Finally Friday Assortment

Winter solstice Friday. Let's reflect on  friends, family, and tidings of comfort and joy

In November, I caught up with my PA gang - Helen, Trish, Joan, and  Mary Ellen.  Lisa lives in NC and was not in town.  I am SO lucky to have these gals in my life since junior high,  high school,  and college. Dang!

Newest Faries - Levi.  He was born on  November 6th. Didn't seem too excited  about Thanksgiving turkey. My guess is he'll snooze  through  Christmas too. Enjoy the winter naps baby boy. 

Here's what I do  when up in PA  in the fall. My sister suggested we try to attack the leaves and crap under the rhododendron. I am still able to wield a rake efficiently. 

Let's  remember dear ones.   My Aunt Janice and Uncle Bill,  Uncle  Rick, my  mother, grandparents, Ray's grandparents.   My friend, Kearny, passed away back  in the spring  from pancreatic  cancer. 

It's a tough time of year for many. 

Still  kicking at 92, here's  my dad with  his Christmas haul.  Goodies from his lunch  ladies - former  work friends. They  spoil  him and know  he has a sweet tooth.  I am very fortunate that  he's around and  I try to go  visit several times a year. He's like a tiny elf now. 

Enjoy this Christmas  weekend.   Cheers and memories galore. 

 

Monday Moments - Let's Review Some Easter Joy

Cute little girls before the chocolate mess on the pretty yellow dress

Dakota is 5 - she just bounced through the day, skipping, talking non-stop, and being adorable

Makyla is 14 - braces off and a cool young lady. She rolls her eyes at her younger sisters and gives more instructions than their mother. Ha!

Ray's family. The whole local herd. Sheer coincidence with all of the blue

The sons - Chris and Kevin. They've turned out darn well.  This was before the wrestling match. They are the reason I had footprints on a ceiling back in the day.  Boys!
 

Friday Frolic

 Chris, Kevin with Dakota

 I love Dakota's whale spout hair

 Skylar - "I can do it myself"

Chris is going to give Makyla a flight dunk


and that's the birthday fun for Ray last week.  Summer in TX - the only way to celebrate is poolside.
Sorry I didn't save you folks any watermelon. Darn tasty.

Happy Friday and weekend.  I'm off to Philly to see Dad for a few days.

Monday Moment

oldies but goodies.  Last Monday I featured my maternal grandparents.  Now I'm featuring my dad's side of the family. His father died when he was young, so my grandmother (Julia Crowther) raised him (middle picture). His older sister kept track of him too. (she's far right in the bottom picture)
These pics were probably late 1970s, early 80s

Tuesday is my aunt's birthday - 92. She's sharp and clever as ever. Had to move out of her home, but still darn independent at the senior living facility.

 Happy Birthday, Aunt Janice!

Book Review - The Nest

The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney is quite a family tale. Lots of dysfunction, but well drawn characters and entertaining lines. You want to wring our bad boy Leo’s neck, and yet he can be so endearing.

Here’s a bit from the Prologue -  As the rest of the guests wandered the deck of the beach club under an early evening midsummer sky, taking pinched appraising sips of their cocktails to gauge if the bartender was using the top-shelf stuff and balancing tiny crab cakes on paper napkins while saying appropriate things…….(fill in more description that is superb)….and here’s the kicker line –

Leo Plumb left his cousin’s wedding with one of the waitresses.

Uh-oh. Let’s just say that Leo is charming, gorgeous, spoiled trouble. He’s the baby of the family, been catered to  and forgiven his whole life. What could go wrong?

Leap forward to find Leo being released from rehab.  The siblings – Melody, Beatrice, and Jack – have called a meeting to discuss the predicament caused by Leo. See, everyone was counting on the nest egg that’s been accumulating. We learn everyone’s problems and debts in some back story. Now it’s simmered and stewed and their mother used the nest egg to save Leo – send him to rehab. Now what? Did they have a choice? Did they want their brother to live, get saved…well, yeah…but NOT with “their” money.

Cover blurb - The Nest is a story about the power of family, the possibilities of friendship, the ways we depend on one another, and the ways we let one another down.

Money can sure mess up a good or bad thing. The author captures family dynamics perfectly, especially siblings – love, hate, frustration, and that undying tie to blood.  I really enjoyed this book and felt as if I knew these people through the author’s prose.  This is a debut novel and I am jealous. Kudos to Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney for leaving The Nest for us to read.

Fortunate Family

 Let's call this late Happy Father's Day to my Dad.  Here he is with my Uncle Rick.  My uncle is crazy surprised because my cousins threw a 50th wedding anniversary party and all the cousins were there from all over the U.S.  This is actually my mom's side of the family - the Shutters clan.

 L to R - Heather and Jen Shutters - they threw the party and are the daughters. Jen came in from Nevada. Heather lives in Quakertown PA near her folks.  Then Lori (DE) peaks over Uncle Rick's shoulder (he's my mom's younger brother age 78), then my brother David (nearby in Sellersville), Gary (MA) behind Aunt Connie. Then Mark (OR), me (I'm 4 days older than Mark), and Sandy (PA) is the elder cousin.  Quite a troupe.  Dad is front and center - he was the oldest person there and represents my Mom.  Oh it was a glorious gathering - we are fortunate - tons of laughs, no issues or family feuds.  It's great to get together for a happy occasion, since we all are getting older.

 Jeff and Jen,  Aunt Connie and Uncle Rick, Heather and Jeff.   Heather is quite the spitting image of my mother as a young girl.  It's uncanny.

50 years.  I attended their wedding at age 8. It was my first wedding and I thought she looked like a princess.  Through thick and thin, some health issues, etc. - a good marriage.

And we are all a fortunate family.