Name Game--Post 8 for 30dow

Thank goodness this is my coworker's favorite ice breaker, or I'd be skipping this activity and going straight to bed. I know I'm a bit late, but technically (sorry Laurie!), in my time, I've still got an hour and a half. 

Story of Salena

My mother's paternal grandmother was named Valula Aaron Rose. Aaron was her maiden name, and she did not give middle names to her children because she didn't like middle names. 

When she was in her early 90's, she called my mother to her bed. My mom was probably about 20 or so, but definitely already married. 

"Peggy, Peggy come here."

"Sure Grandma Rose, what do you want?"

"Now Peggy, I need to tell you a secret. I haven't told any of the other grandchildren, but I want to tell you." 

My mother crouched at the bed in some sort of conspiratorial gesture, thinking that Grandma Rose was going to tell her where the family fortune was hidden or something. My Grandma Rose was a trip. She was a teetotaler who hid her "medicine" (red wine, I think) in a cupboard. Her doctor had prescribed a shot a day for her health, and she was embarrassed by it. 

"What is it?" my mom whispered. 

"My name isn't really Valula. It's Salena. I hated it so much that I go by my middle name and didn't even tell my kids." 

What a weird secret. My mom told her that it was so pretty, she was going to name her daughter that. And when she was pregnant with me, that was the only name she picked out--she didn't have a boy name ready. So my namesake is a woman who hated the name Salena so much, she chose to go by Valula. 

Nice.