Sunday, July 17, 2016

Judy Garland

Without a doubt, as a six year old kid, I wanted to be Judy Garland when I grew up.

Not the actress, mind you. When I was a little kid, my mom had a best friend named Judy Garland. Her name was Garland by marriage and maiden name was Sunshine, which is still an awfully cool surname. When I was a kid, Judy invited us over to her house for parties, and I used to get insanely excited. Judy was not only vivacious, fun, and an avid collector of Wizard of Oz memorabilia, but she was also a world traveler. Her home was like a funhouse of old movie posters, postcards, jars filled with coins and beads from Vegas and Mardi Gras, and all manner of collectibles in lighted glass display cases. On her walls, I saw pictures of her in at operas in Europe, fishing in Alaska, posing with kangaroos in Australia, visiting places I had only seen in Disney movies.

RIP, Aunt Judy. I know you're making someone up there laugh.