“Starts with a vowel”                                                                                                           


   
April 2, 2023

Anna and the Airplane

I would like to Announce to you my “Starts with a vowel” prompt and my mother - Anna Dolores Golden nee Vampatella, born May 26, 1930 and died January 7, 2012.    Anna had a lot of Admirable Attributes and some interesting ones.

Anna’s Artistic Acumen was Astounding! She loved to sit in her chair watching TV and sketching whatever came to her head. When sketching, her preferred Aesthetic was focused on the Awesome beauty and Allure of women and nature. She especially loved sketching women – their faces, their hands, their beauty.  Her Artistic interest moved to painting with oils and would Aspire to be like Bob Ross and Absorb his tips on painting landscapes.  Only once do I remember Anna taking an Adult Ed Art class with my Aunt Marie, her sister. When she was younger, she created a mermaid made of clay. Not only did she sculpt the mermaid but she painted her.  I remember loving that mermaid. I know the mermaid broke but I do not remember if I was the culprit or was it just due to time. I was Astounded as a child as I am now to think of the Affinity for Art that lay in her fingers.

This was one of her "doodles"!! 

Anna Adored her children, grandchildren and all her family – they were everything to her! The Admiration went both ways – we loved her too!

Anna had an Addiction to Alcohol and cigarettes.  She Attached herself to Alcoholics Anonymous to help with her Addiction to Alcohol. When she died, she had more than 40 years of sobriety!! Her courage to battle this disease was Amazing and Admirable.  Cigarettes was a far more difficult Addiction to Abandon and she smoked for more years than I will ever know.  Emphysema was the Aftereffect of smoking and she Agonized with each breath. She became Attached to her oxygen. 

So, what does this have to do with the Airplane?  Nothing, I just wanted to Acquaint you with my Amazingly Awesome mother Anna.

The Airplane: There was a time when my brother, Charlie who lived in Arizona and had some Ailments. Mom, my brother Robbie, sister-in-law Ronnie and I decided to go to Arizona to see my Ailing brother. 

Anna also had some Anxiety. Anxiety that Affected others. One of her Anxiety related issues was to Airplanes. Not the Airplane itself but flying on Airplanes. 

In Anticipation of the Airplane flight, Anna got a special oxygen tank that could be used on an Airplane. The Apprehension of the flight to Arizona only Augmented the Anxiety.  Robbie and Ronnie sat behind us.  Mom was on an Aisle seat and I was in the middle with her oxygen tank under the seat in front of me. Mom’s Angst made her do some very funny things.  I’m laughing as I write this. 

 As we started taxiing, I was trying to Avert mom’s Attention by talking to her about Anything I could think of.  I’m watching her and I notice she is leaning into the Aisle and staring straight Ahead but I kept talking to her.  She is not Answering me but I kept talking hoping to Alleviate her Anxiety. She finally turns to me and Annoyingly Announces, “Would you please stop talking, I’m trying to help the pilot fly the plane!” ….. Oh, Mama!!

Anna’s Absence has Affected me dearly, but her Antics will Always be Adhered to my heart.