The Bomb Life 101: Remembering My Aunt Andrea in an N. Natori Kimono from Lord & Taylor

My Aunt Andrea has passed away and joined the angels in heaven. She was battling illness for quite some time and may now Rest in Peace.

While reading over her obituary, one thing that stood out to me was her love of shopping. She loved to shop! Her favorite past time was perusing the racks at Lord & Taylor (it runs in the family, apparently). Perhaps it’s eerie or just coincidental that my event last Saturday was at Lord & Taylor, a store I honestly haven’t stepped foot in in years. I shopped almost as much as my Aunt, buying shoes, jewels, and this N. Natori robe I’m wearing as a Kimono.

Death is hard. But there is no way around it. Sometimes it’s awkward. Noone knows what to say or do. All we can to is keep living our best lives and relishing in the memories and good times.

My Aunt Andrea was generous. When we were kids, she always had gifts for each and every one of her nieces and nephews. She didn’t skimp! She had Cabbage Patch Dolls for all of us! Nintendo Games! Barbies! My Aunt Andrea was a great cook. She would cook 8 course dinners at her house: oxtails, salmon, steak, chicken, conch, rice & peas, and fried plantain, though my favorite was her lasagna! My Aunt Andrea’s house was always the hub for the family. From when I was young, we would always gather at her house. She had more than enough food to feed us all, and we always took plates (and sometimes trays) home. She was caring. She was bossy. She had the mouth of a sailor. Boy could she yell! She would do anything for you if you asked. She was shrewd. She loved to shop.
She will be missed.

Love & Light,

*The throwback picture is of some of my cousins and I at Andrea’s house. I have a lot of cousins. My grandmother Mae (with the Kiss the Cook apron) had 8 kids. Gold Star if you can find me!