Aunt Reby

by Hattie Dyck

 I recently was privileged to attend the 100th birthday party of Reby Sullivan, at The Mira Nursing home in Truro.

   Known to her large extended family and extra large community of friends as “Nan,” she loved people and participation with them either at home on Nova Drive or at work at Stanfield’s Factory where she worked for many years.

   Food was always a delight in her life and she cooked and shared it genuinely with all who came to visit.

   What is extremely interesting about Nan, and others of her generation, is the many changes they have seen in the past 100 years, and how they remember a less complicated life before television and artificial intelligence.

   Many seniors less than 100 years on this earth remember when they studied by the light of the old kerosene oil lamp on the table by the window, and how it was a challenge to get the wick cut straight enough across to get the best light through it. Others can tell about carrying pails of water into the house, some of it used to bathe the children on Saturday night. This was usually done at the end of the week because Sunday was not a day of work in those years. 

   One of my neighbours, a senior in her 80’s, would not even wash the dishes until Monday arrived. The origin of the water also varied. Much came from dug wells with a wooden cover. Some had a pump with which you filled a bucket and carried it to the

house. Where you dug the well was sometimes determined by what was then called water witching or divining. A person called a dowser walked over the area with a forked stick and if it fell towards the ground that was supposed to indicate water under the earth.

   I heard on the news that Rae and Jean MacKay in Cape Breton celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary not long ago. Ray, at 102 is still playing the organ at his church and can claim to be the oldest person to play a church organ known in Nova Scotia. There must be something healthy in the ocean air.

   One of the blessings brought about over this past century is the recognition of the need for more safety on farms and on farm equipment. Much of this can be thanks to effort by the Women’s Institute of Nova Scotia, working together with the Nova Scotia

Federation of Agriculture and its many members across this province. Seat belts, helmets and proper storage of sprays are among those blessings.

   As change continues we will adapt. Let’s hope there’s lots of teenagers around to assist us.