Farewell Aunt Nettie

We received the news this past weekend that my great-aunt Nettie passed away. My great-aunt was a potter for many years who inspired me to keep at it in the ceramics department when I was in college.  She lived in Ontario and wasn't able to visit too often, but when she did, she was such fun, had such energy and her passion for clay was huge.  She would phone me to talk about pottery and she found a way to ship a wheel, books, and supplies to me before my final year at Art school.   Her passion for pottery was contagious as I began to think about how I could make a career out of clay.

After caring for her husband who died of cancer, my aunt fell very ill.  Uncharacteristically, she couldn't get out of bed and was unable to move and speak without her speech being slurred.  It was as though she had had a stroke, although doctors were saying that it was a type of Parkinsons disease that had come on suddenly.  After many years it became apparent that she wasn't going to recover so she was put in the care of a very good home.  My dad's cousin and wife (she never had children, but 'adopted' her nephew's family as her kids) cared for her, visited her, helped her write and publish part of her life story, connected her with her potter's guild friends, and even helped make plans for me to visit her last year.  We knew she was getting close to the end of her life- she was 89 turning 90 next week, so her passing wasn't a surprise.  Her life will be remembered on Friday but her legacy in clay will remain and live on -hopefully in a way through me, but also through the many people she mentored and encouraged at the Waterloo Potter's Workshop, where she had many friends and colleagues in clay. 

I spent a few hours co-ordinating flights for my Aunt Tina and my grandma (Nettie's sisters) who will be going with my dad to the memorial.  With Dean away this week I wasn't able to attend- but I'm sure it will be a meaningful time. 

Weekend projects

I did finally get to sewing a tote bag out of fabric that I had dyed this last summer.  I used an Ikea cushion cover that had a broken zipper on it for the lining.  It feels good to re-use something for another purpose or another life. 
This weekend the boys and I took a trip to the Family farm.  Johnny has a school project that he's working on about documenting a family treasure- he has to interview someone about the treasure, take photos and tell the story behind the treasure.  So out of a few possibilities he chose a friendship ring given to his Great-Grandmother as she left Russia to come to Canada in 1924.  We looked through old letters from family that stayed behind during Soviet Russia.  One of her brothers who was thought to have died in a work camp during Stalin's reign was re-united with our family about 12 years ago, only a few years after the death of his sister. 
I particularly liked the wallet that the ring was found in- such a great design.  Each of those corner flaps opened up to a pocket.
And check out the 'Rules for the baby' Great-grandma Dahl got when she had one of her son's in 1949.  'Most important of all.  Leave Baby alone.'  It really is a wonder babies survived with advice like that!