Great Mimi and Aunt Beef

My paternal grandmother's name was Minnie Merle Flanders Douglas. Her grandchildren called her "Mimi". When my mother became a grandmother 9 years ago she declared that she would be called "Mimi" and my "Mimi" would now be called "Great Mimi".

Great Mimi died several years ago and unfortunately Quentin never knew her. The only "Great Mimi" that Quentin knows is the image of a young woman with a stylish finger wave and hand tinted rosy cheeks behind glass in a bronze frame that hangs in the picture hall.

He will often talk about "Great Mimi" as if he just saw her yesterday. He also says sometimes that he "can't like Great Mimi" -- that she scares him. I am not sure what that is all about?

Quen also has a strange attraction to a picture we have on the sideboard of Great Mimi's sister Francis, who we always affectionately called "Aunt Bee". I have no clue why or how she got that name -- but that is what we always called her. At some point he found out that the pretty lady in the white frame's name was "Aunt Bee" however he refers to her as "Aunt Beef" and he knows she is Great Mimi's sister. Quen gets very excited about "Aunt Beef".

He knows were the pictures hang/sit and is always very eager to show you where the pictures of Great Mimi and Aunt Beef are located. The fact that he calls Aunt Bee "Aunt Beef" tickles my Dad to death.

Additionally, there are several other pictures that hang in the picture hall that are on his "tour of the picture hall" -- like my parents first portrait as a married couple and then a portrait of my father in his early 20s that Quentin is always quick to point out is "ma Papoo".

Almost everyday he has something to say about Aunt Beef and Great Mimi, who I have no doubt are sitting in heaven having a good laugh at this.