Aunt Conny, my godmother, has just reached her 82nd birthday and I planned a ladies luncheon with the sisters and Mom to celebrate her. Aunt Conny is the vanguard of the family. She forged her way to California from the East Coast first, then we all followed, she forged her way to a 55+ community 12 minutes from my presnt home, and we saw Mom and Dad follow. Now a few more members are finding their way nearby.
All I could ever remember about Aunt Conny is her wit, her laugh-outloud-genuine humor, her serious flat out info, about anything, and her love of our family and living life to the fullest. She has bounce to her step and a solidarity about most things related. Her no-nonsense funny slant on life gives us all a belly laugh. And we did laugh all the way through that luncheon and worked off our sitting and crabbing with an old fashioned walk, greeting community residents. We left each other sweetly wrapped in one another's arms knowing full well, the next union will be just as fun.
The sisters pitched in hugely with a delightful menu:
Mimosas, olives, foie gras pate and crackers, fresh figs from Cathy's tree stuffed with blue cheese and drizzled with balsamic before a broil, vegetable and gourmet cheese crustless quiche, spinach salad with a raspberry vinagrette, panini's made with gouda. fontina, pickles and proscuitto, watermelon and mozzarella salad with tomatoes and herbs, and dessert? Aunt Conny brought her own strawberry shortcake!! HA! We had gourmet cookies made by a Ritz Carlton chef and Italian coffee. The inner child in us relished Aunt Conny's favorite pistachio nut ice cream.
The four hours went by fast but we sisters and brothers -in-laws had more in store. Glasses of amazing red wine and more left overs wasn't enough. We took in a late night cinema and finally said our goodbyes after midnight. I'd call that a 17 hour day filled with sweet memories.
