My name is Edwina; I was born in Christchurch Hants, England in 1939. I was born 6 months before war broke out,
so as I grew into a youngster I do remember some of the war. However that is all behind me now.
After the war, my mum and dad worked in a fish and chip shop, and finally moved to Middlesex just outside of
London. I was 11 at the time, and I remember having to sit for examinations at school to define if I went to an
elementary school or a Grammar School. I was lucky I had passed and was able to go to a Grammar School. I went to
Sacred Heart Convent School. I was there until I was 15.
When I was 15 and had finished schooling, because at that age you could leave school as long as you had all the
marks to be able to leave; we then emigrated to Canada. There was just the three of us, mum dad and myself. I had no
brothers or sisters. We came to Canada on a ship called the S.S.Scythia, it was her last voyage before she was
going to be scrapped, and we were caught for 7 days outside the Mouth of the St.Lawrence because of Icebergs. We
docked at Montreal and then proceeded on to Toronto.
After being here for about a week, I got a job in a big department store called Eatons, but I did not like it. I
had always wanted to become a nurse, even at an early age, giving my cousins injections with darning needles. So I
persued that career. I was one of the youngest to graduate from my class because I was only 19 at the time. I took
my training at one of the big Childrens Hospital in Toronto.
I met my husband when I was 19 and got married at 20. We were blessed with a girl whom we called Michelle. Three
years later, we were blessed with another girl, named Noreen, and then we finally had a son, we called him
Stephen. Then after 5 years I had two more boys, Paul and Edward, who we call Teddy ( after my dad ). My husband
and I split up, and I was bringing up my children by myself working, and being mum and dad to all of them. My
father had passed away three weeks before my youngest son was born, so my mum was the biggest help to me. If it
wasn't for her during those times, I do not know what I would of done. Unfortunately my first husband passed away
with diabetes, mostly because he would not look after himself properly.
Then I met Bill, who was my friend and companion for 26 years. He took on the children and me, and never blinked an
eye, and I know I would never find anyone like him again. The children accepted him and he accepted them. It was
like they definitely were his children.
My daughter Michelle, is divorced and has 2 girls, who are now young ladies. My daughter Noreen is married and had
2 boys, but got divorced and then met a man with 3 children, so she was mum to 5 of them. My oldest son has 2
girls, and my youngest boy has 1 boy and 1 girl. The girl he adopted. My other son is not married he has a
handicap, but is living with a young lady who is also handicapped, so they are great together.I have 9
grandchildren, and two great grandaughters.
My mother passed away in 2000 with Alzheimers, and I still really miss her. We were like sisters instead of mother
and daughter.
We get together for all of the holidays. My daughter-in-law does Thanksgiving dinner, and my daughter Noreen
does Christmas dinner. Usually we have about 25 or more for the dinner, and have lots of fun.
My friend and companion Bill, passed away in 2002. He had a disease called Progressive Supranuclear Palsy -PSP- it
is a form of Parkinsons, but it more devastating than that disease. At one time I was caregiver for both him and my
mother, because both of them needed care until they went into Nursing homes.
I now live close to my son and daughter in a little town in Ontario called Colborne; they are only about 15
minutes away from me. I have a little kitty called Cuddles, because he likes to cuddle into me all the time. He is
really an affectionate kitty. I tell everyone I think he is a former boyfriend because he won't let me go anywhere
without him.
Well that is enough about me, I think you have a pretty good picture of the type of person I am. I have a great
sense of humour, and love to play jokes. I am also a very compassion type of person, I worked in a doctors office
for a long time, and the patients told me that I was the most compassionate person they had ever met. Sure was nice
to hear about that.
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