Oh hello! You startled me … I didn’t expect to see you
standing there. I am on my way to Harmony
House to visit my dear friend Emily Carpenter, but I will call her and postpone
my visit. She is such a sweetheart; I
know she will understand ...
Would you like to go with me? I
know she would love the company.
I try to visit Emily at least once a week. Her son and daughter live in Texas and are
unable to fly to Harmony Hill to visit with her. They fly her to Texas for the Christmas
Holidays and call her on regular basis, but it is not the same as sitting and chatting
with a cup of tea.
Emily was born and raised in Harmony Hill. She met her husband Roy when he moved from
Texas to live with his Uncle Vincent and Aunt Rita after the sudden death of
his parents. Roy’s Aunt Rita and my
mother were second cousins. So when
Emily and Roy had their children I became their permanent babysitter. I was over their house so much I became a
member of the family. When RJ and Brenda,
Roy and Emily’s children, were in their teens Roy decided to move back to Texas
so his children could get to know his side of the family. Emily lived in Texas for over 25 years and never
felt like she belonged. When Roy, after
43 years of marriage, decided he no longer wanted to be married to her, Emily
moved back to Harmony Hill. RJ and
Brenda didn’t want to leave their family and friends in Texas, so Emily moved
into Harmony House … Katrina Gustafsson-O’Malley’s Retirement Home.
Oh my goodness … I have been blabbing away and all I wanted to say is that
Emily just got back from Texas. Her
children flew her out to celebrate her 75th birthday. Ready to met Emily?
There’s the birthday girl.
Oh Bella Nonna you shouldn’t have…
It’s nothing. I saw it in Julia’s
gift shop and thought of you.
You baked!
You know me Emily … any excuse to eat sweets. So how was your trip to Texas?
It was lovely. I hated the airport
check-in mess, but my visit with the kids made it well worth the hassle. The party they gave me was too much fuss for
me … I like things quiet. I would have
preferred to just sit and visit, but what can you do? Also,
it made me feel so old.
Oh pooh, you’re still a vibrant young thing!
Oh no I’m not! When I was at my
party I realized just how old I am. I
was sitting at the
head table wishing I could go home and slip into my comfy pajama pants and
fuzzy slipper. Everyone kept coming over
to me to congratulate me on turning 75 … like I had a choice. Then my grandson James, R J’s oldest comes to
the table and takes my hand. The DJ started playing Rainbow Connection, our
song. He asked me to dance. I tried to get out of dancing, but when I saw
the look in his eyes, I couldn’t refuse.
My feet were hurting and I was so tired but slowly I got up and we
started dancing. I rested my weary head
on his strong shoulder and closed my eyes.
Within seconds I was swept away in memories.
I was a little girl waltzing on top of my daddy's feet ... A young bride
waltzing with my father on my wedding day ... An expectant mother waltzing with
a teddy bear... A young mother waltzing with my little son on top of my feet
... A mom pulling my 13 year old son away from the television to waltz with me ...
A mother waltzing with my son on his wedding day … Then a new grandmother waltzing with James in
my arms ... To a granny waltzing with my grandson at his graduation party. As the song was coming to an end, I opened my
eyes and gazed up into my grandson's eyes.
In the blink of an eye I went from staring up into my father's eyes
while waltzing to staring up into my grandson's eyes.
Emily, if you could, would you do it all over again?
In a heartbeat Bella.
