Baja St. Martin

Sorry to be a complainer, because the mosquito sprayer has passed, but the critters are still awful. Not as bad, I will admit, but still it’s hard to sit outside unless the wind is blowing or you’re slathered with Off. It’s been pretty dry over here and I’d have thought the mosquitoes would not be so bad, but I guess that’s not true.
Twenty people came to the Oct. 6 bingo in the Belle River center. A nice crowd. Lots of fun. We’re hoping to expand our activities a little soon, but it seems to move forward at a snail’s pace sometimes.
Word is getting around, however. It’s a bit harder here than perhaps in the main parish area, to inform our public since we’re sort of spread around. Communication is pretty much oral still. And of course, we are seniors and have doctor appointments, grandkids, colds, et al, to deal with and unfortunately those things interfere with bingo at times.
I have such wonderful helpers. They’ve been such a blessing lately when medical issues have been knocking holes in my normal schedule. Jerry and Linda Fabre and Gordon and Faye Smith all live in the area between Graveyard Island and Stephensville. They are just wonderful when I need a substitute or just to be there for an event. I am so lucky to have such wonderful friends – generous, cheerful, smart!
And of course, that always includes Grover Angelle, my Food for Senior angel. Gruff voice, cigar and great stories come with him once a month. I guess his trusties have done something wrong or they wouldn’t be in jail, but from my point of view (and I think Grover knows who to bring with him) they are always helpful and polite.
While I’m thanking people, I must mention Wilbert and Lois McDaniel right here in Belle River and Lanny and Nancy Duco, all of whom help with the commodities and/or anything else I need. Great people all.
I have not been away from home in months but my northern sisters say it’s getting cold there. My baby sister and friends drove north recently (farther than where they live) and said the leaf colors were gorgeous. I kind of miss seeing that.
The last Community Concert program in Morgan City featured a group called the Young Irelanders. According to them, they all came from various counties in Ireland and all certainly spoke with that accent. In addition to the musicians – keyboard, guitar, banjo, accordion, fiddle, whistle, and harp – there were two step-dancers who were magnificent.
I kind of felt a kinship with this group because the lead singer talked a bit about the time when many Irish immigrated to the United States during the potato famine. She mentioned that many came to Canada and that’s where my father’s family came from. Roscommon County, Ireland to Fingal, Canada, and then down into Michigan and Indiana. I have some old notebooks that a great-grandmother kept and they make note of a grandfather who was a physician who studied in Canada. That particular line of family bred quite a few doctors and nurses.
One of my grandmothers, (or would it be great-grandmother) died in l950 at age 100. She was much too deaf to talk with and I was very young and likely pretty intimidated by an old lady in black. I remember her house and it, too, was dark and I thought it was spooky. How I wish I had been a bit older then and could have enticed her to tell me about those days or at least have been patient enough to speak really loud to her. She was actually alive when Lincoln was president! And when we bought Alaska!

Teche News’ Lower St. Martin correspondent, Linda Cooke, can be e-mailed at lindacooke1939@gmail.com.