Thursday, December 24, 2009

Sassy new computer from a Sassier Auntie

Trouble looking for a place to happen.
This is my first blog post written from "Sassy", my new HP laptop with Windows 7 and lots of bells and whistles and SPEED. I love it. No more waiting waiting waiting for the computer to respond.
So how did po' little me (emphasis on the po') afford such a thing? It's a post humus gift from my Aunt Shirley who passed away a year ago August. Shirley was SASSY! She was a smoker and took pride in that (I NEVER gave her grief about her cigarettes, I valued life too much). My daughter (who bought Shirley's house) still has a letter on her fridge that Shirley wrote to Bill Clinton when he was President. It goes something like this...
"Dear Mr. President, I was watching your speech on TV tonight until you started blabbing about more taxes on cigarettes. You've taxed us smokers enough! But it did remind me that I'm almost out of smokes, so I turned your yakking off and I'm going to the store for more cigs."

You can see the attitude in this pre-teen shot (Shirley is the one with dark hair)

Shirley had emphysema and she knew she was dying so she had gotten all of her affairs in order. She wrote her will, paid off all of her credit cards and died 2 weeks later. She named me executor and split her estate between me and her neighbor who looked in on her every night. As we were going through the house after her death, we found that she had been so afraid of someone stealing her identity, she hadn't thrown any of her mail away for the past 8 years, And in that mail were copies of HUNDREDS of letters she had written to politicians. All of them acerbic, sassy and irreverant. God love her.
So with my inheritance from Shirley, I bought the laptop and I'm also buying a macro lens for my camera and the rest will be invested in making improvements on Shirley's house (Which is now Bryn's house). A nice little investment.
So Thank You Shirley, wherever you are. You were the first person in our family to ever own a computer and you were kind enough to let me play with it when I came over to visit. I'll be thinking of you often as I play on this one.

In more innocent days - My Mom, Shirley, Brother Paul and their Dad

5 comments:

gld said...

I saw your Blog listed on Seed Scatterer's Blog and the name appealed to me.

This post about your Sassy aunt didn't disappoint.
She sound like someone you would like to know. I think she would be happy that you got the computer! I would enjoy reading her letters to politicians.......the one to "Bill" was perfect.

Naturegirl said...

Your aunt Sassy and my mother sound like kindred spirits! Perhaps they are having a smoke of two in the smoking allowed area of heaven!
Mom was a women ahead of her time..independant..strong willed..a survivor..perhaps that's where my courage to battle my second cancer comes from!
Wishing you peace in the New Year and may the healing journey bring you closer to complete wellness! I am a breast cancer survivor..5 yrs! whoo hoo!! love and light aNNa xo

Anonymous said...

Hi Cindee~~ I love this post. What a spirited woman your aunt must have been. I wonder, have you thought of compiling Shirley's letters into book form? With my [somewhat limited] knowledge of the publishing industry, this sounds like something that would interest a publisher. If you'd like more info, I'd be happy to oblige. ... I've wondered how Windows 7 is doing as a remedy for Vista. Sounds like you're having a great time. I love my HP laptop, although it's a few [like, 5] years older than yours and runs on XP. .... Love your black and whites too. What a rich history.

Charlotte Weychan said...

Just love it .... and a great blog too! Season's greetings and look forward to following you!

Annie said...

A Wonderful post...I love reading about strong awesome women!