Nana's Nana

It was 50 years today that I, along with my family...parents, sister and brother, set sail for a new life in Canada.  I was 12 years old.

I remember the day so clearly still.  I remember having to say good-bye to my Nana.  I still have the hankie she shoved into my hand to wipe away the tears.

Nana & Nana's Nana 1953

 It was very difficult for me to adjust to a new life in Canada, though over the years I have grown to love my new country, and wouldn't leave it for the world.

Nana & Great-great  Nana 1970

 All the highs and lows of my life have been lived here.  I do sometimes wonder how my life would have played out had we stayed in England.  Who knows.

Nana & Nana's Nana 1975 

 I have 'crossed the pond' many, many times to visit family and friends.  I have wonderful memories of growing up in Liverpool, and still keep in touch with friends from my younger days.

The Two Nana's 1992

  I tell myself, had I not come to Canada I wouldn't have my little Aidan.  I can't imagine that. 

I used to feel sad every time the anniversary of this date rolled around, up until eight years ago, when the little love of my life was born.  For the first time, I wondered and imagined how my nana must have felt saying goodbye to her family that day.  She must have been heartbroken.  I was the light of her life, and now I was leaving to go live in another country far, far away.  That sad feeling turned to tears thinking about how sad my Nana must have been that day.  It still makes me cry.  But I have my hankie.

I made myself a promise back then that I would never, ever let my little Aidan leave to live somewhere else.  I would have to follow.  To the ends of the earth.  You are stuck with this nana, munchkin.  I'll never leave you.

 

 There is a happy ending.  Twenty years later, after I had grown up, married, gave birth to my beautiful daughter, nana left behind her life in England and came to live in Canada.

She was here when I married again...

Nana's Wedding 1980

...and when her beautiful great-granddaughter married...

 

 

 The years that followed were spend making up for lost time!  I was grateful, honoured and blessed to have her living in my home, with my family, where we took care of her for the last seven years of her life.

Miss you, nana.  Love you, my beautiful boy!

Where did summer go?

It's hard to believe my last 'ramblings' here were in April!  As forecast in my last post, it was indeed a busy summer, but not quite the one I had planned.  Having to deal with some 'family stuff' left little time to do all the things I had planned for Aidan and I this year, but we did manage to get most of what was on our 'to do' list done.

We had a fun trip to Toronto, meeting up with my sister, Aidan's 'Nana Carol' and her grandson, Emmet, to take in the amazing stage production of 'The Lion King', followed by dinner at 'The Old Spaghetti Factory'.

Aidan & Nana at 'The Lion King'

Aidan & Emmet at 'The Lion King'

Nana Carol with Aidan & Emmet at 'The Lion King'


Once again this year, Aidan donned his work gloves to help Nana and Papa in the vegetable garden...

Aidan planting tomatoes
 

 At Easter time we had a fun family gathering which, of course, included painting eggs and the annual Easter 'egg roll' for Aidan and Emmet to participate in.

Painting eggs for the 'egg roll'

Lots of money & treats to win
 

Summer days spent at the beach this year were wonderful.  Not too hot, but plenty of sunny days allowed us a fun time in the sand and happy hours throwing rocks into the lake, along with a little 'beach yoga'...

Bending this way...

Bending that way...

Phew, I'm exhausted!
 

Early summer found Aidan and Nana making our first fairy garden...

Aidan's fairy garden



 ...complete with a bench for our resident fairy to relax, enjoy the birds in their nest, and sip on some 'fairy tea'.

The fairy garden
 

Aidan celebrated his seventh birthday with several of his classmates joining him for games and hot dogs, and of course...

Yummy Birthday cake with sprinkles!



We did manage to get away for a few days to Nana Carol's cottage, where Aidan caught his first fish, with a little (actually, a lot!) of help from Papa. .. 


Fisherman Aidan and his 'helper'


...it was a Bass, which Aidan insisted we cook up to "feed his family".  It made a delicious side dish along with the hot dogs we had for dinner that night.

Mmmm...hot dogs and fish!



 A canoe ride with Nana Carol and Opa Harry topped off a fun-filled weekend.

Ready to go!

Off into the Wild!

August brought us to Blueberry Season once again!  An annual tradition now, we made several treks to the blueberry farm again this year.  Aidan's friend Rhiannon was delighted to join him on one expedition for berries.

Ready to go!

Look at all those berries!



One last day trip before going back to school...

...a visit to the new Ripley's Aquarium in Toronto.  Followed by dinner at 'The Old Spaghetti Factory' of course!

So that's where summer went!



 

My, how time flies!

I can't believe my last blog post was September 2013!  It's not like the little love of my life and I haven't been busy!  I have no excuse other than I've been one very busy nana!  So, time to play a little 'catch up'...

Aidan's 'Halloween' Tree

Before we knew it, summer was just a memory, and October had arrived.  Out came the 'Christmas' tree, now transformed into the 'Halloween' tree, with orange lights, pumpkin garland, and thirty one little treat bags, one for each day of the month.

Aidan and the Scary Pumpkin

The pumpkin's carved and one excited little boy has an afternoon snack on his very own Halloween placemat, (made by nana, of course!)...

Aidan's Scary Halloween Place Setting

Well, at least I didn't have to make a new costume.  Aidan so loves his 'Toothless the Night Fury Dragon' costume I had made for him earlier in the year, he decided he had to wear it on Halloween night...

Aidan the Scary Dragon

We had a little time to enjoy the beautiful fall leaves...

 

 

And spend some time in the garden feeding the birds...

 

 

 

Before the 'Ice Storm of 2013' arrived just one week before Christmas...

 

 

Luckily, a lot of the ice melted before Christmas Day arrived.  Aidan was very excited to receive some games and an air hockey table from his nana and papa, as well as a stocking full of treats from Santa.  All dressed for the festivities...

 

Santa Nana & Rudolph Aidan

Aidan got to sing...'All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth (well, sort of)...

Our very own 'Toothless'

It was a long, icy cold winter.  Once the snow arrived in early December, it stayed until early April.  We tried as best we could to feed the birds as they huddled for shelter from the snow and wind  in the branches of the pine and cedar trees.  Much to our surprise and delight, on one of the coldest days of the winter, we were blessed with a visit from five robins perched in one of the cedar trees.  They had come to eat what berries were still on the tree...

Beautiful Robin!

Before we knew it, it was February, and time to think about St. Valentine's Day, and all that yummy chocolate.  Out came the 'Christmas tree' transformed once again with white lights, garlands of hearts, and fourteen treat bags, one for each day, until Valentine's day arrived...

Where's the chocolate, Nana?

Aidan's great-nana came to stay for a few weeks before moving into a retirement home nearby.  They enjoyed spending time together playing tiddly-winks...

The 'Tiddly-wink' Champs!



Aidan and great-Nana



The next celebration to come along was St. Patrick's Day!  Of course, the little love of my life had to come to nana's house for a special St. Patrick's day supper!  We all donned our fancy socks, and enjoyed a dinner of green potatoes and peas, washed down with green water and followed with shamrock cookies and mint chocolate chip ice cream. (Of course, nana got to have a wee dram of Jameson Irish Whisky, to help her sleep, of course!)...

 

An Irish Leprechaun!

Yummy Green Potatoes!



And so here we are.  The snow finally melted (almost!) and the warmth of the sun returning once again.  The spring-like weather becons us outdoors, and so what better place to spend a sunny afternoon than the nearby wildlife sanctuary...

   Aidan loves to feed the birds that swoop down from the trees and take the birdseed out of his hand...

What a joy to be alive, to feel the warmth of the sun, breath the fresh air, see the world come alive all around us...

 As we await the warm, sunny days of summer, we make plans for all the things we hope to do together.  Days at the beach throwing rocks into the lake will likely take up most of our days, but plans are in the works for time at Nana Carol's (my sister) cottage, as well as taking in the production of 'The Lion King' (both with cousin Emmet) Nana can't wait! And maybe a trip to Niagara Falls.  A busy summer is in the forecast!

And a promise from nana...I'll be back here soon with lots more 'ramblings'!

!