Audrey

Ponsa ponsa time, back before The Flood, I lived outside of Duncan, B C, Canada. My parents were caretakers for a house on 100 acres, and we got free rent. I attended St Ann's Academy next door. At that time, my mother had a little bakery/tea shop in Duncan, and my dad worked at a lumberyard there.

After school, I would go to the school farm and stay with the farmer's wife until Dad and Mom came to get me on their way home from town.

I loved staying with John and Audrey. They were newly married (I remember their wedding), and their little house was always full of light and laughter. I ate supper with them. Being farmers, their midday meal was the main one, and supper was sandwiches and a salad, frequently. That was the first house in which I had an oil and vinegar dressing. Until then, I had thought that a salad, by definition, had to be moistened with mayonnaise. Audrey also taught that food could be fun, unlike the deadly serious business it was for my mother. Audrey and John were Catholic, so Friday suppers frequently featured sandwiches made from Audrey's fresh bread and butter and chocolate sprinkles. Heaven!

I first heard Marty Robbins in their house; in fact, hearing "El Paso" always reminds me of the time I spent with them. It was wonderful to be around a couple who was just starting a married adventure. I remember when Patrick, their first child, was born, and got my very first lessons in baby-wrangling from Audrey.

I remember John trying to talk me down from a hayloft in a disused stable. I had climbed up the ladder nailed to the wall in search of kittens, and was too scared to get back down. I think he eventually climbed up and pulled me down. He must have thought I was a complete wuss. He was right; I was.

All these memories came flooding back a couple of days ago, when I got a message from Audrey through Classmates.com.

I love Classmates.com, and am so glad to be back in touch with the woman who was one of the early positive influences in my life. I can't wait to find out what has been going on with her. She had seven children, in all, and now has nineteen grands!

I hope you are reading this, Audrey...

Thank you!