Saturday, June 10, 2017
Memories of my Auntie Gail
When I think of Gail there are oh so many stories to tell but what really stands out the most about her was:
Love
Family
Her Lord and Saviour
Laughter and
….. I don’t really know how to say this other than in her own words…Peeing! Let me elaborate a little here.
Gail was and still is full of Love. The love for her family was evident in everything she did. She had great love and respect for her parent Charles and Hilda. She had great love for her siblings Ruth, Betty, Lauren and Barbara May. She had great love for her Grandparents, many Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Nieces and Nephews. She had love for her first family: Don, Joy and Ella May. She had great love for her many many friends – those from childhood, church, school, working numerous jobs and on through her adult live.
And for the past 6 or 7 years she had an overwhelming love for Roy Stewart who made her giggle like a little school girl, laugh, cry and love, love, love. Roy brought a sunshine back that had been missing for a number of yrs., for this I am internal thankful.
Gail had a great love for her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, with whom she currently resides in his Heavenly home.
Laughter, oh how Gail loved to laugh, it usually started with a giggle that would eventually turn into a boisterous roar from the belly….and that’s when the Peeing would start. For those that know Gail you know she would eventually become the life of the party and as she got going the laughter would increase to the point were the famous lines were spoken….”Oh my I’m gonna pee myself” and she would make a bee-line for the bathroom. Now sometime, the majority of the time, she would make it but there were those few occasions were….well ya know…she didn’t; this would just add to the laughter that was already filling the house. Oh how I will miss those gatherings at Mom and Dad’s, Betty and Dave’s and Laureen and Larry’s.
I would like to share a few memories from my past that obviously center on Auntie Gail.
My youngest recollections are of being treated by Gail was a few trips made over to the Barton St. Mall for foot-long hotdogs covered in mustard. Followed by shopping (can’t remember if it was a Kresge's or a F.W. Woolworth’s store), on one occasion Ted and I came home with fish tied up in a big plastic bag, another time with turtles and on one special occasion I came home with a plastic 35 mm camera. Now it was a kid’s camera but it took some great black and white photos that I still have, and the camera, yep it’s packed away in one of the many boxes of my life in storage. Now speaking of pictures, there is one particular photo that I have always loved. It’s packed away in one of Mom’s many photo albums, and it’s of an approximately 12 -13 Gail holding one Edward “Ted” Acorn in front of the red bricked Jefkins homestead, good old 222 Tolton Ave.
On a very rare occasion Mom and Dad went away on a holiday and Gail and Don were in charge of three young boys. I had an out of town hockey game on a Saturday night, after which we were rushed off in “The Volvo” with the tunes playing, for a special night of entertainment. At that time Gail and Don spent a lot of time at a trailer campgrounds, on this particular night they were having a Casino/Movie night. The casino part was fun with lots of stuff for the kids but what really enthralled me was the movie…Ski Time by Warren Miller. That movie started a life long love of skiing for which I am truly grateful for and eventually it lead me to the beautiful ski village that is currently my home, Whistler BC.
Now we’ll jump a few yrs. to my teens. I remember once that there was a conversation going on in the basement at Mom and Dads, Gail had come down to be with all the kids and eventually I made the comment that she was “old”. In her typical fashion she responded with that little growl she had...”What do you mean OLD”, to this day I don’t know where my response came from but it was good…”What I said Auntie Gail is that you are Mature, very Mature for your age”. Her response… “Oh your good your very good”, boy did she love that one, and it saved my hide.
I use to have a big wall unit downstairs with some rather interesting things on display, one that kept puzzling Gail was the red housing brick much like the old one’s at 222 Tolton Ave, that now have all been covered up by siding, like most of Hamilton. She kept asking about it so I told her it was a very special brick and that I would get it out to show her, as I walk towards her carrying the brick in both hands before me I tripped and the brick went flying through the air straight for her chest. Now, unbeknownst to Gail it was a “fake” made of foam rubber (but it looked so real) the sheer look of horror on her face was priceless. Once she recovered from the initial shock, laughter ensued. And of course…”I gotta go pee”.
Family gathering were always special events, whether it was Christmas, New Years Eve, Birthdays, Anniversary’s, Holiday Long Weekends or just getting together because everyone was back in town. And more than likely these get gatherings were at Betty and Dave’s. And you can bet your bottom dollar there was lots of love, laughter and of course…peeing. Oh how I will miss those special times that all the family had together. Now those gatherings are happening in a more heavenly place with Gail learning how to use her new wings as she darts around looking for the bathroom cause….”I gotta go pee”.
Love you and miss you, until we are all reunited. XOXO
Your Loving Nephew, David
