Retired and able to come to Buffalo for a longer period of time. I am a reverse snowbird. The weather, entertainment, and of course company has been amazing! It is especially nice after the horrendous year we have endured with pandemic restrictions and political turmoil.
We lost Patsy but I'm so glad she did it 'her way.' What a rich life she lived!
Some highlights:
Reconnecting with friends and family
uotdoor concerts/events
ilne dance -learning
using GPS to find my way around (much better than the old way-trial error and so less
Patrick getting lost at Darien Lake
Patrick getting lost at Seaworld
Thinking Stephen was lost when he was hiding in the bedroom behind the curtain with a spray bottle.
Brian saying he liked the 'free snooges', telling me it was a little 'winny' out, and asking if there was going to be a 'tomato'
Stephen's night swimming (shorts) lesson
Brian swimming like a windup toy and the 'sharks' in the pool
Brian Stephen and Tyler -the grapefruits
TP houses
Stephen's stuttering re. daycare. 'I wanted to give Brian a hug and a hug...'
Brian telling Stephen that if anyone bothered them he will ask if they wanted, 'a piece of him'
Stephen disowning of PJ 'He's my neighbor' when PJ joined the Oasis Dolphin school yard cleaners and appeared on the tv screen at school
Brian:"I love you more than thunder." Shorty cuts
Derek telling the cashier," I like buttered toast."
Stephen interference with street lights- inherited?
Ste: Give Loulou her privacy
Brian tap dancing
Brian's frayed cowboy hat (kindergarden), Peanut, Mrs.Cummings
Frederick/ The Hillbilllys'
Patrick carrying my dress in the bank
Getting locked in Encanto Park
Patrick telling Grandma Farrell to fold his pillowcase so he could see 'Mousy'
Patrick bringing home presents and me making him return them.
Brian''s drawing pic of Nanny w/ a whiskey bottle in her purse
Stephen pic of Mrs. Nelson (story)
Patrick's white (angel) shorts- "Can you see my rump?"
Patrick's self portrait and caricature
The cottage: PJ throwing little Neil's underwear on Jimmy's roof
Jimmy falling through the ceiling (getting Maddie's sandal)
Jimmy's reports on the stock market
Jimmy preparing and renting his cottage
Patrick telling Denny he had chicken pox(again) so he could stay home
Stephen's witch stories
Cookie vs Sprinkles
When my children were small I would often make up games As they got older their attraction to them diminished to the point that I was forced to abandon the practice.
We would play the birthday game where I would wrap up their toys nicely and they would get to open them ["Oh its my truck(again)!] I would take plastic eggs and put notes inside such as, 'good for trip to the store with Mom.'
Stephen retold in his own adorable manner some of the stories told to him. Most always he was the star/hero in his telling. Some I have videotaped and enjoy watching.
One day I told them that I would put each of their names in the hat and the one that was chosen would get to go to the library with me. I told each of them to write their name on a piece of paper. The older two, who by this point had tired of this 'nonsense', wrote the youngest child's name on the paper and when I picked out a name..surprise ...it was his.
Heavenly Father,
You've given me so many gifts.
Perhaps the dearest of all is my precious family.
I thank you now especially for my brothers and sisters.
Be with them Father. Surround them with Your presence.
Open their hearts to a knowledge of Your constant care.
Help me to show how very much I appreciate them,
how grateful I am to live at this particular time in history,
and to be a part of this particular generation.
You fashioned me even before You created the world.
If there have been rifts between us, grant us the wisdom to mend them.
Open us all to your healing presence: The peace that comes with forgiveness
and abandonment to Your will.
If I have ever taken my family for granted, forgotten to tell them how much they mean to me,
or refused to respect and trust them, forgive me.
I know that you want what is best for us. Remind us that we reflect Your love in our love for one another.
Remind me too that all your children are my spiritual brothers and sisters.
Moey and me.
Front: Brian P.,Moey, Joanne, Me
Back; Neil, Michael P., Joey, Dad, Christine P
Me, Peggy, and Neil.
Guard me from a judgmental heart. From prejudice and jealousy.
Let me cherish each person I meet as a part of Your eternal family.
I place us all in Your hands recognizing that You watch us with a Father's tender regard:
ever alert, ever merciful.
Keep us close to one another in this life and be with us as we journey to our final home together.
Amen.
One of our childhood chores was going to the neighborhood store to pick up items for our dinner.
Of course we weren't real thrilled to do this as it interfered with our after school TV watching or play time. In addition it sometimes entailed not only shopping for our family but for my grandmother. She lived on the next street and we were always trying to discover new short cuts through neighbors yards to shorten the trip. We were mostly caught and turned away.
Another objection we had was going to different stores: one for baked goods, another for meat, and then my grandmother used the other meat market.
Not to mention the hoodlums who lived at the corner of Pomona (my grandmother's street) who constantly tormented us, "What's in the bag?" ( usually some odd assortment of housewares) which upon investigating they would immediately lose interestand and allow us to pass.
Of course my grandmother was wonderful so you had to smile and suck up your impatience with the experience or you would be scolded when you returned home.
One time my brother Marty was sent out on one of these excursions. When he returned home it was pouring rain and he had ridden his bike.
My mother came out on the porch to greet him and retrieve the goods. He handed her a brown paper bag that was empty. It had been through soaked by the rain and the contents had fallen out. She kind of laughed (still in shock after losing 1 # ground beef) and asked," Where is the change?"
My at home (or around home) sisters occasionally would plan a trip to visit another sister who lived away. On one such trip of (which I unfortunately was not a party to) Mary, Moey, Patty, and Peggy were going to visit Joanne in New Hampshire.
Mary, my oldest sister asked Moey what she was bringing in the large bag. Moey replied that she was bringing some dickies for Joanne. Mary excitedly responded, "I just love dickies. I have them in so many different colors; blue, pink green..." Then Mary added," I love to wear them when I go running!"
The other sisters at first attributed Mary's comments to their difference in age and fashion taste but that last comment seemed too bizarre. " You wear them to run in? (while exchanging 'that's unbelievable' glances with each other)
"Oh yeah, they keep my neck so warm and toasty!"
With this statement they determined that Mary was referring to the other 'dickey' which had long been a beloved fashion accessory for Mary.
Fortunately for her the trend never caught on so she pretty much has the market to herself.
I thought recently about investing some time in researching our family history when my son was doing a school project on this subject. I decided I would rather be reminded and hear the stories of those who came before me. That is where my interests lie. I hope some of the family that comes after me share this interest and continue the story.
Peggy loved to pull pranks on her friends and then sharing the stories.
Once when there was a snow day at school her friend Paulette (a school nurse) was counting her lucky stars. Another friend called Paulette and asked her why she was not at school. She replied that it being a snow day she figured she was to stay home.' No,' she was told, ' as a memeber of the non teaching staff she was expected to come in and shovel snow'. When she objected saying that she couldn't get her car off the street she was told that their maintenence man could pick her up in his 4X4.
Another friend shared her good news with Peggy that she had been laid off by the Buffalo Public Schools and couldn't wait to get some rest and collect unemployment. Another friend impersonating Bflo. Schools Human Resouces called Susie and told her they had good news. 'You may return to work immediately as a bus driver. She protested.'Don't I need to be trained?' 'No problem' was the answer 'We'll take care of it and you'll be ready to ride that bus in no time.'
There was an embarrassing jingle by the hardware store on local TV and Peggy would tell her kids that she would be featured in their next commercial. She told how she was appproached while shopping there and illustrate the words and dance sparking fear and dread in them.
Neil said he felt like, ' The Captain and Tenille' when out with Peggy because she did all the talking.
Peggy liked this song. She left us too soon. She left 3 great children and her husband to carry on and
I'm sure she is proud of how they not only managed but continue to spread the love and joy she embodied. May she rest in peace.
