Aunt Margaret died yesterday. She was 86 (I think) and she was a force of nature. She was Canadian and Italian and knew what she wanted in life. In her day she left Canada and moved to San Francisco and found a job. Seems pretty normal now but then it was quit revolutionary. She met Uncle Bill and then she became a wife and a mother. I only knew her as that but she managed her household with the same determination and care as she had her early life.
So what do I remember. I remember her boiling canned corn for 20 minutes. (She was Canadian and they can't cook.) I remember my mom asking what she was doing and Margaret thinking that was the recipe. I remember her giving me a great appreciation for tea and good china. I remember that if you needed a recommendation on buying a microwave she was the one to call. She had done the research. I remember her kindness, and attention to what was important. I remember how entirely thrilled she was that her son met Pope John Paul. I remember her meeting me at the Seattle airport for dinner when I was a 19 and flying to England.
I just hope she remembered some kindness from me.
Mom and I were talking yesterday and she told me Margaret had battled ovarian cancer since 1996 when Grandma Foster died. I was shocked. She was an inspiration.
We will gather at some point and we will tell the stories and we will laugh and we will cry and we will remember.
Twenty Years, Two Hundred and Forty Months, Seven Thousand Days, and Three Hundred Days. Since we started chasing Leukemia.
2 comments:
Sally and Mary Elizabeth. Very nice and thoughtful comments on Mother and thank you for posting this. I am sure she is looking kindly down to all of us. My mother always appreciated recieving pictures of the relatives. There are five pictures on the side the refrigerator of Mary Elizabeth along with assorted pictures of the other grandchildren, nieces and nephews. These pictues span many years which is always so helpful to see the children as they grow. I know the pictures we received just yesterday of Mary Elizabeth in her Senior Year will also be placed here. I know she is so happy you are graduating and moving on. Wishing you both the best. Regards Ed (junior)
Nice post, Sally.
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