to AJ from Carolyn L. Bates

AJ

. ..You have been in my life for so long....

I remember being so envious of you, so very beautiful, and marring my favorite uncle. Your wedding was like a fairy tale wedding. Do you remember not having a white cloth to put down the aisle so you could walk on it? My father went out to find one. He saw one being used, and after they were finished, he flipped it over, rolled it up, and brought it back to your church. I believe this held up the wedding for a long time!

My favorite story about you and UB was about the shower that hung from the ceiling in your apartment in Paris. And the time that the drain did not work, and one of you was using the shower watching the water slowly rise inside the cylinder of plastic.

When you and UB came back from Europe , I came over so many times while I was in Cambridge. One time I had a bit of wine to drink, along with a many course dinner for Christmas, including a tapioca pudding that took a week to make, as the pearls had to soak for that long! Going home, I had no clue that my emergency brake was on the whole time! I ruined it permanently! Oh my.

One time upon arriving at your house, you came running out and said, " Don't you dare step on that gold plated lawn. That was going to be my mink coat!! " UB had just had someone roll on an entirely new lawn that day - I loved that you could be funny about it, knowing also that you would have LOVED that mink coat.... .

I had no idea how to cook. My first lesson from you was for chicken stew a la Julia Childs. There were three pages on how to cut up the mushrooms. While I attempted to stretch my 2 pot cooking set into the 5 needed for this stew, you encouraged me over the phone.

And the grandest of all birthdays, you put together so perfectly.

For three days you had UB totally happy, surprised, and laughing every minute, for his 80th. Unexpected guests were showing up, the parties that flowed together one day to the next, and the food, was spectacular.

So many great times...so many memories...I love you AJ.

Carolyn March 26, 2010

PS: AJ you have certainly been a special part of both our lives....a model of how to do things, and perhaps how not to, but always a powerful presence. From Cindy and Carolyn