Elämää koossa 1:12: elokuuta 2008

maanantai 18. elokuuta 2008

Maryn tarina...englanniksi

..koskapa olen sen sillä kielellä kirjoittanut, enkä oikein saa aikaiseksi käännöstä. Ehkä joku päivä.
Mutta Hannalle lupasin että laitan sen tänne kuitenkin, ottakaa vaikka englannin oppituntina :)

Mary’s story

Mary Elizabeth Thompson was born in London, England in April 1868. Her parents James and Eleanor were delighted to finally have a girl in the family after four boys. Little did they know she’d be getting into trouble right alongside her brothers. Before Mary’s 2nd birthday the entire family moved to India, as James was named to be a part of Her Majesty’s Indian Military Forces.
Mary took to her new surroundings. The local colors and strange customs fascinated her. As she grew she was known to sneak off the grounds to explore market places, and to take in all the sights and smells. More often than not she was joined by a family servant who would tell her stories that made her even more curious. Needless to say she was more trouble than her brothers combined and Eleanor could only shake her head in despair. James however enjoyed hearing about his daughter’s escapades, and they spent many a happy evening sitting on the porch talking. You could tell he secretly encouraged her daughter.
The siblings happily performed in the elaborate plays they thought up. This activity was encouraged by both parents and was a popular event at any party they hosted. As Mary grew she would entertain guests by dressing up as a fortune teller with a crystal ball and tarot cards. She was quite popular as she could spin a tale that would spin your head. At one of these parties, when she was 18, she noticed a dashing young man looking at her. She found out that this man had recently graduated from Cambridge University and was here to learn an aspect of the family business. Truthfully though, Mary could barely see past those bright blue eyes.
The rest is history.
George Matthew Adair married his Mary in February 1887.
Later that same year the young couple moved back to England. George worked in his father’s import company in Liverpool. They bought a lovely house in the city and regularly took trips around the country.
The house was big and empty for just two people, so it was no surprise when their family grew with three children. John was born in 1889, Grace in 1892 and David in 1902. By this time George was running the company after his father’s death and it kept him busier than he would have liked, but he tried to make up for it.
They lived a comfortable life, taking trips to France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Morocco and Egypt. Mary had always loved to travel and she was happiest on a train or ship traveling towards new adventures. Luckily the children had inherited this curiosity as well. They filled their home with souvenirs and happy memories.
The happy family life changed drastically during World War 1. Despite his parents objections, John joined the army and was killed in action in 1915.
Grace, who had gone to nursing school, abandoned her new career to help her father with the company. She proved to be a natural at business, much to her parents’ surprise. She worked hard to fill the void that John left.
Grace married and had two children, but still continued to work. Much like with her mother back in the day, plenty of eyebrows were raised.
David was now a pilot in the RAF and eventually also settled down to raise a family.
The five grandchildren were a delight to Mary and George. As George retired they bought a lovely cottage some distance from the city in Wigan. They both enjoyed learning all about gardening, and sitting in the garden reading was one of their favorite pastimes. Along with the occasional road trip, and regular walks to the local pub. George even went so far as to build a greenhouse with David’s help. However the grandchildren always came first. George was the doting grandfather anybody would wish for. He’d play endless games of cricket and go on butterfly hunts, while Mary still told her wild stories.

One autumn evening day in 1934, Mary found George dead in his garden chair with a book still laid in his lap. He was 69.
Mary found it hard to be in the house by herself, so she brought in the stray kitten she found and named her Molly. A few years later she got Harry, her corgi, as a present from Grace and David, much to the grandkids’ delight.

Six years later there is war raging in the world again. David is now an instructor to younger pilots and has luckily escaped the frontlines. At 72 Mary is still a strong willed lady. She might have calmed down from her youth, but just a little. She’s determined to do her bit to help win the war and to contribute in any way possible.

To be continued… surely.