For The Love of Aunt Rose 4

For The Love of Aunt Rose 4

Kitty and Gordon were told and Aunt Rose promised to never ever set foot on the property next door.

A couple of days passed with Aunt Rose steadily making Teddy Bear after Teddy Bear. She now had a very large stockpile of thirty. She ran out of places to keep them. It was not Christmas time but she would deliver them to the police department. The car was loaded and all three of them left the house for the delivery.

Once that was done Gordon decided they would go for lunch at Carraras. Gordon decided on Insalata di Pollo, and Lemon Gelato. Aunt Rose and Kitty also wanted the same.

It took them an hour to drive there but it was worth the drive. At home Kitty often did the cooking herself.

Aunt Rose decided she would stay free of the kitchen unless asked to cook. Kitty cooked nice healthy meals while Aunt Rose was mostly used to old fashioned cooking. She never counted calories just making sure the food was fresh and flavorful. It worked out well and Gordon was pleased with anything not spicy. Aunt Rose liked spicy food but did not put it into the food she cooked anymore. Instead she had spicy on the side for herself. Such as when they had scrambled eggs she ate real eggs with salsa while Kitty ate scrambled egg whites plain. Gordon ate anything not spicy. It all worked out well for everyone.

About an hour and a half stop at the Ronald Reagan presidential library and museum was next before heading for home. Aunt Rose stopped in the gift shop to buy a bag of jelly beans. “You two are too young to remember President Reagan's love for jelly beans.” she laughed and offered them some.

Kitty saw a yard sale so they stopped. Gordon checked out the books while the ladies looked at clothes. Aunt Rose found a silk dress four sizes too big for her. There was another. The owner asked why she was getting dresses so big for her. Aunt Rose said the fabric was still good so she would take the dresses apart then reassemble. The owner then pulled out three more dresses of the same size but with a few minor stains.

“They were my Mother's dresses. Mama was unable to care for herself in her later years. I found these dresses after she passed. Mama had lost considerable weight and the dresses were stuffed into the back of her closet. I was hoping someone would buy them. If you take all five I will give them to you.”

Aunt Rose and the lady struck a bargain and exchanged emails.

Once in the car Aunt Rose told Kitty she would send that lady a picture of the finished products.

Aunt Rose also found a book of poetry by Robert Frost.

In the back seat Aunt Rose happily started to read.

The Road Not Taken was Robert Frost's most important poem.

The Road Not Taken

Robert Frost - 1874-1963

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Kitty noticed that Aunt Rose had fallen asleep and smiled.

“Aunty had a long day. I feel like taking a nap when we arrive home to our quiet peaceful neighborhood.” said Gordon.

Kitty agreed a nap would be nice. She did not know how her Aunt Rose stayed up on her feet so long.

“Aunt Rose is amazing. She is like the energizer bunny rarely getting pooped out. The walk at the presidential library and museum wore me out today.”

Little did they know that their quiet neighborhood was now crawling with police, fire, emergency medical service (EMS) and other resources.

In fact this interruption was right next door to them.

©Julia A Knaake