Aunt Ora

Aunt Ora is very sick right now. She's 94 years old and has lived a good long life, and may she live to be 100! Nancy, however, says that Aunt Ora is very weak and has lost her will.

Now is a good time to recall some of the many happy times with Aunt Ora:
1) My earliest memory of Aunt Ora is Marianne and me spending several days with her when Mama was recovering from a surgery. We were probably about 2 and 4. I remember Uncle Joe setting up the swing in their backyard for us. From an early age, I felt so good with Aunt Ora.
2) Aunt Ora is also my Godmother; when I was going through Confirmation classes, one day she picked me up after school and took me to a fancy little girls dress shop and we got the prettiest confirmation dress! It was bright coral with black velvet trim and embroidered flowers on the front. I remember being sad when I outgrew that dress!
3) As a child, going to Aunt Ora's house meant two things: ice cream sandwiches and Cokes! She always had plenty of each! (Isn't it funny how when you're a child, life is good if there's plenty of sugar?)
4) During the summers, Aunt Ora would periodically invite Marianne and me over for "ladies days." During one of them, she taught us how to cross stitch. Marianne and I each did a sampler. It was hard! My sampler said "A house is made of brick and stone, but a home is made of love alone." I remember being sick when I realized that I'd somehow lost the sampler.
5) We went through a "Tripoli" spell, where Mama and us children would go over to Aunt Ora's and play Tripoli. I felt so grown up, because it takes poker chips to play the game! We also went through our "Yahtzee" spells with Aunt Ora. Aunt Ora loves games!
6) Aunt Ora helped me pack to go to Panama when I was in high school. She helped me iron my clothes and really sent me off to Panama looking great! Although I didn't have a good experience down there, being away from home was a good life lesson. And, I still remember Aunt Ora helping me pack!
7) Aunt Ora's rose garden was beautiful. I remember her taking such good care of it, and boy did those roses smell good! Sometimes she would bring us a bouquet of roses!

As an adult, there are more happy times, although not living next door to her, I haven't gotten to see Aunt Ora as much.
1) Aunt Ora came to my wedding in Atlanta. In fact, all the sisters came. I was so thrilled!
2) Playing Five Crowns with Aunt Ora has always been fun. In fact, I associate that game with her.
3) AUnt Ora spent the night at our house when John Dean turned 21. I loved having her as my guest. We had fun celebrating at Dante's Down the Hatch.
4) Visiting Aunt Ora for the weekend with Mama, after Mama started getting sick, is special. Aunt Ora and I have had some good conversations those Sunday mornings. Aunt Ora is so wise. I wish I had thought to ask her to write down her story on forgiving a neighbor that she told us one Sunday morning.
5) Earlier this year, we celebrated Aunt Emma's birthday in Albuquerque. Aunt Ora, Charles and I flew out there. (Aunt Ora treated.) We had such fun traveling with her. We just laughed at how traveling with someone who uses a wheelchair in the airports will whisk you to the front of the line. It was so fun!
6) This past summer, Aunt Ora came to Atlanta to see John's new apartment. We got to spend some time with her too, one of the highlights (for me) being our visit to see Mama. It was so special seeing Mama see Aunt Ora come off the elevator and say, "Hi, Sister!"
7) We took Mama home for her birthday and had a marvelous picnic on Aunt Ora's Bear Creek.  The highlight of that weekend for me was listening to Uncle Edgar (youngest sibling) and Aunt Ora (oldest sibling) talk about old times. The picture at the beginning of this blog is of Aunt Ora saying goodbye to Mama as we were leaving.

I could go on!

Comments

[Pamela Jackson-Abel]

Your picture looks very familiar. I just happened to run across what you had posted about your mother, and thought it was beautiful. How is your mother? My mother and father both died recently, and it's been extremely difficult to adjust to all the changes that their deaths have brought into my life. I miss them so much.

You wouldn't happen to be from Greensburg, would you?

Pamela

[Frances]

I’m from Tennessee and now am in Atlanta; Since you're from Greensburg, Pamela, I’m pretty sure we haven’t met, but your story touched me.

I’m so sorry to hear about your parents both dying recently. That’s got to be tough. My father died 15 years ago, and we’ve had Mama since then. She’s had Alzheimers’ for the last three years and just keeps getting a little more disconnected, but still very sweet. We’re lucky in so many ways, because you hear awful stories about how some Alzheimers’ patients get mean and cranky and even violent. Our sweet mother is none of the above.

Did your mom and dad die at the same time? Was it sudden? I’m not sure which is worse: sudden death or death drawn out.

Anyway, you’re in my prayers because the death of a loved one is one of life’s big jolts. I know it’s all in God’s wonderful plan, and I know we’ll all be together with our loved ones one day, but that doesn’t make the grieving process any better! The plain ol’ fact is that we miss them!

Take care, and thank you for reading my blog!

-Frances