Auntie H

I came east to be with Sharon Accola and Ala for December. Fri, we went out to the village to be with Auntie H and her husband. When my folks were here a few years ago, we went to see them. Auntie H fixed us a special dish because we were guests- macaroni with fried meat. Interesting taste- texture sort of like organ meat but 'not quite'...Bill got smiles around his eyes (after the 2nd meal) and said, "Do you know what it is?" "Well, no..." "Cow udder" "Huhhhh?" "Yup- first you boil it then fry it." Oh my. My dad the dairyman was finished eating right then and the rest of us wiped out soon after.

More about Auntie H. They live in a village at the end of a perpetually muddy road. The house is typical for the village- 1 story,1 door, chilly, damp & not particularly convenient. BUT unlike most village houses, it has Auntie H in it. The first time I was there, we gathered up all the chairs and stools in the house (not that many) and set them on both sides of the hall (before they had gas heat, this was the warmest place in the house). There was 1 footstool right by Auntie H and she said to me, "You sit here and be my daughter!" Well, I don't suppose it's hard to imagine my feelings for her. No wonder that, even though I didn't know them well- they were in Bill's area, after all, not ours and nearly 24 hours travel time from where we were- no wonder I had to take Mom and Dad out there! Auntie H is not pretty to look at- she's had a hard life and she's probably been in survival mode most of it and it shows. I used to think she was an old lady (she certainly doesn't look young and has 2 grown daughters)- she's 2 years older than my dad. She is 100% loving mom and really one of the best cooks I've met (I mean, it wasn't her fault that we'd never EATEN udder before).

This time she parked us at her kitchen table, dished up soup and salad and made sure there was plenty of bread and butter and cookies and tea and I think there was more, but anyway, you get the picture. Then she says, "I got a letter..." and her eyes got sort of leaky. She pulls this letter out- it's from Bill who's been in Africa the last 2 months. She gives it to us to read and says, "He signed it 'your son'." Well, that made her whole month. She loves us all but she especially loves Bill and V, who first went to see them.

I'm having a hard time really portraying this like it is. The house is still cold, very damp, nothing is easy there and never has been easy (although it's better, by far, than it used to be). But, walking into Auntie H's is like finding a well-tended rose garden after slogging through the barnyard.

There will be more changes after the new year- but for now, I'm happy to be over here with Sharon and soaking up some of Auntie H's special care again. I'll be so rotten nobody'll be able to stand me!

xo