The Sisterhood of the Traveling Designer Bag(s).

This is going to be a tear inducing blog post you guys, so buckle up.

I'm over halfway drinking a bottle of sparkling wine that isn't that good and I've eaten a half bag of flaming hot cheetos.

Okay, so...

For those of you that don't know, my fabulous and bright Aunt Kathy passed away on April 18th, 2026.

I'm trying to get these feelings and words out of my body before her memorial service this coming Saturday. I would like to remain relatively calm during the service but, I don't do well during these things and everyone either makes fun of me or gets upset when I cry.

*I'll make sure to mention that once I get back into therapy.

Aunt Kathy had Alzheimers, I don't know if you can say she was "battling Alzheimers" because...can you battle Alzheimers? She had been in assisted living for the last 2.5 years and I visited her a total of two times.

I was a mess during each visit.

My parents would try to, "prep" me with,

"She's there, just act like you typically would."

I struggled to act normal.

I was choking back tears during our visit because I hated it. I hated that Aunt Kathy was dealt this hand, this wasn't fair.

I think she could pick up that I was upset and I think she was trying to avoid me during our visits.

lol.

I loved her so much. I loved her energy, her personality, everything about her. Any story that you read growing up about a fabulous Aunt with fabulous things, that was Aunt Kathy.

*not my martini

My first visit with her, (was definitely during a time that I had put on some winter weight, it happens to the best of us.) she gave me a hug and then kinda squeezed my back, and said, "Oh, she's chunky" along with her infectious laugh, which you knew she said it with a lot of love. I was already very aware of how I looked and I look back at that moment and laugh.

The second time I had visited her, I was trying my damnest to act like a fucking normal human being that doesn't cry. We were walking together and I was just digging for things to talk about with her. I filled her in on my lack of dating life and how men are acting these days.

I told her about wanting to dye my hair blonde. There is a particular Lady Gaga picture that I am obsessed with and I wanted that hair.

Here is the look that I'm talking about.

I thought I was selling it well and Aunt Kathy would tell me to, "go for it" but she gave me a hard, "No."

My friend and hair stylist, Rick would applaud Aunt Kathy's response.

Aunt Kathy, damn she was just so cool and just beaming with light. You loved being around her and she made you feel so special and just freakin' loved.

When I was in high school, this was around the time that the trend was to have some sort of designer purse that you took to school, whether it carried your books or not.

COACH, Dooney & Bourke, Kate Spade, Michael Kors...just to name a freakin' few...

Author’s note: the word “freakin’” is starting to make more of an appearance in this post, I would like to note the author is just about to finish the bottle of wine. Thank you.

Aunt Kathy was my saving grace.

Aunt Kathy is responsible for all of the designer bags that I own.

Some would probably be considered freakin’ vintage now. HUBBA HUBBA!

When she gifted me a bag, man, that was awesome.

Here is a a photo of all the bags she had gifted me over the years.

I love my Aunt Kathy. I love her so much.

I know she is still with me everyday (as I sit her drinking wine out of a fancy glass and wrapped in a scarf that she bought for me one summer), I know my cousin, Annie is the embodiment of her, fabulous, full of love, humor and just an overall badass of a woman.

I'm afraid to look at the photos on my external hard drive because I know there are some freakin’ good ones on there. Especially that one Christmas dinner, there is a video where we all broke into the "OOoo's" from Merry Christmas Charlie Brown.

There was a visit to my Aunt Kathy and Uncle Greg, maybe when I was in high school or early college, but she loanded me like, 10 DVDs. I wish I could remember all that she loaned me but, the movies I do remember would be, North by Northwest, The Last of the Mohicans, Guys and Dolls, and Roman Holiday.

I watched 2 out of the 4 of those listed. Can you guess which ones?

Aunt Kathy introduced me to the world of Audrey Hepburn and I was forever changed.

I purchased Roman Holiday last year with her heavily in mind and when I watch it, I will forever think of her.

Damn, Gregory Peck.

I remember at my high school graduation, Aunt Kathy was playing cornhole and hit my boyfriend at the time, Bryan in the face with a beanbag.

(Bryan if you're reading this, do you remember that?)

Aunt Kathy came up for my graduation from Northern Michigan University, which was freakin' awesome, once we wrapped up partyin' at the Landmark Inn, we were saying goodbye to my twin (aka Jim), Aunt Kathy mistook the music that was playing outside of the hotel (I think it was some Michael Bible song) for Jim. As we were parting ways, she yelled to Jim, "You have a beautiful voice!" to which Twin replied, "What? That's not me!"

Aunt Kathy, my mom and myself all just about died of laughter.

I have so many more memories with Aunt Kathy, too many to share on a blog but, at the end of the day, I hope that my nieces feel the same amount of love and energy from me that Aunt Kathy gave to me.

Fingers crossed that Nevalee and Maryann get into designer handbags so I can pass down Aunt Kathy's bags to them.

Aunt Kathy, wherever you may be, I love the hell out of you and know that you are missed so much.

Being called, "Babygirl" will never hit the same.

I love you.

P.S. if you're able, please send a boyfriend or an acting job my way.