NEWS - Performance Printing

SENIORSMARY COOKMary Cook’s MemoriesConnected to your communityUncle Lou’s visits to farm at Northcotewere very much like Christmas for usEMC lifestyle - Very important, was myUncle Lou.Didn’t he just get an award for working onthe marble in the Waldorf Astoria in the big cityof New York? We even had a chip to prove it.Uncle Lou it was, who at least once a year descendedon our farm out in Northcote to bringus unspeakable joy. When he came it was likeChristmas all over again.Uncle Lou often came without telling Motherin advance. But when he came unannounced,always on a Saturday, we knew he was on hisway before he hit the yard. He would startblowing the horn of his big black Buick whenhe turned into our long lane, and never let upuntil he came to a screeching halt at the backdoor.He always wore grey flannel trousers,pressed knife-sharp, and flannel shirts open atthe neck. Uncle Lou was tall, and as my sisterAudrey once said, he even looked important!We five children never took our eyes off theback seat of the big Buick. We knew for a fact,that inside his big brown cow-hide suitcaseswould be presents beyond belief. Always,there were yards of silk for Mother.And a new purse. Big. With gold clasps, andlong handles. And we had no idea how he knewour sizes, but each of us would get a new pieceof clothing, and everything always fit like it hadbeen made for us!Uncle Lou would first stop at a grocery storein Renfrew, and there would be grapes andbananas, and real ham, not like we had in thesmoke house, but big slices...thick...just rightfor sandwiches.It would take ages to unpack the Buick. Andwhen it had been emptied, the brothers wouldcarry the cow-hide suitcases up to the roommy sister Audrey and I shared, and Uncle Louwould take over the bed, and we would movedown to the creton couch in the kitchen.Mother’s cheeks would be red as tomatoes,and Father, who could never understand whatall the fuss was about, would treat Uncle Loulike any other visitor who came out to the farmin Northcote.That meant he would still slurp his tea out ofhis saucer, and sit with his feet on the oven doorat night reading the Ottawa Farm Journal or theFamily Herald and Weekly Star.As the evenings wore on, Mother and UncleLou would talk about New York and the manyyears Mother lived there. And he would tellher about the changes...how the elevated trainswent for miles and miles now, and how a placecalled the Bronx was the place to live. AndMother would listen wide-eyed and ask questions,and the talk would go on and on.Uncle Lou had a wonderful singing voice,and without fail, every night Mother would getout her harmonica and he would sing and sheplayed.And then she would set the mouth-organaside and they would sing in harmony...songsthey both knew, and my very favourite was onecalled, “I had a dream dear” ... I thought it wasvery sad, but beautiful. And sometimes I wouldsee a tear roll down Mother’s cheek when thesong was over.And I knew she would be rememberingthose happy years when she lived in the cityshe loved before she left for the backwoods ofRenfrew County.And while Uncle Lou was visiting us wewould have trips into Renfrew to the pictureshow ... at least twice during his stay.And we would have cracker jacks to munchon during the movie, and always we stoppedfor ice cream on the way home at Briscoe’sGeneral Store, which I was grateful stayedopen every night until at least 11 p.m.!Too soon it would be time for Uncle Lou topack up and head back to New York City.Whole quarters would be thrust into each ofour hands, and I knew he would give Mother afew bills too which she would immediately putin the blue sugar bowl with her egg money.R0012123286Are We Aging Well?Everett would swing wide the gate going outto the lane, and with the horn going full blast,Uncle Lou would spin the tires on the Buickand he was gone.And when it came time for our silent prayerseach of us were expected to say before we leftMother’s knee, I would pray that Uncle Louwould return soon.Join Dr. Samir Sinha, an internationally respected physicianand influential advocate for the health care needs of seniors,as he shares his recommendations for a Seniors Strategy forOntario at the Alzheimer Society’s Annual General Meeting.Guests will also hear from Mike Morissette, a person livingwith dementia.Date/Time: June 13, 2013 from 8:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. (Open to the general public.)Location: Hampton Inn Ottawa & Conference CentreCost: $25/person includes refreshmentsPre-registration is required.Call 613-523-4004 or register online at www.alzheimer.ca/ottawaStittsville News EMC - Thursday, May 30, 2013 49R0012127151