Our visit to Alaska was special in many ways. Besides the wildlife, snow topped mountains, and glaciers, there was time spent with Lisa’s Great Aunt Edna. I was a fly on the wall to witness their love and connection. It was a beautiful thing.
Edna is Lisa’s great aunt, her grandmother’s youngest and only remaining sister. As Lisa was the oldest grandchild, she and her aunt share many memories that few in the family possess. Text messages passed between them every few months allowing connection as only our electronic age permits when one lives in Mexico and the other in Alaska. When Lisa declared her desire to visit her almost ninety year old aunt, I thought, “why not?” I did not expect to find the vibrant, capable and engaging woman that I did. BTW she is a big Dos Tortas fan and follower.
Did I mention that Edna was the youngest of eight sisters?
Edna and her sisters were very close. Every year they had Sister Reunion. Sometimes that meant staying in a hotel together, especially as the elders aged.
The Sister Reunions were sacrosanct and no one was allowed entry. As the favorite granddaughter of Edith, Lisa sometimes wrangled her way in and got to know all her great aunts. Once a group of them traveled to Europe while Lisa was in the military. They toured the museums and sites, generally having the time of their lives.
During our visit, I busied myself preparing meals while Lisa and Edna culled through forty photo albums and packed up her apartment for the move to Portland, USA. Edna is leaving Alaska after sixty years for assisted living. She fell and broke her pelvis a couple of years ago. Alaskan winters are rough, dark and cold. She is ready for a change, bittersweet as it is.
I felt privileged to meet Edna and witness a reunion of a slightly different yet equally poignant kind.
DOS TORTAS
Sisters Sisters by Irving Berlin. Movie classic, White Christmas.
the adventures of dos tortas 
Lovely story. I recently spent two weeks in Wisconsin visiting cousins and catching up on our lives. I hadn’t been home in seven years. We pulled out the old pictures and slides bringing back memories forgotten.
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I have one of those trips on my horizon as well.
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A wonderful story. Leaving her home after so many years must be a huge wrench for Edna but wishing her happy times.
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I’m sure there’s mixed feelings but mostly she’s ready.
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So glad the two of you went up there! It definitely must be bittersweet for her to leave Alaska, but she will likely do better in Portland.
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She is excited about Portland. There are lots of opportunities for her and a more social environment.
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I can imagine it will be much more social. Much easier to get out and about, also.
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She needed to stop driving. There’s an Amtrack train within walking distance.
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