And Life Changes! My earlier memories conjure up pictures of my mom as a gardener, a seamstress, a cook. She was great at these roles. I remember her taking care of Doctor Charles’ huge flower garden in Fellon. She pruned and planted lots of flowers, such as roses, hydrangeas, gerberas; she tended them with great care. Her favorite were the Gerberas – altho these days she does not remember that. She had a love of cooking and many a dish she made; attending cooking courses here and there along the way! Patrice and I defied warnings of “jumbie in the road” around the corner near Mr. Toussigny and eventually walked all the way to Fellon to be welcomed by our mom. We loved those times to see the big house where she worked and partake in the many fruits on the property. And Life Changes! When she immigrated here, she was entrepreneur—business person and a social butterfly. She loved to make roties and she sewed for others. She also loved to go on trips and picnics with the Union United Happy Gang! Many a picnic she participated in! In earlier times she was a big soccer and hockey mom to her son Jaime – she still remains one of those women who love sports. But it is the roti part I remember best. With my mom business was business. I recall a carnival day when she was selling roti and Ann and her family came by to get some roties. When the tally was done it meant that Ann had to give up all of her money. Mom told her that business was business. She said when she making to give away that is one thing. But during carnival time …. She is a business woman! And Life Changes! Come Hurricane Ivan, I was in London; surprised, I returned to see a different mother- a helper, an organizer. Every day she made her way to Cote des Neiges to help pack boxes and barrels of foodstuff and supplies. That was a mother I did not know earlier. She was now one of the Grenada Hurricane Relief Team members. Mom took to playing bingo often; no matter what was happening she had to go! and she was a winner – so the bug continued. We got worried and thought that that she was a bingo junkie – no way she told us and showed us – she quit cold turkey! And Life Changes! When I was a child I knew she had a passion for dancing and socializing with her friends! Saturday nights could not find her at home. After a week of hard work, sometimes walking from St. James to Fellon and in earlier times from Birch Grove to Fellon, she and a group of friends would journey to whichever part of Grenada the dance was being held. These days she does not dance much – or so I think. Because she spends lots of time at home when we are away at work or an event – who knows – she could be “burning down the house” dancing privately! And Life Changes! What I do know is that lots of her past has prepared her for her current role. Secretly, she has morphed into an avid Olympic Champion. She has used her discipline, entrepreneurial, dancing, organizing, and social skills to become one of the Chateauguay Polydium Senior Citizens Avid Swimmer. Everyone looks forward to seeing her there on a daily basis and if she misses a day they are concerned. And she tells me if I don’t swim I will dead! And at 80 – this life is not Changing – she is swimming and enjoying grand and great grand children! Written by Janice Farray – for Margaret Farray James on her 80th Birthday – June 22, 2013
Posted on: Sun, 03 Nov 2013 00:54:47 +0000