An alphabetical life of mine

CIAO ADVICED ME TO PUT THIS OP UNDER ANOTHER LETTER.

An alphabetical life of mine….

A**
Avril. A famous person who lived and worked in Trinidad was very popular with children. She was called Aunty Kay. She was a real gem with children who had talents and knew how to get their attention. When I was born, both my Mother and Father did not know what name should be given to me, they wrote to her. She wrote back and said why not Avril, born in April! that’s how I came to be Avril!

B***
Ben my … ahemmm …pardon me OUR third child will be 18 in September, when I looked at him yesterday as he told us that he and his girlfriend are going to have a child! Hubby and I were shocked! This child we instilled about immorality! And having sex before marriage… Hubby and I kept our composures and what he did not know was that Peter and I discussed this sometime ago as some of our friends also were in the same position. In addition, I shared some of ciao experiences with hubby, how some of you dealt with the situation. Quickly what was discussed came to my mind, and we were able to advise him. Ben was surprised by our action. After our conversation, her held me and said, he loves me! Awwww….I held him too and told him I love him and he was to bring her parent and his girlfriend to meet the family.
So I will be a grandmother eh…….

C***
Courtney our first child, he will be 29 in September, this son of ours had a broken engagement that left him devastated, all their wedding plans crumbled like cookies. Why? She found someone and felt she was in love with him. She got married to another person. I had heard that her husband has left her after such a short marriage. In a way, these things manifested before him that this was the best decision made. Courtney has overcome it, but as a mother deep down there is that hurt…..he suffered illnesses throughout his life, the great joy I have is that since one-year-old doctors felt he did not have a chance in life, his days were numbered…..But he is still here!

D***
Disabilities, I find it still hard at times to come to terms with the fact that I am disabled due to an accident in which a patient fell on me, this resulted in damaged knee. I am also partially sighted with slowly deteriorating eyesight because of having Retinitis Pigmentosa. Having disability restricts my freedom, But somehow I am learning to cope with it. I do have a regular reading library that comes every month with talking tapes. I have large letters on my keyboards, large screen and the advantage of having accessories in my windows programme help, I am able to adjust to my needs. I cannot spend too long on the computer but do this several times during the day.

E***
Many people want to know why I am called Elainebaba, this is because my middle name is Elaine, my mother when she was alive always called me baba, and it was her pet name for me.

F***
Forgiveness is necessary in our lives. I always remember, both my parent split up, my mother came to England with me and my two sisters, and my father stayed in Trinidad, at first it was difficult to comprehend what was going on, in those days you did not ask questions, you just accepted things normally. A few years had passed; there was little or no communications between us. I heard a bible talk on forgiveness and decided to write to my father. We became very close and communications between us improved. It was during my three weeks holiday from nursing, my father sent my airline ticket for me to come and visit him. It was during the course of an evening walk with a beautiful sunset my father said to me “I had only wish I have kept the family together, I have a business and is so alone. Would you’ll ever forgive me?” you could imagine how tears flowed my eyes. My parent never got a divorce. We all remained very good friends until death separated us.

G***
My grandparent on my mother’s side in Trinidad. I was sent to live with them, whilst my parent was separated. My grandmother was very strict! At a tender age, she taught me how to cook, wash clothes using the scrubbing board! I will always remember that one Monday it was washing day, outside there was a tub filled with water and five sheets waiting for me to wash them! Me wash them! No way! So what did I do, well, I inhaled strong black pepper and started to sneeze! Boy did I sneeze! She felt so sorry for me and reassured me, gave me a large tablespoon of cod liver oil, castor oil and pure orange juice and mix them up together until it was thick! Ugh! Never felt so ill in my life! I still wonder if she knew my trick!
Sometime she will send me on errand to get one item of grocery and she will tell me that I must not let any boys touch me, because they always want babies. She use to watch me going to the shop, and one day this feller came up and put his hand on my shoulder and asked me how I was. I screamed at him not to touch me. Ran quickly home, dropping the shopping, told my grandmother this boy touch me and see I am having a baby! Oh gawd! She questioned me for hours, I did not understand why she asking me foolish questions, it dawned to me the only way you have babies is if you have sex! And here I was wondering about this boy just putting his arm around me and, and me making baby! Hah! Gosh! Still did not get any sex education from her though!

H***
Home: In the next few months, we are adapting our home to meet both hubby and my disabilities. There will be quite an upheaval, which I am not looking forwarding to. But in the end, it will be worth it.

I& O***
I hate both cleaning the Oven and Ironing!

J***
Joseph my dad, who died peacefully at the age of 86. He was a clever man; he was great with figures and always helped us with our homework. He ran a successful business. Sadly, my parent was separated whilst we were young, they never got divorce, because of being a Catholic, and they remained good friends and have always supported us. He lived in Trinidad, my mother in England.

K & U***
Kindness and Understanding for me are the greatest qualities anyone can portray, kindness; itself is what draws people together. I feel that I have benefited greatly in ciao, when I read the ops, I see qualities on how kindness and understanding given in the correct measure can win hearts over. Some of our members are young mothers and fathers, and I honestly believe that reading their ops helped me in how to deal with Ben and other family matters. These qualities won over and have saved the day. We are much closer. It is by sharing the experiences that helps you to face the realities of these problems. Thank you dear members for instilling in me those qualities.

L***
Lisa, our second child, this was the girl that I wanted to send back when she was one and a half year old, she was a difficult child to please, she just scream, scream, scream. Later I had to learn that, it is true what they say that the first few years of a child’s life is very important, her first year was spent shifting from one foster home to another – Five times! Today she is a beautiful young woman of 26years, very kind. Considerate, intelligent and a very good organizer. I am so please that I did not send her back!

M***
Mel, is my niece from Big Brother 1, although we lived miles apart, the only time. I got to know her was when visiting her, but during the course when my mother was ill in hospital, I saw a different side to Mel, she had a unique quality of kindness. The way she cared for my mother 24 hours a day, even sleeping on the chair and taking it in turn with my sister. I thought she made a very good nurse. She turned down offers of jobs so she could be with my mum. We keep in touch by email and phone; the family are hoping to have a family gathering in the summer. She is doing well for herself and has a lovely boyfriend. I am just waiting to buy a hat!

N***
Nursing, oh how I have missed nursing! A job I held for over 30 years! I have had experience in various field of nursing but preferred geriatric nursing. My last job was working as a matron in both residential and nursing homes as a matron. It was a very demanding job and needed my full-time attention. With the help of the family, I was able to achieve the impossible. I still keep in touch with the carers and the patients.

O&Y***
Okra I miss this vegetable, I use to have it regularly in Trinidad, some supermarket do sell them, but not always. It has like all vegetables with its natural sources such as fibre, folic acid and vitaminB6. I do use it in my cooking, especially when having rice and peas! It goes well in many dishes such as soup, stew, rice and peas. Yummy. I love my food and enjoy it when people make it. I try to avoid eating to many ready-made foods. When cooking for the family, you earn the title YUMMY!

P***
Peter my dearest and only partner of 34 years, what would I do without this man; he has supported me all through our married life and is a great father to the kids. He copes with my moods and is intelligent. Nothing is too much of a bother for him.

Q***
I admire the Queen very much; I think she is the perfect example of one speaking proper English! She visited Trinidad when I was a little girl, I remember that day! It was so exciting just lining the street just to get a glimpse of her! She looked so beautiful, genuine and quite charming. I ent keen on her hubby though! He looks like the sort that belittles you!

R***
Racial Hatred: I believe that we are all descendent of Noah, there are good and bad in all races of humankind. The best jobs should not be given to people because of his colour. I believe that if a man is good at his job, then he deserves the job. There is no such thing as you are superior to me and I am superior to you. There is no such thing as a superior race. In God’s eyes, all men are equal.

S***
Sarah my mother, my greatest friend and comforter, when she died in October last year, it was very sad. The good thing about it all. We all did our very best to give her the support and love in that hour of need.

T***
Trinidad is where I was born. Whilst living here, I have been home many times as my father was ill. I have been back since he died, but misses him when I am there.

W***
Wheelchair. Gosh, I hate sitting on this, but it is very useful for moving about, in a way I do get some measure of freedom. Our local council regularly maintains it.

X***
What X have I experience in my life? Now that is hard to figure! Bah!

Z***
Zzzzz…since having pain control medications my zzzzzzzzzz goes hay wire! I am up usually 2am or longer, I prefer to go on the computer rather than watching TV, so I take my usual dosages in ciao! And guess what! Zzzzzzzzzz….oh yeah you guessed it is time to zzzzzzzzzzzzz!

So there you have it my alphabetical life!