Today Is Your Birthday, Its My Birthday Too Yeah...

It was the year 1900 on September the 20th to be exact, when Edith Minette Campbell was born. The second child of Hal and Blanch Campbell.  She was a beautiful, dutiful young child... always helping her momma out with her 2 younger brothers. One day her world came crashing down when she was 10 years old, her older sister, Doris who at 12 years, suddenly passed away from 'brain fever' I think they used to call it, now we call it cerebral meningitis. I was told they had gone to a parade that day... and the sis developed a fever. What a sad sad time for the entire family. And life does go on. Soon thereafter, her momma got pregnant with her baby sister, my Grandmother... Kathryn Estelle Campbell, she was born early fall, August 12, 1913... Blanch could hardly handle the new born babe... afraid to get close to lose another child? God forbid. So Edith took over the mommy roll to the new baby, taking care of her needs and allowing my Great Grandma Blanch her space.

 

Aunt Edie as she was known to me was 'smart a a whip'... a real go getter... and being married 3 times was a scandal in those days... but she survived it all and became her own woman in her 60's. She divorced her 3rd husband... well, you can't stay with someone when life goes all topsy turvy on ya. She told me that there were a few couples... and they would swap... (Uh... What?) Oh yes people, I am keeping it real. Not changing history for anyone. I am a straight up straight shooter! This is her story that she had told me.

 

She was never able to have children... I don't know the details of all that, but she had some female problems at a very young age and had a complete hysterectomy. But...

 

 

On her 59th birthday, she got the 'best present of all her life'... ME... lol... her words! I promise! :) I WAS HER BIRTHDAY GIRL! That's what she always called me, for the rest of her life! She was partial to me, I do remember that. And I also remember how sad that made me feel for my older sis. But she (my sister) was sorta prissy and my Great Aunt didn't like Miss Priss attitudes.... and besides, my sister was my Grandmothers favorite, her first Grandchild... and many times while we would be with my Grandparents, I would go spend time with my Great Aunt Edie, while my older sis stayed at home with my Grandparents. Ohhh what fun I had. She taught me so much! Most of what I am today is what she created in those informative years. She taught me about manners and music.  She taught me to play the piano... and I was in heaven when she taught me to dance! Oh how we would dance, me being so little that I would learn by staying on her toes! Oh the sweet music! She would play record after record of the greatest music I had ever heard! Oh how I loved Boots Randolph and his Yakity Sax! Whooohooo, they just don't make em like that anymore!

 

At night when we would go to bed, she gave me the option of sleeping in the guest room and I did a few times, but it sure was great when she said I could sleep with her, if I wanted to... She always took a container of water to bed, I still do this, to this day! She would tell me why she changed from a glass to a closed container...  when in her past she had taken her glass of water to bed and went to sip in the dark and she felt something touch her lip... she turned the light on and it was one of those HUGE tree roaches... lol... so from then on, she had her little plastic closed container of water that she would share with me if I needed a sip... we would lay in the dark and we would whisper softly our thoughts and plans, until I could hear her gentle snoring that allowed me to huddle up against her back and snuggle in peace. HAHAHA I remember her telling me if her snoring ever bothered me to nudge her in the back. I never nudged. I loved the sound of her rhythmic breathing... I knew I was safe and all was well in the world.

 

I remember waking up and she would fix me the most wonderful (bad for you) food! She would toast a piece of bread and put a beef patty on it with a slice of cheese... and here's what she said made it taste so good, she drizzled the hot liquid fat off the beef patty on top and it soaked into the bread to give it an awesome taste. Oh it is one of the most wonderful things you ever put in your mouth! And so totally bad for you... lol... but we didn't know that back then... so y'all don't do that! Well, maybe just once, just to have a try!

 

When I was very young... I can remember my Grandmother would drop us off at my Great Aunts work...  her boss, Mr Garrett was a fine man. http://businessprofiles.com/details/abco-aluminum-brass-works-inc/TX-0015432700 The office was small but had 3 desks and a restroom, I would LOVE to sit behind one of the desks and use the 'official' paper! My aunt was a beautiful, efficient worker, I LOVED watching her take care of so much... the typing, the paperwork, the men when they came in... "ABCO Aluminum" she would say when she answered the phone! I was quiet and respected her life and was always treated properly from all of the people there. I remember that I was in AWE of how she was the only woman there... and she was in charge!

 

One day as my sister Kathryn and I were walking to my great aunts house... which was down the street, turn left pass 2 short end blocks, and right on the next street, which was also an end block... over a bridge and then we came back up 1 short end block and she was the 1st block to the left... and like 3 houses down on the right! It wasn't a very long walk. One day as we were walking over there... a girl I barely knew with a bunch of kids, stopped me. Wanted to fight. I had no idea why! She was a new kid at school and she was in front of her friends, prob trying to show off... and she told me she wanted to fight. "OK" I calmly said, but still not understanding why... I just stood there looking at her... she says... "Put up your dukes" ... "HUH??"  I just stand there looking at her. She asked me why I am not putting up my dukes... and I say... "Because I don't fight with my hands... I fight with WORDS."  lol... well she was so freaked out the way I said 'words'... she ran home and I never had another problem with her.

 

As I grew up, my relationship with my Great Aunt grew up too... and when we moved, she did too... and she was always within walking distance for me! From the time I was a young teen, she would let me take care of some of her lite work... and gave me money for helping. And when I turned 16 and got my DL... she let me know her car was always available to me, whenever I wanted to use it. Ours was a very special relationship... I could always turn to her when my heart was broken... or there was something on my mind... she always had time for me. Always had an ear and always had GREAT advice... "in life you can count your true blue friends on 1 hand."  When I was crying... she would say... "Shhhh, just sit still, time always changes things... its not going to last for ever."  As she grew older... her going out with me to the stores and restaurants came to a screeching halt when she fell down in the store, I picked her up, but she was so embarrassed, she never went out again. I would always go and do her laundry, check the mail and vacuum and dust and clean the bathroom and kitchen. She paid me very well! I was always shocked at the amount! And if I cleaned the oven, it was double! Wow! Those were some good days... she knew she didn't have to pay me like that... but as she would say.. "I would rather give it to you while I am alive so I can see you enjoy it!" We played cards... she cooked great food and I would go eat with her. Or she would bake a cake and would send it home to me or my Grandmother... her baby sister... oh the days were bliss... her days were quite as she loved to watch the birds on her front porch, she had bird food out there... bird watching...  it was her favorite thing to do... and she also LOVED football. Only she didn't love to hear the men 'blabbing' as she would say! HA! I think she enjoyed looking at the men... that's right! She loved the men.. she had told me stories of her going gambling down in Galveston in the 20's, I believe she always loved a good party!

 

I remember it was the late 80's... I called a radio station and had them play the Beatles... "nananananananana today is your birthday... its my birthday too now... nananananananana"... loved music, loved my Great Aunt and loved life! She was amazing... a tower of strength... my rock, my best friend... I had no say when her brothers and sister and sister in laws insisted on her going to an old folks home... I stayed in her apartment as long as I could... I was just going through my 1st divorce. I was lonely at first. But I always went to see her. We would take her out for the day... the summer before she passed we were able to take her to Galveston and rolled her into the water were the waves could lap at her feet...the look on her face will always be priceless... cherished always in my minds eye. We also took her to my home for Christmas... Even though she was not the lively lady she used to be... she was smiling and she was still one of my most precious blessings!

 

The last time I saw her... I had taken my new baby, Kathryn Estelle, to see her. Her eyes lit up at the precious babe! And she was crying... but not because I had not seen her the late months of my pregnancy. I didn't think it was a good idea.... because she never thought it was a very good idea to have children. She felt a woman had a better purpose these days. So I was worried about her being worried, so it was a few months I didn't see her. But that didn't seem to matter to her when I presented the NEW 'Kathryn Estelle' to her... and when she realised I had named my new baby after 'her baby' which was my grandmother her little sister whom she took care of her whole life, it was so overwhelming to her... It was a moment I will never forget. I am not sure... but I guess my Great Aunt must of realised I would need to spend my time caring for the baby... because she passed away a few days later.

 

I remember the night we went to the funeral home... she didn't want a funeral.. but those precious hours with her that night will remain in my thoughts forever. It was raining. My Grandparents were not even in town, they were visiting my Uncle in San Antonio. And no one wanted to get out. I was bound and determined I was going to be there... I was going to see Aunt Edie... in the storm... alone... if I had to... my mother at the last minute didn't want me to go alone. So she went with me. The place was quiet. It was late. Aunt Edie looked perfect in her silk blue dress. I cried, she was so beautiful, the make up was perfect, she hadn't worn make up for years so it was a nice surprise. My mother and I were alone. No one was close to her like I was, because to be frank, she was a true blue blooded bitch if she didn't like you. And she wasn't fond of any of the others in our family. This made me feel sad for my other younger sister also... because she took a few verbal hits from her. If she didn't like something, she would LET YOU KNOW! (HA! Maybe that's where I get it from! lol) and she didn't like my younger sisters dad, or her boyfriend. She didn't like my older sisters daughter either... she really didn't like the things they chose to do and she had turned her back on them. But always, I was her best buddy... and when I said my goodbyes to her... I leaned over and kissed her cheek and touched her hand... and as I did... the thunder rolled and the lights flickered and I could physically feel her warm hand on my cheek, just like she had always done, my whole life... always as I hugged her goodbye... she always put her hand on my cheek on my way out the door... and it really freaked me out when I felt it there that night. Spooked my mother pretty good too... she could tell by the look of shock on my face that something special had happened.

 

 

I still have some of her stuff... her old records that I still play today with my own grandchildren! And her drivers license... her last dress... some furniture... some kitchen things... when she went into the home... most of her possessions became mine. The big mirrors that grace my walls are the ones that graced her walls all my life. But the thing that she gave me that is my most precious possession... would not be the music... or the fine dining manners... but the awesome spirit of strength and courage that was hers... and now... is mine.

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNT EDIE... RIP... I will see ya when I get there! {{{HUGS}}}