Goodbye, Mimi

My grandmother at one of her favorite places: work!

Nonne, Doris Swarthout and Mimi

My Mom, Dad and I went to Wellsville last weekend to bury my grandmother's ashes. While there, we were joined by my Aunt Brenda and Uncle Lenny and my Great Aunt Bette. During the graveside ceremony, we were all able to share our memories of Mimi and our great times with her.

For years, my grandmother prepared for her death. She was always trying to get family members to take some of her possessions and I am pretty sure that began back in the 1980's. I know that she offered Tammie quite a few items and one thing in particular was the famous "No Touch!" table. Mimi had this little table that is obviously an antique and she populated it with these glass and porcelain animals. She was adamant that we just look at these creatures and not touch or remove them. Despite this warning, I remember secretly taking them off their table top haven and bringing them to the jungles and farm yards of my imagination. I absolutely loved playing with them and somehow, I was never caught doing it. Now there are just a few figurines left on that table and many of them are broken and worn.

After the service at the cemetery, we returned to her home on Osborne St. My parents and I were staying there and I was just flooded with memories throughout the weekend. I kept thinking back to last July and being there with Mimi and Tam. I remembered being upstairs with Tammie and realizing that she was having difficulty breathing after her walk up the steep and narrow stairs and how she tried to downplay it. I also remembered how she struggled to walk uptown and to the balloon rally . None of us could understand what was wrong with her.

Mimi's home seemed like a house this time. Many of the people who gave it life are gone now and all we have are our memories. By the end of our trip, we felt broken and worn like the animals on the "No Touch" Table.

Mimi and Mom

Mimi, Nonne and Mom

Our last Great Wellsville Balloon Rally

Mimi's white house

Dad and Bette

Tam's Birthday

Today is Tammie's birthday and also Kentucky Derby Day. For me that seems appropriate, as Tammie loved horse racing. In fact, she worked for a time at the Saratoga track and got to learn a lot about racing and betting over her many trips there.

When we were kids, my Mom always made us pick a horse on Derby Day. For me, that meant choosing the favorite, as I absolutely hated to lose. Of course, I had no idea that the favorite rarely wins that race. That wasn't the case, however, in 1977, when I picked the great Seattle Slew. I loved watching that horse, because he always went right for the lead and just stayed there. Those of us who grew up in the Seventies got to see three Triple Crown Winners and almost a fourth in Spectacular Bid. Unfortunately, there hasn't been another Triple Crown Winner since.

In 1975 , I remember deciding on a horse named Foolish Pleasure and then having to face my grandfather who pointed out the foolishness of picking the favorite. I recall that he picked a horse named Bombay Duck and Tam selected Avatar. I got lucky that time, but Bombay Duck led for a good portion of the race. In fact, he was on a record pace before he was hit with a beer bottle, so that may have affected the outcome. Tam's horse came in second that year.

I watched the derby with my parents today, but missed Tammie and my Grandmother Mimi, who passed away on Wednesday. We have so many great family traditions and I cherish all my memories of them. Mimi, Nonne, and Tam loved this race so much and I imagine that they were watching from somewhere and not picking the favorite!