Yesterday I probably missed the only opportunity I’ll ever have to photograph a real live princess.  It’s not one of those “long stories” but it is a little convoluted which is often the case when it comes to my Red House Cousins.

First of all, I consider all of my relatives who are descended from my Great Uncle Cecil Espy to be my ‘Red House Cousins’ just because it’s simpler that way.  Uncle Cecil was a banker in Portland and I knew him best after he retired and moved back to his childhood house in Oysterville.  He was proud that he was sleeping in the bed that he was born in way back in 1887 and he lived here until his death at age 95.

Only one ‘branch’ of Uncle Cecil’s family now owns the Red House, but his other grand- and great-grand-children sometimes come visiting.  So do their ‘connections’ which is the term we always give to our ‘relatives’ who are not related by blood.  Yesterday, it was the daughter of my second cousin Nick’s deceased wife (got that?) who came to call.  With her were her two aunts and her grandmother.

They just stopped for a moment “to say hello.’  Only one of the aunts came in for a quick ooh and aah at the house and the rest of us stood on the porch and visited.  It was not until they were heading back to their car that they mentioned that 103-year-old Grandma was waiting in the back seat for them.

As I went out to meet her they said that she still lives in her own house and is capable and alert, though very deaf. When I asked if anyone lived with her they assured me that one of her daughters lives “just down the street.”   They also mentioned that they thought she might be older than 103.  In fact, she might be 108!

According to family lore, Grandma was born on Ellis Island in 1910.  Her mother had come from Poland and though she never talked about it,  the story was always whispered that she had been a housemaid for the Polish royal family.  In true storybook (or steamy romance) fashion, she and one of the prince charmings had a liaison which resulted in her pregnancy.  Great grandma was provided with a one-way ticket to America and baby Grandma was born on arrival in the United States.  End or beginning of story, depending on your viewpoint.

Recently, though, Grandma’s descendants have been busy on ancestry.com and, so far, it looks like she was born on Ellis Island not in 1910 but in 1905.  The descendants have also done the cheek-swipe-dna thing and are awaiting the results.  Their understanding is that most of the Polish royal family has also done the dna testing so there is a chance that they will learn more about a possible relationship.

Based on my brief introduction to Grandma, I can well believe that blue blood runs through her veins.  She was sitting, straight and tall, in the middle of the back seat, seatbelt still attached.  Except for her snow white hair, she looked younger than any of us – regal posture, a clear pink and white complexion (nearly wrinkle-free) and sparkling, interested eyes.  She offered me her hand as only a princess could and I was truly enchanted.   It wasn’t until after their car pulled away that I gave a thought to my camera.

I truly regret that I missed my opportunity to get a photograph of a lovely 103-year-old ‘connection’ – never mind that she might be a 108-year-old Polish princess!  You just never know who might come calling in Oysterville!