Before my parents bought the house by the quarry we spent summer holidays in Southampton. The compact interior of the pink-shingled cottage smelled of Lake Huron water and Lake Huron sand plus the nearby cedar and pine trees. These outdoor scents mingled tightly with indoor scents: QT tanning lotion, The Dry Look hairspray, Old Spice, Benson & Hedges, Chanel No 5.
Everyday Mom played the sport she loved at the nearby tennis club. With a backhand as strong as her forehand, she could whack any oncoming ball. Singles. Doubles. She played to win, dressed in her home-made Simplicity-pattern tennis dresses. Spectators loved to watch her skillful playing. But of all the eyes watching, none shone like those of her biggest fan.
Rusty, always my champion.
These were the words Dad had engraved on
