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18 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, August 26, 1986 This lady will never grow 'old' One of the most frequently asked questions of this newspaper over the past few years has been "\ ho is Mabel McCabe?" Mabel McCabe, is a pretty difficult person to define...but as nothing is imposgible we'll try. Mabel Monica Austin McCabe is a lady that loves life and has a per- . sonality that spills over and touches everyone she meets. She is not the typical senior citizen. Far from it. She told us she put away her knitting needles years ago and decided she wanted to contribute to the world around her. She decided the best way to do this would be to write a column recalling things that had happened many years ago. A kind of nostalgia thing that other seniors might enjoy reading about. Well, although she has certainly done that in her Reflections of a Golden Age column in these pages...she has often done much more. She has picked up on items of great concern, and in her own un- fathomable way, has capsulized the feelings of the majority, putting things, as it were, in a nutshell. Mabel was born in Toronto on August 20, 1917. She is 69 years of age and not ashamed to admit it. Although upon meeting her, it is dif- ficult to believe she is not in her 50's. A firm believer that age is a state of mind, Mabel is a going concern. The youngest of two daughters, Mabel was raised in the west end of Toronto and after five years of courtship, married Roy Edgar (Ed- dy) McCabe, on October 1939. "I'm really a poor one to advise anyone they are too young to fall in love and marry,' laughs Mabel, ex- plaining she met her husband to be when she was just 16. Eddy was the Ontario Sales Manager for Rothmans Pall Mall and after his first heart attack at the young age of 44, became their sales liason for Canada. The couple had six children who -are now all married and spread out in Whitby, Barrie, Orillia, St. Catharines and Toronto. She also has 14 grandchildren, with another expected in November, and two great grandchildren. The McCabes lived in Toronto un- til 1953 when they were transferred to London. After a three-year stint, they were transferred back to the Toronto area and decided to settle in Scarborough. In 1972, the couple decided the home was too big and moved into an apartment. After Eddy's death on December 27, 1980, Mabel moved in with her daughter in Barrie, but after a year of waiting for a senior citizen's apartment to become available, inoved to Whitby where her chances of getting an apartment were better. While in Barrie, Mabel decided she was going back to school. She enrolled at Georgian College and finished courses in creative writing and art. "Everyone thought grandma was out of her mind at first, but when all the laughter subsided and they realized I was serious, they were all behind me," said Mabel. 'Those art classes were a real disaster until we got into water colours.. that's where I found I did the best. but I still have all those disasterous first pain- tings and bring them out once in a while when | want a good laugh. But her artwork is nothing to laugh at. She is quite accomplished and her only problem appears to be hanging on to her works. "I hardly have any paintings hanging here in the apartment because they are all in my children's homes...they grab the ones they like, but I don't mind. I en- joy giving them away." AE LE A a en Lo a BE CL de ae. BREE ey Mabel has always been interested in writing. She recalled that while attending Western Commerce High. School, she wrote a murder mystery serial for the school newspaper. "It was such fun!" said Mabel. "The kids would follow me around asking what was going to happen next, but I couldn't tell them...half - of the time I didn't know myself' she laughed. 'I had a heck of a time finishing up the story because I had bumped so many of the characters off, I was running out of people to lay the blame on." Mabel's real forte is poetry. She has had two or three poems publish- ed and has a few novels on the go. "I love poetry, it is my outlet' she says, "in sorrow or job, whatever the emotional upheaval, [ can get it out of my system by writing 1ny poems." She added that she never sits down and tries to write, the words just suddenly come to her and she quickly grabs a pen and piece of paper. "It's the same with my pain- tings...I never know what I'm going to paint until it starts to appear on the canvas," said Mabel. "I never use photographs or pictures." Mabel McCabe is a person unto herself. She loves people, probably a result of her up-bringing. She relates her father bringing home an assortment of "strays,"" during the depression years; men who had been riding the rails and had no where to go. "My father would appear at the door with another "stray"', saying to mother...this mans hungry, and there would be no debate," said Mabel. "The man was given a hot' bath, his torn clothes repaired, given a hot meal and a pad on the floor on which to sleep and the next day mother would send him on his way with a packed lunch...it hap- pened all the time." She concluded her father got his traits from her grandmother who was always doing the same thing...only with children who had no where to go. Many stayed for years. Mabel recalls her early days in the west end of Toronto with a smile on her face. "We never owned a home of our own and never had a car, but we sure had a lot of fun. Mom and Dad took us kids everywhere and we had pleasures like walking in High Park. We didn't need booze and drugs to, get a high...we were high on life itself." : Commenting on the size her fami- ly has grown to, she laughingly said "When I got married, I never in- tended to start my own country...but the way things are going...you never know." She says she feels sorry for the young people of today, with all the pressures that are put on them, but she understands them completely, and enjoys their company. "I guess at my age, you would ex- pect me to sit down and listen to Benny Goodman, or the likes, but I'd much rather turn on Jim Croche or Creedence Clearwater Revival... 1 love all music from opera to rock, and I'm just dying to get Abba's latest album." Mabel is an unusual woman, who doesn't give a darn about her age, or let it hinder her pursuits. But she is realistic, complaining that she is no longer able to get on the floor and play with her grandchildren the way she did years ago. As to her philosophy her own quote. "My body might disappear from the face of this earth, but 1 will never die." That sums up Mabel McCabe! Let's use Mabel McCabe, known for her Reflections of a Golden Age column in the Profile pages, is ~ also an accomplished artist as can be seen from this half-competed scene. Mabel has taken a lit- tle hiatus during the summer months and will return to these pages next week. Happy Birthday to a special lady Ashburn and Area News by Rose Heron A Happy Birtl day to a very special lady, Mrs. Myrtle Fisher of Fairview Lodge. Mrs. Fisher is a faithful member of Burns Church and was a regular attender when she was able. She has many friends in the Ashburn area and we all wish her health and happiness. The Davidchuk family have arriv- ed home safely after a very en- joyable trip to the West Coast. While there they visited with Jack's Mother and several other relatives. Thirty-five members of the Reynolds family enjoyed a family picnic at the home of Faye & Drew Leaper in Mississauga on Sunday of last week. The Ashburn group of the W.M.S. will meet on Wednesday, September 3 at 8:00 p.m. at the home of Florence Ashton. All ladies in- terested in Mission work are invited to come. Last Sunday was Rev. Dorothy Bulmers last Sunday for this sum- mer. We have enjoyed her messages and her friendliness and hope she Pizza Parlour 150 Water St. ~ >> Port Perry 985-2225 CLIP & SAVE COUPON $300 OFF Large Pizza 34% OFF X-Large Pizza ONE COUPON PER PIZZA i FREE DELIVERY in Port Perry Open to 4 a.m. Thurs, Fri. & Sat. will be with us again during the ser- vice. Lois Daw sang a lovely solo titled "I'd Rather Have Jesus." Next Sunday is Laity Sunday when our guest speaker will be Mr. Claud Simmond of Glen Major and the congregation will be participating. On September 7, weather permit- ting, the Church School will meet in the Community Centre grounds. A program is being planned and everyone is welcome. An Indian Prayer - Great Spirit, Grant that I may judge no man un- til I have walked two moons in his moccasions. Brooklin Home Bakery & Delicatessan 61 Baldwin St., Brooklin 655-4951 GG No Time to Cook? How About a Delicious No Hot Meat Pie additives or a; Beef. Made preservatives Fresh Daily FALL SLIM-DOWN SPECIAL = Tp to 1/2 OFF ALL FULL SERVICE PROGRAMS Offer expires August 29th, 1986. BUY NOW! Individual counselling by professional nurses and nutritionists. A proven program based on sensible nutrition. WEIGH COUNSELING CD By Appointment Only! CENTRY - FREE NO OBLIGATION CONSULTATION - 238 QUEEN STREET -- PORT PERRY call ..... 9859- 9833 Monday & Thursday ............ 830AM. to 1:30 P Tuesday & Friday .............. 1:30 PM. t0 6:30 P BRL Ed a