A day with the Aunts and other relatives and I said no to 2 cats

16 years ago

I took my nother and her sister, both in their 80's to their aunt's 100 birthday party. This is an Aunt by marriage so I didn't get any of her good genes for long life or her love of music. She was the local school music director, choir, band,and orchrestra in the 1930's thru the 60's. Wrote many articles on music educations, children's songs and books. I was always uncomfortable around her as a child because I am so nonmusical and was the grubby tomboy. She has scholorships established at her alma matter and several other colleges for students going into music education. I had heard all this growing up but never paid much attention and did not realize how much she was repected and honored in the musical education world. She even received a special CD of a birthday greeting from one of the Von Trapp family. I was impressed. I loved that movie as a kid. It was the first movie I saw twice at the theater.

My mother and aunt had a wonderful time seeing relatives they han't seen for years. I meet 3rd cousins and cousins many times removed that I had never met.

My great aunt was charming, gracious, and looks like Maureen O'hara both in her youth and now.

Now about the cats.

Dropped off my Aunt at her home. She currently has I think 6 cats. (I come from a long line of cat people). She has 4 of the sweetest 1/2 grown cats I have ever met. They purr if you look at them. They love to have their tummies rubbed. (I would lose a hand if I tried to pat one of my felines on the stomach). Auntie tells the story of how she got so many cats:

Sammy, the yellow/white tom, brought home his pregnant teenage girlfriend (when telling this to dh and ds they intereupted me at this point to ask if I was still talking about cats). She had 6 kittens. 2 found home with a granddaughter and 4 are still there. Sammy is the best daddy. He plays with his children and washes them. I have never heard of a male doing this.

Auntie told me I had to take 2 and I said no. I think my rambunctious bunch would ruin their sweet disposition. Besides I promised dh no more cats or flower beds. (I didn't promise no new vegetable or shrub beds, I am not that stupid.)

I also said no to a bag of glass peanut butter jars, Honesty seeds, that stuff takes over, and a big box of magazines. I did come home with a small box of books. You never leave my aunt's withought some lovely bit of auction/garagesale/secondhand store/recycleable material.

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Comments (4)

Josh
16 years ago
Tibs, your Aunt sounds like such a special lady. I'm also unmusical, but think teaching music to those who can appreciate it must be one of the most rewarding of jobs. And to look like Maureen OHara...oh my! I loved the cats' story...and I'd have grabbed the magazines and the Money Plant seeds, too. What a nice day...thanks for sharing. josh
Janis_G
16 years ago
Tibs, my favorite people in the world are my aunts.
I always spent as much time as I could with them.

There are only two left now and they both live in Indiana.
Miss Julia is (running) a rehab facility for a few weeks
and aunt Avis at 89 is still living in her own home and
doing great although she did tell me she had to quit
mowing her grass after she wrecked her riding lawn mower.
She still drives her car and when she gets behind the wheel
I know exactly where my driving skills came from.

Your aunt sounds like a real treasure, enjoy her while you
can they are priceless.
grass
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I don't have any aunts by blood or by marriage, but I was lucky enough to have two by love (mum's best friends). One taught me Indian lore, and took my side whenever my bros ganged up on me; the other was a French seamstress who made beautiful clothing for me, although she never quite understood that dresses with lace-trimmed flounces really weren't suitable for a tomboy who thought climbing trees far more entertaining than sitting with Maryjanes demurely crossed while drinking tea and nibbling sweetcakes. Cookies always taste better when sitting on a branch at the top of a tree. It was my grievous loss that both ladies passed on before I was through the teen years.

I love Sammy's story. And it says something wonderful about your Aunt that he felt secure enough to bring his sweetie home to her.

I had a male Manx cat, ChiChi, who occasionally adopted stray kittens (having been fixed, I knew they weren't his). He washed them, played with them, taught them good manners and how to hunt mice, and had astounding patience with their antics. After a couple months, he would take the youngster walkabout, frequently returning alone. I met one of his protegÃ©s a couple years after walkabout, in the home of classmate - nearly five miles from my home. ChiChi himself had appeared literally on our doorstep, and I've often wondered if there was a cattish subculture which fostered homeless kits, and taught them how to live with two-leggedities.
andie_rathbone
16 years ago
I'm living your aunt's story. That's how we got so many outside cats - until you can catch them to get fixed they breed like, well...cats! It's a geometric process.

I would also have said no to the cats, seeds & jars (the last also something that seem to have the ability to perform asexual reproduction in my kitchen cabinets), but, like Josh, I also would have come home with the magazines.

A day with the Aunts and other relatives and I said no to 2 cats

Comments (4)

Josh

Janis_G

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