My "Auntie" Brenda is like a second mom to my sister and I. We can go to her with anything and she will listen, take everything in and offer the best advice we could possibly receive. She's loyal, hard working, funny, caring - she's an amazing person one of the most important role models I have in my life. I keep the memories of visiting her in Boston, trips to Maine and Red Sox games very close to my heart:)
1. How long did you live in Boston? 20 years. What do you miss about it? Friends, friends, friends; lunchtime walks on Commonweath Avenue, Trader Joe's, Boston Globe on my doorstep, Greek salad from Demos, showing family the sites of the city and living in the same town as the RED SOX.
2. Pick one word to describe your mother. Hmmm..need more than one: Courage, dignity, and grace. Think about it: she married Dad during WWII, left England and her parents, moved to a new country, without missing a beat. Fast forward 50 years: she loses the love of her life and yet carries on with an amazing inner strength, never complaining -- and you know she misses him terribly.
3. What has been your favorite job and why? Harvard Club of Boston. The interesting people I got to meet, the speakers I heard and the kind friendships I formed with certain members. I really feel like I got another college degree in a way. And I met my good buddy Trisha, still friends after all these years!
4. What's your idea of a perfect Sunday? Sun streaming thru the living room windows, blueberry pancakes, the Boston Globe, and the promise of dinner with family and/or friends.
5. What do you remember most about your dad? His kindness, sense of humor and his love for my Mom. He truly had a "twinkle in his eye" when he was talking about her.
6. What is your favorite quality about your sister? Her love for Jilly, Syd and her Bob. It is unwavering --- there is nothing like it.
7. If you could travel anywhere, where would it be? Backroads of Italy
8. What is your favorite memory from our trips to Maine? Ok, can I share two?
A. Walks to Basket Island in search of sand dollars. Off we would go, and then "wait, wait, I found one!!!". All of us would rush over, examine it carefully, give the seal of approval ("yep, that's a good one"). Funny thing is it didn't matter if was whole, or half broken, You had found one! And just that one discovery would give the rest of hope, that just ahead there would be one waiting for us. It always amazed me that even though you kids were so young, you never seem to tire of this adventure.
B. Lobster and steamer nights. It was THE event of the week and I'm not just referring to the food! It started early in the week with the discussion of "What night are we having lobsters?". The night would come, we'd place the order, then the "who's picking it up?", the triumphant return with the bags of food, the gathering of everyone around the table, the laughter as we all would struggle with the lobster ("how does this lobster cracker work anyway?", "Did I just squirt you with lobster juice?", "Green Guts! Green Guts!"), the butter flying, the tacky plastic lobster bibs. And laughter, laughter, laughter. It was the best.
9. If you could do anything for a living, what would it be? Win the lottery and give money away to charity (after I take care of my family, of course). How cool would it be to a philanthropist? And I'm here to tell you it would definitely be a full time job!
10. You have a lot of close friends - what would be your best advice on maintaining a strong friendship? Accept people for who they are, be a good listener, be honest, and most importantly, make sure there's lots of laughter.
2. Pick one word to describe your mother. Hmmm..need more than one: Courage, dignity, and grace. Think about it: she married Dad during WWII, left England and her parents, moved to a new country, without missing a beat. Fast forward 50 years: she loses the love of her life and yet carries on with an amazing inner strength, never complaining -- and you know she misses him terribly.
3. What has been your favorite job and why? Harvard Club of Boston. The interesting people I got to meet, the speakers I heard and the kind friendships I formed with certain members. I really feel like I got another college degree in a way. And I met my good buddy Trisha, still friends after all these years!
4. What's your idea of a perfect Sunday? Sun streaming thru the living room windows, blueberry pancakes, the Boston Globe, and the promise of dinner with family and/or friends.
5. What do you remember most about your dad? His kindness, sense of humor and his love for my Mom. He truly had a "twinkle in his eye" when he was talking about her.
6. What is your favorite quality about your sister? Her love for Jilly, Syd and her Bob. It is unwavering --- there is nothing like it.
7. If you could travel anywhere, where would it be? Backroads of Italy
8. What is your favorite memory from our trips to Maine? Ok, can I share two?
A. Walks to Basket Island in search of sand dollars. Off we would go, and then "wait, wait, I found one!!!". All of us would rush over, examine it carefully, give the seal of approval ("yep, that's a good one"). Funny thing is it didn't matter if was whole, or half broken, You had found one! And just that one discovery would give the rest of hope, that just ahead there would be one waiting for us. It always amazed me that even though you kids were so young, you never seem to tire of this adventure.
B. Lobster and steamer nights. It was THE event of the week and I'm not just referring to the food! It started early in the week with the discussion of "What night are we having lobsters?". The night would come, we'd place the order, then the "who's picking it up?", the triumphant return with the bags of food, the gathering of everyone around the table, the laughter as we all would struggle with the lobster ("how does this lobster cracker work anyway?", "Did I just squirt you with lobster juice?", "Green Guts! Green Guts!"), the butter flying, the tacky plastic lobster bibs. And laughter, laughter, laughter. It was the best.
9. If you could do anything for a living, what would it be? Win the lottery and give money away to charity (after I take care of my family, of course). How cool would it be to a philanthropist? And I'm here to tell you it would definitely be a full time job!
10. You have a lot of close friends - what would be your best advice on maintaining a strong friendship? Accept people for who they are, be a good listener, be honest, and most importantly, make sure there's lots of laughter.
1 comment:
Great interview and great introduction! You are so right, Jenny...where would we be without our Auntie Brenda?
Post a Comment