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| From family archives |
My great-aunts were very refined.
When visiting I was inclined
To curtsey so low
That often I’d go
Flat down on my girlish behind.
When visiting I was inclined
To curtsey so low
That often I’d go
Flat down on my girlish behind.
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| From Sears catalog online |
I loved my mother’s Victorian-born aunts, and knew they loved me, but I could be terrified of them as well.
When "the aunties" hosted a gathering of ladies, my sister and I were given the job of passing plates of cookies, tarts and hors d’ouevre, as well as offering tiny silver trays of cream and sugar, and wielding silver sugar tongs. "Two lumps, please."
As we weren’t particularly graceful (let’s face it, we were born klutzes) this “honor,” which was intended to contribute to our ladylike upbringing, was usually two hours of torture during which we were expected to smile sweetly at all the old dears who visited the aunties.
When "the aunties" hosted a gathering of ladies, my sister and I were given the job of passing plates of cookies, tarts and hors d’ouevre, as well as offering tiny silver trays of cream and sugar, and wielding silver sugar tongs. "Two lumps, please."
As we weren’t particularly graceful (let’s face it, we were born klutzes) this “honor,” which was intended to contribute to our ladylike upbringing, was usually two hours of torture during which we were expected to smile sweetly at all the old dears who visited the aunties.
19 comments:
Haha! Lovely juxtaposition between the formality and the reality of growing up.
funny. reminds me of those old finishing schools for women!
Precious!! Funny too!!
How amazing to read about your Victorian aunts, Kay. Passing those beautiful plates, sugar bowls and creamers around would have terrified me witless. I hope you're doing well. Please pat dear Lindy for us all. Blessings, Jo
I LOVE the limerick, and also the description of "the aunties". My grandma held tea parties, with dainties and decorum, and I once MORTIFIED her by responding to a question with "HAH? Miss Hicks?" I heard about it for years!
This is super charming, Kay. Much fun. K.
I'm pretty sure I would have been landing on my behind as well. A fun bit of remembrance here!
quite a memory...my family was never so formal.
Like wearing high heels, curtseys take practice. So do courtesies! Glad you could give us the limerick you-gotta-laugh perspective on it.
I like your style Kay! Hilarious! The wit in limericks is very obvious!
Hank
Ha..ha..I enjoyed this Kay ~
this “honor,” which was intended to contribute to our ladylike upbringing, was usually two hours of torture
I'm sure they adored your ways... this is a lovely limerick!
This brings back memories of my Great Aunts, as well. The humour is great!
It is so hard to be formal under the best conditions, but put it with the wiggles of a child..torture. lol I love your verbal snapshot of your upbringing. Thank you for using my photograph Sunday. It was such a moving poem.
I had a great aunt Loretta something like yours. And I was (am) a klutz. Oh and I laughed out loud at your limerick too! Thank you for visiting my poem!
Not always a fan of limericks, I adore this one. So much fun!
I love this limerick, Kay...not surprised to see you're good at them.
I do love a formal tea and have a lovely tea set to put out, thanks to our friend Sherry. My mother always bade me mind my manners and learn to hold a cup and saucer properly, in the event the Queen would come for tea. Oddly enough, she never did...lol!
I never had an aunt like that, Kay. My mom and one aunt were city girls but not victorian. But I could just 'see' yours.
Sorry being late in my return. We actually are travelling, to London (UK) and not Texas.
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aloha Kay - fun limerick - the conflict between what is expected and the approval of a family love relationship - trying to live up to that expectation - is a tough one. that you can now write a fun limerick about it says to me love may have won out - cool on that. aloha.
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