Thursday, March 24, 2011

Happy Birthday, Aunt Lois

Today is the birthday of my Aunt Lois--my father's aunt, actually; my great-aunt. Were she still with us, she would be ninety-three today.

Aunt Lois was one of the people who regularly babysat me when I was young and my mother needed to go to work or run errands or attend to other obligations. In the early seventies, Aunt Lois's house was one of my favorite places, and she one of my favorite people; she would let me look at the toys in her Sears catalogs, and help me plant acorns in her yard, and make milkshakes for me--real milkshakes, made with a true shaker, not a blender.

I don't know who took this picture, or when exactly it was taken; I assume from Uncle Arthur's uniform that it was sometime during World War II. I love the look of confidence on Aunt Lois's face, and the look of adoration on Uncle Arthur's. I also like to think the young woman in the background is watching with a certain amount of admiration, perhaps even envy of the young couple.


There were a good many people involved in my upbringing, and they all had a hand in shaping who I am today. I know that because of Aunt Lois's contribution, I'm a better person than I would have otherwise been. I am grateful for that.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Monday Photos

Here are a couple of pictures I took of the girls this afternoon:


(Elyse was really proud to be sitting in the big chair all by herself.)