Day 127- July 25- Aunt Elaine

The above picture is of Aunt Elaine, Uncle Doug and his sister and brother in law at Walton's birthday party.



Aunt Elaine just adores my nephews Landon and Walton, but seriously, who wouldn't they are precious. They really like her too, and all the cool toys she has at her house.



I don't really remember meeting Aunt Elaine very much before we moved back to my father, and her, hometown of Yarmouth. We moved back in 1986, when dad got a job in business development. I was starting grade 2. When we arrived in Yarmouth, not only did we meet some cool neighbourhood kids, but we got 7 new cousins, all pretty close to our age. Aunt Elaine had three children, Angela, Suzie and Mark, and Uncle Greg had four, Lisa, Kristen, Michael and Renee. From that first year of being home, a wonderful tradition continued with all of us meeting at Aunt Elaine's for a Boxing Day meal, games for the kids in the basement, and chatting by the adults in the living room. There were many traditions that went along with this meal; youngest at the kiddy table, kids eating before adults, adults only eating in the living room, my dad going for seconds before the others, and discussions of who would be the first to be married or have kids, until my brother took both titles; many things you came to expect and embrace, and love. We've added some neat new traditions along the way, like playing Werewolf (a French card game my cousin Michael brought back with him from France one Christmas) in the basement and shrimp couscous salad that is very tasty and the recipe was compliments of Suzie, who couldn't be home one year. Despite the new traditions, the old ones are never forgotten.

Aunt Elaine played a big role in inviting everyone, every year to her house. I always look forward to the event, it actually trumps present opening time for me now as my Christmas highlight. It is becoming even more and more interesting every year as all of my cousins, and I, have grown up, headed off in different directions, started our careers, and second careers, have taken big trips all over the world or done pretty extraordinary things with themselves. It is very nice every year to touch base, catch up and see where we are all headed next. I really thank my Aunt Elaine for keeping us all close, tight and together at least once every year for close to 25 years now. She is a very special lady and means a whole lot to me and my family. She also played a big role in my parents meeting. After my grandfather and mother passed away, my father eventually ended up moving to Labrador where Aunt Elaine was a teacher (actually teaching my mother's class). Somehow or other, mom met dad and the rest, they say, is history! Thanks for agreeing to be my photo of the day!!


Theme song for today: Vertigo by U2