Aunt Helena

helenblenkinstudio ©
2020

For Phoebe and Albert

On school days, Isabella and Helen caught the bus home from
Houghton Valley.
Aunt Helena was always there waiting, enthusiastically waving as they
pulled into the bus stop.

When they arrived home to Antico Street, Helena would make Isabella
and Helen afternoon tea, and a cup of coffee for herself.
After Isabella and Helen had eaten, they often played in the garden.
Helena would sit on the laundry step, sipping her coffee and making
the girls laugh by saying “Raa-poo!”.

Bangers and mash for tea was part of the weekly routine. Sometimes it
was sausages, other times it was frankfurters. Helen loved it when it was
frankfurters.
Aunt Helena’s mash was delicious and buttery. If the girls were lucky,
there would be leftovers the next day for mash and vegemite on vogels
toast, mmmm-mmmm.

Isabella and Helen were often grubby from their day at school and
adventures in the garden. Aunt Helena would run them a lovely warm
bath after dinner.
The girls were both terrified of the loud noise when the plug was pulled
so would hide at one end of the bath as the water went guuuurgle,
guuuurgle, guuuurgle down the drain.

Whilst the girls were bathing, Aunt Helena warmed their pyjamas up for
them on the heater.
Isabella and Helen didn’t mind getting out of the bath, they knew they
wouldn’t be cold for long. Their toasty pyjamas, slippers and dressing
gowns were always there waiting for them.
As was their charming, fat cat Smeagol.

Aunt Helena is generally quite a patient woman. Although, when it
came to walking home from the Zoo Dairy, her patience was tested.
“Isabella, no dawdling!” She used to say as Bella mosied along day
dreaming and consuming the delicious treats she had just bought with
her pocket money.

In the school holidays Aunt Helena would take Isabella and Helen out
on activity days.
When Helen got to choose the days activity, she would often choose
‘The Stationary Warehouse’ as their first destination.
With new note books, pencils and erasers in hand, Aunt Helena, Isabella,
and Helen would walk along the waterfront to find a place to draw
and write about the day so far.

On Hutchinson-Blenkin birthdays, Aunt Helena joined in on the
celebratory dinners. The Beijing in Newtown was a crowd favourite.
Aunt Helena awlays gives great, edible gifts; tinned guavas, olives and
dark chocolate.

When Isabella was old enough to care for herself, Helen would scoot to
Aunt Helena’s flat in Berhampore after school on Friday’s.
Aunt Helena would always be waiting in the window as Helen zoomed
down Russell Terrace.
Helen was always excited for afternoon tea. She would cross her fingers
hoping for one of her three favourite snacks.

Spinach and egg, bacon and egg pie, or a pumpernickle bagel. Nine
out of ten times Helena pulled through.
One afternoon, there was a mystery with the bacon and egg pie.
“Why is the bacon and egg pie blue?” Helen asked Helena.
The two couldn’t figure it out all afternoon. They proceeded to eat the
pie anyway.
Kathryn arrived to collect Helen and solved the mystery.
“Red onion” She said after pondering for a few moments.

Aunt Helena keeps her flat very tidy and organised. There was a special
folder for Helen to keep all her drawings in.
Aunt Helena and Helen would spend Friday afternoons discussing
bedroom and house layouts.Helen lay on the floor drawing the ideas as
they came about.

Sometimes Aunt Helena would meditate on her wooden stool whilst
Helen drew at the table.
She would sit very still, and take big breaths in and out.
Sometimes Helen would try and join in, but she always got distracted.

In 2007, Charlie the border terrior joined the Hutchinson-
Blenkin family.

Since then, Aunt Helena and Charlie have been the best of
friends.

When Helen worked at Emporium on Cuba Street, Aunt Helena would
swing by on her way to get Roti Chanai for lunch.
Helen appreciated these visits a lot, they helped break up her long
days.

Sometimes on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, Aunt Helena likes to
indulge in a stout or two.
After one stout, Helena is chatty as ever. On occassion ending up
talking about cars with her neighbours for far too long.
When Aunt Helena drinks her stout, the whole family recieves giddy text
messages.

Aunt Helena is a great knitter. Once or twice she attmepted to teach
Isabella and Helen, although they didn’t have the patience required.
When Phoebe came along, Aunt Helena gifted the sweetest purple vest.
And when Albie came along, Helena being the practical woman she is,
decided with Isabella that Albert could have Phoebe’s hand-me-downs.
Helena offers both Albert and Phoebe infinite cuddles, or at least until
her arms get tired.

Isabella and Helen are very lucky to have had Aunt Helena so close to
them growing up. She has shown them what it is to be a strong, funny
independent woman.

Raa-poo to you too!