1985 New Years Eve

DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU WERE IN THE EARLY 

HOURS OF THE NEW YEAR OF 1985?

12.45 a.m. January 1985.

It is the first hour of the New Year of 1985. I am writing this in my "office" on the second floor (McDougall) at my old green desk. .1 am "baby-sitting" grandchildren.

Joanna and Sarah are sleeping in "the blue room"—Joanna on a cot, and Sarah in the bed. In Mother's old room, on the creaky bed, Angela and Rachel are sleeping.

Mary Jane just phoned. At the Yorke's house are Michael and Donna, Jim. and Susan., Mary Jane and John, partying. Sleeping there are Kyle and Michael.

At Suzanne's house are Brendon, Christina, Steven, Jennifer and Mark Boyar, a pal of Brendon's. They are supposedly sleeping. Suzanne is out on a date.That accounts for all children and grandchildren.

At that point on New Year's Eve, Angela wakes up, crying for her mother.' Angela does not cry quietly.Joanna's head comes up from her cot. "What's wrong with her?" Then down with covers over her head. Sarah. sleeps quietly. Rachel. is not so stoic. She begins to cry because Angela is crying.

1 decide not to phone "my Mommie" and create a baby-sitting crisis so 1 propped myself on the bed, having wrapped Angela in an afghan.. She wouldn't lie down so I held her in my arms, with Rachel pasted to my side. I quieted them by saying we would not hear Jimmy's van coming up the street, if Angela kept on crying. So it is sniffs and quiet. We wait and listen, and in a while we hear the van, and all is well.

On New Years day Susan, Jimmy, Angela, Sarah, Joanna and 1 went to 12 Noon. Mass. Wilf did the reading. Sarah couldn't find, her quarter for the collection and was so embarrassed when the usher just stood there, that she put $1.00 in the basket. A traumatic experience—all, her riches gone!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2007 GRANDMA.