Call Me Auntie Ann!!

When I was little,

My Aunt Anna was visiting from New York City.

That was pretty impressive to a little midwest girl.

New York City is worlds away from

the small-town, conservative, church-going

community I was raised in.

It was a little intimidating to meet her,

She spoke rather loudly and said what was on her mind.

(I remember her telling my mom, "you've gotten heavy!")

Whenever I spoke to her, she sharply reminded me:
"Call me Auntie Ann!"

(Auntie was pronounced "anty" - this was surely a "New York thing, we

always said it more like "ont" here!)

I was pretty sure she had a fairly glamorous life,

coming from New York and all...

She sewed costumes for dancers,

Her daughters were in "show business."

But she didn't look glamorous,

Her hair was rather wiry and untamed,

She didn't wear fancy clothes.

I guess she was pretty extraordinary

in an ordinary kind of way.

And oh, the fun she had with her siblings!

Anna, Rachel, Joseph, George, Ben & Ralph

spent hours reminiscing and laughing--

laughing so hard they could hardly compose themselves

long enough to get a good photograph of them.

Although she lived at least another 30 years

after that visit,

Anna never returned to Minnesota for a visit.

If I could visit her now, she would not need to

remind me to call her

"Aunty Ann."

And I would even pronounce it "Anty" - just for her.

There are so many things that I would like to

have asked her about--

My grandparents and their life in Minneapolis

Her life in Chicago and New York City;

And I'm sure we would probably have some good laughs, too.

Reminiscing with Auntie Ann would have been fun!

Funny, Funny Family!!

Even the photographer couldn't keep it together long enough to get a decent picture!

Back row Marie (cut-off), Joe, George, Esther (doubled over with laughter),

Ralph (he probably started it all), Mabel.

Front - Anna, Ben, Rachel (who was also laughing so hard she couldn't sit up straight)