This is my Aunt Evelyn. She was my daddy's baby sister and because he called her "Sissy" ... we called her "Sissy". I loved her dearly.
My dad's mother died when he was a young teenager ... and Sissy was just a child. They had an even younger brother ... and the three of them were left with a father who didn't do well on his own. Thank goodness there were older siblings who, although married with families of their own, jumped in and helped.
Sissy was spoiled. Sissy had red hair. It was almost unmanageable naturally curly! Sissy had a temper! Sounds just like somebody I know!
I think about her a lot this time of year. As we celebrate our Scottish and Irish heritage on St. Patrick's Day ... I am reminded of my very Celtic aunt! I am probably more like my Aunt Evelyn than any other woman in my family. Her home was my refuge and much of what I learned about mothering ... I learned from her. She liked pretty things ... she spent too much money ... she was horribly spoiled by her husband and her siblings continued to spoil her long after she reached adulthood! She was a hoarder before we knew what that meant! Everything she ever collected ... she kept! I have just described myself.
I decided today ... that I needed a dose of nostalgia, so I have PINKED a tribute to Sissy! I made blueberry scones, had hot tea and a couple little tiny cordial glasses of strawberry Irish Creme. (She probably had a collection of cordial glasses, but she would never have consumed the alcohol!) At Sissy's house ... we had tea parties in the neighbor's rose garden, that later became her own when she bought the 'big house' next door after the neighbors died. At Sissy's house, we baked hundreds of cut-out Christmas cookies and formed an assembly line to decorate them. At Sissy's house ... we drank iced cold Coca Colas on hot summer days. At Sissy's house we drenched ourselves in her perfume ... devoured her magazines ... and felt safe and comfortable ... always.
Here's a picture of Sissy with her grandson ... holding my new baby, Nicole. That was 40 years ago, but I can still hear her urging her grandson to get in the picture, so he wouldn't be jealous of his "Nana's" great-niece!
I learned all my bad habits ... from Sissy! She launched my collecting vice by giving me a stack of pink Depression Glass saucers. She taught me how to spend money on shopping sprees and worry about my grocery list later! She taught me to stick my tongue out when I didn't want to do something ... and only do what I considered fun and exciting. She taught me to wear whatever I wanted just like she did, even if pink didn't go with red hair! Adulthood brought on the responsibilities and realities in my life ... that Sissy ignored in her own!
When she died, my mother said, "When Sissy was bad ... she was really bad; but when Sissy was good ... she was really, really, good."
In the following collage, Sissy is with her father, who is holding her new baby girl. She appears to be walking out of the frame, leaving my older sister standing!
In the lower right of the collage, she is with her younger brother ... who is holding a prized Beagle! Everything our Bachelor Uncle had was prized ... including a fighting cock that Sissy and my mother cooked with dumplings one time! A battle ensued in the back yard and I'm surprised the women lived through it! I'm also sure the dumplings were good ... even though the rooster was probably too tough to eat!
I'll be sharing my post ... first with Pink Saturday ...
then with some of the following.
Creatively Living for Monday Funday Party
The Dedicated House for Make It Pretty Monday
Dwellings-Heart of Your Home for Amaze Me Monday
The DIY Dreamer for From Dream To Reality Tues
Our Home Away From Home for Tuesdays @ Our Home
