Page 86 - Margaret Neil James - A Love Story

ISSUE : Issue 60

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1992/6/1

were the first to know. And they were quite happy, (But) I said, you know, "The only thing I'm afraid of is people are go? ing to start talking." The fact that his wife was only dead 11 months. Well, you know, they had the old thing about that it should be at least a year before you'd even start thinking about looking for somebody else. But you know, there was no consideration of the fact that he had the children and he had to have somebody to look after them. But I didn't feel a bit funny about it be? cause I lived here 5 months. And if you went with somebody for 5 years, I wouldn't have spent more time with them than I did with him. Because I was here 24 hours a day all the time, you know. And I helped him with his bookwork and I helped him with every? thing, from Day One, trying to get him straightened out. Because he had a lot of debts, and he had a lot of hard times. And the house needed a lot of repairs. We didn't even have the water in the house when I came here. I helped dig the waterline the fall I came here. About a month after I came here I was digging a waterline. But it was for my own benefit, so I wouldn't have to be haul? ing the water in the wintertime up that hill whenever he wasn't home, because--when he was home, he'd haul the water. So anyway. Grandma said to me, "Don't wor- ry a bit about that. Because," she said. The View at the Heart of Your Great Cape Breton Visit! Kelly's View "you know. Papa only just drove up to Jamesville and asked me to marry him. And we met"" at the glebe house and we put in our calls and we got married," she said. "And look at us! So," she said, "you needn't worry about anything like that, if that's all you're worrying about," I was a little concerned that their people would feel that I came in the area and, you know, snatched onto Neil right quick, I was a little concerned about that. But I knew the situation myself. But it was hard to make people see that. But the ones that were close to us really knew what was hap? pening and really knew what was going on. And we got along great. Like I said, you know, we never had what they'd call a hon? eymoon. We were too busy looking after the children and the old folks and doing things at home. But Neil always--he said to me one day. "If you ever wanted to go on a honeymoon, where would you like to go?" And I said, "Well, I'd like to go to --P, E, I, or Annapolis Valley." So he said, "Well, some day, when the kids get big enough, I'll take you." So when Michael was 14--when I said that that's when I'd be leaving, when Michael was 14--that year, he took me to Prince Edward Island for a weekend--all weekend. We left on Friday morning. We were sup? posed to come back on Monday, but we came back Sunday night because I was a little concerned about how the kids were making out, because we had never left them alone. Motel East of Boularderie Centre 3/4 mile from Seal Island Bridge Cape Breton's Newest Motel at Affordable Rates ( Modern Motel Units featuring Full Baths and Colour TV ) Phone 674-2473 Your Hosts: Billie & Joe Smolenaars RESTAURANT ADJACENT ~ Overlooking the Bras d'Or Lakes and Kelly's Mountain ~ But his parents lived with us, and they both died here. Both died in the house with us. And they were really attached to me and I was attached to them, I'm telling you, when I lost them, I don't think I felt any worse when I lost my own parents. (CO'OP) CO-OP Building Supplies 870 King's Road, Sydney 539-6410 FAX 562-7481 WE ARE MORE THAN JUST LUMBER!!! I PRESSURE TREATED ?? VINYL REPLACEMENT ?? COUNTER TOPS LUMBER I PAINT/STAINS I FLOOR COVERINGS I GYPROC I BATHROOM FIXTURES WINDOWS I EAVESTROUGH I ROOFING MATERIALS I LIGHT FIXTURES I PLUMBING SUPPLIES I HARDWARE I VANITIES I SHOWERS I ROOF TRUSSES I DOORS I KITCHEN CABINETS I INSULATION EXPERIENCE ON YOUR SIDE I HOME & GARAGE PACKAGES I ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES I HEATING SUPPLIES I LUMBER I PLYWOODS OVER 39 YEARS EXPERIENCE 86

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