Our school was tiny. So tiny that even with two grades sharing a room and teacher, there were still usually less than fifteen students in the two grades. The good news was, if you didn’t learn everything you should have in second grade math, you got another crack at it in third grade while the new second grade covered the same material. Though each class used different books, the lessons sounded much the same. Continue reading
Life
Kathleen Tells All
Her Facts Didn’t Run
Our school was tiny. So tiny that even with two grades sharing a room and teacher, there were still usually less than fifteen students in the two grades. The good news was, if you didn’t learn everything you should have in second grade math, you got another crack at it in third grade while the new second grade covered the same material. Though each class used different books, the lessons sounded much the same. Continue reading
A Kid at Heart
What does it mean to be a kid at heart?
A kid at heart feels joy at the quirkiness of life even if incapable of acting like a child. They are not jaded. They are still awed by the miracle of sunrise and sunset. Every newborn brings promise. A kid at heart appreciates fun, love, and life. A kid at heart is vibrant.
Lou and Lynn Part 1 Memorable Moments: Riding Bikes with Grandma
Grandma was old and slow but could be cool sometimes. She was funny, always ready to play with Lou. Best of all, when Lou they got to spend the night together, Grandma told her stories. Not the “once upon a time kind” but stories about when Grandma was a kid. She must have been a cool kid from the tales she told. The stories went on until Lou went to sleep.
Grandma was horrible at video games, so one day they decided to find something else to do.
Once they got outside, Grandma was worried about riding a scooter. She poked along on an old bicycle, wobbling every time she hit a little bump. “Whoa! Don’t go off and leave me!” It was hard to ride that slowly. Lou rode in circles so Grandma could keep up.
They didn’t get too far before Grandma needed a break. It must be exhausting being that old. Lou was dizzy from the circling anyway. As they parked under a tree and dug into their snack bags, a bolt of lightning split the sky, Thunder crashed all around them. Soon, it was raining so hard they couldn’t see as far as the road. Lou wished she was safe at home with her parents.
Grandma was upset. “There was’t a cloud in the sky when we left! How did this pop up?”
”What are we gonna do? Lou asked. “I’m scared!”
”I don’t like it either” Grandma said. Just then, another ear-splitting crash of thunder rattled the sky.
The next thing Lou knew, she was picking herself up off the ground, surrounded by fallen pears. Grandma must have been scared and run off. Lou was surprised. She didn’t think Grandma could get out of sight that fast, The sun came out. As Lou looked around, a girl fell out of the tree, almost on top of her. She dusted off her shorts and picked up a couple of pears. “Wow! You have a bike. I wish I had a bike! Do you want a pear?”
Lou had never had a pear straight from a tree, nor even seen a pear tree.
“Nah! I’ve got a juice box and some grapes in my backpack.” When Lou looked around, neither her backpack nor Grandma was anywhere in sight.
”Where am I? Where’s my grandma? She was just here.” Lou was confused.
”You’re on my family’s farm and I never saw your Grandma. We’ll look around for her. What’s your name? I’m Lynn. Come on!”
“I’m Lou and I have to find Grandma I don’t remember being this far from town. There’s not even a real road here.” Lou kicked a rock out of the dirt road.
“Come on, Lou. It looks like a break in the rain! Let’s get in the barn before we get soaked!” Lynn took off running, her ponytail bouncing. Her bare feet kicked up a dust. How in the world could she run like than on rocks?
Rain pelted the girls as they dashed in the huge barn doors. As Lou’s eyes got used to the shadows, she saw dust dancing in the sunbeams in through the big open doors. The strange smell made her sneeze. Huge stacks of hay were stacked high up the barn walls, reaching all the way to the ceiling. A few big dog flop-eared dogs burst through the open doors, barking like the they were having a contest. Jumping up on the stairs steps of hay, they rolled around drying themselves off. A big one jumped on a couple of puppies like she was going to tear them apart!
”Stop them’” Lou yelled. “That big dog is going to hurt those puppies!” Lynn didn’t act worried at all.
”Nah. That’s their mama. She’s just teaching them some manners. Here puppies.” At that, the puppies bounced down like rubber balls, licking Lynn for all they were worth. “These silly guys always think I need a bath.”
By now, the rain was pounding the roof so hard Lou had to shout to make herself heard. “Is this a tornado?”
Lynn laughed.”No. It’s fine. Haven’t you ever heard rain on a tin roof?
To be continued
Right Now
How are you feeling right now?
Right now, I feel good. I was wide awake at one thirty, so I got up to write. I love it when writing kicks me out of bed! For so many years my soul was yearning to write but I was caught up in what had to be done. I was married with two children. Bud and I worked alternate shifts to care for them. I suppose I did write a lot out of necessity, now that I think of it. We both wrote a lot of notes.
“Make sure Kate doesn’t get off without her $12 dollars and permission form for the field trip. It’s in an envelope in her backpack. She has to wear that red Tshirt and white pants I left on her dresser. Don’t let John get off without a belt. He got a warning note yesterday. Matt Ford’s mother is going to drop him off for a ride to bus stop if it’s raining. Remind kids to get lunch money out of cup in kitchen window. I left a roast in crockpot for dinner. Please make sure it’s heating up before you lie down. Please have kids fold towels in dryer. Love you.”
I’d find a note from Bud when I got in. He would have just lain down for a late nap after the kids got in from school.
“John has to turn in his book report tomorrow! Don’t let him go out doors till he finishes it. He will get an F! I washed a load of jeans. They’re still in dryer. I forgot to call you, we need bread, milk, apples, and Kate needs posterboard. Can you run to Walmart? Sorry. She didn’t tell me till I was getting ready to lie down. Love you.”
Now the kids are long grown, we are both retired so I write what and when I want. Everything in its time.
I Never Claimed to be Donna Reed!
My daughter zoned in on the Donna Reed Show when I started falling short in the motherhood department. In case you don’t remember, Donna Reed was the perfect wife and mother, always prissing around in cinch-waist dresses with petticoats, high heels and jewelry. She played bridge, called her friends Mrs. So and So, and kept an immaculate house. If Donna had slipped in the mud, she’d have fallen daintily and ended up with a charming smudge on her cheek, whereas, I’d have busted my butt, ripped my britches, and farted. No one would have been able to help me for laughing. I could have fallen in a rose bed, and come out smelling like manure.
When Donna’s children lapsed into naughtiness, she’d rein them in with an understanding, quizzical smile, knowing they’d fall at her feet and confess because she was such a good mother. They only got in cute scrapes, like maybe accepting two dates for the prom or losing a library book, never anything involving calls from the school counselor or requests for bail. The queen of her home, effortless meals appeared on her dining table out of the air, no budgeting, shopping, or messy kitchen to consider. Naturally, her handsome husband adored her. Even though he was a doctor, it was clear he’d married “up.”
Donna never lost her cool when her children announced they needed a million dollars for a school trip as she dropped them off for school. I have been known to be annoyed. Should Donna’s kids want to eat what she’d cooked, she’d coax them along in the name of nutrition. If my kids didn’t want to eat what I’d put on the table, I told them, “Fine, that leaves more for the rest. It won’t be that long till breakfast.” Donna was vigilant about nutrition, whereas, I figure kids eat if they get hungry.
I can lay so many of my motherly shortcomings at Donna’s door, but thank goodness, she’s gone and I’m still bumbling along.
Angus B. McDonald Obituary
The grim reaper came for me on Friday March 25, 2016. I bought the farm. I bit the dust. So I guess I’m off to the promised land eh? The promised land! Imagine!
Anyway, I was born at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Glace Bay on Nov. 26, 1948. Of 13 children in the family, I was the sixth born.
I was predeceased by four brothers, Lawrence 1943, Pat 1990, Kevin 1999, Allen 2010.
I am survived by my OG Brenda, Tower Road; my three children, Tyler, Stratford, Ont., Lawrence and his wife, Lisa, St. Mary’s, Ont. and Coady, Tower Road and my grandchildren, Nicole MacDonald, Glace Bay, Charlise MacDonald, Stratford, Ont., Hayden and Nathan MacDonald, St. Mary’s, Ont. and Haille and Lukas MacLeod, St. Mary’s, Ont.
So anyway, I think I was a pretty nice guy, despite being a former punk and despite what some people would say about me. What did they know about me anyway? I loved my family and cared for them through good times and bad; I did my best.
I had some serious health problems the last few years, but survived them (up till now anyway) with the help of my wife, Brenda; my granddaughter, Nicole; my sweetheart little dog, Scarlett, and my rescue kitten, Dolly.
Elaine and Sonya and all the other nurses from the VON and the doctors and nurses at the Cape Breton Cancer Centre, the Palliative Care nurses and doctors, Dr. Archibald and doctors and nurses at Glace Bay hospital.
My little dog Scarlett died Sept. 2013, and there really are no words to describe what a total destresser Scarlett was for me. So I guess if there’s a place in the after-life where little dogs and old dawgs go, then that’s where you’ll find me and Scarlett. Maybe I’ll see you all there sometime.
Besides my wife, children and grandchildren, the single most wonderful event in my life was spending three years at UCCB, now CBU where I earned my BACS Degree, 1992 grad.
I don’t want a funeral. A funeral is a waste of harrrrrrd earned and harrrrrrd saved money that my family can use now.
I was a very private person in life, so I don’t want to end that life with people gawking at me while I lay in a coffin.
I’m being cremated and my ashes are being scattered (somewhere). So instead of going to see the great creator, I will be going to see the great cremater.
Memorial donations may be made to the Palliative Care Unit at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital
For those who would like to express condolences, visitation will take place on Thursday, March 31, 2016 from 1-3 p.m. in Patten Funeral Home, 71 Union St., Glace Bay, with memorial service to follow at 3 p.m.
Happy trails! Love Angus B. MacDonald.”
Funny Obituary
Danny Lloyd, aka Rooster, aka Winston, aka Pizza Pop, passed away on April 25th at the age of 64, “to avoid having to pay taxes for the past year and to avoid another year of his New York Yankees not winning the World Series.”
A celebration of life will be held at 5:00 pm on Sunday, May 20, 2018 at Davidson Funeral Home in Lexington. The family will receive friends following the service.
Danny is survived by his sons, Frank Callicutt (Beth) and Chris Lloyd; daughters, Abbie Callicutt and Heather Lloyd, all of Lexington and five grandchildren; Mary Lloyd, Annabell and Abbie Callicutt, and Liam and Charlie Blackerby. He is also survived by three siblings; James Lloyd (Tanya), David Lloyd and Suzie Lloyd. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Barbara Kimball Lloyd.
He was a generous man – giving away many of his possessions in the months before he died. He even left his car to twelve different friends, depending upon who visited him last. He was a life-long ticket scalper and broker, or as he called it “a facilitator of supply/demand economics.” Once when asked about any regrets from his ticket sales, Danny confessed, “There was that time I told a Carolina fan that he needed to buy my ticket immediately if he wanted to hear Dean Smith sing the National Anthem.”
Danny was cremated – for two reasons: There could be no viewing since his family refused to honor his request to have him standing in the corner of the room with a sign saying “Buying Tickets” in one hand, and in his other hand a sign saying “Selling Tickets” so that he would appear natural and life-like to his visitors.
Because his brother played football for Wake Forest University, Danny was a lifelong Demon Deacon fan, and he had respectfully requested six Wake Forest pall bearers so that the “Deacs” could “let him down” one last time.
Danny has informed Hampton Inn that they can finally reinstate their pledge to not charge anyone who is not 100% satisfied, as he will no longer be staying there.
For those attending his memorial service, please ignore Danny’s scalper friends who might be offering to upgrade your seat for a small price. To any crooks reading this: None of the family and friends attending this service have anything of value. Remember, he gave his car to a dozen of us. And one of his sons is Chris “Country” Lloyd, so it is certainly not worth the risk.
Danny Lloyd loved his siblings a little bit, and his children even more. But those grandkids…they stole his heart. They were the reason he lived his final 4 years with a sober mind and a giving heart.
We loved him. And we already miss him.
Nutsrok 