On most days I can look out the back windows of my house and see two ducks that mean the world to me. They are not your typical ducks in that they have taken up permanent residence in our yard, never fly away when the weather doesn’t agree with them, despite the fact that I hardly ever feed them, and they don’t leave behind any messes. They are the perfect pets. Did I mention they are also made of concrete?
I’m fortunate in that I got to know two of my great-grandmas. I loved them both dearly, and so when their possessions were scattered to the four winds I grabbed the concrete ducks that sat in each of their respective yards.
Every time I see them a smile creeps across my face, and I’m reminded of the special occasions when my mom’s family would gather at our house and my two great-grandmas, Nora and Grace, would sit three feet apart and not say a word to each other.