Excerpt from P.S. Don’t Tell Your Mother:

An Irish temper and accuracy with a gun is what got my Nana Noonan into trouble. She’s taught me a lot. Although I’ve never shot anyone, I credit my sharp reflexes to keeping an eye on Nana.

I’ve learned it pays off to have a sense of humor, as Nana uses hers to get out of more than a few jams along the way. By setting bad examples around the town of Telkwa, population 852, Nana taught me it is important to be fair to your fellow humans.

As long as they don’t drive you to do something foolish.

I’m Maggie Mulvaney. I live with my Mom Fran, Dad A. E., and dog Tippy in Terrace, which is 150 miles away from Nana.

Three years ago for my tenth birthday, Nana gave me a box with writing paper and envelopes in it. And she gave me a fountain pen. Not the kind like in school, where you have to dip it in ink. A real one that holds ink inside it. And for my 12th birthday, I got some turquoise ink! I love writing Nana, because I like to do handwriting, and what she tells me in her letters is best kept on paper.

She doesn’t much care for the telephone anyway. Nana says Telkwa is one big party line and the number of people who only hear half the story when they pick up the line is the way rumors start.

It’s easy to write her and keep up on what’s happening in Telkwa, because the mail only takes a day to go by train from here to there.

In the hundreds of letters she sends me, THAT DAMN JEHOVAH! is her favorite phrase.

She doesn’t trust anyone who won’t look you in the eye. Like that Jehovah.

He is hell-bent on saving Nana. His high hopes on salvation equal her intent to remain as she is: hell-bent on being herself. After all, she is an Anglican.

I like it that she’s Irish. But she has a temper. There are lots of things that get her going. The Jehovah tops her list.

The townsfolk place bets on Nana and the Jehovah and when they will have their next ‘set to’. Cash exchanges hands on a fairly regular basis.

Nana keeps me up to date on the real situation. There is more to it than the Jehovah and Nana not seeing eye-to-eye.

I understand more than I let on. Both Nana and I know that I can keep a secret and I’d make a good witness if I had to.

However, over this past year, almost too late, I have found out that when you give good advice, you can’t always depend on it being taken.

I still have a lot to learn about human nature. Nana’s a good start.

Quotes from Nana and Maggie:

"We just carry on with life in Telkwa and Terrace and don't give two hoots that our friends are Indians.  They have a lot more respect for their friends than some people do -- who shall remain unnamed at this point.  But there are a few of the old biddies in Telkwa and Smithers that come to mind real quick."  Maggie, from Our Home And Native Land, page 53

"P.S. Tell your Mother.  She may want to make a trip up here and talk me out of going to the RCMP."  Nana, from Spring Fevers, page 39

"Nana couldn't leave well enough alone.  She said, 'Well ... I only say what I see."  The place went nuts.  Maggie, from The Fur Follies, page 30

"P.S.  Thanks again Nana.  I have prayed that the bra sales MAN is there when you come to town.  I am positive he would enjoy meeting you."  Maggie, from Johnny Destiny, Big Shot of the Telkwa Barbecue, page 83

"I pride myself with practicing safety in handling firearms.  The entire town expects that of me."  Nana, from Do As Your Mother Says, page 119