Frances

This is one of my all-time favorite pictures.  It was taken on Thanksgiving day of either '95 or '96, when we met several years for the holiday at a farm belonging to one of Mike's sister's in-laws.  The family was shooting skeet, and Mike was giving Frances a lesson.  I think this is a beautiful shot.

I met Frances (Mike's aunt - his father's sister) on my first trip to Anderson to meet some of the family.  He took me by her gift/antique shop (an Anderson tradition for many years) and she was warm and welcoming.  I noticed a half a dozen Cherry Ames books on one of the shelves and exclaimed over them, because of my own collection.  Unknown to me, she wrapped them up and Mike smuggled them to the car to give me later, as it was near my birthday and Christmas season.

Frances has been gone for twelve years now, and we miss her.  I often think of how ML would have loved going to Frances' shop and helping her wrap Christmas and other presents.  I can see the two of them chattering away in the workroom.   They would have been great friends.

The children were little when Frances was still around; I was busy with them and other things.  Sometimes I'd think - maybe we'll stop by the shop on the way home.  But time usually got away.  

She could tell a story like nobody's business.  She was interested in everyone.  And one of my biggest regrets is that I didn't take better advantage of knowing that lovely, spunky, gracious, and delightful woman.