The Year of Loss continues.........

Today I am feeling somewhat saddened.  My Aunt Fern passed away yesterday following a long bout with cancer.  That stuff is mean and I don't like it.  Actually, I don't like chemo either.  The chemo didn't set well with her and it did some really mean things too.
Aunt Fern was the goofy type of aunt who loved to spend time with us girls and made us giggle.  She liked to disappear when it was time to do the dishes.  (I gotta respect that in her.)  She spoke to me and listened.  She always tried to say something to make me think..or just laugh.
When I think of my husband being her pallbearer...I will grin knowing that Aunt Fern's words of advice to the pall bearers would be "please don't drop me!"  And I know that if it did happen ...she would just laugh and go on with life.  I want to add something silly to her casket.....or give her clown makeup.   I want to give her "Aunt Jemima Pigtails".  She would just laugh and give me her "Lucy" face.  She could make the silliest faces sometimes.

Fern is in the middle.  Doesn't she look pretty?

I remember one Thanksgiving she made this yummy cornbread/corn dish.  I loved it.  I make it yearly in honor of her.  I don't have her recipe...but I know she would like mine.  She loved my sweet potato casserole too.  She also made excellent pancakes.  (thus...the Aunt Jemima hair-do)  I love having specific memories of my Aunts.  I once harbored dreams that my children would love growing up knowing their cousins and have good childhood memories of relatives.  I have failed somewhere along the way.  Is distance a good excuse?  I know I am not alone here.  I believe
that my sister-in-laws have failed too.  This also saddens me very much.


I have specific memories of the Aunt's in my lives......

Aunt Tiny......snapped purple hull peas & made fabulous fried pies.  New Years Eve at her house is the best.
Aunt Oda.....fried chicken & heavenly hash cake.
Aunt Marilyn.....Taco Tuesday and Sunday Night Ice Cream.
Aunt Margie...Chicken Chow Mein casserole  (and she lives in Arizona!)
Aunt Fern.....We just terrorized her and she loved it!  She went to Sonic daily for happy hour.
Aunt Laverne.......Her dinner rolls!!!   She was scary but that was ok. Well, that and my mom hated her.  She watched "Days of our Lives" daily.
Aunt Christene....They fried catfish at their house.
Aunt Beverly...She made pies.

I wish my nephews knew good things about me.  They need to know that I make the best hot chocolate and marshmallows in the nation.   We need to make s'mores together.  They need to try the new-toasted-marshmallow-shake we made this summer.  It is delish!  They need to know that they can come over & make a request for my home-made calzones for dinner.  They need to spend the night and make sonic runs with us.  They need to know their cousins.

Another Day.  Another Year.  Until me meet again......Aunt Fern.

I wish I knew what she was doing here.....