Aunt Mary's Apartment

All the while Aunt Mary lived in her apartment in Cuyahoga Falls, no one was allowed to set foot beyond the kitchen except her landlord and her friend, Darlene.

The second story apartment, which was originally above a small general store, was her home for 51 years. I wish I had gotten to see it, as it was, before Darlene cleaned up and organized things.

Today, Carolyn and I got to go beyond the kitchen. We saw the entire apartment. Each room connected with the next: kitchen, living room and bedroom.

It smelled like Aunt Mary: a mixture of moth balls and years of dust.

She had saved every piece of correspondence that came to her P. O. Box. She lived very simply and frugally.

We sifted through many old items, choosing a few to take with us to pass on to future generations. I wanted some of her milk glass mugs and a couple of vases. I took her sewing box, which contained old thread, needles, pins and buttons, as well as a box of beautiful print scarves.

Those are the things that will remind me of Great Aunt Mary.