Auntie Joan

Those of you following my blog, already know that I had lots of lovely aunts and uncles, and cousins.
They were all very special and dear to me.
Today I felt a need to tell you about my Auntie Joan.
She battled with Rheumatoid Arthritis from the age of sixteen.
You would never know from being with her, or looking at her that she suffered at all. She had what could be described as a "serene countenance". She was always kind and loving, grateful for anything that was done for her.
I was half-heartedly watching a cartoon with my grandson the other day, it was about a family of zebras, living in an all American house, mum, dad, little boy, baby sister. My attention was caught when the grandma zebra jauntily, swished down stairs on her Stanner stairway. Face alight, all glammed up, hair done and ready to go.
Memories of Auntie Joan came flooding back.
For some years, she lived in our grandparents house, there was a railway line at the bottom of the garden and we loved going to visit her. Our dad would always tell us stories about his life there as a boy.
When the stairs became too much for her, she came to live with us. We had an L-shaped sitting-room.
Such was my Dad's pragmatic approach to disabilities, he just put up a thick curtain as a divider, and she lived happily in our sitting-room.
It was nice having her there, she always had blackcurrant fruit pastilles, she was always good-natured and kind.
In those days, we didn't have dishwashers. One of us would wash up and the other dry. We probably moaned about it, but it was a good chance to have a chat.
When I washed up, if it wasn't done well, she would pass it back to me saying, "you know that song you like? Return to sender". She made everything  a game.
On my 13th birthday, Auntie Joan and I were left on our own. We had a lovely time, my friend Eileen came round with a huge bunch of flowers. The 3 of us had a giggle over tea and cake.
I didn't realise at the time what a precious memory that would turn out to be.
As time went by, she had to have her knees replaced, then her hips. She never complained.
She cared for all her nieces and nephews, writing letters, keeping in touch. I have many letters from her still.
Always full of love and encouragement.
Once my Mum told me, that Auntie Joan had been proposed to in her youth, by a young man that wanted her to go and live with him in Kenya. We will never know what it cost her to turn him down.
My Mum and Auntie Joan used to like going for drives in the country together. they would set off with a thermos flask of tea and stop at a view point to admire the scenery.

Whenever I happened to see them drive past, my heart swelled with love for them.
Two brave women, who remained sweet and calm in the face of adversity. It was them that gave the comfort and support to us.