Two Great Aunts
Most people are lucky they have one Great Aunt. I was fortunate enough to have two-literally and figuratively. My Grandfathers’ sister Dorothy and my Grandmothers’ sister Mary. Two people who loved their siblings children and grandchildren with all their hearts. No two people could have been more different and so much alike.
Aunt Mary was my Godmother so I’m going to start with her. Although I know I’m not actually named after her, I would like to think that I’m as good a Godmother and Aunt and that I would make her proud.
When I was little I was in and out of hospitals and doctors offices all the time. Well maybe not all the time, but a lot. From what I have been told my Dad lived with Aunt Mary sometimes when I was little. I remember it was Christmas time. Aunt Mary had a Christmas tree and I remember having patches over my eye. The doctor took the patch off my eye and I went to Aunt Mary’s and I’ve never been sure if this really happened but I could see the lights on the tree. When your little and you can’t see well your brain plays tricks on you. Well I told everybody I could see the tree. I don’t think anybody actually believed me, except Aunt Mary.
Kiddie Cocktails at the Palmer House. Every child should get all dressed up, go with their favorite Aunt to a fancy restaurant and have a kiddie cocktail. Aunt Mary used to take Mo, Annie and I to the Palmer House every once in a while. We would get all dressed up and go downtown. One time she took us to a hotel downtown and then out to dinner. I loved downtown it was my favorite place. To this day when I go downtown I get the same feeling of wonder and excitement as I did back then.
Aunt Dorothy was a school teacher and when we would go over to her house she would have us take tests all the time. I loved it. I would love when after she graded the test she would tell me how smart I was. She loved ice cream. She let us have ice cream before bed every time we stayed over night at her house. Chocolate and vanilla mixed together loved, loved, loved it.
When I was little she had a birthday party for me. I don’t remember which one, but when your birthday is stuck in the middle of Christmas and New Years you don’t get many parties, and don’t get me started on the Merry Christmas/Happy Birthday gifts. What ever the reason was Aunt Dorothy was kind enough to realize I might have gotten gypped in the birthday party department and gave a birthday bash for me. I was thrilled to death.
Who could forget Christmas at a restaurant?? She made sure each of us had a special day. My cousins and I not too long ago were talking about a picture from one of those Christmas past. Carrie had a picture. I was around 18 and Marney was one or two tops. We were all talking about piano’s in bathrooms and how lovely we looked in outfits our parents had us wear. Aunt Dorothy gave us those memories.
Aunt Mary and Aunt Dorothy’s personalities were very different. Aunt Dorothy was more prim and proper and Aunt Mary was more outgoing and gregarious. But they had a number of things in common. They loved all of us unconditionally and they were devout Catholics. I don’t think either one of them missed a mass. They both lived with their parents as it was expected back in the day and took care of them when they got older.
I miss them both.
Great faith, Great love, Great Aunts.
