My Grandma - Nanna Terez

Since I was young, nanna Terez was a very special person. Today, even though she has been resting in peace for several years I still feel the same way and even more. She was a humble, kind but most of all she was human. Her limp from World War 2 gave an impression of a weak bod but to know her and her story she was as strong as few could be. I miss her still today and talking /writing about her has this Karmatic feeling on me. I feel that I know no words great enough to describe her. However consolation lies in my much less humble self. It lies in pride, proud that I am of her blood, that I might have some of her beautiful genes running through my veins. For she was beautiful. Her beauty wasn't a perfect body but a calm soul, not a flawless face but honest eyes, a truthful smile and a kind voice of heavenly words. My eyes water when I remember her, not of sorrow but of this great feeling that surrounds me which I can't explain. What wouldn't I give to hear her call my name once more time?

Mid-Dar sar-Rixtellu

Stramba, qatt ma kont ħsibt li kienet ser tkun daqshekk diffiċli. Insomma, issa għaddew kważi tletin sena. Ftit niftakar imma b'dak li tgħidilna ommi u forsi xi naqra mmaġinazzjoni li nħolqot matul is-snin dan huwa r-rakkont tiegħi mid-dar sar-rixtellu tal-ewwel darba li lbist uniformi.

Oħti u jien tewmin, fula maqsuma u dejjem flimkien għadna s'issa. Anke fl-albums tal-għexieren ta' ritratti li għadna, qisna d-di u d-do.

Imlibbsin b'uniformi kannella ommi rabtet erbgħa ċfuf ħomor mat-toppi li kellna fuq rasna, tnejn tiegħi u t-tnejn l-oħra t'oħti. Iż-żarbun tax-xemgħa, kannella ukoll, kellu toqob tawwalin fuq quddiem qishom ventilaturi biex tgħaddi l-arja minnhom. Element pjuttost importanti għax m'għandniex xi ngħidu dan kien ser jintlibes kważi kuljum u ried iservina sena. Il-kalzetti, bojod bojod bi fjura ma' kull ġenb li jaslu eżatt sa taħt rkopptejna.

Il-basktijiet hemm kienu ukoll, lesti, puliti fuq is-sufan fjurit, bit-tazzi tal-plastic għall-ħalib u l-pokit. Għalkemm il-memorja m'għadix iżomm l-immaġini ta' dawn it-tnejn żgura u ċerta li l-lapsijiet kienu sofor, b'isimnha minqux fuq in-naħa ta' fuq. Gomma bajdanija kull wieħed, temprina tal-ħadid u riga żgħira trasparenti, kollox ġdid u kollha mmarkati Marthese jew Joanne.

Il-ħobż bil-kunserva u bla qoxra kif konna nħobbuh aħna, ssiġillat tajjeb f'plastic imġebbed, f'borża tal-karti f'sarvetta ċċangjata. Miegħu flixkun tal-plastik bl-ilma mħallat ma' xi naqra ruġjata, ċikkulata għall-wara l-ikel u borża twistees għalli jista jkun ma nixbgħux. U meta ommi lestit torbot iċ-ċfuf u waħlet xi żewġ molol oħra ħalli kollox jibqa' f'postu, poġġietilna ċenteżmu kull wieħed fil-but iż-żgħir tal-libsa ħalli nixtru ħelwa mingħand is-soru.

Iz-zijiet, n-nanniet u r-razza u r-radika nġabru kollha d-dar biex jarawna sejrin. Film ritratti, bews, tgħanniq u fit-tmienja għax issa t-twila kienet waslet fuq in-numru tnax, ommna qabdet iż-żewġ basktijiet wieħed fuq kull naħa u alenija ħriġna barra fit-triq. Hawnhekk il-ġirien kollha kienu barra jistennew bil-ħerqa dan l-avvenimnet tal-ġurnata. Il-barka t'Alla niżlet fuqna bil-bramel dakinhar filwaqt li ommi bi tbissima għal kull kumment wissietna biex nibqgħu fuq il-bankina.

Oħti u jien imxejna f'idejn xulxin skantati, b'ommna warajna. Min jaf x'kien għaddej minn moħħna dik l-għodwa. Dorna l-ewwel kantuniera u wasalna għand is-sorijiet.