This is apt to be a short post, more of an add on to the last one. To heighten the eeriness of my near drowning.
Two years before aforementioned near drowning, in grade 5, my homeroom, towards the end of the school year, decided to have a swimming party, for our end of the year class party. My homeroom teacher was a Mrs. Mcdonald, a very nice lady, and i was pretty much the teachers pet. (As an aside, her daughter, Karen, dated my brother, Rob at one time).
I don't remember how involved Mrs. Mcdonald was in the decision, probably minimally, at best. What the class did not know, is that Mrs. Mcdonald could not swim. Nor could i.
So here's what happened; Mrs. Mcdonald, 3 weeks before said party was to occur, went to the cursed miquelon lake, to practice a little swimming, in the nice shallow cordoned off swimming area. Something i didn't mention before, is that this shallow swimming area is in fact a shelf, and beyond the buoys and floating ropes, the lake bed drops off quickly. Now, i don't know for a fact that she went outside the cordoned swimming area, but i assume so because of what happened next. She drowned. To death. I still cry when i think of it, like now. The next day, i trot off to Strathearn Elementary, and before the school bell rang, the playground was abuzz...little kids running around madly to spread the news as fast as our little legs could take us, "Mrs. Mcdonald is dead, Mrs. Mcdonald is dead". I can't remember how i felt when i heard that, other than stunned, i've repressed the rest, i'm sure.
Anyway, we all felt pretty bad that she drowned trying to practice swimming, for our year end class party. I'm sure it still makes a lot of people cry. Way to screw up a little kids head, eh?
She was one of the nicest ladies you could ever meet. I'm sure my Mother remembers her well.
So ya, freaky freaky stuff. And two years later, in the evil dinghy, i almost did the same thing.
These very sad events taught me two things, which i will share with you as advice.
DON'T SWIM IN MIQUELON LAKE. IT'S CURSED.
NEVER, EVER, EVER, GET INTO A YELLOW AND BLUE DINGHY. IT'S PURE EVIL.
ciao for now, gentle reader.
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oh my! I had no idea of these experiences in our family, being 14 years older than you, and long left home.
ReplyDeleteThere must be a lifelong fear of water after all that.
And I wonder how many others in the class were/are traumatized by the death of Mrs. Mcdonald.
Aren't journals cathartic?
Oh my gosh. That would be so traumatizing---obviously it sort of was, for you. How awful.
ReplyDeleteLinda Rae- yep, i'm not much for swimming pools, and i sure wouldn't go in a boat without a lifevest. Last time i was on a boat, was uncle bobs, when i was 5 or so. I'm sure everyone in my class has some lasting memory of Mrs. Mcdonalds death. For me, it's just freaky i almost died the same way she did. Knowing i was about to die, was pretty freakin terrifying..and it changed me forever.
ReplyDeleteCamille-yeah, it was...staring death in the face, and watching so many others die tragically as an adult, sure makes everything else seem like nothing to fret about. Though i do anyway. oh well. keeps me alive, cause i'm too aftraid to die.
Whoa. tramatizing. I think the whole class probably pays the salaries for several therapists by now.
ReplyDeleteAnd that soup idea sounds fabulous.
Geneva-i'm sure you are correct.i imagine some of them are even dead by now. and that flavour combo is nummy, have to tinkle with it though, to your own mix. i go very light on the orange and curry. more like notes of flavour for those two.
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