Arlene Clara Slotemaker Barry Ernster---April 20, 1929 - September 9, 2023

Sad news.

The matriarch of the Slotemaker - Jones clan passed away Saturday after a brief hospital stay.

Aunt Arlene was my Dad's big sister. That is Dad and Aunt Arlene you see above, at Mom and Dad's 50th Wedding Anniversary Party, on August 11, 2001. Mom and Dad's actual anniversary date was August 6, but for some reason, on more than one occasion, their anniversary party took place on my birthday.

Well, the reason is actually no mystery, if August 6 fell on a weekday, the next weekend was when the anniversary party took place. I recollect that only happening twice.

Aunt Arlene was a school teacher. High school. An English teacher, I think, for the most part. At Snohomish High School and Sultan High School. And maybe some other schools I am not remembering.

Aunt Arlene got her teaching degree from Western Washington University, where she was on the school newspaper, and at one point in time got to interview Eleanor Roosevelt.

Aunt Arlene had flawless cursive handwriting.

In the Slotemaker - Jones clan it is an odd fact that the oldest in each family group is left-handed. Which made Aunt Arlene left-handed, as am I.

I treasured getting letters from Aunt Arlene. Along with news clippings.

In the past year Aunt Arlene subscribed me to the Hightower Lowdown. Along with the majority of Americans, Aunt Arlene was appalled at the Trump embarrassment.

Aunt Arlene was a bit surprised that I can tolerate living in Texas, after having spent the majority of my life living in one of the nation's more progressive states, to now be living in a state which no one would accuse of being progressive.

Just recently, well, a month or so ago, Aunt Arlene had Cousin Linda, her daughter, Facebook message me asking how I was handling the heat. Apparently, the news was making the Texas heat seem real HOT. 

The news of Aunt Arlene passing hit me hard today. All my siblings have always had Aunt Arlene on a pedestal. She was so smart, funny, easy to talk to. And so kind and loveable.

When I got a text message last month, or was it the month before that, time flies so fast, with that text message, from sister Jackie, telling me she was now a Granny. I reacted to that news in a way which surprised me, as in I suddenly felt real happy. The news about Aunt Arlene also struck me in a way which surprised me, but it was the opposite of real happy.

The older I get the more it seems that time is fleeting, quickly melting away...

Aunt Arlene On Oregon Coast Helping Make Orwell Fiction Again

I saw that which you see here on Facebook this morning via my favorite Scott cousin.

Cousin Scott currently resides in Elsie Hotpepper's favorite Oregon town, Cannon Beach.

Cousin Scott's mama, my dear Aunt Arlene, is currently, according to the aforementioned Facebook, visiting cousin Scott.

Aunt Arlene is my dad's big sister.

My dad was Aunt Arlene's big brother.

Via this Facebook post cousin Scott tells us his mom has never wanted to take a top-down drive along the Oregon coast, but she did agree to pose as if being the driver of cousin Scott's convertible.

Whilst wearing cousin Scott's recently acquired "Make Orwell Fiction Again" cap.

A Big Brother reference, but not one referring to Aunt Arlene's big brother.

I want a "Make Orwell Fiction Again" cap. I imagine such are popular on the west coast. And would totally befuddle many of those who might see such at my current location where the majority would have no clue who Orwell is, or was, or the meaning behind the message on the cap...

Walking With My Sister & Arlington's Village Creek Indian Ghosts Perusing A Book About Texas From My Favorite Aunt Arlene

Today my sister who currently resides in Arizona went walking and talking with me and the Indian ghosts who haunt Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historic Area.

I took no pictures of the Indian ghosts today, or anything else in the Natural Historic Area, due to the fact that taking a picture would have distracted me from talking to my sister.

Before Talking with my sister and walking with the Indian ghosts I found a parcel in my mailbox from my favorite Aunt Arlene.

I opened the parcel to find the book you see above, titled...

THE WAY WE WERE

TEXAS

Nostalgic Images of the Lone Star State

My favorite Aunt Arlene has traveled around Texas. Inside the book post-it notes were added making note of places she'd been that are depicted in the book.

And then I found a big bookmark in the middle of the book which had a photo of some women washing laundry the old-fashioned way with tubs and wringers, with one of the women saying "Housework is evil! It must be stopped!

The rest of the bookmark my aunt used to write me a letter, part of which said, "I bought this book figuring I could send it to you when I was finished perusing it, seeing that you are the one and only Texan I know."

Me?

A Texan?

Apparently my aunt is unaware of the Texas state law regarding being a Texan, where to be a Texan one has to be born in Texas or live in Texas for four decades and then pass the Texas Citizen test and get sworn in as a citizen while reciting the Texas Pledge of Allegiance whilst holding ones hand over ones heart.

One the backside of the bookmark letter my aunt closed with words of wisdom....

"Keep Happy. Keep Cycling. Keep Curious. Keep Healthy."

Well, I did not go cycling today, figured I'd give the trails one more day to dry out. However I did go recycling today, which I  am sure my aunt would approve of....