Remembering my neighbour

He liked to play and putter around in his garden.

He grew tomatoes and cucumber and had a very fine grape vine over his trellis. He had a real sense of humour and told me that he was in regular touch with Welch’s - they were interested in harvesting the grapes.

He had lots of lawn ornaments which he tended carefully.

This past Christmas I met him with his plastic snowman and Santa. Friends were coming to help him and his daughter put up the outside Christmas lights and other decorations.

I mentioned his reindeer. All three are now appearing out of the snow. In front of the house there is a wooden duck on a stone. He goes south for the winter - I said. He has not reappeared yet this year.

My neighbour and his wife liked to sit out a lot.

The last time I saw his wife she was sitting outside. She was quite frail by then and was attached to an oxygen tank.

She would come out to wave goodbye to me when I was leaving for my many trips to Lachute to see my mom - especially from 2001 on.

When my mom had a major crisis in early 2005 I asked Betty to come over as I needed to talk with someone in person.

Betty died before my mom died - that was not supposed to happen.

The daughter had her own life and liked to travel. She took a couple of nursing positions in the States but came home again.

She was there for her mom. Then she was there for her dad too.

The last time I saw him the two were walking down the street - headed to the local fast food restaurant to get a coffee. That was a few weeks ago.

This is my remembering of my neighbours. It was good to live beside them for the past 15 years or so.

I will miss them both and I wish the daughter all the best in the next stages of her life.