Back Home

As many of you know from the comments I’ve left in your diaries, I’m back from Florida. It was a pretty uneventful couple of days but very meaningful for me. My wonderful and lovely aunt was there and we had a great time with my mom. We went to the retirement village mardi gras then my aunt and I stayed up very late on Tuesday night just chatting and laughing. It was so terrific. She is such a terrific lady and so easy to look up to. She is so classy… I’m trying to think of better adjectives here. She is a true lady. She dresses beautifully with just the right accessories,not flashy or overdone or anything, but with a practised flair. And she is so genuinely interested in other people and knows just what to say to make them feel good about themselves and to open up. But she never seems to be phoney or just acting this way to be liked. She is just so admirable. Although she’s 81, she is very youthful. I just love her so much. Anyway, we had a great time.

My mom is a little wilder that my aunt (at least she always was). My aunt had always been a bit more prim and more “perfect” at things. She played (sometimes still plays)piano with her state symphany orchestra whereas my mom played piano more casually and my other aunt (who is now dead) played in formal high class piano bars. My aunt has always been petite (as you know, over-weight has always been a nutso point in my dysfunctional family) whereas my mom has always been more heavy. My aunt always got good grades and did things pretty perfectly, her house was beautifully decorated, food was gourmet, etc. etc. My mom’s house was fine and we had well-balanced meals every night, just not with the flair that my aunt afforded everything she took on. Consequently I sensed some jealousy on my mom’s part while I was growing up.

Now, however, there seems to be no envy whatsoever, and there’s no reason either should be jealous of the other. My aunt struggles with a skitzophrenic son and my mother has her Parkinson’s disease. Each has their cross to bear. Now they just seem to adore each other and it’s loads of fun to be around them.

Needless to say, it meant a lot to me to spend the couple of days I could with them and I’ll be seeing a lot more of my aunt now as she only lives one state away.

Well, I’m tired as all get out now. Had cottage Bible study tonight and it, too, was great! Sweet dreams everybody 🙂