Sparky and Her Gang - November 18, 2017
My mom, Grannie Marj aka GM aka Sparky, could write a humour column of her own. GM is 95 years old, lives in the house in which she was born in Belleville, Ontario, gets around in her beloved 17-year-old van, and is surrounded by a loving and fun-filled community. Here are just of the few things that she’s been up to in the past few days.
GM runs what we call “Grannie Marj’s Bed and Breakfast.” She loves having company – especially overnight company. My mom is a night owl. Last Saturday, Mom was visited by her grandson Tom, wife Julie, and great grandson Jasper. Mom thought having grandkids was as good as it got – until she started having great grandkids. She has three that she absolutely adores – and another on the way.
Sunday is church. My mom is a founding fellow of Hastings Park Community Church and the oldest congregant there, and she loves going to church – as much for the fellowship as for the message. This Sunday the pastor stressed the need for Christians to be cheerful. He notes that as he looked out on the congregation he didn’t see a lot of cheerful faces. There would be an obvious exception – my mom. She is beaming. She loves church. (As do I.)
She finds that her van is feeling a little awkward and is making some new noises. Andy, her church friend who is like a devoted son, calls her Monday morning to check in on his friend, Sparky. (Andy even got her a decal for her van that says “Sparky.”) He thinks it could be the power steering. Andy drops in regularly to visit my mom – and often brings his daughter and granddaughter. They love to come – my mom has toys and treats galore on hand. Mom decides to wait a day and also have her home helper, Melinda, take a look at it.
Tuesday arrives and so does Melinda. Melinda is a personal support worker who is like a granddaughter to my mom. She should be an auto mechanic with a home building business on the side. (A story in itself.) Melinda confirms Andy’s diagnosis. No worries. Mom calls her mechanic, Mike, on the Tyendinaga Reserve and he can take her beloved van that afternoon.
How does a 95-year-old woman get an ailing van and herself 20 miles to her mechanic? She calls CAA. Two friendly and burly lads show up and put the van on a flatbed. Mom climbs into the cab with them and off they go. Off course, my mom insists on treating them to a McDonalds coffee on the way. I wish I had a picture of the three of them in the cab – drinking coffee and chatting like they’d known one another for nine decades.
Mike’s last name is Miracle and he truly is a miracle worker. Her van was as good as new within an hour and he charges my mom very little to work his magic. Mom decides to drop by Andy’s business, which is also on the Reserve, because he expressed about her getting around. Tra da! And who was visiting Andy but a couple my mom has known for 70 years – before they were even married. The gal was head over heals for the guy but lots of girls were. My mom told this then young woman, “Don’t you worry. I’m going to pray that Len falls for you.” He did!
Mom thinks she heard some discussion about a free Friday night meal for folks who are going through difficult times. If this is the case, I would not be surprised if Andy and his wife Becky offer to help. Andy and his wife run – as one of their businesses – a catering company like no other. (Yes, it’s a story in itself too.) And the two of them love to help others. They know there can be times when you cannot keep the wolf at the door – it just moves on in and ravages you. The world could use a lot more Andys and Beckys.
Gloria comes to mom’s every second Wednesday to clean my mom’s home. My mom is frightfully clean, but – as you have read – she does have a lot of company. Cleaning is one of the things my mom does not do. She has a back injury and severe arthritis. Gloria was recommended to my mom by Rose, my mom’s hairdresser and confidante for over 60 years. (Another story.)
Gloria, like all of mom’s helpers, is as much a friend as helper. They always have a coffee and a chat – which both love. Later that same day - more company. A lad from mom’s church – who mom thinks looks like Anthony Hopkins – brought Mom an amaryllis to brighten her home during the Christmas season. Mom has a back room full of plants and very often a bouquet on her kitchen table. Mom doesn’t actually like plants – but people love to give them to her, and Melinda loves to care for them. And mom enjoys the visits that go with them.
I talked to mom by phone on Thursday. This was going to be a day of rest for her – except that she was expecting a number of phone calls – including one from her son Jim and daughter-in-law Dorothy. Didn’t want to tie up the phone too long. 😊
Friday, she goes to Rose’s and gets her hair done and goes shopping. She has a house full of company arriving on Saturday – her granddaughter Anna, with hubs Neal, and great granddaughter Emma. She wants to make sure she has their favourite snacks on hand and some special gifts for Emma. They will go out to the Northway Family Restaurant for supper where all the servers know and love my mom. The chef, if he knows mom is there, will come out to visit her and call her “Sexy Lady.”
That’s just this week. Next week will see a number of new visitors and ventures – one of whom could be her “grounds keeper” and snow removal lad.
Maybe instead of “Grannie Marj’s Bed and Breakfast,” my mom’s home should be called “Downton Abbey – Belleville Site.”
GM runs what we call “Grannie Marj’s Bed and Breakfast.” She loves having company – especially overnight company. My mom is a night owl. Last Saturday, Mom was visited by her grandson Tom, wife Julie, and great grandson Jasper. Mom thought having grandkids was as good as it got – until she started having great grandkids. She has three that she absolutely adores – and another on the way.
Sunday is church. My mom is a founding fellow of Hastings Park Community Church and the oldest congregant there, and she loves going to church – as much for the fellowship as for the message. This Sunday the pastor stressed the need for Christians to be cheerful. He notes that as he looked out on the congregation he didn’t see a lot of cheerful faces. There would be an obvious exception – my mom. She is beaming. She loves church. (As do I.)
She finds that her van is feeling a little awkward and is making some new noises. Andy, her church friend who is like a devoted son, calls her Monday morning to check in on his friend, Sparky. (Andy even got her a decal for her van that says “Sparky.”) He thinks it could be the power steering. Andy drops in regularly to visit my mom – and often brings his daughter and granddaughter. They love to come – my mom has toys and treats galore on hand. Mom decides to wait a day and also have her home helper, Melinda, take a look at it.
Tuesday arrives and so does Melinda. Melinda is a personal support worker who is like a granddaughter to my mom. She should be an auto mechanic with a home building business on the side. (A story in itself.) Melinda confirms Andy’s diagnosis. No worries. Mom calls her mechanic, Mike, on the Tyendinaga Reserve and he can take her beloved van that afternoon.
How does a 95-year-old woman get an ailing van and herself 20 miles to her mechanic? She calls CAA. Two friendly and burly lads show up and put the van on a flatbed. Mom climbs into the cab with them and off they go. Off course, my mom insists on treating them to a McDonalds coffee on the way. I wish I had a picture of the three of them in the cab – drinking coffee and chatting like they’d known one another for nine decades.
Mike’s last name is Miracle and he truly is a miracle worker. Her van was as good as new within an hour and he charges my mom very little to work his magic. Mom decides to drop by Andy’s business, which is also on the Reserve, because he expressed about her getting around. Tra da! And who was visiting Andy but a couple my mom has known for 70 years – before they were even married. The gal was head over heals for the guy but lots of girls were. My mom told this then young woman, “Don’t you worry. I’m going to pray that Len falls for you.” He did!
Mom thinks she heard some discussion about a free Friday night meal for folks who are going through difficult times. If this is the case, I would not be surprised if Andy and his wife Becky offer to help. Andy and his wife run – as one of their businesses – a catering company like no other. (Yes, it’s a story in itself too.) And the two of them love to help others. They know there can be times when you cannot keep the wolf at the door – it just moves on in and ravages you. The world could use a lot more Andys and Beckys.
Gloria comes to mom’s every second Wednesday to clean my mom’s home. My mom is frightfully clean, but – as you have read – she does have a lot of company. Cleaning is one of the things my mom does not do. She has a back injury and severe arthritis. Gloria was recommended to my mom by Rose, my mom’s hairdresser and confidante for over 60 years. (Another story.)
Gloria, like all of mom’s helpers, is as much a friend as helper. They always have a coffee and a chat – which both love. Later that same day - more company. A lad from mom’s church – who mom thinks looks like Anthony Hopkins – brought Mom an amaryllis to brighten her home during the Christmas season. Mom has a back room full of plants and very often a bouquet on her kitchen table. Mom doesn’t actually like plants – but people love to give them to her, and Melinda loves to care for them. And mom enjoys the visits that go with them.
I talked to mom by phone on Thursday. This was going to be a day of rest for her – except that she was expecting a number of phone calls – including one from her son Jim and daughter-in-law Dorothy. Didn’t want to tie up the phone too long. 😊
Friday, she goes to Rose’s and gets her hair done and goes shopping. She has a house full of company arriving on Saturday – her granddaughter Anna, with hubs Neal, and great granddaughter Emma. She wants to make sure she has their favourite snacks on hand and some special gifts for Emma. They will go out to the Northway Family Restaurant for supper where all the servers know and love my mom. The chef, if he knows mom is there, will come out to visit her and call her “Sexy Lady.”
That’s just this week. Next week will see a number of new visitors and ventures – one of whom could be her “grounds keeper” and snow removal lad.
Maybe instead of “Grannie Marj’s Bed and Breakfast,” my mom’s home should be called “Downton Abbey – Belleville Site.”