“We are a noisy and blessed little family”
Today is the perfect fall day, sunny with crispness in the air. It is 57˚but without any wind it seems warmer. I have no front lawn just a bed of mostly pine needles and some yellow leaves. Even the front steps have disappeared. Many of the oak leaves are hanging on but have turned brown. The sun slants a different way so the shadows have changed position. Fall is ending and moving slowly toward winter.
When I look in the mirror, I see a face with wrinkles, laugh lines my aunt used to call them. I see my hair far more grey than brown, but I like it that way. If I’m not wearing my glasses, I see a blur. I am getting older.
I keep thinking about the old aunts for that’s what we called them. They were my mother’s aunts. I’d see them at some family parties and most times had to identify myself as Margaret’s oldest. Nobody called my mother Margaret except for them and my father’s mother. To everyone else she was always Chickie. One old aunt played the piano and everyone would stand around and sing. That’s how I learned the words to so many songs. My family wasn’t shy about singing. I can still see them standing at the piano each with a glass in one hand and a cigarette in the other. My grandmother would sit in the comfiest chair and watch. She wasn’t a singer. My grandfather with drink in hand would be chatting with one person or another. My grandmother always kept an eye on him.
My mother’s family loved to party. Everyone lived close to one another so they all showed up for the festivities. I always felt lucky to be so close to my aunts and uncles, especially the old aunts.
Explore posts in the same categories: MusingsTags: grey hair, old aunts, perfect fall day, piano
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November 4, 2014 at 11:48 am
Today is election day in the US and thank goodness the negative TV ads will be gone. I can’t remember a midterm election with so many ads against a President who isn’t on the ballet. Here in Texas ads have been alluding to the ISIS terrorists and drug gangs coming across the Rio Grande if we don’t elect the guy in the wheel chair as governor. I’m amazed how many folks are swayed by those type of scare tactics. “I had better run out and buy myself a big machine gun to shoot those ‘A-rabs’ who will be a cumin up my street be-headin’ all of us good Christians”. 🙂
Rainy and windy today with cool temperatures.
November 4, 2014 at 12:01 pm
Bob,
I’m glad all the campaigning, negative or otherwise, stops today. I was tired of the rhetoric. People are always swayed by scare tactics-that’s the sadness of it all.
Give what the President has accomplished especially with the economy his being the target is unfair. I saw one article where he was blamed for the aftermath of 9-11.
Enjoy your cool day!
November 4, 2014 at 12:48 pm
Go Wendy!!!! I’ve already had abbott all I can take of that guy in the wheelchair.
November 4, 2014 at 12:58 pm
Unfortunately, I think we are going to have to put up with him and that tea party nut case, Dan Patrick. Texas is a weak Governor State and the Lieutenant Governor really has the power in the legislature.
November 4, 2014 at 3:27 pm
Bob and im6,
I don’t know anything about Texas politics, but I did go to find out more.
I think Bob is right from everything I’ve read. I’m sorry for both of you!
November 4, 2014 at 4:45 pm
I would say referring to a candidate for governor of the great state of Texas as the “the guy in the wheelchair” is on the condescending side of things. His name is Gregg Abbott.
November 4, 2014 at 6:38 pm
Spaceman,
I didn’t find that out, that Mr. Abbott used a wheelchair. The article I read only discussed the candidates by name.
November 4, 2014 at 7:18 pm
Unfortunately, Abbott was disabled in an accident and was awarded $10 million before he defended tort reform limiting other accident victims from receiving large settlements in Texas. He has worked diligently to limit funding and services for the disabled during his entire legal career. Just another in a long line of bag men for big business and the oil industry. As Attorney General he defended the largest cuts in Education made by the last session of the legislature and defended businesses against victims of medical malpractice. He always sided with the rich and powerful against the weak and the poor.
November 4, 2014 at 7:20 pm
Bob,
That comment needs no response!!!
November 4, 2014 at 7:49 pm
I apologize if I offended Spaceman by referring to Abbott (I refuse to say Mister) as “the guy in the wheelchair.” I only did so because that’s how he was referred to earlier. I don’t wish such physical ill on anyone, nor do I think any less of anyone who may have physical limitations. Often those who have challenges like that (which I can’t imagine dealing with) put us able-bodied folks to shame with the way they overcome obstacles and exceed expectations (our servicemen and women are a good example of that). That said, flyboybob hit the nail on the head with his synopsis of why I have such disdain for the Republican candidate. He is definitely from the dark side and would be in or out of a chair.
Since Spaceman is part of the KTCC Family, I guess, like all families, I need to learn not to discuss religion or politics at the virtual dinner table!
November 4, 2014 at 7:56 pm
im6,
I remember a political argument at a restaurant in London. After I gave my opinion, my father called me a pinko communist school teacher poisoning the minds of young Americans. I corrected him and said I was a pinko communist administrator poisoning the minds of young Americans. He got up from the table and was gone a while. Yup, family, food and politics don’t mix.
November 4, 2014 at 8:04 pm
Kat, that’s one of the best comeback lines I’ve ever heard!
November 4, 2014 at 8:09 pm
Thanks, im6
When he returned, it was as if nothing had been said. We just chatted. That was the last time we ever had a political discussion.
November 5, 2014 at 9:28 am
One of my best friends is a trial lawyer in Houston and that’s pretty much what he says about Abbott as well. But I highly suspect there are great many people in Texas who do not agree with his assessment. At a minimum, 60% of the voters in Texas.
November 4, 2014 at 1:17 pm
I barely remember my old aunts but that’s mostly because we lived far from them. I do remember my mothers cousin who we all called aunt. She was a wonderful woman that always gave us things. We all thought she must be rich untikl the day they found out she was an embezzler 🙂 🙂 🙂 I have only fond memories of her 🙂
I’m following Your elections too and it is very scary that the republicans might get the majority in both places! I have nothing against a republican just because he/ she is republican but I do fear the Tea party nuts! Is there any sensible republican left?
Have a great day and lets hope the dark side of the force won’t sin.
Christer.
November 4, 2014 at 1:19 pm
Well, I guess they will sin but i sure hope they don’t win 🙂
November 4, 2014 at 3:30 pm
Christer,
We all lived only a half hour or so away from each other so we often had parties. I had to laugh at the rich cousin who was an embezzler. At least she was generous with her ill gotten gains.
I’m a bit afraid for the governor’s race here. It will be close. In NH I don’t want to see Scott Brown elected senator. If the houses are both republican, nothing will get down that serves the people.
Begone dark side!
November 4, 2014 at 6:42 pm
Spaceman,
New Hampshire used to be hard-rock Republican. Massachusetts was purely Democratic except for an occasional governor. Weld comes to mind. I voted for him.
I was thinking Republican, not Tea Party as the dark side.
November 4, 2014 at 4:53 pm
King George was afraid of the minutemen too. I know several people who could be called Tea Parties. Hardly scary and hardly from the dark side. All hard working citizens and compassionate people who are concerned for the nation and state. I’m thinking New Englanders have gone soft
November 4, 2014 at 10:38 pm
Well, the county where I live votes pretty much Republican. The county where I work is consistently Democrat. Both counties are well run and among the people I know and work with, they are pretty much all decent and kind people.
November 4, 2014 at 10:47 pm
Spaceman,
The Cape has been a traditional Republican stronghold but as the Cape population has grown so have the number of Democrats. I am a registered independent, but vote democratic more often than republican.
November 5, 2014 at 9:00 am
My political views are conservative/libertarian. Small government, low taxes, right-to-work, business friendly in the sense that local/state government doesn’t make it unduly hard to start or run a business. Business creates jobs, jobs generate income for people and the well-being of the community (and tax revenue) . When government gets to certain size, it becomes interested in promulgating itself and straying from the underlying purpose of promoting the general welfare of the people.
November 5, 2014 at 11:03 am
Spaceman,
I agree with much of what you wrote though I would never call myself a conservative.
November 5, 2014 at 11:58 am
Katry, my dear, hate to break it to ya, but consider also that this description can easily be characterized as Tea Party central tenets.
November 5, 2014 at 12:55 pm
I just can’t do Tea Party-I think they are the tenets or the hopes of most political parties
November 5, 2014 at 9:40 pm
Spaceman’s comment is how it works in a banana republic. The rich get rich and the poor get more kids. It’s affectionately known as trickle down economics.
Businessman will offshore work to maximize profits and without worker representation employees become exploited.
A good example is the recent Ebola incident in Dallas. The reason that the ER nurse missed the fact that the first victim had traveled from West Africa was not just a mistake, it was caused in part by Texas not expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Poor people in Texas use ERs as primary care facilities for treatment of everything. The ER staff is so overwhelmed on any given day in any Texas hospital that they are more likely to make mistakes. Texas gave up billions in aid under the Affordable Care Act just to snub the President.
November 5, 2014 at 9:52 pm
Bob,
Texas wasn’t alone in refusing money from Affordable Care. Massachusetts used to have the same problem of ER’s being doctor’s offices for the uninsured then it passed a law (under Romney as governor) that everyone had to be insured and provided state aid for those who couldn’t afford private insurance. 94% of the people are insured.
One of the referendum items here had to do with sick leave and it passed.
November 4, 2014 at 2:26 pm
Hi Kat,
I remember my mother’s aunts. I’m the only one, though, as my brothers were too small. They were the Great Aunts. One of them used to call us her “little Studebakers”. I have no idea why. She was tall and thin and I can still see her smiling down at us and calling us that. She didn’t pinch cheeks, though, thank god. The other Great Aunt taught me the knit stitch when I was 7 or so. She showed me how to change colors when knitting, too. She was a lot shorter and not so imposing as the other Great Aunt.
My father’s family were great partiers. That side of the family still is. Weddings and Mercy Meals are always full of laughter. Probably sounds irreverent but that’s how we are. 🙂
The morning was very productive. I walked the dogs, fed the dogs, loaded them into the jeep and went to the bank, the polling place, another walk in the woods with the dogs and then to the local breakfast place for my breakfast. All this before 9AM. I astonished myself. I did dishes, too. Then I blew off the rest of the day.
Enjoy the day.
November 4, 2014 at 3:36 pm
Hi Caryn,
They were still alive when I was in my senior year in college. They came to the house to see my parents who were gone for the weekend. Aunty Clara want to know who was taking care of us. I said I was (at 21). She was horrified we had been left alone.
My father’s family was not among my favorites except for his younger sister, my Aunt Mary. She was my favorite relative and was always at the parties my mother’s family threw.
I am amazed at your productivity. I didn’t even know people got up before 9. I have the worst back problems waking me up at night with the pain. I am going t start PT to see if that will help. I was there for aa couple of hours today,voted then took myself out to lunch.
Have a great evening!
November 4, 2014 at 3:45 pm
I have always been an early riser but a late getting going-er. I wake up at 4AM but I don’t really like to do anything before 9. However, Piki Dog requires walking first thing so I am recently reformed.
Hope the PT helps your back.
November 4, 2014 at 6:43 pm
Caryn,
The PT guy says I walk weirdly and bent over to compensate for the pain. He wants to help me be straighter when I walk.
4 AM-yikes!!
November 5, 2014 at 5:39 am
As of this hour (5:20) Martha is losing and yet to concede. our Jeanne Shaheen squeaked out over that carpetbagger Brown. Now his plans are to do a lot of skiing and play guitar. I guess he doesn’t need to work.
I for one will be glad not to have to run for the mute button now. Unfortunately, January will see an influx of 2016 Presidential wannabes in NH for the first-in-the-nation primary. It never stops. makes me want to stick my head in the oven ((and it’s electric!).
November 5, 2014 at 11:04 am
Bil,
I was thrilled that Jeanne beat Brown the carpetbagger. Rumor has it he is scouting out land in Maine where his family has a long history (okay, I made up that last part).
I am sorry about Martha Coakley. She was excellent at her job and should have won. I am not a fan of Baker’s.