Sittee

12.31.1920---05.31.2008

My Sittee passed away on Saturday, so I flew up to Pittsburgh on Monday, went to the wake on Tuesday, the funeral Wednesday and flew back that evening. I remember vividly where I was on the highway when my dad called with the news, just as I can easily recall where I was when word came that my Grampa died this past Christmas Eve. All the emotion and tears didn't hit me though until Tuesday afternoon when Sittee's brothers pulled up to the house. Hearing their voices, their laughs, seeing their twinkly eyes (yes, Sitt's eyes had a twinkle) is what broke me down. The reality seemed to set in after that point. We stayed at her house (the house my mom grew up in) which she and Papa proudly built, decorated, maintained, etc. That house is very much attached to my memories of Sitt as we would stay there every summer for a couple weeks. Everything was there, in its place, except for her. It's almost an eerie feeling.

I loved her for many reasons, but especially for her steadfastness and sense of humor; the woman could spit nails if she wanted to. My most prominent memories of her include some of the following:

Phrases like:
-"I don't give a damn-shit!"
-"Blow it out your ass!" (this was always said after being beeped at while driving)
-"They're ignorant."


Things like:
-her amazing cooking, especially her spaghetti and meatballs that were always prepared upon our arrival
-her ability to consume an entire rum cake, by herself
-her laugh...her whole body laughed
-her hugs and kisses
-times she taught me how to knit and crochet
-how she always wore HushPuppies shoes
-how her knee-high stockings would always be down near her ankles
-how she would give my dad hell for not putting up Christmas lights at the Maple St. house
-how she would let out the loudest farts while walking around the kitchen and blame them on my Uncle Tom's dog, Sassy, even after Sassy had died.

Places like:
-the Christmas Store (open year-round. it was tradition for us to go and buy ornaments together)
-her house
-her yard: the mint garden, the flowers, the maple trees

There's much more, but I'm drained. More posts later...