The man and I always like to visit Aunt E. She's a very sweet old lady. I just met her last year, but I've grown rather fond of her. Like I said, I take to old people easier than I take to children. I wonder if me liking autumn better than spring has anything to do with that. I even like the bleakness of winter, except for the part where it snows and it's really cold.
Despite us telling Aunt E that we'll take care of the food, she still made dips, toasted the seaweed bits and picked the last of cheery red tomatoes from her garden for us. We sorted out the soup and the egg fried rice for her. Then, we made sure she had enough food in her fridge for the week so that they could just be heated up. She wouldn't have to go through the whole tiresome business of cooking and washing up.
I wonder how many more winters are left for Aunt E. 3, maybe? 5? I can't bear to think of how it will be when she passes. I always have an intuition about this sort of things, like the way I knew when it would all end for my grandparents. So while I still have a tiny window of time to make the visits happen, I want to do so. It's very clear that she won't be able to fly to Singapore again, not with arthritis and age. It's a very tough trip for her to make. As it is, she can't do the tube and trains to Londontown anymore. But hell, she can drive! She still drives!
Lunch was a very happy affair. When time is short, we treasure all the memories and the laughter. We can't wait to see her again next week.
9 comments:
That's lovely - I'm glad you got to spend time with Aunty E.
But seriously, you? Winter? Excuse me - what about the COLD ? :)
dawn: you're good. you read my mind! i just realized the missing word 'cold' and added it in and there your comment appeared. heheh. I DO NOT LIKE THE COLD. this week is cold in London. But i'm quite warm. OXYMORON! I've got thermal tee and 2 cashmere tops PLUS a wool coat and all wool accessories, and cashmere-lined gloves. Ha. All sorted.
i know what you mean about old people you like, and what time is left when your visits matter so much:) i have something like that to deal with next fall in the Rhone-Alps. The old boy leaves in a 100+yr old farmhouse in the hills, and it's cold, and there's no town near the place to escape to for a bit.
i understand about the intuitive bit.
it is hard to even think about it.
just spend precious moments i guess.
sinlady: then you must visit sooner. late summer perhaps?
tuti: oh i will want to think about it. just so i'm prepared. i'm morbid like that!
in recent yrs, cos of my parents' predicament, i'm v sensitive when i read abt other people's feelings/ relationships with elderly people. i felt my heart aching when u talked abt Aunt E being unable to go on the tube/train/plane anymore. old age is the world's biggest cruelty. but it's so sweet u r trying to spend more time with her. :)
D
D: it is. that's why i'm extra sensitive to old people rather than children. simply because we'll all get there some day. and in many ways, hopefully we don't reap what we sow in that sense.
aww.. bless you both.. and bless aunty E too! :)
jomel: thank you my lovely lady.
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