When people question the downside of living on a tropical island, I always respond, "being so far away from friends and family."
My sweet and loving Grandma MacDonald passed away on June 19, 2022. She had been ill for only about a week, so despite the fact that she was 91 years old, her passing was quite unexpected. When I envisioned my summer at home, I had pictured afternoon tea visits with my Grandma in her new home at Good Shepherd Villas. Once I had processed the news, I went to work trying to find a flight home. Panic immediately set in as flights were obviously sparse, with trips to Saskatoon taking 65 + hours or more. In the last eight years on island, we have missed so many functions and events, and I knew that I couldn't miss a proper goodbye to my very special Grandma.
Luckily I was able to find a route that got me home in two days with an overnight in Houston. Other than the wheelchair assistance forgetting about me (oops!), resulting in barely making a connection, the trip was quite smooth and I was hugging my dad at the Saskatoon airport within 48 hours of leaving Cayman. This is a huge "win" in today's day of horrific airline travel!
My Grandma's service was really lovely. It took place at the church my Grandma attended for years, by the Minister who was a close friend of Grandmas. The music, flowers, and words spoken were heartfelt and very personal. When it sunk in that I wouldn't be visiting with my Grandma again, I felt so incredibly sad and empty; however, as the service continued, my heart also felt full - it truly was a celebration of an incredible woman. When I hugged Nora, the Minister who delivered the eulogy, I said, "Grandma would have really loved this!" and I meant it. She would have been so touched to see all her family and friends together, celebrating her. I feel comforted knowing that she's been reunited with the love of her life, my Grandpa Ken.
I was able to catch up with cousins, aunts, uncles, and friends whom I haven't seen for years - some I had only met on Facebook (shout out to Harriett!) It felt so good to be among everyone, sharing Grandma stories, and remembering the good times. We laughed, we cried - I know this sounds cheesy, but it was really good for my soul. I needed to be there.
Many stories were told about Grandma that day, but one of most memorable is the story that the family refer to as the "vagina project." My cousin, Donovan, lived with my Grandma for a year while he attended grade 12. This was the year after my Grandpa had passed, and I'm sure having Donovan there with her during that difficult time was a game changer for Grandma. Donovan was assigned a biology project in which he had to create a model of a human body system. Donovan chose the female reproductive system, and Grandma got to work helping him with a system she was very much familiar with!
They made play dough together to shape the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and formed the uterus and vagina. Donovan went to bed after working all evening, and Grandma decided to stay up and spice up the model. She collected her ceramic paints and decided to make the model more life-like by applying various shades of pink. The next morning Donovan looked at his new and improved anatomically correct model and thought, "I'm going to ace this project!" Grandma modestly covered the model with a tea towel and sent Donovan on his way to school. As the Minister retold this story during the service, she admitted, "This is the first time I've said the word, 'vagina' in church!" Haha. What a Grandma! Ironically, cousin Donovan is now Dr. Donovan. He's an ER Doc, however, not a Gynecologist, which would have made this story even more amusing!
I was lucky enough to spend almost everyday of my childhood at my Grandma and Grandpa's house. They lived close to my elementary school, and they looked after me during my lunch and after-school time. I can still remember the feeling of walking into that warm, cozy house. Grandpa would enthusiastically shout, "Kirstie!" and Grandma would peek her head around the kitchen, and say, "Lunch is almost ready!" Grandma made me a grilled cheese sandwich and pudding with cream and sprinkles for dessert every day. I washed this all down with a big glass of whole milk. Needless to say, I turned into a little chunky monkey for a few years! To this day, when I feel sad or lonely, I crave grandma's pudding with cream and sprinkles. That house was the epitome of comfort and love. To me, that's what Grandma was - comfort and love - like a big warm hug! She made all of us feel so loved so special. I hope she felt the same way.
Evan and Biloxi arrived a week after I did, and we are settling in to our house at the lake. We purchased a cabin across the street from our house, and Evan's mom and aunty will be spending a few weeks there this summer. I'm looking forward to a summer surrounded by friends and family, and some warm-ish weather would be an added bonus!
It feels so good to be home. I am a true believer that you can fool your brain and reduce your pain, and although my knees are not good, overall, I feel more comfortable and calm being at the lake right now. Sometimes you just need a change of scenery to alter your mindset.
Happy Summer, Friends!
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