A tribute to Aunty Yvonne (23rd August)

Today started with sad news. Mum emailed me with news that Aunty Yvonne passed away at 1am on Sunday 23rd August. Aunty Yvonne was one of my Great Aunts or Faded Aunts as they were known to us. The youngest of four girls, my Nana's baby sister. She had been in hospital for heart surgery and due to complications was recovering slowly. She was a wonderful Aunty who was very good to my sisters and me. When we were young we would always look forward to heading out to Te Atatu to visit her. She would make us delicious scones which we would heap jam and cream or in Emma's case golden syrup and cream over. Her scones were the best and no one has ever been able to match them! After our feast we would have a swim in the pool yelling and screaming with delight. I was also extremely jealous of Aunty Yvonne because she had feijoa trees amongst the many fruit trees in her garden. Feijoas are one of my favourites. When they were in season I had to be told to stop eating them because I would have to sit on the toilet later in the day... it didn't stop me trying to shake the trees so that more fruit would fall on the ground. Late in the day we would sit in her hallway right between the lounge and the kitchen reading the complete collection of Dr Seuss books that she had. On the way home I would look out at fairyland (all the lights of Auckland) and remember what a wonderful day we had, hoping to do it again soon. Aunty Yvonne was very good at crafts. Each year we looked forward to receiving her birthday cards which she handmade especially for us. I also have a cross stitched S at home, which she made for me. It has me hanging upside down off the S because I did gymnastics when I was young and is the colour pink, which matched my room at the time. Aunty Yvonne didn't always have an easy life. But she was great, great aunty to me. She was always happy to see me, even in recent times when visits were in hospital and I'd do her nails. It was wonderful to have her a part of my life and I'm pleased to have known her. I am really sad that she has passed away, but glad that she can now be at peace and can be with Uncle Sonny whom she loved very very much. I'm thinking of you Uncle Jeff, Aunty Nettie, Uncle Tony and Uncle Greg and the rest of the Adams family. Much love Shona