More about Aunt Naomi

She was never Miss Iowa. I don't think it would occur to her to enter a beauty pageant. She was, however, beautiful in every sense of the word.

After she arrived we spent lots of time talking. Of course! And then she settled in to sew and be helpful in every way she could be. When she discovered that one of my friend's sister was also a victim of rheumatoid arthritis and was in a sanatorium nearby she insisted we go to visit her. I think she was curious as to how it was to have rheumatoid arthritis in Brazil.

The visit was complicated by their speaking two different languages, but I translated as much as I could. Her name was Lucy and she tried to support herself by painting goose eggs, one of which is shown in the picture above. Aunt Naomi had great empathy for her.

Each time I see that goose egg, it reminds me of our friendship and our trip to see Lucy.

I am very sentimental, and love collecting things that remind me of events. The wooden cup that the egg sits on was made by my uncle Carl. He was a master of both wood working and painting walls to imitate wallpaper.

take care!

FINALLY

I am thinking about friends of the past. My best friend over the years was "Aunt Naomi". She was really my sister-in-law, but because we named our daughter Naomi after her, she became aunt naomi to make it clear.

When our family was in Brazil living in Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande do Sul, we got a letter from her in November saying she was planning to fly to see us and would probably be arriving on January 16. As we didn't have a phone and it took forever for communication to arrive, January came and we had received no further confirmation of her plans, so on the 16th we all got in the car and drove the 45 miles to the airport. We decided we would meet any plane that she could conceivably be arriving on, and spend the rest of the time just goofing around.

Sure enough.. there she was! What a wonderful reunion. She had brought a trunk of goodies for us, but it was nowhere to be found. They informed us they would let us know when it arrived.

So we trotted back home. What a great thing for her to come so far! She suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, so abhored drafts of any kind. Somewhere I have a picture of her sewing, with the zipper at the back of her dress open, the skirt hiked up, and a big square fan blowing on her from about four feet away. 106 degrees will do that to ya.

Quite a long time went past and we were notified that the trunk had arrived so we went to procure it. By some miracle everything was intact. Oh happy day!

More on the next post. Take care.

wahoo

Spent the last few days wallowing in great tennis. The final men's match must go down as one of the greatest ever played. Federer finally pulled it out, but Roddick mounted a monumental attack on the great one!

Had great news about Elaine. She's back home, going to her granddaughter's wedding, and keeping on trucking.

Have my readers gone away? One person commented on my last blog! She did comment twice, but still. I am going to start a new series of memories of the past. So stay alert.

My ears are adjusted and are working Great. Hats off to the earguy!!!!

Take care.