Saturday, September 29, 2012
Aunt Florida was very dear to me as many of my relatives know. She lived next door to our house for over 20 years and was at constant coffee companion of my mother. In the summers there were often long hours of coffee drinking in the pop up camper, in of all the places the driveway our house. Aunt Florida and my mom used it as a screened in room to avoid those pesky mosquitos and other flying insects.
I remember Aunt Florida always being around if I needed her, especially if I was home alone. On more than one occasion she came to the rescue when I needed that first aid as youngster and a teenager, I remember the occasion when I splashed bleach in my eyes while I trying to help out with the wash for my mom, she was there washing my eyes out with water and reassuring me it was going to be ok. Then there was the time my mother was in the hospital for a gall bladder surgery and I had gone to the dentist that day and had a tooth extracted, well that night the packing came out and I woke up at 3 AM in the morning on a bloody pillow, well I panicked, called Aunt Florida who came over, took care of the issue with the tooth, cleaned all the mess and stayed until morning. The funniest though was the day I dislocated my little toe when I slipped on the front step, fortunately she was at the house, yes drinking coffee with my mom, when the accident occurred. The toe was so dislocated it was on top of my foot appearing a as lump. Well Aunt Florida calmed me down, and with one quick move popped it back into place, I actually remember her smirking after she did it, saying well it might as well hurt all at once, as if I went to the doctor he would have done the same thing just later.
She taught me a lesson about hot casserole dishes one day, as again my mother was away, and Aunt Florida invited me for dinner. She loved to cook in glass casserole dishes with those glass lids. Well yes me the dummy, decided to help myself to the bean casserole, I grab the glass lid, yes without a pot holder, ouch! Aunt Florida to the rescue again, lots of ice and burn ointment, to this day I have never ever touched a glass lid or glass dish without checking it first for temperature. Those blisters hurt!
Then there was the fun Aunt Florida who loved to go the horse races, Vernon Downs, Saratoga, Green Mountain, and Finger Lakes. Trips to Saratoga meant dinner at the "Turkey farm" a/k/a White Holland House Farms or at the Manor in St Johnsville on the way home. Seems like Susan and I were always on the go with Aunt Florida to find some adventure and fortune at the track. In the winter we discovered that game called BINGO! Yes in my early years I played BINGO with Aunt Florida at the Crusaders Hall and St Francis in Herkimer and then in Frankfort at the church hall.
Aunt Florida was also our gracious host when we came back to Herkimer to visit my mother when she was moved to Valley Health, we always had a place to stay with Aunt Florida.
Most of all I Aunt Florida was wonderful to her family and my family. She came over daily to look after my father during his illness, in fact, he nicknamed her "Agent 99" which she actually came to love, we often chuckle over that nickname, every time she mentioned it she would just smile and laugh. Without her help during that time of my father's illness my mother would not have survived those tough days of caring for my father.
I also appreciated what Aunt Florida did for my mother when her health turned for the worst, Aunt Florida did all she could to help my mother before she was placed in Valley Health and then she made visits all the time to visit her sister once she placed in the care of Valley Health.
Most of all Aunt Florida was a woman of strong faith in God, Jesus and the Catholic Church and for that I admire her. She never wavered in her faith and belief in God and the church. She did not fear death as most of us do, but knew that when her time came she would find a new place with God. God Bless you and take care of you Aunt Florida, we will miss you but will always cherish the time spent with you.
