by Sue Dagenais
Special to
whitewaternews.ca
Eight refugees from Iraq will be moving to La Passe this year. I’m hoping that my little story will not only be a Thank You to the folks in La Passe but will continue to encourage them to be welcoming and loving.
I sat in the front seat next to my realtor as we drove the 10 kilometre stretch between Westmeath and La Passe. We joked that the old leaning house, a relic from the past, was the house I was coming to view.
What dreams those old bricks could share! One has to marvel at its strength, its resistance to gravity.
I too had a dream – a dream of retiring from 25-plus years of teaching to a wee house near the water.
No sooner had we driven past the leaning house, than the most magnificent sight filled my heart. The steeple from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, wrapped in fall foliage, was and welcoming me.
I had to close my eyes and sigh. I would have immediately signed on the dotted line.
“Don’t be too rash… at least have a look at the house,” my practical voice whispered. And so I did and then I signed on the dotted line.
I moved into my wee house on the water on October 1, 2014.
The rest, as they say, is history.
It is this very history from the past 14 months that I share with you. I like to call it 101 reasons to move to La Passe.
Robert and his charming wife Dawna, my new neighbours, who had been mowing the lawn and trimming the grass, continued doing so till the snow fell. They would not consider payment.
Come winter, Robert agreed to snowblow my driveway for a very reasonable price. I now boast a manicured driveway after each fresh snowfall.
My neighbour across the street, Jim, volunteered to drop off his 15-foot trailer for the week so that I could load it with brush… as he was planning a trip to the dump. I offered to pay for gas. Jim would not hear of it.
A couple of days later his beautiful wife Helen volunteered her husband’s help. Within a week, 21 stumps had all but disappeared from my lawn. I hear a few chainsaw chains were challenged in the process.
While out for a walk one glorious day, I met David.
“Well Hello!” I shouted. “Did you build that beautiful bird house?”
“I did. It’s a Martin house.”
David quickly learned through our conversation that I was looking for someone to do a little work outside around my home. He recommended John. John drove over that same day to meet me.
And how about Donna and Karen who readily accepted my invitation to tea and welcomed me to join their walking club, as well as invited me to come out to yoga classes with them.
And Claude and Colette who called out, “Come on in!” welcoming my daughter Margaret and I for a visit.
And two wonderful octogenarians, Rose and Jeanne, who laugh and share local history with me as we walk home from church together on Sundays.
And Ronald and Danielle who came over one day to greet me and invited me for a boat ride. They thought I may enjoy viewing my property from the water and at the same time get to know the waterways. This same couple introduced me to Denise who volunteered to load me up with perennials – for free!
And Melissa, a fellow plant lover/gardener, who came over for coffee with her mom and answered all my gardening inquiries and gave me tons of practical gardening tips.
And then there is Robert, again, his son and grandson who shovelled my roof last winter.
I hadn’t tasted Swiss chard nor spaghetti squash until Jim shared the fruits of his bounty.
And yes his wife Helen introduced me to zucchini and peach jam. Delicious!
And how about all the people who call me by name? Perhaps because I am the new kid on the block or perhaps they just know the importance of calling someone by name. “Hello Susan!” — Music to my ears.
I truly could continue to list 101 good reasons to move to La Passe as I have come to know the people of La Passe as incredibly welcoming and generous.
I thank Our Lady of Mount Carmel for beckoning me to this community.
I pray that as we move into 2016 we continue to open our hearts and to welcome, with this same spirit, all God’s people.
