Holy Days of Obligation

June M. Blurton is a retired speech/language pathologist.

These 15 short stories tell the story of a large family living in a
Southern Ontario town in the last half of the 20th century. There are
everyday experiences common to most families: a toddler floods an
upstairs bathroom, ruining the newly finished bedroom in the basement;
the family car breaks down, and two motorists have to be flagged down to
transport them all back to a garage. There are tragedies as well. One of
the girls develops ovarian cancer, and the oldest son inexplicably
commits suicide.

Bertie, the oldest girl (and often the narrator), is her mother’s
helper and protector, but it is her father who is the centre of her
life. Her mother, the adored only girl in a family of boys, sets the
tone for the family, which—as exasperating as its members are at
times—is warm and loving. Strong characterization is a hallmark of
these charming and readable stories.