Great Uncle

Every family has at least one interesting character in it. I contend that really interesting families are made up entirely of the odd and eccentric. I often worry that we aren’t odd enough, but then I talk to one of the kids or Louise. We have a sign on the wall as you enter the house that reads “REMEMBER, AS FAR AS ANYONE KNOWS, WE’RE  A NICE, NORMAL FAMILY.” The moment we saw it Louise and I both knew it was the sign for us.

We aren’t that odd, but we wish we were at times. The truly odd people are frightening at times.

My mother had an uncle that would sit on a chair in the middle of the kitchen with a tumbler of scotch in his hand and his feet in a pail of water every Saturday night. When asked why he had his feet in a bucket of water he would reply that the ants couldn’t get to him that way. Everyone thought he was odd, but harmless so they let him be. I don’t know anything else about him, but I really like his outlook on life.

Today I was doing some work barefoot in the backyard and my feet got dirty. I could have used the hose to wash them off or gone in and washed them properly in the bathroom, but I decided that I would fill a plastic container with water and soak my feet while sitting on the swing in the backyard reading a book. I can’t describe to you how refreshing it was. The moment I put my feet in the water I was transported back to all of the times in my life that I have taken the time to soak my feet in water. I remember sitting on the dock at the cottage with my buddies laughing and keeping cool. On a rock half way up a mountain taking a break from the backpack and giving my feet a much needed rest. Wading in a kiddie pool with my kids and recently my grandkids, making sure that they were safe and cool. There was a fountain in Nathan Phillips Square that I remember cooling my feet in many times during my teen years.

Dipping your feet not only keeps them cool and clean, but it brings back wonderful memories. I am going to make a point of doing it more often.

Oh and by the way, not one ant managed to get to me while I was soaking my feet. My great uncle wasn’t so crazy after all!