I thought of writing a short story, an essay about my three aunts. They are my mom’s sisters. They have their own children but they made me feel special growing up, still now. When I had crisis a few years ago, they all helped me. One flew up from Georgia and stayed with me for a few days.
My family was pretty tight when I was growing up so we spent a lot of time together, my aunts their husbands my dad all my cousins, grandma and grandpa. Grandma and grandpa were actually separated but showed up for all the family events anyway. This was all on my mom’s side. Even though I don’t speak to my aunts all the time, I still feel a bond because of those early days. They also had a brother, the only male, who was schizophrenic.
Shit I had a special relationship with him. When I was unemployed back in 2000, I would visit him at the institution every couple of weeks with one of the aunts that I mentioned. We picked him up, and ate out, usually at the same diner. He smoked several cigarettes and would impart nuggets of insane genius which I loved. I generally enjoyed talking to him. He passed away in 2004. Maybe I’ll come up with something to write about my beautiful aunts and uncle. I’ve held off because anything I come up with is just too maudlin.
1800ukillme 
on my moms side of the family, my grandpa and grandpa who were married forever. Long enough to have 10 kids. Was divorced when I was little. They both married again. My grandmas husband lived out in the woods in a shack with no plumping so sh would just go visit him occasionally.(I guess for some nuggie). My grandpa married this really weird lady. When we had any event in the family, My grandma would be there, my grandpa and of course his crazy ol’ wife. They could all sit and talk together like it was nothing lol
Oh Carla, this is a very unique situation indeed. Thanks for sharing about it — it’s funny as well. I’d love to read a blog post about it.
you know, I keep giving my good stuff away in comments don’t I LOL
you will know when it’s time to write about them.. and hey, maudlin is fine..it’s part of remembrance..
That’s true — a person usually does know when it’s time to write about something. I just don’t want to turn people off with sugary cliches. 🙂
Auntie Sandee,
So this was the prologue? Promising, whatever tone the rest might have.
Your nephew,
Le Clown
Thanks nephew — thanks for the encouragement. I appreciate it. See you at the family reunion! 🙂
I see notes of great memories out of this fine piece. Your family sounds cool and tight. May your uncle continue to rest in peace. SCB this is truly a great set up for amazing stories.
Thanks BB. They are cool. At my uncle’s funeral as they lowered the casket into the ground, we threw dollar bills in (I’m sure the attendants scrambled later on to collect them — lol!). He was famous for going around saying, ‘gimme a dollar, gimme a dollar.’ So we had the idea to do that!
What have you got against maudlin?
maudlin- tearfully sentimental, often through drunkenness
Or is that just my idea of halcyon days?….possibly, yes…
Yeah I’m referring to the sugary kind of maudlin — just overly sentimental — the way, ironically I used to get when I was durnk — oh, I mean drunk! 🙂 I don’t know, I’ll figure out a way to do it where neither writer nor reader gets diabetes.
I often wish I could go back in time and spend a day with some of the special people in my life, especially if I didn’t let them know how much I appreciated them at the time, as teenagers and young adults so typically don’t. Like my grandma. If only I could spend a day in the kitchen baking and cooking with her, but at the time she was around, it wasn’t my thing. Now that it is, I won’t get that opportunity.
Sounds like a story about your aunts would be nice.
You remind me that I have to keep letting them know how much they mean to me. Stay tuned…
Love The sentimental S……………
Very Cozy writing – takes me there with You 🙂
Hugs xx
Cat
I appreciate that. Thanks Cat!
welcome S ……………….xx
I would love to hear more about them, especially your uncle and his insane genius.
Oh my uncle. He was the greatest when he wasn’t flipping out poor thing. He made up this rap one time — oh my… My family would say I knew how to talk to him because I’m off my rocker!
It’s not maudlin to get mushy and sentimental about family, it’s sweet. Although if you want some examples of how to write about your family without getting too sugary, read David Sedaris (“Naked” has the most family stories in it, I think).
Thanks for the suggestion — I imagine this is a very interesting piece given his sister is Amy Sedaris. I wonder, how do you get these two in one family 🙂
He got some flack a few years ago for “making up” things about his family (he exaggerated a few things and took some creative license to make his essays more interesting). I think if you mix some alcohol, some creativity, and just a dash of dysfunction, you end up with the Sedaris clan.
I’d be interested in reading this for sure.
extended families are awesome! I love reunions with my aunts and uncles. Lots of food, lots of booze, lots of singing and dancing. Always a riot
I’m glad I had those earlier years with my family because we’re all spread out now. But I still have that bond and those memories.