Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Thoughts of Aunt Deane


Aunt Deane and Her Pet Monkey


Aunt Deane was a big part of my childhood and teen years. She was my mother's aunt, my great-aunt and was born in the late 1890's. She was already old when my brother and I arrived on the planet in the mid and late 50's. She was a grandmotherly type. Actually, she was more like a grandmother than my real grandmother. Dad's mom was still in her glamour phase during those years, looking like a Vogue model and hosting a dizzy aray of dinner parties.

Dad and Mom both worked so Aunt Deane filled in the gaps. She took us school shopping every fall which was quite the process. We were frequent guests at her house and when we were very young, would even sleep in the same bed together, Aunt Deane, brother and me. I remember one night when the Doctor came to the house because my little brother had the croup. They left me in the bed and tended to him in the living room. That's the last time I ever remember a Doctor making a house call.
And oh, those grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup Aunt Deane would make for us! To this day that menu is one of my top 10 comfort foods. She would top it off with a homemade lemon sheet cake lathered in lemon glaze made with fresh lemons. She would poke holes in the cake with a toothpick all over then pour the glaze on thick. That was the moistest lemoniest cake ever.

I miss her when I think about her. She had a very quirky sense of humor that I am sure I would appreciate even more today. She loved her pets and she loved her "kids", me and little brother.

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