Smoke signals., May 15, 2007, Page 9, Image 9

Smoke Signals 9
MAY 15, 2007
cat named Tricky "used to sleep in
our closet," she said. Then there
was the cat that lost an eye, who
was "a cat and a half."
"Heck," said Lee, "they got better
care than some kids I see."
Lee is looking for a new direction
for the Tribe. "We're going from
good to bad," she said. "We want
the older ones back on Council to
get back to the old ways. They don't
cater to Elders like they used to.
They give themselves raises.
"I let them know what I think's
wrong," she said, "but they don't
listen to me. They'll get it straight
ened out, back to what it was."
She advocates for more employ
ment for Tribal members. "Give
the Indian a chance. We all did
something wrong in our lifetime,
but you don't have to go back 10
years. Three years is long enough.
If they want to make something of
themselves, let them."
"Last night," she said recently,
"I dreamed that I could read real
good again - I'm half blind - so I
could bead again. And maybe I will
because I just got some vitamins
for my eyes. They said they're real
good."
"I used to dream about my folks:
dad was always cutting up and
having fun; mom was always cor
recting me. When Dale and I settled
down and quit drinking (twenty
ylllHv -- -4 - '.fit- I ,,'" .tK;If". vfJ-.'i'-'V1 (i i I ' t
-- r-y i
At left top is sister Margaret McAbee with Dale and Norma at the center top and Uncle George Leno at right. Nieces Marlene Groshong and Sharon Herron are
at the bottom of the picture, left and right. They are McAbee's daughters.
years ago), I stopped
dreaming about
them - maybe be
cause I was ok.
"Sometimes, I'll
dream that I'm way
out someplace and
there's nothing but
sand and bare hills.
It's just really scary
because I couldn't
find my way out.
"A couple months
ago, I had a dream
that I looked up and
Dale was gone and I
couldn't find him."
She and Dale have
been married for 43
years. Dale had a
heart bypass opera
tion in September
of 2006 and a pace
maker put in after
that.
The couple made
plenty of money in
their younger years,
and now, living in
Elder housing, she
said, "we go to pick
for the exercise."
"I stayed busy all
my life," she said. "I
really enjoyed what
I did. Work is not a
dirty word." B
. t4r-
"mm hi
'
'MrJ.r - i f '' "--i'4
if :"-.tfT:;V..1; rT ;..;!' j
Norma in her teen years, babysitting.