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Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Do You Know Jackie O. ???


Have you had the opportunity to meet Jackie O.? Well, let me take a moment to introduce you. This is my 88-year-old great aunt Ruth. She was born in 1920 and has spent her entire life in Boise. She never married and lived with her sister (my grandmother) until grandma's death in 1998. Aunt Ruth still lives alone in a very nice condominium. She drives a fiery red Plymouth Alero, complete with tail fin for effect. She commented to me a number of years ago that she always seemed to be the first one through the intersection when the light turned green. Oh, dear god. She had cataract surgery a while back and her vision is now 20/20! No more glasses...she sees better than any of us. She held two long-term jobs in her life, one in a retail department store in the accounting department and one in the accounting department of a timber and wood products company.....both at more than 20 years each. She goes to church and TOPS (been in TOPS for nearly 40 years) and exercises at the senior center twice a week....which is far more than I do. She has traveled only in small parts of the Western US and to British Columbia. In spite of the fact that she can't hear a thing, she loves a good time and is always at every family gathering. She loves a good plate full of Mexican food -- and the margarita that goes with it. I love her dearly and wanted to take the time to introduce her to you. While we were in Boise recently, I took the opportunity to dress her up (just like I used to do behind closed doors with my own mother's things). And Jackie O. was the first thought that popped into my lame head. Aunt Ruth, I hope that I'm still moving around and enjoying life as well as you are when I'm 88.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great pic Lewis! I love little old ladies with a fire in their spirit!

travelling, but not in love said...

Thank god that families have these characters in them - I'm planning to be one myself when I grow up!

She looks and sounds like a great person, thanks for the introduction!

Lemuel said...

Here's to your Aunt Ruth!

Anonymous said...

He he! Great picture, I have old aunts/grandmas just like that!! :) A toast to all those old nice women!

Salud,
Greg

Birdie said...

Your Aunt Ruth and my mom could be sisters. Mom pumps iron three times a week and listens to rock and roll (turned up REALLY LOUD) at age 87. I pray that her spirit and health are hereditary.

I scrolled through your pictures. There are more shots of Mason than anything. My favorite is the one of you two touching noses. But it looks like you had a great time with your family. Thanks for sharing your stories.

Birdie

Iron Fist said...

She sure sounds like a neat lady. And that's a great picture!

RAD said...

Aunt Ruth Rock...Bless her and you. Good times! Will you dress me up as Jackie O too?

Cooper said...

Oh, isn't she darling! I love beautiful, spirited old ladies. Thanks for introducing her.

Anonymous said...

It sounds as though your Aunt is one classy lady... seems her nephew didn't fall too far from that tree.

(lol)

In all reality, the photos of you already show how gracefully you are aging, and your posts relay a spry spirit that is unrelenting of its youth. You'll be a hot spirit for eons to come I'm most certain!

dpaste said...

Well if you want to be that spry at her age, get back to the gym!

Laurie said...

She's a year younger than my
grandma! I love people like her.
She looks like someone you don't
want to mess with though.

Anonymous said...

Oh, that we can all grow to that age and still be as full of life!

(And BTW, your parents should've had a major clue about YOU the first time you dressed her up as Jackie O!)

bridgeout said...

Lewis, that is so cool! I love that she still eats Mexican food WITH a margarita! :-D
Wendy

PS- I moved...
http://bridgeout.wordpress.com/

Anonymous said...

Great dress-up job, Lewis! God bless people who can be so independent, have wit, and be a productive member of society late into their lives! She's got to be a wealth of knowledge, too.

Anonymous said...

Great idea, now I need to find a great aunt to take pictures of.

dit said...

WOW! She is sure impressive. We should all be so lucky. What an amazing lady.

TJ said...

Tag your it!

Anonymous said...

Ha ha ha. You do amazing work, Lewis! Ever pondered going into the theater-make-up-business?? ;-)

Nathan said...

Everything I wanted to say has already been said... so yeah, what they said ^

Ur-spo said...

i love warrior women like this. they warm my heart. good for her!

Keith said...

Pleased to meet Aunt Ruth. She reminds me of my mother, who was born in 1921 and is still alive and well at 87. Mom can't hear a thing either, but she still loves champagne and a good margharita!

Anonymous said...

Long life to Aunt Ruth! I still terribly miss my aunt...she was more like my Auntie Mame!

Love to you! Hope all is well!

Rick said...

We need to fix her up with my soon to be 94 year old father. They'd have a blast! What is it with these eye surgeries and perfect vision? Why can't I have that?

WAT said...

God bless this li'l old lady. I love her already!

:)