@ the Helm

goodbye Dot

on october 24, 2006, one of the strongest and sharpest ladies i have had the pleasure of knowing passed away at the age of 96.
she was Dot to those that knew her, and she was my family's next door neighbour since i was just months old.

my first memory of Dot was when I was little runt of 3 years.
a ball, or some other equivalent treasure, had been launched into her yard and i was set on retrieving it, regardless of any vegetation in my way. so after burrowing through a hedge and trodding on some other greenery i found my prize, but Dot discovered me as well, and she was fuming.
she shouted through the closed window of her dining room, and although i could not make out what was said, the message was clear and i promptly skidaddled.
from that moment on i was very careful when venturing into her yard.

Dot's yard and garden were pretty much famous. i don't know the details, but i think she's won gardening prizes, and i'm sure she's judged garden shows.
i certainly remember how beautiful her garden was. my brother and i did yard work for her and that's how i got to know her. even though i groaned when i had to tip toe and contort under trees and shrubs to ferret out weeds and avoid trampling on flowers, i still enjoyed the work and did my best to live up to Dot's gardening standards.
i never really got the art of it down though, the truly sensitive work she did herself.

she would be out in the yard almost every day it wasn't raining in the spring and summer, even though this last summer she complained that she was slowing down... it never really seemed like she did though.
whenever i would come home in the summer for a visit she'd be out in the yard doing something.
i would go over and say hello and she would ask me about school or work, about how long i was visiting, whether i had a girlfriend...and bless her heart, she would shake her head in honest disbelief whenever i said i didn't.
she was such a sweet lady.

i always thought that if i ever did get hooked up and it was time to 'meet the parents' i would have brought the young lady to meet Dot as well...

i'll miss you Dot.

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