Time Passes

Two influential people in my life, for different reasons,

mark the passing of time for me this week

Bob Bogle, lead guitarist for the 60's rock band the Ventures died this week after a battle with cancer.

I spent hours in my bed room with an old Yamaha guitar and a little record player trying to follow his licks on such classics as "Walk Don't Run" and "Wipeout". I played until my fingers were sore, and actually got pretty good. I can still punch out most of Walk Don't Run, although my fingers are much slower than they use to be.

Secondly and most important, Aunt Wilma will turn 101 years old in August. She is here with my older sister Margaret when she made a trip to Idaho to see her last week.

Aunt Wilma has been my favorite aunt since I was just a little kid. I remember writing letters to her and always getting a response quickly about the goings on in the Kendall family. She was my moms sister and visited once a year from California. And once we visited her and got to go to Disney Land and Knotts Berry Farm.

One of my most treasured memories of Aunt Wilma was at a drive in movie. Mom and her in the front seat and Russ and I in the back, I leaned my head in between her and mom and Aunt Wilma reached up and rubbed my neck while we watched. My family for some reason didn't touch much, so the tactile show of affection from Aunt Wilma was heavenly.Still today I can imagine her hand on my neck.

It is said that boys look for a wife like their mothers. My mom and I had a stormy relationship up until the time I was her primary caregiver for a year. I was glad we had the chance to work past some of the hurts and frustrations we had with each other in the end. But I looked for and found a mate with the traits of my beloved Wilma when I fell in love with Pat. What a joy!

Aunt Wilma is in the final stages of her life now. She doesn't recognize many people and she is confined to a wheel chair. But she is still grace-filled, loving and warm. Thank you aunt Wilma!