Ottawa
When we got to Ottawa, we stayed with my Dad’s father and mother, Herbie and Norah. At least the four of them did while I went to stay with my Dad’s brother, John and his wife Ginny. They all lived in the same neighbourhood on Revelstoke Drive. My uncle and aunt had 4 boys and boy did they have fun with a girl in the house. Jay ganged up on me the most. They must have resented me because I got the bath first then they each had to take their turn.
I remember one day, my aunt was doing the dishes and my uncle came up and gave her a hug and said, ”What are you doing the dishes for with a girl in the house?” I guess they just were used to boys who weren’t good for much, seemingly, they needed a girl to really get things done. I say this tongue in cheek of course.
They had a large, old, grumpy German Shepard, Zucha. It growled at me and that experience instilled a life long fear of German Shepherds.
Fortunately my parents found a house shortly after on Avenue Road near the famous Rideau canal. I went to Hopewell Public School for grade 7. That was the first school I was to teach in years later.
My cousin, Susan Law, lived around the corner and I just loved her. She was Karen’s age and at that time she was more friends with her than with me. But she was always one of my favourite people. We were to become closer later in our lives.
Grammy
That first summer back home my dear grandmother, Norah, my Dad’s mom, passed away at the cottage. Even though I didn’t see much of her, she was so special to me. I remember she liked picking the strawberries around the cottage and she was the one who made all those smocked dresses for Karen and me when we were little girls. She was a beautiful person. Her cigarettes must have gotten the better of her and she died of a heart attack. It was as though she was waiting for us to get back home; she was just hanging on. She couldn’t have been 70.
Shatsi, the hamster and the kitten
That first school year at our new home I was in grade seven at Hopewell P.S. I had a pet hamster named ‘Shatsi’. I felt an inordinate affection for this little animal. Maybe he gave me a place for loving. He would escape from time to time and we’d find him and put him back in his cage. Once he got into my father’s map drawer and chewed them to pieces. This was one of the few times Dad was upset at an animal. He was an ardent animal lover, preferring them to people.
I don’t remember how, but somehow we got a kitten. It was really cute and I loved it too. My mother couldn’t stand to have a cat and a ‘mouse’ in the house… I guess she thought the cat would eat the hamster and she told me I had to get rid of one or the other.
I came home from school one day and they were both gone. She made up some story but I knew in a foreboding way that she had taken them to the humane society. I was heart broken, but I had no way to express it. It was a done deal. I buried my tears and moved on.
