My wonderful aunt

Happy 75th Birthday Aunt Margaret!

I have many great memories of time with my aunt. She has been like the mom that I didn’t get to grow old with. I have to start with July 29, 1981. I, being from the west, went on vacation and was left in the expert care of my aunt and uncle. I went to bed with a kiss and a hug and was told that she would wake me up early enough to see the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana televised on TV. As she put it “being from that part of the world – it is our duty to watch the wedding – hold our pinkies in the air – and eat crumpets.”

With the time change and all I knew she was coming to wake me up about 2 am. When she woke me up I came down the stairs and found quite a spread, there was tea (in a teapot complete with a cozy), little crumpets, and if I remember correctly Danish and muffins too. Here’s the visual – Aunt Margaret in her robe and me in my sleep clothes staring at a small TV – drinking tea from a beautiful set of china and eating our munchies. We watched the wedding from start to finish and had a ball! She told me stories of growing up in Scotland and I told her stories of life in Arizona. And I will never forget feeling loved and a genuine sense of joy just being with her.

Another memory is of a visit John and I took to Mackinaw City. Aunt Margaret gave us great information about the geese and other birds that inhabited their beach, we bought fresh fish at the nicest fish market I have ever been in, we got to see the Northern Lights, we even got to drive to Cheboygan to see City Slickers II, Uncle Mike thought him crazy, but I still remember seeing my husband swimming in Lake Huron, and we were introduced to Polish food at Legs Inn and ate Zuric, golumpkies and perogies (please excuse the spelling, but the visit was well remembered). I will treasure the memories of that visit as well as her great compassion at Grandma’s service. I went as a representative of Joy Wilson and ended up enjoying my Aunt all the more.

I have to say thank you at this time, thank you for being you, thank for always being available to talk about my brothers, my health, their health or just about life, and thank you for brightening my life. I love you so very much! I wish you a great 75th birthday!

Love, Sheila
Daughter of Joy Wilson