Memories of my Aunt Jo

My Aunt Jo passed away on December 17, 2008. She was very special to me. For those of you who have kept up on my blog, you might remember me telling you how she inspired me to decorate my home at Christmas! She was a wonderful woman and I wish all of you could have known her! The angel at the top of my blog is in memory of her! It is a very special angel from her collection.
When I was little, I remember going to visit her and her family at their home in Richmond Hts. and then I remember when she moved to Chesterland. When I was in college, sometimes I would stay at her home. My Uncle Bob would make me study, study, study! He was also a great inspiration to me, but this is about Aunt Jo! I most remember Christmas time with Aunt Jo!! We would all gather at my Grandma Cusano's home on Christmas Eve morning. I remember my dad and Uncle Bob in the kitchen cooking squid, eel and fish! Family would start filtering in. Uncle Mick and his family would come, then Aunt Lou and her family. Sometimes Aunt Marge and her family would be there. Grandma would be in her glory! I remember Grandma's last Christmas...all her kids were there that Christmas Eve morning! Anyway, I remember Grandma would make Aila Oila and Macaroni with sauce, all kinds of Italian traditions! She would tell us "Mangia Mangia!!" My cousins would be there! I was always excited to see everyone. Then after eating an awesome lunch, we would all head to Conneaut to my Aunt Lou's home. We would all eat tons of food there too! Then Christmas morning, most of us would head to Aunt Jo & Uncle Bob's home! We would be there all day! She was the best baker, cooker...you name it! I loved her Venetian cookies! They were to die for! She passed the recipe onto me and I think I ended up making them twice this holiday season! I always raided her cookie trays for those venetians! And she made the BEST BEST BEST homemade eggnog you have ever tasted! She passed that recipe onto me too! And I think I made it at least 4 times this season! Aunt Jo always had the most gorgeous live Christmas tree you have ever seen! It had chocolate ornaments on it. Everytime I would go and look at that tree, I would eat an ornament! I did find the ornaments last year at World Market. I did buy them and put them on my tree for the memory!
Aunt Jo was wonderful. She always sent me the most beautiful inspiring emails! And she always seemed to know when to send them! I think that is what I miss most right now! I just can not bring myself to delete her email from my list of contacts. I probably never will! I was able to spend time with her daughters the day before she passed away. We stood over her, holding her hand, telling her what a wonderful woman she was. I miss her terribly but I know that she is watching over me. She lets me know. This kiss is for you, AuntJo....XXOOXX! I miss you!