A ‘girl’ for all seasons
Neighbours look forward to the lovely ladies of Cobden Road
If they’re not out for each change of season, people come to Janet Plebon’s door and ask where “the girls” are.
For nearly 20 years, Plebon, 69, has been decorating her six “circle of friends” on her front lawn at 1138 Cobden Rd. in the west end. “The costumes usually last about three years, but the Christmas ones get changed more often,” says Plebon. “When the weather is cold, the squirrels chew on them. They take the fabric to make nests.”
Plebon even made a Santa Claus suit to protect what used to be a little tree, which has now grown much bigger. Then she made the tree into an ice cream cone with a burlap bottom.
A semi-retired professional seamstress, she buys all her material at Fabricland and sews the costumes herself.
Her first creations were the ghosts of Halloween, dancing around a witch. Then came Christmas, with “the girls” sporting little red cloaks and white fur scarves, around a lit up Christmas tree in the middle.
Easter’s next, in costumes of different hues of pink, purple and yellow, with little Easter baskets.
In summer she puts the group in a plastic wading pool with the bottom cut out, wearing sunglasses, with little towels as ponchos. “A lot of the stuff like the little towels I get at the Dollar Store.”
One year, a man with an oldfashioned flotilla boat asked if he could borrow “the girls” and take them down the Rideau Canal. They rode on the bow, and granddaughters Sieara and Montana rode on each side in their own costumes.
Lots of spectators come by all year round, and they are usually appreciative.
As for the role of Janet’s husband Basil, she laughs that he stands on the front porch and takes all the compliments.