Aunt Mary

This photo was taken when I was about 9 at the end of my street, Woodland Ave., in Cheltenham, PA. It was on the first Sunday in May and we were either just going to or coming from the annual May Procession at our church, Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Only the children who received their Holy Communion that year were able to wear their veils and white dresses. The rest of us could wear our white dresses, if they fit, but we had to wear the flowers wreath. If they didn't fit, we wore our Easter dresses. It was very colorful! I have no idea what the boys wore, probably suits. The procession started by the door to the school and went around the block to the front entrance to the church. Then there was a Mass.

Aunt Mary was my absolute favorite! She was about 65 when this picture was taken, although she always told me that she was "about" 45. One memory I have of her involves jumping rope. It had to be about the time of this picture. The older girls up the street were trying to teach me to jump rope, double dutch, but I was having a hard time getting the hang of it. One day, when she was visiting, I got Aunt Mary to help me learn how to jump rope, double dutch. She didn't know how, but was willing to turn the rope. Mom turned the rope too, but she couldn't jump either. As the only jumper who was willing to jump, but could not do double dutch, I got frustrated quickly.