Friday, November 18, 2022
We were the lucky ones. The Cronkite kids basked in the love that Auntie Lori sent our way. Our mom was a teenage bride, not uncommon in those days, and Lori, older sister Georgie and parents Nanny and Dee-Dee were there to help. Their support during those crazy times likely reinforced or solidified the loving and welcoming Tubb household that pre-dated us.
I blame Auntie Lori for knowing every word of every Sound of Music song.
She offered me my first cigarette. She knew what she was doing, as that was my first and last puff.
We looked forward to the Tubb annual slideshow, especially to the slides from Lori’s trip to Europe (1961 or 1962?). I can still picture her in her very nice dress (like Jackie Kennedy!).
She would leave some coke in her coke bottle, and the next morning we would beg our mom for her “overnight coke.”
She refused to use the outhouse at Waskesiu Lake. Opting for long walks to the flush toilets. Those were scary outhouses…she was smart.
You can’t replicate her laugh.
We were crushed when we didn’t make it to Saskatoon for Christmas one year. She helped soothe our disappointment by creating the most unique gift box. The box was a very detailed painting of a fireplace with six little stockings hanging from the mantle. Each stocking had a name on it and was tied to a string that was tied to a present. I forget what the present was, but I will always remember the box, and the effort she put into making it.
We missed her when she left to teach in Calgary. We missed her when we moved from Saskatoon. We miss her now.
If there is a heaven, and I believe there is, my heaven will include my best of times, times that Auntie Lori was always a special part of.
