One of the biggest things I remember about Grandma is laughter. She loved socializing and laughing with people, but she also laughed at herself. Grandma seemed to be loved by everyone she met. She was just such a happy and chipper person to be around and seemed to be able to chat to almost anyone. I remember going on dates with Grandma to Tim Hortons and the staff always seemed to know her name and order. In fact, the staff from Red Lobster, Swiss Chalet and the Carousal also seemed to know her name and story. I remember one date in particular we went to the Carousal and her favourite part of the restaurant wasn't open yet. She told me not to fret because she knew the owner. This determined little lady marched right through the restaurant and found the owner who promptly opened it up for "Phyllis." She then happily chatted on with the owner about her grandkids, introducing us all to him and telling him what we were all up to these days.
During these dinner dates that us Covert kids had with Grandma, we would always laugh about her eating habits. She would get a little wee piece of meat, pass over the salad and choose a few pieces of vegetables just so she could say she took them. She would happily chat for most of the dinner, pushing those vegetables around and around on her plate. However, as soon as it was dessert time, she marched right up for the biggest piece of lemon meringue pie she could find and would hardly leave a crumb. She always did love a 'nip' of dessert.
While Grandma was loved by most she met, one of the things she was not known for was excellent driving skills. I will always remember her stories about all the crazy drivers in Peterborough and how everyone was always honking the horn at her. Amy and I remember the time being driven by grandma and we sat at a four-way flashing red stop light waiting for it to turn green. When we told her that it the light never turned green she just giggled at herself and carried on. I remember being in the passenger seat with her driving and her proving her theory about crazy drivers in Peterborough as we switched lanes and cut off another car. She happily hummed away as I sat white knuckled mouthing the words 'I'm sorry' to the angry guy beside us. The family was quite relieved when Grandma decided to give up her license and not deal with the Peterborough crazies anymore.
Grandma was young at heart and though she was aging in years, she still thought of herself as a young woman. I remember at one of Joel's hockey games, she met an old friend that she hadn't seen in decades. After chatting, she came back to my mom shocked at how old this friend looked. It never seemed to cross her mind that she herself had aged as well. Lying in the hospital bed in palliative care, grandma declared that she didn't think she would get married again.
Grandma loved watching a variety of sports from baseball, hockey to soccer. She was the uncontested, unashamed, biggest fan at my brother Joel's hockey and soccer games. The other parents loved Grandma and her chatter despite her obvious lack of interest in the other players and her constant questions of whether Joel was on the ice. Sometimes this got her in a bit of trouble. From time to time while sitting amongst the other player's parents she'd yell out that Joel was the only one playing well and why wasn't anyone helping him?! Dad was always the one commissioned to tell her to tone it down a bit. Sometimes Grandma would get a little mixed up while watching the hockey games. One game in particular everyone couldn't figure out why she kept clapping and cheering at all the wrong times. It wasn't till later that they realized she was cheering for Joel's number on the opposite team! Mixed up-sometimes, but enthusiastic-always! Us grandkids knew that Grandma was always one of our biggest fans!
I think one of the funniest memories I have with grandma was taking her to one of her doctor's appointments to have tests done on her heart. She was so sweet and kind and tried to chat with the doctor who clearly was too busy for small talk. His questions about her mom and dad were for the purpose of medical history information, but Grandma didn't seem follow where he was going with his questions. She started chatting about her mom and dad and their jobs, illnesses and deaths until I had to gently cut in and state the fact that she was adopted. I let her go on for a bit though, she was always so happy talking about her childhood and parents and it was pretty funny how furiously the doctor scribbled notes until he realized there would be no connection to her health. The doctor clearly wasn't too impressed. We left the office...me mad at how gruff he was and Grandma happy that it was over and chatting about how he was a nice man. Grandma always saw the best in everyone.
Optimism was another one of Grandma's strong qualities. Before her death, she was scheduled to have some dental work done on her teeth. She hated the dentist and kept wanting to postpone appointments to the summer, then to the fall, then to winter. When grandma got news of her cancer, she rejoiced that God had saved her from the dentist. I guess that's one way to look at it! :)
Grandma grew up in an era where strict observance of acceptable social behaviour was stressed. Dancing was clearly forbidden. Although grandma always seemed to follow what was expected of her on the outside, she also had this quiet rebellious side to her as well. She would always tell me that she would secretly dance with her cat at home when no one was looking.
During her last few weeks in the hospital, she said that she'd beat this and be up dancing soon. I guess that was a pretty prophetic word. So many people in their comforting words to my family have used the expression that she's up dancing with Jesus now. We are so happy that she is no longer in pain and can dance with her King!
We will miss her dearly and the laughter she brought to our lives, but we wouldn't wish her back!
Isaiah 25:8-9 He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken. 9 In that day they will say, "Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation."
