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F COMMENT May 19. 199 e are well past the nail M) biting stage. We are into The Wait: that stage of labor I now maintain may be harder on those that wait than those that labor. Well, let's be honest. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to fig- ure out just who exactly is doing most of the work in these labors. When you’re having a baby every- one knows who exactly is doing the work over there in the labor rooms at OTMH. And it isn't expectant sisters like me waiting anxiously at home for the phone call. I But it's well past midnight now. And I hate to wait. Even at the best of times, I hate to wait. And this is killing me, late at night looking at the clock every so often wondering 'when this little girl or boy is going Churches should pay property tax Lis fact it - to those of us at home, waiting for the news, it is very much the role to play... wait and do little else. , Dear Sir: Has anyone noticed the massive religious edifices that are springing up all over Oakville? Waiting can he a laborious task during childbirth With all the money involved in such building, isn't it time that property taxes were assessed on these structures in such times of need for the average person? Churches, temples etc. add to urban blight, create traffic, and use the public resources - so why shouldn't these businesses pay their fair share of local government costs? CARLTON CARLTON CARDS VALON ' 115Trafalg; r o InltJ‘ncumcrnH ---------------r-" 129 nu It WRAPPING NEEDS! * HANGING PlAQUES FOR EVERY OCCASION Reg. 9.99 NOW FOR ALL YOUR GIFT AND u P TO 50% OFF *STATIONERY CO-ORDINATES Floral or Paisley Prints I UP TO 50% OFF R. Edwards * BABY GIFTWARE Special Selection it th l S 1 i l Ysh' :ki,ss, _ s' l I a ' 'ss' 935.352, 5 323.3 .2 ', _ T A _ ‘ N A b'. ",aT" N \ 'g, k A tNNY. N .. is9,'i, (,N9, x "id; a; Faliiiilliliiliiit . _ ‘ 33,] a .-' HART ‘ . ‘ 9 ' to enter the world Earlier in the morning my kid sister - who let me tell you - drove me crazy when we were growing up, questions here, always yakking... Well this one, a pretty neat kid all the same, went into labor. "I'll tell you Di, I have a lot more respect for you now," puffed she, between contractions as she spoke a little on the phone early in the day. Respect? "Respect?" scoffs one mother when I tell her my sister is in labor. "Respect? She'll know respect when she tries to go to the bathroom the next day. Now that's respect!" We had been nervous all week. already. I had cornered her doctor a few days before about my own worries. "She's fine; the baby's fine," said he, in a reassuring tone. But still, here it is past mid- night, the house is quiet. I'm scrib- bling away on a notepad between pacing the carpet. My spouse looks at me as ifl am slowly losing my mind. i the year tc Wide Selection of Paper, Bows & Cards Hopedale Mall 827-3614 799 115M WE If 338-0821 over all the welcome y " f Church tr to v em Dr zed al bike and peddle over room at OT, what do said I. The man thought The man thought I was mad. "Are you serious?" said he, peering over the crossword. A crossword. At a time like this, he does a cross- word. I pace madly, gesturing wildly, cursing that which is uncontrollable - having a baby. And I was trying to grapple with the helplessness that goes along with these things. I don't do help- less very well. After all, this was my kid sister. This was the one who had to fight here way into an always raucous dinner tables. And, she was tough when my older sister and l and yet Pun 99t 40% on 'OL' 'x/"iisi'fss' EE (gifts: 6097 307}! Wlil 19 20 30% OFF THE OAKVILLE BEAVER to the case you think?' F'RI 21 ALL EVERGREENS 20% 2.99 TM" REGULAR PRICE another sister would gang up on her just for the sheer fun of it. You know, the dinner table nonsense that is often what is remembered long after the family goes its own ways. She was always the one with the ready quips; the ready answers... she was kind of scrawny but always had an answer. Even at nine years old, I had her pegged for a lawyer. And here she was over at OMH having her first baby. I mean, this was Dayna right? Not exactly a party animal like her older sister, but right in there when it came to university hijinks. And she was going to be a mom. Look kiddo, if anyone like me r""--.'-'"-" 91"”W1-w1w6“ can do this mother business you'.ll do just fine," said I, when she told me she was getting a little worried about the whole mother thing a few days ago. “I mean, if I can do it, anyone "I mean, if I can do it, anyone can, right? said I. She nodded, real- izing the truth in what I said. I was never destined into the whole motherhood thing... but I kind of like it just the same. "No, it'll be a piece of cake for you. My god, you like to garden ...you're into nurturing in a big way... it'll be a breeze." 88t 30% l think of all of this as I sit and wait for the call. And it's awfully difficult to not do something in these early hours of the day that HOPEDALE MALL b". OFF Third Line & Rebecca St ttijajitit Madame Realty Corp, 4m: Norm Service Re E. 842-7000 will, god willing tle one. And I know I should go to bed. I had averaged about three hours of sleep the night before and my own kids wouldn't appreciate another morning of a grumbling mother behind the paper, bleary-eyed and unamused. I know I should go to bed. But maybe just another hour or so. I keep eyeing the phone. ls every- thing alright? Does she need any- thing? Well, a little after 2 a.m, two very tired but exultant people at OTMH welcomed their new son into Oakville. Welcome Daniel. momma} For goodness sake is brought to you courtesy of the HARl’DmLE C(mPom‘rIO and VISA M usher in a new lit by Steve Nease To! H '1