“She’s a spacial lady,” my mom always said. (There were some words Mom just couldn’t pronounce correctly.) And certainly, Sandy was “spacial.” She was six months older than me, and could do everything better and faster than I could.
She could swing higher on the giant homemade swing set in her backyard (and if I remember correctly, was not afraid to have the ropes of the swing lap over the wooden A-frame – of course, that may be an exaggerated memory). We’d dress up like grownup ladies or gypsies. We went trick or treating together. She never laughed at me the year my dad purchased a Peter Pan outfit for me (and I was too shy to tell him it was a boy’s costume).
We played with Linda, my 21-inch bride doll, the girl we wanted to be, together in the little yellow playhouse that my grandpa built. The doll was better dressed than we were, with hand-sewn outfits – a Chemise dress, a green corduroy suit, a red satin evening gown with mink stole, a blue felt 50’s skirt, a bubble hem dress — by my seamstress mom. By the time we were teens, Sandy played the piano by ear while I was barely able to find middle C. We swam in the backyard pool, occasionally sneaking in the ducks when my dad wasn’t there to see. She found her soul mate, Chuck, just like my bride doll did, while she was still a young teen, experienced their first kiss in the backseat of a ’48 Chevy, and together they lived a true love story. She gave birth to two beautiful daughters, Chrissy and Erica, who bear a uncanny resemblance to their beautiful mom.
She stuck by those she cared about and those who life sometimes treated them unfairly with joy. She laughed long and hard, with her infectious smile, and saw the hand of God in our trials where others would have whined and complained.
I am so lucky to have had a cousin like Sandy. I will miss her and savor our time together. Please share any memories you have of your “spacial” cousins.
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My most spacial cousin is and was my cousin Rick. We gathered eggs together out of the chicken coup, we rode horses together, gathered strawberries and picked corn and spent hours swinging on this big rope out of the hayloft in his barn. He flew to California to help with the driving when we moved from California to Michigan in the seventies — OK, he mostly slept in the back seat with Jenna who wasn’t quite 2 yet but he was there for moral support! He stayed in Michigan and I came back to California. We still talk on the phone at least once a month.
I loved being around Sandy (you, too, Penny). She always had a smile and something nice to say. I miss our reunions.
Thank you, Penny, for sharing your memories of Sandy with us. Wish I could have been at the service. Steve wrote a short about how lovely it was. Unfortunately I did not stay in contact with the family well, and especially once I moved to Eugene. But I have always loved my cousins, thinking of you often, and praying that you are well and happy. I am so sorry that I missed seeing Sandy more, as well as others in the family. Hopefully we’ll all meet in Heaven, if I don’t see you all before then. Love to you and your family always, Penny.
Hugs, Eve
Thank you Penny for such a great post. It means a lot. Thank you again for attending her service, it was really good to reconnect with you, Sharon, and Steve again (even though I was always the pesky little sister you all wanted to ditch! LOL!!) I would like to hear more memories anyone has of Sandy. I always considered her the “social butterfly” between the 3 of us sisters.