Yesterday was my Annie's 60th birthday (I know she doesn't look a day over forty). She was having a little trepidation about sixty which I don't understand at all, my God it's not like she was turning thirty. Thirty is brutal, sixty is graceful, right? So I thought I would do a post about why sixty years have been very kind to my fabulous aunt.
The first photo is of Annie, Olivia and my grandfather playing Chutes and Ladders. i am pretty sure that you need sixty years to gain enough patience to play the most annoying board game of all time with your impatient, cheating three-year-old niece and your deaf-as-a-doornail 86 year-old father. Seriously, the woman is a saint.
Picture two is of Annie's gorgeous home. Apparently, sixty years allows you to develop great taste. I'm sure the editors of Elle Decor check the blog daily and will be calling her soon. She is always impeccable and never makes fun of the fact that I never am. I am sure that she has high hopes now that I am a lawyer's wife I will clean up my act.
Picture three is Annie with Olivia the weekend of her baptism. This is actually a photo I have framed and hung in my home. If every mother has a soft spot in her heart for someone who loves her child then I would have to say that Annie makes my heart melt. Both Annie and her charming husband, Cary, treat Olivia like a princess. Literally. The child can do no wrong, and in their presence, generally doesn't because she enjoys being with them so much. Their home is a place where she feels genuinely comfortable and truly loved, which is a feat considering the collision between Hurricane Olivia and Elle Decor.
I am really proud of my aunt. Growing up, because she and my mom were both single mothers my cousin Alison and I probably both had an innate sense that women can accomplish anything on their own and when they work together. Even though my cousin and I ended up pursuing very traditionally female careers (my cousin finishes nursing school soon) I don't think that detracts from what my aunt and mother worked hard for at all. On the contrary, Alison and I always felt confident enough to pursue our own interests, whatever they were. We did not have to over-compensate to prove a point. Even though I would have to say that my mom and my aunt are polar opposites, they always found a middle ground and a way to get Alison and I what we needed (I don't think it is a real coincidence that my mom is a nurse too).
So, in short, what sixty gets you is building a beautiful life for yourself and the people you love. An ability to look back and realize your challenges made not just yourself stronger, but the all the next generations as well. Oh, and a pretty classy pad. Nice job Annie, but if anyone starts asking if we are sisters all this nice stuff is out the window.
The first photo is of Annie, Olivia and my grandfather playing Chutes and Ladders. i am pretty sure that you need sixty years to gain enough patience to play the most annoying board game of all time with your impatient, cheating three-year-old niece and your deaf-as-a-doornail 86 year-old father. Seriously, the woman is a saint.
Picture two is of Annie's gorgeous home. Apparently, sixty years allows you to develop great taste. I'm sure the editors of Elle Decor check the blog daily and will be calling her soon. She is always impeccable and never makes fun of the fact that I never am. I am sure that she has high hopes now that I am a lawyer's wife I will clean up my act.
Picture three is Annie with Olivia the weekend of her baptism. This is actually a photo I have framed and hung in my home. If every mother has a soft spot in her heart for someone who loves her child then I would have to say that Annie makes my heart melt. Both Annie and her charming husband, Cary, treat Olivia like a princess. Literally. The child can do no wrong, and in their presence, generally doesn't because she enjoys being with them so much. Their home is a place where she feels genuinely comfortable and truly loved, which is a feat considering the collision between Hurricane Olivia and Elle Decor.
I am really proud of my aunt. Growing up, because she and my mom were both single mothers my cousin Alison and I probably both had an innate sense that women can accomplish anything on their own and when they work together. Even though my cousin and I ended up pursuing very traditionally female careers (my cousin finishes nursing school soon) I don't think that detracts from what my aunt and mother worked hard for at all. On the contrary, Alison and I always felt confident enough to pursue our own interests, whatever they were. We did not have to over-compensate to prove a point. Even though I would have to say that my mom and my aunt are polar opposites, they always found a middle ground and a way to get Alison and I what we needed (I don't think it is a real coincidence that my mom is a nurse too).
So, in short, what sixty gets you is building a beautiful life for yourself and the people you love. An ability to look back and realize your challenges made not just yourself stronger, but the all the next generations as well. Oh, and a pretty classy pad. Nice job Annie, but if anyone starts asking if we are sisters all this nice stuff is out the window.
1 comment:
Well, I am Annie's much-younger brother, Jim. In other words I am Liz's (more about that below) uncle and Olivia's great uncle.
I would just like to clarify a couple of facts from Liz's (ugh) post: the Elle Decor-like interior of Ann and Cary's home was courtesy of an interior designer who was amply paid for her efforts. Just a clarification!
Secondly, while Ann and Terry (Liz's, ugh, mother--who is a doll) were so nobly raising their daughters by themselves, I and my family were living in Bangkok--helping a nation of 50 million to help realize its potential and bring the delights of Pad Thai to millions of v mediocre Thai restaurants around the world.
Finally, and most importantly, I believe that Liz (ugh) should return to using the name, Elizabeth, given to her at the picured baptism. Of course, we love her as Liz but we adore her as Elizabeth--and wouldn't you rather be adored than loved? And, finally we are soooo grateful that she is Elizabeth Allman for any number of reasons--to be listed in a separate comment.
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