Mphy

71. The Heart Does Not Forget

By 1984 Alphy and Margurita had two more grandchildren to
brag about - BJ (Bobby Joe) and Cory Hill, sons of Joan and Bobby.
Both children had been born healthy, and Joan remembered her
mother’s words after the death of her first-born - that she would
have more children to love and care for. It was true....her love was
big enough to embrace all her children. She was a dedicated mother
committed to her children, loving them protectively and _ still
cherishing the memory of Robert Moses who had captured her heart
years earlier.

In 1984, Alphy and Margurita had thirty-two grandchildren.
Cory had been the final addition to their clan. Joan and Bobby had
bought a house in Tignish Shore, located next door to her sister,
Velda and Cyrus Bernard. Alphy and Margurita would often visit
their children and grandchildren in Tignish Shore. Sometimes while
they were in the area, they would go for walks along the beach.

Both Alphy and Margurita enjoyed good health, but physically
Alphy’s strength was not like it use to be. The couple had given up
the sport of boating, as the boat had become too heavy for Alphy to
load and unload. During the winter, the couple still took time to go
snowmobiling but they would stay in the open fields close to home,
rather than venture into the wooded area. Alphy and Margurita were
now cautious not to overdo things. The winter before when they had
gone snowmobiling, the Arctic Cat had got stuck in the heavy snow
and Alphy had almost passed out from the strain of trying to move
it manually. So now, the couple stayed close to home whenever they
were snowmobiling.

Alphy was also experiencing some discomfort in his right leg,
which he described as his “bum leg”. Sometimes when he would
walk up and down the stairs, his leg would give out under him. He
described this condition as having pins and needles in his leg, ora
lack of circulation. Some days, it was worse than others.

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