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Wednesday, March 31, 2010

I ♥ My Aunt Do Do!

Click the above link to read a previous post on my aunt.
I am so thankful for the many years this woman graced this world.
She is my mother's ONLY sister/sibling.
She is my ONLY aunt.
She will be missed terribly.
I am pretty sure the economic crisis is due to the fact that this sweet lady
had to quit shopping due to her illness...but never fear, her family and extended family will continue to carry on her legacy!
As a child, when she and my mother would get together, they would take us to the mall with them....GAH! It was TORTURE on a child going from
one store to another...spending HOURS looking at jewelry...watching she and my mom buy the SAME OUTFITS!! They weren't just any run of the mill outfits either....they were ECCENTRIC outfits!
I swear that they could even buy the same exact outfits in different states and blindfolded....it never ceased to amaze me.
I was the youngest in this small family, so my memories are of me being dragged shopping with them while the older children got to stay home.
The older children remember a time when my aunt was a Susie Homemaker.
I, however have very limited memory of that time....actually, I do remember her getting a "pizza making" basket for Christmas one year...and I thought to myself, "What on earth did they get that for her, she doesn't cook!"
Apparently, before I was old enough to realize it....she did cook.
Now, I'm sure there are memories of that somewhere in my head...I just think I spent more time training my Pet Rock than I did hanging out in the kitchen.
(Yes, I actually spent hours training a PET ROCK while at their house...WHAT? It came with it's own training manual!)
I remember when I used to be embarrassed by some of their clothing styles.
I remember being scared to death to ride with her in a car when she was driving.
(Did I mention she drove in DALLAS every day?) We Oklahomans don't KNOW how to drive that aggressively. Actually, I think it was one of those driving expeditions where I learned to REALLY PRAY.
I remember Thanksgivings and Christmas' in Texas at their house.
I remember being scared that Santa wouldn't find us in Texas....amazed me EVERY TIME he DID find us!
I remember sitting around the kitchen table in the mornings drinking coffee and reading the newspaper.
I remember sitting at her vanity and trying on her jewelry and pretending I was a gypsy. (This woman had A LOT of jewelry)
I remember wishing she was a vegetarian when we went to eat at a restaurant, because she would send her meat back at least twice to get it BURNED before she would touch it.
I remember upsetting my own mother when I gave Aunt Do Do my very first ceramic piece I made in a class.
I remember she got DRAFTED into WWII, because she wasn't expected to live at birth and the Dr. marked her birth certificate as MALE. I often wondered how long it would have been before they discovered that mistake if it weren't for our government.
I remember the nose that she inherited from her father....of course she didn't like it one bit. She eventually had some work done on it, and got the pretty nose she always wanted. It was short-lived due to some skin cancer on her nose. This was devastating to her. I remember going to visit her after her surgery.
I remember her face when she walked into the kitchen with her nose all bandaged.
I remember her LAUGHTER when she realized all of us had our noses bandaged too!
I remember going through an awkward stage where I couldn't say Aunt Do Do (pronounced Doe Doe, yes! just like the bird)...I would just start talking to her so I didn't have to say her name aloud and someone might hear.
Did I mention her last name was Pickel? Yah, just like pickle.
Thank God that was very short-lived.
How could one not LOVE that name? You will never forget it...as I will never forget the person behind that name.
Well guess what AUNT DO DO....I FIGURED it out and I would stand at the top of any mountain and scream AUNT DO DO to anyone who wanted to listen!
I love my Aunt Do Do Pickel!!
I am very thankful for those times we were together and wouldn't trade them for the world. I am thankful for the friendship she had with my mother.
They are true role-models for how siblings should be with each other.
I am thankful for her marriage to my Uncle Jim. What an inspiration their marriage was to me!
I will never forget the sound of her infectious laughter!
I will forever cherish my Aunt Do Do.
Guess what? Although I don't care too much for jewelry, I now dress eccentrically and love to shop....guess she got the last laugh, didn't she?
Doretta Wood Pickel November 27, 1929 - March 28, 2010

5 comments:

Territory Mom said...

What a great lady!!! I didn't even know her, but I miss her too!

Kim said...

She and your mom did a great job on shaping the young ladies around them.
Kim

Farmchick said...

Your aunt sounds like one great lady...so sorry for your loss.

carolina nana said...

So sorry for your loss,your aunt sounds like a fun lady to grow up around. May God comfort you and your family.

Farmchick said...

Okay so I already commented once but I am back again!

Just stopping by to wish you a very Happy Easter. Hope you can stop by my farm for a visit soon!

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