She looks great at 84.
A while back I started a list of funny things I remember. Not surprisingly, my family did more funny things than I did.
Things I did were tragic, really sad or in ‘the end of the world’ category. Not that I am at all theatrical about these things.
The easiest person to write about is my sister-in-law. I’ll call her Betty because that’s her name. Of everyone in the family, she is the most theatrical. More so than I am if that’s at all possible.
She has a lot of great traits. She has a fashion sense that I still admire. When I am unsure about colors, patterns or textures, I lure her over here with the promise of chocolate for an opinion.
She was also a great Mom. Because she was no angel in her youth (I only know this from stories that come out after midnight), her son was unable to get away with much. He is one of the few kids I knew that went for years without a school sick day.
Her place was where all the kids congregated. She was a stay at home Mom. She liked to keep an eye on things like a proper dictator.
None of this is funny but there are a few notable stories that circulate. (I felt compelled to write some good stuff about her first.)
Her social skills — I was young and in my early dating days when we double dated for a movie. She was married to my brother but we still called it a double date. We arrived close to the start time and it was crowded.
Every theatre has that one row with the extra leg room. It’s a fire aisle. Those seats are always taken first. A quick cruise determined that over the span of the entire row there were four empty seats but they were not close to each other. Other rows weren’t any better. We couldn’t get four seats together in the entire theater.
With a very polite authority similar to the Queen of England, she got everyone reseated so we could all sit together. She didn’t even offer free popcorn!
I don’t know how she did it. I was mortified! At first we all acted like we didn’t know who she was but we were quick to sit down when the seats became available. Today no one would move!
Sunday supper — We all congregated at my mother’s house for supper every Sunday. It was a lot like Blue Bloods. There were lively discussions with contrasting viewpoints on every topic. We had democrats, republicans and bleeding heart liberals (that would be me). Sometimes it was loud and other times it was really loud.
Mom had a simple hot supper ready with some home-baked dessert. Everyone helped themselves. On one occasion I used an insulated mug for my Coke to keep it cold. It looked like a super large mug of coffee.
When I turned my head Betty had taken it, added milk and sugar all the while working to persuade us that her point of view was the right one. I asked if she always takes milk and sugar with her coke. We all laughed at that one.
Very rugged trail mix — My all-time favorite happened last summer. Long-time readers know I am struggling with a chubby cat. I had the cat kibble out of reach of said cat on the kitchen counter in a glass dish. Betty came in and ate a handful as if they were M&M’s.
No one noticed until she had the second handful in her mouth when my brother (who was checking to make sure he wasn’t missing any nuts) informed her it was cat food.
She finished eating it and said it was quite good. (No wonder my cat is chubby!)
There are more stories. Maybe I’ll post them at another time. That is if my family is still speaking to me.
Here is the Queen “B” (in red) holding court at a family picnic many years ago flanked by me (left), my niece (right) and my brother. Gosh, we were young!
Views and Mews by Coffee Kat 
Your story about Betty eating the cat food cracked me up. At the first radio station I worked at, WOLF-AM in Syracuse, New York, there was a wonderful gal – Carol St. John. She was a DJ (disc jockey) and in sales. One day, she had some food in a dish on her desk. I think she said it was some kind of snack food. I grabbed some and started to swallow before she could stop me to tell me that it was dog food. That incident always makes me laugh.
Betty sounds like quite a character. 😉
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So was the dog food good? Yes, Betty is by far the most interesting character in the family. All the rest of us are boring in comparison.
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I tend to think ‘not.’ It was embarrassing and I was trying to be cool about it. 😉
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I’d kill for a Betty…she sounds so efficient but with a perennial punch-line. Love the pictures…her in red. It’s nice to write about someone you love and admire 🙂
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She would so love you! She would want to hear all of your stories about the designers.
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I’d tell her anything she’d want to know..all the dirt and gossip.
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And she would so love that. She reads all the biographies.
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Not that he was a fashion person, but I’m finishing a great one on Bob Hope. Can’t put it down.
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He was a celebrity. She would love it.
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I penned a review for later in the week…it’s great…the book that is. LOL
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Anyone who generates so much humor is okay in my book. Betty sounds like just my kind of girl. 😀
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You would enjoy her! Big reader!
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Betty sounds like someone I’d love to know! I love that in the picture she’s wearing bright red while all the rest are in white. That seems to fit a woman who isn’t afraid of cat kibble as a snack. How nice to have a sister-in-law that is also a good friend, Kate. Lovely!
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I don’t have any sisters. Betty and my niece are the closest thing. I have enjoyed excursions with both. Because of our age different, Betty was also a sort of mentor growing up. She always had the latest styles (hair and clothes) and helped me shape my own style. I remember one dress I bought that I thought was so cute. She wrinkled her nose and said it looked like a peasant sack. It went back. That’s power.
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Betty seems like a character I would like to know. I would invite her over and put out the kitty kibble! 🙂 Love that story and all the others too. 🙂
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She would love your deck for a spot of tea. Not much of a drinker but she likes her tea, hot or iced along with some nice kibble.
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Betty gets shit done! If you would be so kind to ask Betty if she could come work in my office for a few weeks that would just be great. I am in dire need of a take charge gal who does not bat an eye when she accidentally eats some kibble.
Love the photo!
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She and my brother head up the local food bank. She has done some tough stuff there with employees. She’s not shy!
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What struck me was what nice hair you all have!
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It struck me too. Where on earth did it go?
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I love these family stories! That she calmly continued to eat the kibble is so telling of a forceful personality. I’m with the others… watch your back (but keep spilling the beans).
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There are times when I wish I would have had an anonymous blog. But then….what’s the fun?
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Fun stories. I’m glad you added the last picture. I’m not surprised she was wearing red.
Even today I think the theater seats could be rearranged. I have a girlfriend who could do it.
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There are some people that can do it. When they speak people listen. And yes, she loves red!
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She seems like a very take charge kind of lady. She does look great!
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Very take charge! Best of all she is still sharp as a tack! Can’t pull one over on her.
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Memoirs are often “posthumous” . . . because family members read galley proofs and “did in” the dirty double crossing scoundrel.
Just sayin’. 😛
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I’ll keep that in mind as I venture forth in this series!
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A wonderful tribute to good old “what’s her name!”
I shudder at the thought of future blogs. The family may have to get a “hit man” before it’s too late.
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Hmmmm….I seem to remember some stories about you too!
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