A Rough Day

The knees did fine but the heart was in pain. Coming to Montreal was my first road trip with my new knees. We stopped frequently to be sure I didn't get too stiff and my circulation was in good order. Jess came with us and thankfully shared the drivng with Chris as I am not yet able to drive - only two more weeks of this nonsense.

Sadly the purpose of this trip was for the funeral of my mother's sister Ethel , who passed away only three months after my mother. She was the elder of the two sisters but the healthy one in their later years. Ethel called my parents every night and as my Mom became frail she continued to check up on her every night and was the strength of the family. She always made everyone feel special and was always happy and supportive about everyone's accomplishments. After my mother died, she continued to check in on my father and he, being sometimes meloncholy and not interested in people, actually looked forward to her phone calls. We knew her health was waning when the phone calls stopped. In less than a week the cancer that burdened her body over the last several months took its toll. No one could believe how suddenly she became frail and quckly passed away. What a loss. I feel like I have lost my fan club. My mom and my aunt both so close together. Two of my strongest supporters, the ones who know me forever and who genuinely cared about me, my life and my family. That 9:00 phone call is sorely missed. She leaves behind her a large and loving family of a husband (of 68 years - their anniversary celebrated the day before she died), sons, daugher-in-laws, grandchildren and great grand children full of tears and sorrow. Hopefully her cheerful laugh and her kind and caring sentiments will soon erase the tears and turn into fond memeories of a women so much loved by everyone she knew.

It was a rough day and today we are heading back to Toronto as life must go on. Good bye Auntie Ethel. Hopefully you and my Mom are now reunited and in a better place.

Until tomorrow.

Marilyn
The above photo is of my aunt, my parents, and my mother outside our first house in Dollard.