Wistful Wednesday: Auntie Esther

We think that this car was a 1940 Willys Deluxe Coupe.1939 Ford Deluxe  The photo was either taken in North Dakota (my guess) or California (Far Guy’s guess) As for what year the photo was taken…sometime between 1944 and 1946.

Uncle Jimmy married Auntie Esther in 1943, they were Far Guys Uncle and Aunt.

I love the legs, when I first saw this old photo I thought “Way to go Auntie Esther!”  What a beauty she was!

Update from Cousin Bonnie:

What a surprise to see that picture!  It was taken in 44 at Camp Roberts Calf, Dad hitchhiked to San Francisco to buy it.  It is a 39 Ford, they drove it back to Mn after the war
Thanks for the memories
Bonnie

Wistful Wednesday: Christmas 1955

This photo was amongst the photos that Cousin Bonnie gave to Far Guy.  I have seen it before.

All of these sister in laws are gone..  Cancer..Alzheimer's..and old age claimed them all. 

Married to brothers..together for Christmas at the farm.

Far Guys Mom Evelyn is on the left, it would have been her 97th birthday yesterday.  In this photo she was 41 and the oldest. She wasn’t a very social person, everything was prim and proper..nothing was ever done on the spur of the moment.

Auntie Esther is next, she died last December.  She always called Far Guy and I “you kids.”  She was spontaneous..and during the summer at the lake she would almost always be found in her swimsuit.  She enjoyed the outdoors and embraced every activity from hunting to snowmobiling to fishing and of course golfing.

Jean..I won’t call her Aunt Jean..she was divorced from her husband a few years after this photo was taken. Far Guy said she was beautiful and had a mind of her own.  I never met her, she died of cancer.

Aunt Beryl, I have known her ever since I can remember. She had an infectious laugh.  My Mother was one of her best friends. I remember when her new house was built and the white crushed velvet furniture appeared in her living room..I wondered if anyone ever dared to sit on it…us kids always went to the basement!   She had Alzheimer's a number of years..she was gone..but her body wasn’t done living yet..Alzheimer's is a terrible affliction. 

I wonder sometimes how these women all got along.  I am certain there were some under currents..perhaps even some teeth gnashing.  They must have all gotten along for the sake of their husbands. I think it would have been interesting to have been a mouse in the corner sometimes:)

The Bell

The Bell has a sign.  Thanks to cousins Bonnie and Wayne and Jay and Janette.  It was a project that their Mother talked about before her death.  A project that she  wanted to see completed.. and now it is.

We went to see it one day this week.   Of course Chance went along.

It was raining just a little.  I have written about this bell before.

Wistful Wednesday: The Bell

I wonder if there are any schools left that ring bells like this one:)

Milestones December 11, 2010

Last year on December 11th 2009 I wrote a blog post about Milestones.  The birth of a child, a 90th birthday, and some anniversary milestones that were personal to Far Guy and I.
This year was kinda the same old, same old..the baby would be one, Auntie Esther would be 91. I put a birthday card in the mail to her on Wednesday..

Auntie Esther on her 90th birthday December 10, 2009

While were were gone to Jens we heard the news that Auntie Esther had died.  We were in to visit with her on Tuesday afternoon, she was cheerful and was glad to see us.  She was my oldest blog reader..she told me “They get me up in the wheelchair and I get over there to the computer and read your blog.”  She knew she was dying, she was looking forward to going to heaven to see her Lord and Savior and to see her Jim again…she shared that with us over the past few weeks.  It was her decision not to go back to the hospital anymore and she told us that she was getting very tired.  Thursday morning she died, one day before her 91st birthday.  She will celebrate in Heaven this year.
These are some of the people who were very happy to see her.

(Far Guys Parents on the left and Auntie Esther and Uncle Jim on the right)

I can hear Uncle Jimmy’s big old booming voice saying “What took you so damn long?” :)

Milestones

"Last week the candle factory burned down. Everyone just stood around and sang Happy Birthday.”... Stephen Wright 

It has been a bit of a milestone type of week for several people that are special to us.

First of all a small child was born in New York City..a much awaited first Grandchild to one of my best friends. I told the new Grandma to think positive..Sadie Magnolia  doesn't sound real New Yorkie to me ..so I am sure that she will become a Minnesota gal!!   My friend will be 60..and she is just now a Grandma for the first time ..I was a Grandma when I was 45.  So she has some serious Grand mothering to do! Since she only birthed male children..this little girl is a very special person that is entering her life. Will Sadie ever know how much she is loved?  When she is older..when I meet her I will have to tell her..that her Grandma was pee your pants excited for months before her birth..she ought to remember that!!

Far Guys Auntie Esther was ninety yesterday..we went to town for a gathering of friends and family for cake and coffee. It was a great turn out, after all the golf course is shut down for the winter! Ninety years..not everyone makes it to that milestone! She reads my blog everyday..she is probably my oldest reader! Yes, she is a computer savvy ninety year old! Don't that beat all! Many people her age wouldn't even try to navigate around the Internet.. way to go Auntie Esther!

Milestones reached..what are you reaching for?    I am reaching for several things..several dates..December 20, December 25, and December 28 ..all milestones for me/us.   December 20 will mark forty years of wedded bliss, December 25 marks a two year Trigeminal Neuralgia diagnosis for Far Guy,  that was a gift that kept on giving.. (not all milestones are pleasant) ..and December 28..two years of blogging for me:)