Today I celebrated two birthdays. Two of my favorite people in the whole world. The first was my Aunt Callie ... she turned 93 today. She is not my aunt biologically, she is Joe's aunt. I have dinner with Callie most Tuesday nights. I have since Joe and I ended back in March. Her granddaughter (my friend Katie) was already having dinner with her every Tuesday night and they insisted I join them. Callie took the break up very hard and I think she just wanted to make sure I was alright. Seeing me on a regular basis lets her know I am OK ... and if it makes her happy to see me, I am happy to do it. A good meal every Tuesday isn't bad either. It's strange most of the time I still can't eat very well ... I don't think I will till the whole thing is over ... but I eat on Tuesdays. She was unhappy with the way things ended with Joe ... she raised him for the most part, his mom died when he was five and Callie made sure the kids left behind were taken care of. She says "I raised him better than this" I have tried several times to have her release her anger ... carrying anger is not good for anyone. She is mad and I understand that, but she meant so much to Joe. He called her once and she let him know that she thought he made a mistake and she was angry with him. I've told him to try again ... I don't want him to have regrets when she goes. I think even if she still says she's mad ... at least she will know how much he cares if he keeps trying ... but he only called the one time. I stopped by her house around 11:00 and dropped off a dozen roses, a card and some scalloped oysters for her. What do you give someone who is 93 and has everything they need. She told me last Tuesday that she loved oysters ... so I made her some ... kind of a weird birthday gift but she was happy. I found out later today that Joe sent her flowers ... I'm really glad he did ... she must know he cares and misses her.
Callie reading the card I got her ...
the picture on the table next to her is Callie, her sister Theresa and Joe ... on our wedding day.
I left Callie's and rushed home to make a salad to bring to the next birthday party ... my nephew Zachary will be 4 tomorrow. Today was one of the days he enjoyed the company of Auntie Lisa over aunt sharon. His mom Caroline and my brother Jim always throw great parties and Caroline is a great cook. I was trying to be festive and up, but I have a lot on my mind, and spent a great deal of time just thinking. One thing that struck me was how much Callie and Zach mean to me and how different the two characters are. Callie has lived 93 years and has basically seen it all ... she has wisdom and knowledge ... and has lived through so much pain and joy ... she teaches me things about life every time I am with her. Zachary is so young and looks at the world with such wonder and amazement ... he has so much to learn and so much life to still live ... he teaches me things about life every time I am with him. They are so different and yet so much the same in what they give to me.
This was the face when we sang happy birthday ...
This was the face when I said "smile"
I said "hey ... no fair that's not a real smile"
he said "I just want cake aunt sharon"
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