neighborhood

To Nana's Neighborhood

Nana's neighborhood covers a wide territory,but will be, mainly, about people.
Family, friends, and even strangers will be fair game for this page, but never fear, Nana is not mean spirited and will try to do no harm. I hope to be able to fill these pages with stories, anecdotes and perhaps some photos about the folks who occupy Nana's neighborhood. I hope you enjoy them.

To begin this page I will tell you a little bit about me, and my family.
We reside on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, primarily in Britain and Canada,although I'm sure there are relatives scattered everywhere.
My oldest sister,Maisie, began the influx of our family to Canada, by becoming a war bride. My brother-in-law, Red, was a French-Canadian soldier from Saskatchewan.
Approximately eight years after they married, they brought my father to Canada, and four months later, my mother and I arrived. The year was 1952.

I am from a family of four girls, Maisie as I've said is the eldest, and I, Sheila, (nanaborg) am the youngest.The second oldest, Milly, her husband, and their three children were the next group to immigrate.

We brought the last of my brothers-in-law,Jim, to Canada next, but he became very homesick,and hated being away from his family,so he returned to Britain, and that is still where the youngest of my three sisters, Betty, resides.

This page is, lovingly, dedicated to my brother-in-law, RED, one of the"Great Guys"

What's in a Name ?

Nanaborg ?? Just a silly name I made up--but it does mean something to me.

I am the mother of three. My eldest, a daughter "George"(short nick for gorgeous)is heavily into genealogy--a passion I share, although I sit back and let her do all the work.

My youngest son, the "Beaver" is into computers--a passion that is growing on me.

My oldest son, "Scooter" has varied interests, but I'd have to say his passion is for anything "Star Wars" or "Star Trek" related. I began watching, so that I could share this interest with him, and darned if it didn't turn me into a bit of a "Trekkie".
Of course, being a woman, I favor "Star Trek Voyager" with the only female at the helm of the ship,and my favorite characters are "the Borg".
Anyway, Scooter and his wife,"Honey", are the parents of my only grandchildren, "Buddy" and "Princess", who immediately became my own personal passion.

Hence the name Nanaborg,derived from my greatest passion, being a "Nana",and my shared interest with the guy who made me one.

I never repeat gossip,
so pay close attention
the first time.

If everything's coming your way You're driving in the wrong lane.

My great-niece ( once removed )

I had hoped to introduce all of you to my new found friend, who also happens to be my great- niece. Her name is Heather and she likes to write poetry.
She was not born into the family,( hence the " once-removed " ) but my nephew, Martin, was smart enough to marry her mother, giving me a new niece, a new great niece, and two new great nephews.

Heather is 19 and the eldest, Scott is 17, and Damon will turn 12 this year.

Teri, is old enough to be their mother, and that's enough said if I want to keep her as my friend.

Keep watching this site, and hopefully I will have photos very soon. Heather's a beauty fellows, but sorry, I don't give out phone numbers, you will have to admire from afar.

Sit back now and savour a taste of her talent. Here is a poem by Heather.

Do you remember that first day?

Do you remember that first day?
We started as friends but soon became lovers
I knew from the start I could not keep it covered
As each day passes we learn and discover
More and more about each other

From the very first moment my life changed forever
Finally the feeling of loss and hurt had been severed
You opened the gates to what I call Heaven

You are everything I have seen in my dreams
Your eyes glisten like a shimmering stream
I wish I could tell you how special you are to me
I have known you forever or so it seems

Do you remember that first day?

You claimed your love for me
I didn't know what to say
But I soon removed that cover and answered back with
those three words only to discover

To discover the warmth and tranquility
Of the joys of love

I will always remember that first day
For love is what bound us together
Love will keep us strong

I promise you now I will love you forever H.W.

Money can't buy happiness
But it makes misery
easier to live with

An addendum to the story of the "Stowaway Bride" which you can find on my daughter's and my sister's web pages.(See link on my main page)

" The Stowaway Bride's Wedding Dress "

It started as a wedding dress,became a family tradition, and is now a treasured keepsake.

In 1940, our Uncle Alex, my mother's older brother, was to be married.
His future wife, Mamie, found a dress she could afford, in Frost's Shop, on Walton
Street, in Liverpool, England.
It was a vision of white satin, with an overall V pattern in silver satin.

It would take most of her clothing coupons for the year. Dresses and coats, and larger items like that,took 18 coupons. Nylons, if they could be found, took 2 coupons.
The allotment was 20 clothing coupons per year, per person.
The dress would cost her 9 English pounds, and 18 coupons. She decided it was worth the price, and with Mamie wearing"the dress" they were married on Aug.2/1940.

Later that same year " the dress" was called into service once again. My mother's and Alex's baby sister,Elizabeth ( Betty ), was to be married, and coupons were still needed to buy clothing. Why waste coupons when there was a perfectly good, and almost new dress , suitable for the occasion...?
Betty, looking lovely in "the dress" & William Sturgeon were married on Dec 19/1940.

The dress was carefully stored away by Aunt Mamie. You didn't waste anything in those days, and there might be another use for it.

On July 28/1943, "the dress" took another beautiful bride down the aisle, when my sister Maisie was united in wedlock to my brother-in-law, Red. Their story is that of "The Stowaway Bride" but that was just the beginning..............

The luck of the Irish was sewn into that dress. All three of these marriages lasted
"until death do us part" and beyond.

We lost Uncle Alex in 1995, and Aunt Mamie now resides in Canniesburn Nursing Home
in Glasgow, Scotland. They had seven children, and numerous grandchildren, and Mamie never remarried .

We lost Aunt Betty on Mar.7/2000, and, distraught over her loss, Uncle Willie followed her a short eight months later. They have two grown, married children and two grandchildren living in Canada.

"The Stowaway Bride", My sister Maisie, lost her soul mate Red, on Jun.29/1998. They have three children, sixteen or more grandchildren, and a half dozen or so great grandchildren all living in Canada. Maisie has never remarried.

A month after Red died, a Scottish rose bush in their garden, that had long finished blooming, gave forth a single gorgeous, white blossom....the date was July 28, their
55th wedding anniversary..................coincidence???

And what about the dress?? Aunt Mamie mailed it to Maisie in an 8"by10" box in 1993.
Maisie had it vacuum sealed, and it is in the possession of her only daughter.
Oh, by the way...It cost Aunt Mamie 9 English pounds to mail the dress, exactly what it cost for her to buy it....but she didn't need any coupons.

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