Becoming a Duchess

Location: in the tower on Duchess street...well, not really a tower.


I was wondering what I could post about, and it came to me - BAM - life! So, I am going to share with you a bit about my life right now.


At the beginning of January I moved from my home where I've lived since the age of 3 to 'Duchess Street,' where I am now a live-in companion/care-giver for a lovely lady who is 95 (almost 96 - but you might guess she is 78!). I am only still learning all the blessings that are coming out of this new life-situation I find myself in.


How it came about? Well, it was just placed in my lap! About four years ago, while I was attending Camosun College, I received a bursary from the Victoria Imperial Lions Club, and they then wanted me to come be their guest speaker. Jo-Anne, the woman working with the scholarship office at Camosun, is the liaison between us. So, we set-up a date, then they cancelled, then Jo-Anne cancelled, then I was away...finally, this past November (4.5 year after the fact) I was going to speak with the group. Normally, I would hop on a bus and get myself to the meeting; however, at the time I had an ulcer on my eye and it was therefore unwise for me to be standing out in the wind whilst waiting for buses. So, Jo-Anne said she would gladly pick me up and drop me home after. In the car we got to talking, and it turns out that she is moving and they are seeking someone to live with the lady she's been with for a few years...I though, 'I could do it...' but soon realized I could not because they required someone who can drive (and I cannot). Then, I thought, I have a friend who is in town everyday with her car, and would probably be willing to do the driving - I proposed this, it all evolved from there, and now my friend (Christina) and I are both living here with Olive in her home of over 50 years....neat how all the factors came together and - BAM - I find myself in this wonderful situation living with two wonderful ladies on Duchess Street (we are the three Duchesses of Duchess Street).