{"id":1958,"date":"2010-08-07T10:14:00","date_gmt":"2010-08-07T17:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/beltdrivebetty.com\/wyzwmnsworld\/?p=1958"},"modified":"2010-09-29T18:24:36","modified_gmt":"2010-09-30T01:24:36","slug":"dreams-do-come-true-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wyzwmn9444.live-website.com\/?p=1958","title":{"rendered":"dreams do come true…"},"content":{"rendered":"

I may have mentioned it many times before…<\/span><\/p>\n

I was raised mostly in NW ON by a father (aka the fadder)<\/span>
that was an Ontario Provincial Police Officer<\/span>
much of who and what he is and where he came from<\/span>
was a focal point in my life for many years<\/span><\/p>\n

our lives (and holidays) revolved around<\/span>
trips to Toronto<\/span>
to allow my father to re-connect<\/span>
with his mother, and his rather large family<\/span><\/p>\n

I grew up knowing intimately<\/span>
all my aunts, uncles and cousins on my father’s side of the family<\/span>
and not so much the family of the VOD (my mother)<\/span>
who lived in Saskatchewan or British Columbia<\/span><\/p>\n

Visiting my Grammo (aka grandmother Brown)<\/span>
was like stepping into a story book<\/span>
for a child with a romantic nature<\/span>
like me<\/span><\/p>\n

see…<\/span>
when my father came on the police force in the 195o’s<\/span>
he made $2000.00 a year<\/span>
and as his father owned a large funeral directing firm<\/span>
that he’d started from scratch<\/span>
and nursed into a large, respectable, moneymaking concern<\/span>
the family had some monetary value<\/span>
not huge wealth by today’s standards<\/span>
but they didn’t go without<\/span>
that’s for sure<\/span><\/p>\n

there was real butter on the table<\/span>
not that white margarine you had to burst<\/span>
the colour button and squeeze thru to colour<\/span>
there was real fruit juice<\/span>
not crystals<\/span>
there was real roast beef for sandwiches<\/span>
not chubs of baloney<\/span>
and at Grammo’s house even the kids<\/span>
got real jam and fresh veggies<\/span>
spare no expense at Grammo’s house!<\/span><\/p>\n

so because Grammo would tuck a buck er two<\/span>
into an envelope when I was quite little<\/span>
and we lived in Perth ON<\/span>
there was an obligation to travel towards them<\/span>
when holidays were due…<\/span>
an obligation that may have become habit<\/span>
but stood some of us in good stead<\/span>
for developing kin ships with extended family<\/span><\/p>\n

Grammo lived in (what at the time seemed to me to be)<\/span>
a huge house on Lakeside Ave in Scarborough<\/span>
and old neighbourhood, even then<\/span>
with large oak trees<\/span>
off the Scarborough bluffs<\/span>
when I was quite young there were<\/span>
houses between Grammo’s and the bluffs<\/span>
but over the years those were moved<\/span>
or moved themselves<\/span>
down the bluffs<\/span>
as the bluffs eroded….<\/span><\/p>\n

Grammo had more money than we did<\/span>
and when she first met my grandfather<\/span>
not wanting to embarrass this “gent” in public<\/span>
took lady lessons.<\/span>
as a result<\/span>
there were always Irish linens<\/span>
table cloths, napkins etc<\/span><\/p>\n

(I believe I’ve also mentioned previously<\/span>
that I spent my formative years<\/span>
in Grammo’s basement<\/span>
ironing said linens…cos that’s what<\/span>
“young ladies” did for punishment)<\/span><\/p>\n

Grammo had 2 kinds of china patterns<\/span>
one pattern was a Royal Doulton pattern<\/span>
called Ainsley Durham Moore
lovely white with a burgundy ribbon
around the edge
<\/span>and trimmed out <\/span>in gold leaf
used only on special dinner days<\/span>
IE Christmas, birthdays etc<\/span><\/p>\n

Grammo’s everyday pattern<\/span>
was a Simpson’s pattern<\/span>
from before Simpson’s and Sears became one<\/span>
a 50’s pattern called Belle Fiore<\/span>
\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

and there was tons of it<\/span>
every kind of dish, platter and plate<\/span>
saucer and pitcher, teapots of all shapes and sizes<\/span>
one could possibly imagine<\/span>
and there were even<\/span>
little double ended gizmo’s called egg cups<\/span><\/p>\n

imagine…cups designed just for holding eggs!<\/span><\/p>\n

in our extended family<\/span>
over the years<\/span>
we developed a routine<\/span>
of the “elders” moving from the dining room<\/span>
to the living room for “afters” and coffee<\/span>
whilst the elder of the grandchildren<\/span>
did the dishes<\/span><\/p>\n

When we used the regular stuff<\/span>
we just piled it all in the dishwasher<\/span>
usually more than 3 loads<\/span>
due to the amount of people<\/span>
and extra stuff in a place setting<\/span>
but we were indulged to a degree<\/span>
and plenty of times<\/span>
members of the adult portion<\/span>
of our family<\/span>
would use the Belle Fiore<\/span>
as discs for target practice<\/span>
over the bluffs<\/span><\/p>\n

Grammo always smiled<\/span>
and ordered more plates from Simpsons<\/p>\n

<\/span>it was a heady time in my life<\/span>
and over time I’ve come to realize<\/span>
both the financial commitment<\/span>
and emotional value of my Grammo’s<\/span>
smiles over us turfing her china<\/span>
over the bluffs….<\/span><\/p>\n

fast forward years later<\/span>
(12 yrs this past April to be exact)<\/span>
I moved to BC..<\/p>\n

<\/span>the reason’s were myriad<\/span>
I was sick enough at the time<\/span>
that I didn’t think that I’d live<\/span>
to see the first full year on the Island<\/span>
but I moved<\/span>
and started working at getting well<\/span>
and being more “normal”<\/p>\n

less dramatic, romantic,
less hiding, more living…
<\/span>no drugs, no drinking, no fistfights<\/span>
no dealing, no bars, no more full on crazy.<\/span><\/p>\n

eventually I decided to<\/span>
mark important moments<\/span>
in my life<\/span>
with a piece of Belle Fiore china<\/span>
in honour of my Grammo<\/span>
and all that she represented<\/span>
in making me the adult<\/span>
I strive to be.<\/span><\/p>\n

Belle Fiore can now only be found<\/span>
at replacement shops and china shops<\/span>
around the world<\/span>
mostly from the UK<\/span>
but as there was a huge migration<\/span>
of Brits to the Island<\/span>
there’s been a bit here and there<\/span>
over the last 12 years.<\/span><\/p>\n

so over the years that I\u2019ve been here<\/span>
I\u2019ve not become a regular antique crawler<\/span>
just for special occasions<\/span>
cos that\u2019s all I can afford\u2026<\/span>
and they are getting harder and harder to find\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

One year for Christmas<\/span>
my cousins Colin and Roberta<\/span>
gave me a tea cup and saucer<\/span>
I\u2019ve a couple of medium sized milk pitchers<\/span>
I bought one when I got my job at the U<\/span>
and one when the nefew graduated<\/span>
my aunt Mal<\/span>
(short for Marigold – which is a kind of indication<\/span>
of the era I’m talking about)<\/span>
and her son Colin and his wife Roberta<\/span>
got me a cream and sugar set on a wee tray<\/span>
last year for Christmas<\/span>
and in June I bought a coffee cup and saucer<\/span>
when the Princess graduated..<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s luck of the draw<\/span>
and not like I get to choose what I buy<\/span>
but mostly<\/span>
if I find it and can afford it at the time I buy it<\/span><\/p>\n

when the Princess graduated<\/span>
I stopped at 2 or 3 different places<\/span>
and then found the coffee cup and saucer<\/span>
at a place quite by accident….<\/span>
the manager was just telling me<\/span>
that a couple had been in the day before<\/span>
and \u201ccleaned them out\u201d<\/span>
when a seller walked in<\/span>
with a box of stuff<\/span>
and the cup and saucer were right there!<\/p>\n

<\/span>Kinda like providence if ya ask me\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

anyway…I tell you all this<\/span>
so that I can tell you that a few weeks ago<\/span>
I mentioned my passion for Belle Fiore<\/span>
in an email to the whole family<\/span>
which of course<\/span>
started a round of “remember when’s”<\/span>
which prompted my Aunt to forward<\/span>
to the family<\/span>
a real estate listing<\/span>
for the Lakeside Ave house<\/span>
(for $2.1 mil no less)<\/p>\n

<\/span>the listing included pictures<\/span>
and while the outside sort of looks the same<\/span>
gone is the interior of my memories<\/span>
replaced by wood painted white<\/span>
and the grand interiors<\/span>
of luxury homes in the 2000’s<\/span><\/p>\n

however, since seeing the changes<\/span>
wrought in those pictures of Lakeside Ave<\/span>
I\u2019ve been dreaming of the past a lot<\/span>
a lot more than I have in a long long time\u2026.<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve had this recurring dream<\/span>
since just before my birthday<\/span>
about Grammo sitting in \u201cFather\u2019s chair\u201d<\/span>
in the kitchen\u2026with a bunch of us\u2026.<\/span>
me, the bother, the blister, and 2 cousins<\/span>
and we were all very young\u2026<\/span>
the blister was about 4 or 5 methinks\u2026<\/span>
there was a general milling about of adults<\/span>
at the other end of this huge kitchen\u2026<\/span>
there was brown toast<\/span>
and real butter and crumpets,<\/span>
jam in pots and juice and milk\u2026<\/span>
such luxury\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

The part of the dream<\/span>
that has been so vivid to me<\/span>
was my intently watching Grammo<\/span>
with her egg in an egg cup<\/span>
and her strips of toast for dunking,<\/span>
and the tinkling of her family bracelet<\/span>
(that she rarely wore at breaky really\u2026<\/span>
remind me to tell you of that bracelet another time)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2026.the focus for me was the egg cup<\/span>
\u2013 it was, at that age,<\/span>
completely fascinating to me<\/span>
that there was actually<\/span>
a dish<\/span>
specifically for holding soft boiled eggs<\/span>
and nothing else\u2026<\/span>
and it matched all the other dishes in the kitchen\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

And Grammo\u2019s act of tapping<\/span>
around the top of the egg<\/span>
with her butter knife<\/span>
to take just the top of the egg off<\/span>
to allow for dipping<\/span>
strips of toast<\/span>
was methodical and musical<\/span>
and when watching<\/span>
I\u2019d often hold my breath<\/span>
to see if it actually worked\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

I was always amazed<\/span>
that only the top broke<\/span>
and not the whole thing\u2026<\/span>
wasn\u2019t that just the height of classy?<\/span><\/p>\n

I was mesmerized.<\/span><\/p>\n

(jeez I do drag out telling a story eh?)<\/span><\/p>\n

As I said earlier\u2026.<\/span>
I\u2019ve been dreaming about said egg cup<\/span>
on a regular basis since before my b’day<\/span>
(which I might have mentioned<\/span>
was more than a great day for me this year)<\/span><\/p>\n

Anyway\u2026.<\/span><\/p>\n

You will now imagine my surprise\/shock\/tears<\/span>
when I went to my mailbox today<\/span>
(something I\u2019ve been forgetting<\/span>
to do daily since the VOD moved away)<\/span>
and discovered a box\u2026<\/span>
a smallish box with the return address of my aunt Marigold<\/span>
in handwriting that looks suspiciously<\/span>
(and more than anyone else in the family\u2026)<\/span>
like Grammo’s<\/span><\/p>\n

I rushed back to my kitchen<\/span>
to open the box<\/span>
(no small feat considering<\/span>
the amount and caliber of tape\u2026<\/span>
but hey!….it was precious cargo)<\/span><\/p>\n

inside I found a wee card<\/span>
in that same handwriting…<\/span>
a little red calico mouse<\/span>
that Marigold says she got<\/span>
in Salsburg Austria last year…<\/span>
safely nestled<\/span>
in a beautiful Belle Fiore egg cup!<\/span>
\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2026just like in my dreams!<\/p>\n

that I’d not mentioned to anyone
even when I told the family
about my Belle Fiore jones…
<\/span>
Marigold says that she was at<\/span>
the big downtown Toronto Market<\/span>
and there it was<\/span>
meant for me<\/span><\/p>\n

so yes…contrary to what many other say<\/span>
I do believe….<\/span>
dreams do come true.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I may have mentioned it many times before… I was raised mostly in NW ON by a father (aka the fadder)that was an Ontario Provincial Police Officermuch of who and what he is and where he came fromwas a focal … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1958","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wyzwmn9444.live-website.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1958","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wyzwmn9444.live-website.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wyzwmn9444.live-website.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wyzwmn9444.live-website.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wyzwmn9444.live-website.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1958"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/wyzwmn9444.live-website.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1958\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3964,"href":"https:\/\/wyzwmn9444.live-website.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1958\/revisions\/3964"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wyzwmn9444.live-website.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1958"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wyzwmn9444.live-website.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1958"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wyzwmn9444.live-website.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1958"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}