I was sewing the toe of my sock up--very quickly and not right. Mary laughed and remarked that she'd never seen anyone sew a sock up like that and that I'd done a good job on the other darning--I'd had to patch a hole on the other side once before. (I don't believe in throwing socks away just because they get a hole in the toe and actually enjoy darning, although I do it in a bright color so I can see it and then it looks awful cause it's so apparent.) I replied that I was older and not as patient as I used to be, that I was almost forty. Then I said, "No, I'm only 37. I am 37, aren't I? Yes." To which Mary remarked, "Well, I'm 43." Just as plain as you could wish without batting an eye! I asked if she was sure and what year she was born--she knew that, but she didn't know what year it was now. Then I tried asking her about Angela and how old she was. Mary knew that Angie was younger than herself but couldn't tell me how old she was. So I got a mirror and showed her. I asked if that was the face of a 43 year old. "No. Well, maybe 50. I've got a lot of wrinkles." Then I got a piece of paper and showed her that the year was 2004 and subtracted 1911 from it to get 93. She was quite surprised, let me tell you! That was her age?! Well. Then I showed her the mirror again and said, "Now, isn't that the face of a 93-year-old? I'm 37 and I don't have any wrinkles, Mary." As I turned to go, I saw her looking at the piece of paper. I think she was a bit embarrassed. I said, "Next time, I'll just agree with you, ok?" :-)
I am 41 and have a baby without ever having given birth! And it doesn't have four legs, either! I have somehow managed to adopt my 98-year-old Aunt Mary. She thinks she has adopted me, which is ok since she never had any children. I also have a 97-year-old Aunt Anna. My mom, the youngest sister (80), is quite a hoot. Unfortunately, two other siblings died this past year.
About Me
- sweet niece
- I originally studied voice (coloratura lyric--ie, high notes but no agility, love to wallow in legato) but after moving to Germany (ostentatiously to pursue this goal further, although I see now that I really just wanted to learn to speak a foreign language fluently and to live in Europe and eat well), I gave up singing classical music. I sang with a pop/soul group for a few years--it was a lot of fun, but we practiced far more than we ever performed, which was in the end quite deadly and seems to be the story of my performing life. I moved back to the U.S. and taught German for a couple of years--that's when I moved in with Mary. Then I decided to actually study German and get a degree in it (since I had a great deal where, not only would the education be practically free, but I'd also get to work and have an income). I finished my degree and have moved back in full-time with Mary--over the last two years I'd come home every other weekend to take care of her and called her about three times a day to check on her. I guess you could say I'm a bit over-protective :-)
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