HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARVELLE

My Dearest Sister Marvelle:

(I know that is the way Aunt Mary would start all her letters.) I do hope you are having the best birthday ever, cause this will be your last in the 60's group. Next one is the big 70 -----)))):

What can I say about Marvelle? She is my big sister and I would do anything she asked me to do, including sitting at the end of the plank while she sawed off the end of it and I went plunging to the ground, because the board was binding against her hand saw and she really needed me to sit on the end of the board, and I always did what she told me to do. So yeah I have a dent in my ego to prove it, but I laughed at the time, cause Marvelle got a lickin' with the saw. But I don't care, cause she is still my big sis.

Then there was the time that she took me under her wing and let me live with her family, while I was going to school in Cardston. I was so disappointed when they had to move to Foremost to live and left me in Cardston all by myself, but I still loved her for what she did for me. Then when I finished my Grade 12 in Cardston, Clifford made sure I had the job at the County of Forty Mile as their payroll clerk on the old bookeeping machine and I moved in with them again till I was married and moved to Calgary.

Then there was the time I went half way around the world alone by myself, trying to find Marvelle and Clifford in Ghana. I was so terrified. The airplane dropped us off on the tarmac at the Accra Airport and had us loaded on a bus to take us to the terminal. I had to get my luggage off the plane, get through immigration and customs all by myself. Clifford told me to get a porter to stay with me till I found them. So I paid a porter $5.00 American (near to being his annual salary in cedes). He stayed with me through immigration and customs then told me he could not go out of the customs area. So a supervisor came along and told me I had to pay for 4 porters to stay with me. I told him I would pay him $20 American to find me a porter who would stay with me until I got through the airport and find my sister on the outside of the airport. So I had to wheel my luggage down a big long ramp in the darkest night I had ever seen. The night was black, the people were black and I could not see. Their street lights are little kerosene lamps on th side of the so called streets. It was the thrill of my life, when I heard Marvelle screem -- OH There she is ---- Shirley over here!!!!!!!!!!!! I felt her love in her scream. Marvelle and Clifford showed me around Ghana and all the wonderful church people there. All the people loved Marvelle's sister. They all wanted me to take them home with me. A few of them even tried. One in particular, Charles wanted me to help pay for his daughter Mavis schooling. I did send her money after my visit to Ghana, but then she wanted me to bring her to Canada. I could not be responsible for that, so I quit sending her money. One of the men in Koforidua wanted me for his wife -- I would be his third but much to my not desiring of sharing with two other wifes, didn't think that was such a good idea. I cherish the memories I have of Ghana though. We had so much fun and I have lots of picture to prove it. The trip was the highlight of my life.

I really appreciate all that Marvelle has done for me in my life. She was stood by me when I have cried and when I have laughed. She was my rock during my divorce and she supported me all the way through.

I even loved her when I was a little girl and she would chase me with a garter snake or an earth worm or a lizard in the cellar.

She is still by BIG SIS' and I love you to death.

Have a Happy Birthday, and we will see you on June 27th for your anniversary. I am looking forward to seeing all our family and friends then.

Love
Shirley