Tag Archives: memories

happiness

Family Christmas Party

Today there was a family Christmas party hosted by my Great Aunt and her daughters. She’s the same Great Aunt who holds the annual family Canada Day Party, and these events are so important for us all as times to get together and visit and laugh and share.

I consider myself lucky because I come from a family that has mostly stayed in the same area since my great grandfather and his two brothers came out here in the 1880s to ranch. I think in many ways before we moved away,  I took for granted the strong community bond that we have out here because it was all I knew. It wasn’t until we started moving that I realized how many people are floating around out there without their tribe. I am so happy to be back in mine.

My happiness moment today was a long chat with an old favourite uncle. When I was a kid they used to hold Pony Club at their place – in fact they were known in the area for throwing the best “D” Rally and that was something we all looked forward to. I have memories of being somewhere around 5 or 6 and spending the week there sleeping in a silo at camp, and lots of memories of racing our horses around the cross country course.

In times when I need to dig deep and find some bravery, I think of my times there how they taught me to find that inner strength. Some of it was just out of sheer terror and not wanting to look like a big chicken, but that was only because I looked up to them all so much and  I wanted to be able to keep up with everyone.

When I was 9, I had a rotten (but really cool) horse named Snowflake whom I loved deeply but who had a terrible habit of rearing up when she was nervous. Uncle Harvey was the timekeeper that year and as he looked at me and said “one minute”, Snowflake reared up and I slid right off her bum and landed feet first on the ground. I walked around to her side, someone gave me a leg up, and without missing a beat Uncle Harvey started the countdown 10, 9, 8, 7…. and I was off on the course. I look back at that moment as a really special one in my life, he gave me wings to soar.  First of all, there was a very strict no helping the rider rule – so the fact that I was given a leg up showed that they were quietly supporting me. She was tall and I was small and I used to have to jump up, dig my knee into the stirrup and then climb my way up into the saddle. The fact that my uncle didn’t make a big deal out of what had happened meant that I also didn’t make a big deal out of it.  We ended up not only having a perfectly clear round, but coming in first in every class that day. It was one of my best days as a kid.

It was so lovely to be able to have a long chat with him today. I got to hear all about his family and how they’re doing and just chew the fat a little bit. Even though he doesn’t live that far away, I don’t see him all that often (last time was at the Canada Day Party) so it was a real treat. These family parties are so important for all of us. We need to remember that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves.

Another happiness moment (aside from the general joy in seeing family/neighbours) was seeing smiles on older relatives when they learned that we are living in the old house. Everyone has memories of coming to the old house and visiting, or sometimes living here. One uncle (the twin of my happiness moment uncle) said that his first real bath was taken in the footed tub in our bathroom here. I love that we are living in a home that has so many memories for all of our relatives. It’s a great way of feeling bonded and grounded.

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Like it used to be. 

Tonight we had a moment of life like it used to be. Which is kind of what life is becoming again now that we are home, but in a different way – life in the new normal. 

My cousin was home visiting from Rome with her family for the last few weeks. Tomorrow they head back to their other home, which is nice for them because they have a happy life there, and sad too because it’s so far from this home. 

We went over to my uncle and aunt’s house to hug and cry goodbye, and ended up sitting down and having a really enjoyable visit instead. It was a visit like it used to be.  Back before we moved, before everyone got busy doing all the things we do. A visit where we knocked on the door and when it wasn’t answered we just walked in. The feeling you have of being safely and securely at home. Even though things are different. 

One of the things we chatted about was how dad taught us to canoe on Scott Lake and how terrified we all were they the canoe would capsize. The bottom of that lake is covered in blood suckers and we all had a good healthy fear of becoming blood sucker supper. It was nice though, to bring a happy dad memory into the conversation and for that to be ok. I miss him, but I want to be able to keep sharing memories of who he was and things he did with us. 

My happiness moment today was sitting around visiting with family. We are blessed in our lives. 

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Don’t drink from the bowl

Today’s happiness moment: sitting with Jacob while he ate his chicken noodle soup tonight. He says you know what I miss about grandpa? His chin chopper and his rules: no drinking from the bowl, no talking to the water. Then he looked at me, grabbed his bowl and took a big gulp of soup right from it. He looked around with a smirk and said do you think grandpa saw that? 

Missing Dad does not seem to be going away, if anything it gets more intense, but I love that we have these warm memories to share with each other. 

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Photographs

On a very difficult day I had my happiness moment when  we sat down, the three of us left from the original four,  and went through old pictures. In his later years dad picked up photography as a hobby and was so very talented. It was fun to see pictures of the old days. To remember how he looked before he got so sick.  It was nice to just sit and share memories of a man who had such a profound impact on our lives. I miss you dad. 

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Table talk

Tonight after supper the original four sat around the table sharing memories. Some from our childhood. Some – like the story of my parents and our most awesome cat Torts almost tipping in the canoe during a storm (Torts was so awesome he was game for such things) – predated their life with kids. When they were just two plus cat. 

The opportunity to just sit and visit and remember does not happen often enough. The opportunity to share love and appreciation for others is not grabbed often enough. 

My happiness moment for today was sharing those little moments. 

As a bonus funny moment, this morning Jenna came running around the corner saying you should see what Ella just did! Apparently Dottie the Dotted Dog was lying down and Ella the Cat walked over, walked on top of her, and lay down on Dottie’s bum. Jenna said Dottie just lay there wide eyed not sure wait to do about it! 

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Photo surprise

Every day I try and do a little unpacking. Today I attacked the study and found a little package of forgotten photos. I had to sit down and take a little trip down memory lane. They were all pictures during the time we lived in Rhode Island – when the kids were still little kids. 
Here’s me and Jenna during my blonde phase at a lobster shack near Mystic CT.  

  

Here’s the monsters at our local turkey farm in Connecticut. We used to drive to Baldwin Brook Farms to get our raw milk. Sometimes we would stop at Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm on the way home and have a turkey sandwich and oooohhhhh my they made the best little doughnuts. 

At Mystic Aquarium. My kids are consistently weird.    

Happiness moment for the day: remembering the good times we had in Rhode Island. Like with everything there was good and bad, but there was a lot of good fun there. The kids were little and we had a lot of really cool adventures together. I feel so privileged that I have been able to participate in the big and the little events in their lives. 

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Drive a fast car

When I was a kid I remember being packed in the Suburban with cousins flying up and down back roads at breakneck speeds. Once in a while we would find that magic road that had the right bumps in it that made me feel like I was losing my stomach when we would drive over it.  Of course once we found that magic road we had to drive back up and down it a few times squealing with delight the entire way. 

Today I had my kids and my cousin’s kids (the same cousin who used to do the driving on those magic roads) in my car and we were driving to drop off some recycling. As we drove past another relative’s driveway I told the kids of the magic road and how their mom/aunt had driven us up and down that road one afternoon while we giggled. 

But I didn’t turn on that road, I kept driving. I got to where the gravel road meets the highway and drove under the overpass. As I did all four kids squealed and Jacob yelled I think my bladder just fell out a couple of seconds later it happened again. A magic road. We dropped off the recycling and flew over the bumps on the way back. When I got to the turn into the back road all four kids started yelling for me to do it again. So around we turned and flew back up and down the magic road.  

Magic times. My happiness moment for the day. 

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And the card attached would say, thank you for being a friend 

A rather poor picture of a very delicious strawberry cheesecake made by my aunt  

When I was a teenager one of my favourite downtime activities was sitting with my sister and watching an episode of The Golden Girls. I loved sharing a half hour with Rose, Blanche, Sophia and Dorothy.

Last Christmas I bought season one on iTunes and watched it on our trip from Roanoke to Calgary. When we found ourselves moving back to Calgary a couple of weeks ago I downloaded the second season. Living in a house with no television, no wifi, and none of our books; these girls have entertained me during my quiet times.

What I have found interesting is that I still love them just as much 25 years later.  I’m discovering that a lot of the jokes went over my head as a teen. But considering that I’m now in my 40s (gasp) and still younger than those girls I’m impressed with the age range they appeal to. I don’t ever remember thinking it was an old people’s show as a teen and I don’t feel that way now.

Today after lunch I sat down with a small piece of the cheesecake my aunt made for Easter supper last night and turned my iPad onto The Golden Girls. It wasn’t long before 10 year old Jenna grabbed a piece of cake and sat down beside me and started watching along.

Sitting watching The Golden Girls and eating cheesecake with my daughter. My happiness moment for today.

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Today we eat ice cream!

When I was a kid my parents had their law firm right beside Mackay’s Ice Cream in Cochrane. A dream come true for a kid I promise. I was always happy to have to go wait at their office for them to finish up some work because… well… ice cream. Sometimes Mr. Mackay would pop by the back door by holding a cone for my sister and me. It didn’t happen all the time, but it happened often enough that it was always worth taking the chance and going to the office.

Mrs. Mackay hit the mother lode for us one summer day. I was maybe 9 or 10 and we were driving somewhere when I got sick. Like run to the bathroom and hurl sick. We were near their office so Mom drove there and she and my sister waited outside while I was inside slowly dying from my guts. When I came back out there was a very excited Mrs. Mackay talking to my Mom. Apparently there were people there from Maclean’s magazine and they wanted to take a picture of some kids eating ice cream. Mom was saying no we couldn’t do it, I was sick. But then Mrs Mackay told us the most exciting part of all (for me anyway). We were to be pictured eating  triple scoop ice cream cones!!! Never in my life had I been allowed one of those. We were allowed a single scoop and that was it. So a triple was like winning the jackpot.

I don’t remember how it came to be, but the next thing I remember was standing out in a field holding my triple scoop, licking away, having my picture taken. I do remember finishing the whole cone later on (I had to get it dumped into a bowl because it was melting) so apparently my sickness was cured quite quickly by the temptation of ice cream.

My birthday parties always had their Smartie ice cream. It was a favourite of mine for years. I have wonderful memories of going to Mackay’s with my Grandma, my parents, and in later years with my children. I’m so happy they’re the fourth generation of my family who gets to enjoy the wonderful ritual of sitting out front on a bench enjoying a Mackay’s ice cream cone. In fact, the above picture is from Jacob’s birthday this summer. For the first time in 10 years he celebrated his birthday in Alberta and we finished it off with a Mackay’s Ice Cream pig out (so good).

My first job that was not horse related was at Mackay’s when I was a teenager. By that time she had retired (and Mr. Mackay had passed away) and the store was being run by their daughters. I had so much fun (and ate so much ice cream).

And of course now the third generation of Mackays are running Mackay’s Ice Cream just as the 4th generation of Copithorne/Ramsays are still enjoying eating the ice cream.

Often times through the years when we would stop by for a cone, Mrs. Mackay would be sitting on the bench or at one of the tables visiting and laughing with friends and customers. She was a small lady but she shone so brightly. She beamed happiness out of the core of her soul.

Today I honour the memory of a wonderful person who brought happiness to so many people over the years. She shared her joy with people with whom she was close and with thousands of those whom she never met, but whose lives she made happier because of their famous ice cream. Today they are celebrating her life while they mourn her death in Cochrane. I’m sure there will be many many people sharing happy and joyful memories of a beautiful spirit. So, my 6th day of happiness in my 44 days is because of her.

Do what you love, laugh, live, eat ice cream!

The kids and I figured the best way to honour her was to go out for ice cream. Because Mackay’s is 2,000 miles away from us we went to our local ice cream spot (that sells locally made ice cream) and laughed and played connect4 and really enjoyed each other.

Ice Cream Bliss

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