Happy Easter 2013

1968

 

Classic.  Happy Easter to you all.

Remembering Francis

I wasn't following the whole Pope selection gossip while the news pundits were so eagerly sharing it.  I was keenly aware that history had been made with Pope Benedict's resignation; a point I earnestly tried to share with my 7th and 8th graders who were less than impressed.  Regardless, I am very pleased with our new Pope Francis.  He's so stinkin' cute!  I'm sure people generally don't refer to the Pope in such a manner but I'll bet his mother did.  She was Italian, after all.

His selection and new found fame brings to mind our favorite Francis and his alma mater St. Bonaventure.  So, here's a rolling run down a lane that starts with the selection of a new Pope and I honestly don't know where it will end.

Here's a man who helped me understand the Franciscans to the extent that I do.  Although I would also note that it's difficult for me to separate Franciscans from St. Bonaventure as an institution and culture.  Father Crispin looks so happy in this picture and I loved that he would come to Walton to perform family weddings.  They must have maintained the friendship through letters and perhaps some phone calls as I don't recall him visiting otherwise.  It saddens me terribly that he died so tragically due to smoking.

And, of course, there's Francis P. Flynn.  I always felt loved and cherished by him and I miss him to this day.  He's the reason we all know how to spell Francis and the difference between that and Frances.

This is Mom's graduation from St. Bonas.  Weenie looks a little stilted in this picture, not his usual self.  Perhaps because his daughter will be getting married within a few months?

Playing cards is one of my favorite memories, even with the cigarettes and Genny!

Easter on Olive St in Silver Creek.  I imagine Nanny took the picture which I don't remember her doing very often but it's obvious that she must have taken her turn behind the lens with the movie camera as well as with the Brownie.

I hope you all have a good Easter--I'm sure it will be well covered for Pope Francis by the press but I'll just be happy remembering our Francis.  But here's another Easter memory for you--

This is a great picture of Chris "only" 55 years ago!  It must have been his first Easter.  I'm guessing Easter from the sharp duds.  These days we would never put a balloon in a crib but I guess we all survived.

Happy Easter.  We will be hugging babies in Gloucester.

Last Day of Winter

I'm doing some serious catching up here.  I have the house (and therefore the computer) to myself for the next several days while Jim is away so I plan to make the best use of the time by sitting right here getting caught on several pending matters.  Blog included.

Old Man Winter just HAD to come along with this most recent mess, didn't he?  Oh well, I don't mind too much because I know for sure we are on the downhill side of winter--at least officially since Spring begins tomorrow morning.  I did find it a little confusing to be hearing spring birdsong while scraping/dumping/shaking snow this morning.  The blue jays and the cardinals came by for a visit today.  I practiced retirement by sitting and watching for them, camera-at-the-ready, despite the cold.

The blue jays seemed to accuse me of ruining their return home; all the while enjoying the bird seed feast.


My absence from the blog does not mean there isn't news to share--because there's actually quite a bit of it.  So you may find several posts in a row to accommodate my adaptation to time alone at home.

First of all, I'm sure most of you have seen that Amy accepted Michael's marriage proposal which occurred during her birthday dinner celebration this past weekend.  Welcome to the fold, Michael!  They haven't made plans so I'm sure any and all helpful suggestions from aunts, uncles, cousins will be appreciated.  :)

Speaking of cousins, I heard from Dad's cousin Bill Gleason!  I had come across pictures of his Gleason grandparents during my research so I wanted to share them with him.  I wanted some verification they were actually his grandparents so I could add them to the family tree.  These are not blood relatives but I am interested regardless.  Bill and Anne's grandfather Gleason was named Patrick and there are some interesting coincidences there but that story will wait until another day (probably tomorrow!).

Anyway, I wrote to him and was very happy to hear back from him.  His letter confirmed these were the right people and included some interesting stories about them. 

Apparently they ran a dairy farm and these are pictures of his grandmother Delia. Bill says:  "The two showing my grandmother in the laboratory were the most interesting.  The laboratory was a relatively small room behind the kitchen at 78 Walnut ("the homestead").  I never heard my father or anyone else in the family talk about the lab or their mother being the technician.  I wonder how or where she got her training."  The Gleason family determined the picture on the right was probably taken in 1915, based on a study of the calendar on the wall in the picture compared to a perpetual calendar.  Now, that's the kind of research that makes me smile!

Bill is older than Dad by a couple of years (he's now 87) so I was particularly glad to hear from him and to know he's well enough to plan to travel to Maryland next month to celebrate his son's 50th birthday.  How lucky for them!  I hope I am able to see him again myself soon.

It's St. Joseph's Day today which is a holiday similar for the Italians in some ways that St. Patrick's Day is for the Irish.  And tomorrow is Spring, damn it!