Here workin like a runaway slave but I have to pause to laugh at so much of the conversation I had with Ted Sunday about Aunt Val. It is just weird the similarities and quirks that she and I shared and that I have now.

She and I together was like the most natural fit you ever saw on the rare occasions we got to spend time together. I LOVED her clothes, shoes & bags and would spend hours trying on her stuff and admiring stuff I couldn’t possibly afford at the time.  Then she’d give me some stuff to keep and I’d be soooo happy; matter of fact I think I’ve still got some stuff.
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*****Then when it came to fine cuisine, the woman was second to none! She and I thought nothing of getting in the car and going to West Side market (the other side of Cleveland ) for a foray of delectable treats. Man, I though that was the greatest!

What was really special was her OWN cooking. I  remember her shaking up some stuff in the wok to serve for dinner at that beautiful  glass dining table and how much me & Mika (3 years old at the time) enjoyed the food.

When she flew down and spent the week with us, my in-laws & friends came and visited and boy did she entertain! First of all her diction

was impeccable and nearly all Southerners are enthralled by that. But with her she used to do what I call “biting” the words, she fully enunciated the  entire word until you never missed a vowel or consonant

Each day she would descend from the  staircase in some wonderful outfit she let me pick from her vast wardrobe, we’d have dinner and entertain whomever was  scheduled to come over for a visit. Now you have to remember that this is the 1st  time ANY of my in-laws or friends have EVER seen ANYBODY from my Mom’s side of the family! And I mean to tell you the  queen held court; nobody was a  stranger and whenever should would do a certain thing or tell about things she liked and did, they would say OOOOOOOOOOOH, you sound just lik Val (me)!

Thanks to both you & Ted for being generous to share what you have with me, you can’t imagine what it means to me & my family. Hope to see you guys in the “real” spring.

P.S. Please forward to Ted because I don’t think I have his email address.

-Val