Janelle Marrington of the Marringtons we have spent eight 8
of the past 10 Christmases with, phoned tonight, Christmas Eve.
“I discovered something wonderful,” she said.
“That you are emotionally strong enough to spend Christmas
without us, sniff, sniff,” I replied.
“Yes, of course, but there is one other thing. I realised, that after all these years I
won’t be wearing the one thing I have always worn on Christmas Day in the
Torres Strait.”
“Your blue sunshirt,” I said.
“You’re right, but then I thought I could wear it at
Litchfield National Park.”
“Why can’t you?”
“Saltwater crocodiles have got into the swimming holes and
they’re closed. So we decided to go
further afield, but we’ve had three days of monsoonal rain so that’s out.”
“Oh, dear. What on earth will you do?” They have choices on the mainland about Christmas venues. Luckily we just go to beaches on islands and there are not that many islands around TI.
It turns out they are going to Jim and Deb’s place. Awww.
I got that warm fuzzy feeling.
Jim and Deb were on TI for years and Deb and I used to do yoga
together. And it turns out that the
Marringtons had their first Christmas on TI in 2002 with Jim and Deb.
Awww. I got a warmer
and fuzzier feeling when I remembered Jim and Deb’s Christmas in 2002. Tony, the kids, only two of them then, and I went
to stay with my family for 2002 Christmas and Jim and Deb dog-sat my soul-mate,
Saidor the Dalmation.
Bless her soul,
she passed away two years ago at age 12 and my life hasn’t been the same. We were inseparable. She slept by my bed. When I was at the computer, she was at my
feet. When I cooked she was on the floor
in the kitchen. When I was in the maternity
ward in labour with Seffy and Kibby, she was at the door, waiting for me and
her new sibling.
 |
| Saidor and me doing yoga. I can't rotate the image. It was read-only. |
There is a funny story
about Saidor and my mutual devotion and her sleeping inside when Tony decided against the arrangement, but it will have to wait for another post.
I reminded Janelle that was the Christmas Jim and Deb
were defacto parents of Saidor.
“And I am so happy,” I said, “you can relive your 2002
Christmas with Jim and Deb and we are there in spirit with Saidor. Now back to what you are wearing to Jim and
Deb’s.”
“Well, I don’t know. I could wear anything. I could wear a dress or a skirt.”
“You know what. You’ll
be paralysed by the choices. That’s the
problem of living on the mainland.”
We had a giggle and gave each other’s families our best,
long distance Christmas wishes.
As I was drifting off to sleep, I was jolted awake by a shocking realisation; Janelle doesn’t have a dress or a skirt. I can’t remember seeing her in one in 11 years on TI, except
when she wore island dresses for island dancing at school celebrations like the
cultural festival or NAIDOC days.
I
settled back into slumber thinking, She’ll be wearing that blue sun shirt after
all.
aww I miss Saidor so :(
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