Days to Remember

One hit shutout on the books! Yea, baby!!!

Got a new video camera

Here's my first attempt at this.

Our Great Grandparents!

All these years I've been researching the Ryans in Gloucester and FINALLY have found someone else doing the same...another Ryan researcher.  And this one has pictures and stories....but today, it's all about the pictures.  She tells me this is a picture of our great grandparents William and Katherine (Bentley) Ryan. I've never seen a picture of these great grandparents so I'm not yet 100% certain (there are a scary number of William and Katherine (or Catherine or Kathryn etc) Ryans in our family tree but right now, I believe these are our direct ancestors.

William Ryan Sr died in 1934 before either Unlce Tim or Peter were born so they wouldn't remember him.  Katherine died in 1945 when Tim and Peter were very young but I suppose they could have seen pictures. I would like to verify that these people are William Sr and Katherine but for now, they are our great grandparents!  Whether you realize it or not, this is a BIG breakthrough for us.......

Happy Birthday Mary Jane.  I always especially liked Mary Jane's birthday I guess because it's an almost sure sign that spring is here.  Eastertime, spring, sunshine and flowers all make this time of year so hopeful.  So Mary Jane's birthday is a good marker of that hopefulness of a new season.  And I think that's appropriate. 

Jessica and Sean are moving into their new house today.  Judy's family starts their vacation today.  We remember Mary Jane's birthday. 

I was thinking about making a cake in her honor but I can't quite remember what she would ask Mom for.  I am thinking it was something crazy like a green cake with orange icing or some such but I just don't remember.  Neither do I quite remember what she would ask for as dinner.  The birthday cake on that nice white cake stand seems to me to be the symbol of our birthdays.  Chris tells me he has that plate now and I hope it celebrates occasions the way it did all those years ago. 

I find peace in remembering Mary Jane on her birthday but that doesn't always hold true in May.  It took a really long time, but now there is some peace in those memories and I think that would make Mary Jane smile like she is here. 

My new favorite

My new favorite

It has both boys, the ball and the ball's shadow.

Rest in Peace

Together Again

Female Intuition Pays Off -- Again

An  update on the lawn forking:  my female intuition was correct.  Two of Ryan's classmates snuck onto the lawn that evening to "fork" us.  Ron Henry had the same "spring blossoms" in his yard too!  Great fun.  And I was right besides!!! A good day all around.

We've Been Forked!

This is what we found on our lawn this morning--a virtual garden of plastic forks and knives!  We aren't sure who or why but the cats sure had a good time investigating. At first I thought some kind of plants had popped up overnight ready to bloom for spring, and I was close!  I smiled all the way down to the mailbox when I realized.

I was telling Paula about this article I found on CNN about the differences between how men and women think.  Although I've seen several similar articles, I thought this one did a great job of using specific examples to demonstrate the differences.  For example, men tend to have a "protect the turf" kind of instinct than women.  It applies here because I'm thinking this is a cute little stunt probably by some of Ryan's (female--look how neatly they are arranged) classmates.  Jim is leaning more toward someone insulting him and isn't tickled that his turf has been violated.  I guess we will find out eventually but until then, I still think it's kind of fun.

Happy birthday this week to Tim and to Sophie.  It looks like Ryan P pitched last night, although the game didn't go your way.  We are watching you in the papers! 

Happy Easter!

Easter 1958 with Weenie's mother Barbara Flynn (Gammy).  I am not sure where this was taken but it looks like turkey was on the menu that Easter.  What a fancy table setting!  I like that Nanny's dishes are on the table (maybe this indicates it was at their house).  I'm just noticing that it looks like there are only 4 place settings for adults.  Chris would have been just a few months old and Mom was probably just recently pregnant with Kathy.  It's stuff like this that keeps me going--what is the story behind this picture?

Happy Birthday to Tim next week!  Enjoy your Easter weekend--remember the days when we had to spend Good Friday afternoon quietly??  And it was so hard because it would be a day like today??