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Notes: |
Personal
Notes: Family Memories from Susan Aud Sonders: Aunt Lill’s signature chocolate turtles, made from cashews, chocolate and chow mien noodles, were always on her kitchen counter in a tin. My love for chocolate turtles began here and many of us still give them as gifts every Christmas.
As children, we looked forward to packages from Aunt Lil. She sent us dolls from around the world and a boomerang with the record, “My boomerang won’t come back” We all practiced the boomerang that summer and played the record over and over to my parents chagrin. I can’t hear that song today without thinking of her trip to Australia and the fun summer gift she gave.
I was in awe of Aunt Lil and Uncle George’s house. First of all, it was so long. It seemed like it took up the whole block. Upon entering, we would brace ourselves for the burst of cold air coming from within. Air conditioning was not a common occurrence. With relief, we would step inside from the Indiana heat and move towards the long hallway. The rooms were immaculate, uncluttered and smelled of a mixture of cleaning products and expensive perfume. The house was very still and I could hear my footsteps as I tip toed on the plastic runners that led to the plastic coverings on the chairs. I would sit and just stare at all of the many artifacts from her trips; strange and unusual things that I could not keep myself from cautiously touching. The formal living room was a new concept for me and I felt that she must be very rich with all of the gold colored items in the room. When I was young, I bought her an inexpensive very “gaudy” gold candle and she accepted it graciously. At this moment, I have special fancy soaps by my sinks because of the beautiful soaps I discovered in her many bathrooms. She slept with a night mask on. That always puzzled me since her rooms were already so dark with the thickly lined heavy curtains. The matching lush towels and huge king size pillows, satin sheets, shopping trips to expensive stores for good “sales” and lunches and swimming at the country club were all new to me each summer and are fond memories. My favorite room in the house was the kitchen. It was bright in contrast, with shiny new appliances. It is where I remember my mom and her sisters gathering and laughing.
When she was dying of cancer, I came to know a different side of her. I will always be in awe of the way she handled herself on that particular visit. Still so full of life and conversation yet in obvious pain. She wouldn’t let any of us help her out of the car or hold her hand to aide her unsteady walk to the doctor’s office. Stoic and proud. One of the last things she whispered to me as I said a tearful good-bye was “don’t you worry about your ole Aunt Lil, she is doing just fine.” Yes, she was.
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This recipe for Aunt Lil's Chocolate Turtles is from