Posts Tagged Heather

Heather Dale MacDonald

Audrey: I enjoyed having Spen so much…

When you were born, I argued with the Doctor, I said “no no”, it can’t be a girl born on the 9th! All the males in my family were born on the 9th. Dad’s the 9th; Spencer’s the 9th; Douglas’ the 9th!

Spencer, Dawn, Douglas, Heather, Deardra and Vaughn MacDonald

Audrey: The front door was never used. It was just to look at. It was beautiful. I can always see that front door of that big house. That door was beautiful. Grampa (William J.B. Spencer) sold the homestead in East Greenwich and we bought the house in Coventry with the money.

I lived there since I was twelve years old until I married and we moved to a small house. We went back to live at 742 Washington Street until we bought the house on East Greenwich Avenue in West Warwick. You (Heather) were nine months old when we moved.

I got by. I had the children there. I was making up things all the time. We would go out and play and pick daisies. The field was full of daisies. But I enjoyed you kids. It was all I needed—my seven masterpieces as I call you.

Audrey: I saw Theo yesterday. Everything was going on around here. There were things to sell. (Alpine Nursing Home’s activities)

Audrey: All my kids were so beautiful. Same difference. I thought the world of you kids. Having seven kids, it was such a blessing to have a baby in your arms. They say the terrible two, but I loved the terrible twos.

You were all darling. When Crystal was in the crib, she said “Mother, come get these wet guys (wet diapers). Doug was a quiet boy and Heather was quiet, too.  Spen was full of mischief.  Crystal was full of mischief.  Vaughn, he was the last baby.

We went over to Aunt Jeannie’s everyday in the afternoon and chairs were all outside. Aunt Jeannie loved to watch the kids. She had our toys over there. When Aunt Di came, she put our toys on the refrigerator. Di did not want kids there and the lady upstairs didn’t want kids. Dick, he would always yell at them. He said he wanted to throw her in the river to get rid of her.

Oh, I loved the grandchildren. Belinda was the first one. Little Hannah is doing her thing and so is Emma. Meagan has this beautiful thick head of hair. Mathew wants to be a chef. Jessica is full of life and Mark’s children are all so beautiful.

Audrey: Vaughn, he was a little fussier. He looked at everything. He looks things over inside and out. He is great for giving everything a good look before he goes into anything. His mind is going a mile a minute, but he doesn’t say much about it. He doesn’t like to write,but he studies very carefuly and he remembers everything. I do think he still does that. Anything he has to do he thinks about it very carefully. He thinks it all through!

Deardra, (She was found sound asleep up in the attic) I thought she got lost in the woods. I about had a fit! She had played all day in the attic. It got dark and the rest of the kids came down but she fell asleep in her part of the attic. You all had a part of the attic that was your own. Spencer just (climbed the ladder and) stuck his head up (through the attic opening) and looked around and came down and said not there. We were calling Deardra, and we had started to go up the road, calling Deardra. It was hours before we found her. They (a local police officer) brought her down from the attic. She has been lying down near the front window, behind the chimney and the officer went up and got her. The law enforcement officers were smiling when they brought her down. They thought they had a lost child on their hands. They were relieved. It was hours before we found her.

Deardra and Heather tagged along after Crystal. She would haul you along for mischief, like knocking on somebody’s door and then running away.

Audrey: You were all about the same height. Crystal would pull you two along and do crazy things. Aunt Jeannie was like a mother to me. I would wheel Deardra over in Aunt Jeannie’s yard in that basket carriage with the top that goes back and forth. Aunt Jeannie would watch Deardra while she slept. Aunt Jeannie loved children. She helped me with Deardra and Vaughn. (They were the last two born and the only two born when we lived on East Greenwich Avenue, next to Aunt Jeannie.) Since Aunt Di didn’t like children, Aunt Jeannie kept Di away from the kids.

Doug, he was always reading and Spen, he was always on a horse, saddle or no. He didn’t have time to read.

Dawn, she was putting on shows for Aunt Jeannie and Dick. She would dance like she saw on TV.

Heather, you were always quiet. Always kind of fat, until you started to walk and on the go and didn’t have time to put on weight.

When you were all kids, I’d go back to that in a minute. To have you all screaming, no you kids didn’t do too much hollering. I enjoyed it when you were all kids.

Audrey: Oh, I didn’t care if (the eyes) blue, green or brown, just as long as they were big and pretty eyes. Dad and I had pretty kids!

(I often say to myself), what was the matter with my head? Having kids as if it was nothing? Having so many kids? I think now I’m glad I had them. I don’t want to get rid of them. I’ve got them and I want to keep them! But what was wrong with my head to have so many kids and not think a thing about it?

I was happy as a bug (in a rug).  I would rock you always as I just loved to have a baby in my arms. I would rock (the baby) back and forth in my arms. No wonder that I had a small waist. I like infants the best. I could hold a baby forever in my arms. Three and four year olds are still pretty fun, but I loved (the stage) when you were just babies. You grew up so fast.

You (Heather) were a fat, pudgy baby when you were born. Then you were thin for the rest of your life.

Yes, I love you too, Heather.

I’ve forgotten everything.  I like to go anywhere you go. It will be all right with me.  I’ve forgotten all those places.  Once I see them, I’ll remember them.

It’s so funny you don’t realize.  You can’t realize how far away you are, but you seem right here.  (Referring to my being  present on the phone but actually being 3,000 miles away in California.)