Today is a melancholy day for me - it is a day on which I awake with an over-whelming sadness. A day when I know that writing is theraputic for me. It was on this day ten years ago that I lost a life long friend. And each year I remember his laughter, his wit, and what he meant to me. A large man, with a Jackie Gleason appearance who is missed. It was the beginning of the end of an era.
Six years ago today, my sister, my best friend passed. A beautiful, talented woman she lost her battle with the big C on May 22, 2006. . So while I think of Lonna every day, the day she left us is particularly sad to me.With Lonna gone, it became the end of an era to me. The 'no mores' No more chats, no more lunches, no more celebrations, no more every days, no more sharing our favorite spot... Just no more!!
And then last night I went to the Annual Association Meeting of Alder Beach. Alder Beach is where Cottage by the Sea was created more than eighty-five years ago. One of the things that is the most lovely about Alder Beach is the fore-fathers had the foresite to purchase 16 + acres of swamp and woods, thereby preventing our unique spot from every being anything but unique. A private lane to thirteen pieces of heaven right here on the shores of Lake Ontario..
What started out as a farmer's lane, over the years has been improved by the owners to a now well maintained tar and stone charming road into the beach.
For the last ten years, the beach has been in transition. New-bees have arrived. They are taking the quaint cottages and either bull-dozing them or remodeling and adding wings, garages and blacktop for their picture perfect homes. They are set in my opinion of creating the demise of Alder Beach.
At the meeting last night, two of the new-bees made a proposal that we black top the lane. I sat there thinking are they nuts??? Do they not get the charm of Alder Beach?
And here is the difficult part -- as the discussion ensued, I realized of the eleven owners present, more were in favor than not. Several of the homes have a black-top drive-way.. and one of the new-bees announced he thought all should have that so we did not look like a ghetto.... i wanted to slap that arrogant young man.
My Cottage by the Sea does not have a black top driveway and it is not going to have one while I am there. and so yes folks -- the handwriting is on the wall --- the end of an era.
And another very sad, sad, day for me.
Years ago I was with a dear friend who had lost a child. The time was the seventies when our world was turned upside down. Another woman told my friend that she needed to change, she needed to up-date herself and not be so rigid in her thoughts, My friend said to her - 'No, I do not need to change. I do not think what is going on in the world is right.'
She did not change. She held to her high values and morals. I learned a lesson from her!! Thanks for listening or should I say reading!!!
© 2012 Musings by Marilyn - 5/22/12
