...And Then Some !

My Aunt Eleanor was a true inspiration to all of us. 

She was the eldest of 5 siblings, raised in Montreal, Quebec.  My father describes her as an "ice-breaker" who cleared the waters for her younger siblings.  She challenged convention and tradition to make life a little easier for those following along behind her. 

Aunt Eleanor had a war-time romance with a young Australian airman.  They married and settled in Australia, where they raised three children and a lot of chickens. 

My father was 13 years old when his eldest sister left Canada.  Aunt Eleanor remembered a gift he sent to her -- a glass perfume atomizer -- with a note proudly stating, "I paid for this with my own money."

Apart from a brief reunion when Aunt Eleanor returned to Canada for a visit in the 1980's, they hadn't spent any time together as adults.

In October of 2011, I took my then 80 year old father to Austrailia to visit his sister.  It had been his dream to visit her for many years, but the timing was never quite right. 

We crossed the ocean and made the trek to Far North Queensland, driving up the winding ocean road from Cairns, past sugar cane plantations, to the peaceful village of Wonga Beach. 

It was a touching reunion, with short daily visits, a trip to a nearby animal sanctuary, and the reliving of fond memories over copious cups of tea.  Aunt Eleanor said she had always wondered what kind of man the sweet little boy she once knew had become.  I think she was pleased with the outcome.

On our first visit, we found Aunt Eleanor working on a university paper at her desk.  The paper she was preparing was for a creative and professional writing unit.  Her eyes sparkled as she described the character development and plot turns of her story, a tale about a young university student. 

Aunt Eleanor was at the top of her class as a student in Montreal.  She had been offered a university scholarship, but was a little ahead of her time.  In the late 1930's Montreal, a young woman was expected to work or raise a family. 

At the age of 89, she started working towards a bachelor of arts degree in ancient and modern history -- proving it is never too late to pursue your dreams.  She did this through distance education courses, and had to first become proficient in computers and online research methods.  Aunt Eleanor soon gained recognition as the eldest university student in Australia.

Along with her research skills, her writing skills blossomed.  She won several awards for her poetry.

Aunt Eleanor shared a copy of her memoirs, called, "My Twentieth Century".  At the time of our visit, she was working on editing the sequel, called, "...And Then Some".

On our last day visiting with Aunt Eleanor, my dad gave her a pretty little glass perfume bottle we picked up in Port Douglas, along with a card saying, "I paid for this with my own money."  She was delighted.

My Aunt Eleanor passed away on Monday, April 22, at the age of 95. 

She will be fondly remembered and dearly missed by us all....And Then Some !

Brother and Sister Reunion, October, 2011.

My famous Aunt, 2012.