SILLY ME, I THOUGHT I WAS FREE.

Adware is so ominous, it boggles the brain. After a couple of free hours on my computer, the ads were back, taking over, interfering with everything I tried to do on my computer. The company I paid, put in another half day. It gave me an evening of productive use of my computer. Then, back it came. Frustration is just a word. I wanted to pitch this computer in the garbage and I could feel steam coming out of my ears. A hell week.
It was no better this morning, as I left for an appointment with my tax man. I chose flooring at Lowes for the new house before returning home.  I changed default browsers just now and I’m finally putting words on this page. Temporarily, anyway.
Not that I have anything of great import to convey, but it has been a trusty habit to communicate via these pages, and sort of journal what happens around me.
Sometimes it is misfortune that gathers families together. My cousin Bob Moore was in town with his inlaws who live in Murphys, after we had met two days earlier at a funeral for his nephew, my kid’s cousin, Barry Moore, only 48 years young.

Brother Bill and cousin, Bob Moore at the end of the table on a beautiful sunny, Sunday morning.  His Mother-in-law Marilyn, daughter Leslie, and across from them,  my grandson Stewart and daughter-in-law Laurie. We like to meet for brunch at the Magnolia Cafe.

This is my breakfast burrito with eggs, potatoes, beans, tomatos and turkey chorizo.

At the other end of the gathering, Leslie’s brother Brian and my son Ken. As we age we think it unfortunate that the only time we get family together is funerals and weddings.

Magnolia is a local hangout on the hiway, but I discovered this particular Sunday that the tourists have discovered it too. They tend to stay downtown, but I saw New York license plates and plenty of cars with skis on top. I complain but I shouldn’t. I know what it is like to try and make a go of a business in  a small town like Murphys.

Then, on March 21st, I went downtown to check out Murphys Irish Day. They have a parade and all types of food and drink from both locals and out-of-towners who bring their wares to tempt us all.

Irish Day is now sponsored by the Community Club. They have permission from Cal-Trans to paint a couple of huge four leaf clovers on he street. It wasn’t always so. Jim Riggs, a local businessman and his buddy Bob Bliss,g four-leaf clover, and then have a whoop-de-do at his place of business with corned beef and whatever anyone wanted to share. One year, the Highway Patrol lay in wait and he was  arrested, but Judge Airola dismissed the case and let  him out with orders: “Do not paint the street again-this year.” After drinking a good bit of beer, the line was often pretty crooked, but we did have fun. Now, it’s a big shindig, pretty tidy and raises money for local causes.

My favorite part of Irish Days used to be the parade.

And having assisted in several of them in the past, I especially appreciate the horses. It was a struggle at times to afford the insurance to have horses in the parades, especially since some of the old cowhands, half tanked up, used to gallop at the end of the parade and then nose through the swinging doors of he Murphys Hotel and order a drink from their horse. Another arrest put a stop to that practice.

The wild has gone out of the west in some respects but we do appreciate the tidy pooper-scooper who follows the horses and puts things right again.

Now my favorite part of Irish Days is the food choices. Oh, my. Where else are you going o find Asian fusion barbecue chicken on a stick and bacon wrapped bratwurst in the same booth?

And, Dogz On The Run. (Gotta feed the kids, too.)

And, chocolate dipped goodies. Hey, why not. Ever since some guy decided to deep fry a twinkie dipped and fried treats abound.

Now, let me tell you, I like ‘em all. But, poor me, I’m having a bit of stomach trouble and couldn’t eat or drink anything at the street fair. I was bummed about that.

No Ethnic group was left out.

I couldn’t manage a green beer, but green lemonade?  It’s okay. But I passed.

I did some people watching…

A lot of people really get into the spirit of the day, and dress the part.

This guy told me his wife did his tattoo. Neat, with cool  green shoes. St. Paddy woulda been proud if he was sober.

I might go back for that free beer. I need a sign like that.

Now this is something every good beer drinker needs for his kegger party. Yeah!

The green wig reminded me of the purple one I bought for Mardi Gras, still in the Motor Home. I should have chosen green, then it would be good for two festivals.

I looked into every booth. There were over 200 of them. These crystal pieces caught my eye because I have a friend who beads. They were quite nice, but I have enough jewelry that I already don’t wear.

I liked this multi-media painting from the Bonsack Gallery because that is how I used to swing as a kid. High enough to turn upside down. Check out the band-aid on her knee.

She and her husband are both locals. They have two galleries, one locally in Arnold. Her paintings tend to go right off the canvas.




Well, I had a lot of fun. Saw a lot of fun costumes, people and some good music.

For me, there is always something that triggers a past memory. I once had a friend, Lila Suiter, a Commander in the Navy who used to say, especially when she had one too many cocktails, “When I retire, I’m going to raise Miniature Mediterranean Donkeys.”  This miniature pony reminded me of Lila. Salud! Old friend.

LEARNING CURVE

Meeting a cousin, Bob Moore, his poosslq, Leslie Nolan,  (or her poosslq depending on your point of view) and Leslie’s mother, Marilyn. at a coffee shop yesterday was so much fun, I forgot to take pictures. We talked about family members current, as in my sister suffering from brain cancer showing an improvement after a scary malaise from the radiation, to Bob’s wedding, so many years ago, how his brother Jim, met his wife, to other cousins, aunts, uncles and surprising stories in our family genealogy. Grandma Moore had her fist baby at age 15?  Did Uncle Leonard really take the first tank across the bridge at Remoggin, during WWII?
We don’t know all the answers, but aging gives a great perspective of the past. And I KNOW you are wondering about that poosslq word.
I worked the census for many years and during the 1970′s that word was used to describe …persons of opposite sex sharing living quarters.
Isn’t that a hoot?  Now we accept the normalcy of significant other. As, in my significant other, Jim Jaillet.
Later, I cooked a turkey breast so we could enjoy one of the best part’s of the feast, turkey sandwiches.  I must thank the Earl of Sandwich for that great repast.
Note:  working on a new computer after wirelessly loading every thing from my motor home computer and my home computer, to this one. It took forty-eight hours. Glitches are in store. It will take time to work them out but…I made the page.
ciao

THE DI PAOLA FAMILY OF FREETOWN

Yesterday we bopped over to East Freetown to visit with Jim’s cousins, Jeanette and Camello Di Paola for a couple hours.

We met at their son’s house. Mike is the oldest Di Paola son, and daughter Lisa is the youngest member of the family.

Camello immigrated here from Catania, Sicily and was a leather craftsman all of his life. He pointed out his grandchildren in a picture.

Another picture shows all four of his sons and three daughters.

Son David, who couldn’t be with us.  is a baker at Dunkin’ Donuts, so of course, that is what we snacked on.

It turns out that their pet peacock, Hobo, likes donuts,too.

He is a beauty and get’s along well with the dogs. He wanders the neighborhood but he sleeps in a tree in their yard. In 2010 I got his picture with tail fully spread, but he doesn’t have a lady friend.

Mike’s wife Anne joined us when she got off work.

We were also joined by Mike’s best friend, Steve, and we did another round of pictures. Steve is a member of the family, too, Mike said. We all have good friends like that. Next time, we’ll stay a little longer and capture the whole gang, but sometimes you have to settle for half a package. (Jeanette and Camello live right around the corner from St. Anthonys, from yesterday’s blog.) The kids all attended church there. Mike told me the beautiful marble came from Italy.

We returned to Bob and Donna’s for our “last supper.”

Bob’s son makes clams casino, a family favorite.  Bushels of them are a family tradition at Christmas for Bob and Donna.
We were just short of calling the fire department as the casino clams came out from under the broiler in those cardboard baking pans, too much laughter, I might add. Nothing like creating a lasting impression of your favorite regional food.

Despite the flambe, the clams were delicious.

And Donna made sure we were as stuffed as the clams with Jim’s favorite meat pie, before we called it a night. We will hit the road for Ivoryton, CT. later this morning. What would we do without cousins?

HOLIDAZE!!

Our annual family reunion is really a family and friends reunion. The first to arrive on July 4th was Wendy and Paul Lothrop from Southern California. Long time friends of my daughter Kristanne.  it was designed to be a surprise for her because she hadn’t seen them in a about two years and didn’t know they were coming.

Doug was cutting tile for one of three tables he rebuilt.

Kristanne and Austin arrived next. After having a chance to visit with Wendy and Paul, and since we were waaaay behind schedule with extremely hot weather, my inability to do very much, and a lot of things left undone for too long, Doug put Kris to work on the barbeque table he rebuilt, staining the wood trim and later two coats of Varathane.

Austin hung the flag, washed and tested all the squirt guns to make sure they worked, emptied the garbage and sorted recycling for a run to the dump before the big event on Saturday.

He only had to toss one gun.

On Friday, the young cousins arrived. Abby got sparkles in her hair and the boys sported newly painted mohawks for the occasion. Later Kristanne fixed a mohawk for Austin, too.

Sisters, Bev and Kathy. Bev is mother of the boys and Abby.

Kathy always brings something zany for the kids, this time some 4th of July sunglasses…

…and some weird teeth for herself. Boy, what Hollywood can do to make you look old.

Ted and Bev set up the first tent. The kids played on the trampoline and had squirt gun wars all day, while Wendy kept us all fed.

Doug put Ted to work patching tubes that went dead.

Virginia, Cedric, Theo and Owen arrived late on Friday, but the kids got some trampoline time in and we adults played a game called What’s Yours Like?

It is a guessing game, brings a lot of laughter, and the good thing, is you can snack and drink with the game without worrying about getting your cards or board wet or spilled on or greasy. More reunion stuff tomorrow. Have to visit the Chiropractor this morning.