Latest update April 28th, 2026 12:30 AM
Aunt Ruth took her party to Canada
Five generations of teeny-weeny ones and a sumptuous dash of all other ages in-betweeners, survivors and parallel marathoners made it to the 90th birthday celebrations in Toronto for Nennen.
The guest of honour is also familiarly called Aunt Ruth…maiden name Alexander… and now wed to bingy-man Sir Charles Jackman (Jacko).
“Aunt Ruth”, a native of Springlands, Corentyne, a former resident of Greenheart Street in South Ruimveldt Gardens, and prominent, Nennen in Toronto looked sharp and spicy. She did all the line dances with her husband Jacko…Uncle Charles and sang word for word, line for line…Sparrow’s version of IT’S MY PARTY (and I cry if I want to; you may cry too if it happen to you).
Normally at the first sight of frost or snow, for the last 20 years or so, both Aunt Ruth and Jacko would fold their tents and abort baby-sitting activities and head for Georgetown. During summer the duo would pack their barrels and get their prescriptions filled and as soon as the Last Lap at Caribana is over …like clockwork…they gone.. they take off by Caribbean Airlines and soak up the sun.
Ruth Jackman surrounded by her descendants for her birthday.
And when the tulips and magnolias start budding they come right back to be with their daughter, grand-children and be Nennen to the West Indian community. Aunt Ruth will also fulfill her moral obligation to her church while she is away without fail.
But this year…90-not out, Aunt Ruth put away all her rituals, chores, habits and commitments to hang in there just a little bit longer to celebrate and shake her assets, real and perceived. It was a Christian celebration with a plural twist within a diverse community.
It was a private and catered party and daughter, Princess, an economist by profession, let her hair down and cranked up the volume…party-party-party. There will be no second Sunday in the land of the maple leaf but Greenheart Street will see, feel and experience part two, act 90 in time to come.
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