My Aunt came back, from the New York Fair...

The next line is , "and she brought back a rocking chair".... My Aunt Emily. My father's sister. I just love this picture... MY sister looked like this as a child, but never looked a bit like my aunt as an adult. This is a good thing. I got my aunt's 'built' as they used to call it. This is a bad thing...

The title of this blog is misleading... it was the only song I could find with Aunt in it (other than go tell Aunt Rhoddy (grin)). This is such a great picture. My Aunt was born in 190.... 0.... WAIT A DANGED MINUTE! Ok.. here's what I believe (and know) to be true. My father was born in 1912. In February. My grandparents were married in 1905.. and my aunt, to the best of my knowledge, was 8 YEARS OLDER THAN MY FATHER... whoooaaa... OK.. I'm going to have to check that out. She must have been born in 1905? I'll get back to you on that. hmmm...

Well, until I figure that part out, here's the story I had to tell. My aunt, from all pictures and stories, was a 'darling' child. She loved to dress up until she died, and often told people that she looked like Lucille Ball... the only resemblance I ever saw was that she died her hair red (grin). She was AROUND 10 when my father took ill with his back (broken or TB or whatever). At that time, a really critical time in her life, and for the next 6 years, he was the center of attention. Period. Her life must have changed dramatically. I do know that she married poorly, and had two children. One seemed to fare well, but her daughter was problematic (she said, being nice about it). I don't suppose she had much of a chance. I always felt a little guilty that my Father got all the attention; I was glad that so much was done to make him as well as he could be.

She moved in with my grandparents and took care of them (and my father took care of all of them), and then continued to live under his support until she died in 1976. She was probably an alcoholic... my first real experience with one. I remember her, older, as a sad, morose, frequently drunk woman, which is terribly unfair for us all... She had a great smile in better times, but a sad sad life after all...

And so I love this picture of her... serene in her power and beauty, before it all fell apart....

me