Anna -- 96!

A 'grand dame' in the classic sense of the word!

An aunt of AW's, so many generations removed.  I got to know her 25 years ago when I was doing the first edition of the genealogy book.  Married thrice, and the third was the best.  We hadn't visited for many years now, and I knew that if I did not visit this year, I might not get to visit any more.  Not that there's any immediate danger, as there's nothing much wrong with Anna except for her hip.  She is as sharp as she has always been.  She turned 96 last 15 Sept but we decided not to show up then because the weekend was already reserved for her entire family, and I know how large it is, now even larger with the addition of 20 great-grandchildren these past 10 years.  Anna is one of those matriarchs who feel secure because they know they've managed the family well and all the descendants have turned out just fine.  She lives in the wing of the house of her youngest, and all the children take turns looking in on her and making sure she's comfortable.  I have stopped asking for the 'latest details' because that's no longer important.  While we were there, one of her sons dropped by to refill her coffee mug so that she didn't have to get up, and got reacquainted with us again.  Her life story could easily fill a book but she will be the first to discourage the idea.

She lives in Achtmaal, and we were there around 15.00, having lost the way because we hadn't been for quite a while.  We left around 16.30 and got lost again.  Because we used AW's car, there was no cushion and I was tired after yesterday, so he did the driving.  When we left her house, we got lost in the maze of farms and villages and at one point we just knew we were in Belgium -- the houses looked different, the bricks themselves were different, the license plates were Belgian.  Not to worry as if you go round sufficiently, you're bound to hit a main road at one point.  We turned right instead of left and almost ended up heading for Antwerp!  Haha!  We saw a turn towards the motorway, the one we were looking for, and Breda was 35 km. away.  A simple dinner when we got back and a lazy, relaxing evening.  It's at times like these when I wish I was no longer working.