My Aunt Ruth

I am so lucky I was named after my mom's older sister Ruth. She's the favorite aunt and idol of all my nine siblings, She was eight years older than my mom, Rosie and they were best friends. It's eerily similar to my sister Carrie and me--Carrie is eight years younger than me, the baby of 10--just like my mom. Sadly my mom's two oldest brothers died of the pandemic flu! Her family was very spread out in age-unlike the Wertzbergers-the ten of us are just 13 years apart!

Ruth is 92 and the only surviving member of her German Catholic clan. (I do remember meeting her Aunt Tilly in Galena Illinois though who was 90 something and going strong).

Ruth has seen her share of tragedy-one sister died in her 40's, my mom died at 53, Ruth had two of her own sons die young, and her husband died about 20 years ago.

Yet she survives and thrives. Her daughter Edie said she has never seen her happier. Ruth lives in a small home in Wisconsin and she is one of the only women--did she plan it this way? My cousin Paul, her son, says there is something in the Iowa water (where Ruth and my mom and family grew up) that makes them boy crazy. Ruth always has at least two boyfriends and periodically she will sneak out of the house with one of them and go to the bar down the street. The town is so small that the barkeeps now put a sign in the window that says "Ruth's here," so her caregivers don't panic. Tell me, is there a better way to grow old?