Sunday, September 15, 2024
Aunt Francis taught me so much, and I loved the way she lived her life—always on the move. I’ll never forget walking up to talk to her while she was tending the garden in front of Caroline and Jonny’s house. She must have been in her late 70s at the time. Impressed and inspired, I asked how in the world she stayed so active at her age. I’ll never forget her answer. She told me, “All you have to do is drink a little vinegar every day.” She was dead serious.
That night, I went home, took a big sip of vinegar, and almost threw up instantly! It was years before I tried her remedy again. These days, it doesn’t taste nearly as bad as it did when I was a teenager, and to this day, I still take a little shot of vinegar almost every day. Every time I do, I think about that conversation in the garden.
I visited Aunt Francis about two months before she passed. I swear, her skin was as beautiful as ever, without a wrinkle on her face. I’ve come to the conclusion that she finally pickled herself after all those years of drinking vinegar! I can only hope to stay as youthful as she did, and I’m determined to pickle myself just like her.
Heather Gracely
