard a noise
thought it was a burglar of course and were terrified. Finally they had the
courage enough to open their door; at this point they thought it must be
Michael York and Trevor. So they peered into the hall at the same time that
Trevor and Michael peered into the hall from their door! Together they approached
the living room and there was another rattley bang! It wasn't a burglar it was a
mouse in the bottom of the deep plastic waste basket. Michael threw the mouse
outdoors and order was restored. I slept through all the commotion, but I did
wake up about 3 AM and saw the light in the living room and investigated. The
four of them were eating chips and drinking pop! I grandmothered them back to their respective
rooms.
The gulls are feeding from the sandbar in
front of me; the terns will come out next. I have only seen the cranes twice! There is a woodpecker dining on one of the
birch trees and there is a family of skunks between the road behind the cottage
and the cottage. The blueberries haven't ripened yet, not enough continual
sunshine but I have managed to swim most days.
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