As I was rereading Aunt Eleanor's journal entry of Janaury 17,1982, I had an Aha! moment.
My mother told me about her mother's spinning wheel that was in Aunt Eleanor's possession. She implied that Aunt Eleanor would be giving the spinning wheel to one of her sister's granddaughters.
I assumed that my grandmother actually was in possession of the spinning wheel. After I read, Aunt Eleanor's journal, I learned that the spinning wheel belonged to her grandmother. My grandmother had asked her grandmother for the spinning wheel. Since my grandmother died so young, Aunt Eleanor came into its possession.
Between my marriage and birth of my daughter, Aunt Eleanor came to California to visit my mother who seemed to imply that Aunt Eleanor was going to decide which my grandmother's granddaughters would receive the spinning wheel. My mother invited me to come to her house to meet with Aunt Eleanor.
When I arrived at my mother's house, Mom was shocked at what I was wearing. She was convinced that Aunt Eleanor would not give me the spinning wheel. I was wearing expensive designer jeans, a silk blouse and heels. My mother focused on the jeans as she felt that her aunt would disapprove of a female wearing jeans or pants.
I don't believe that Aunt Eleanor said a thing about my jeans or even had a reproachful look when she saw me. In 1991, when I saw Aunt Eleanor at a family reunion, she was wearing pants.
As far as I can tell, pants had nothing to do with her decision. She did not give the spinning wheel to any of my grandmother's granddaughters but instead donated it to a museum. I never learned where the museum was but the spinning wheel served many more people than it would have if it had ended up in anyone's livingroom.
Although I am happy that the spinning wheel is in a museum where many can view it, I wish that I had a picture of it
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