The Finished Product

We kept with the military theme by adding pillows that are made into an airplane and a tank but since Nikolas is totally "Elmo" crazy, we added a few stuff animals for him.
The walls went from a very "pink" to "sandstone", a color more fitting for a boy's room.
In addition to the various toys and games scattered around the room, we added a variety of hats that the boys love to wear when they play their favorite game of "make pretend".

When Pink Does Not Cut It

We converted the middle bedroom from a very "pink" room decorated for girls into a very "sandstone" room decorated for boys. Pictured here with paint brush in hand is my youngest son Joe whom I had no problem conning him into this painting project.
He brought along some assistance in the form of "Ben".
I did not notice it at first but they managed to paint this entire room without even removing the curtains from the windows and even more amazing is they did not even get one spot of paint on them.
The project took only two days to complete.
I was nice enough to provide the coffee and whatever food they found to eat in the kitchen.
They did a great job. I decided having sons "with" friends may have been worth the labor pain after all.

Last Spring's Project Has Finally Found A Home

Last March, Shaun worked tirelessly on his birdhouse.
Today, it proudly adorns the front yard of our new home.

And The Winner Is

Congratulations!The Double Duty Diary Summer of 2006 Grand Prize goes to PAT, for her classic worm as fish nemesis double entendre. (Plus, it fit just perfectly in the speech bubbles.)For her wry caption Pat will receive, whenever I can get my act together and to the post office, a 99 Ranch Starter Kit, complete with Mai Fun Rice Sticks (aka noodles), jasmine-infused green tea (delish!), a trio of soaps--sandalwood, jasmine, and ginseng--and sweet cookie balls.

Instead Of Writing Family History

I have been too busy staring at this thing and trying to come up with a caption for Karin's contest.....

The First Collum McCaffery

Collum, a most unusual name given to sons in the McCaffery family. When we think of Collum, we think of Uncle Coll who married grandpop's sister Anna (Aunt Nana) and who was grandmom's second cousin. Uncle Coll was born here in Philadelphia in 1899 and was father to two children, Collum (Buddy) and Mary. But before Uncle Coll, there was another Collum who was born in Ireland in 1860 and came to Philadelphia at the age of 15 yrs old in 1875.

Collum Owen McCaffery was sometimes known as simply Owen and though I do not know the name of his wife, I wonder if it were either Anna or Katherine. Collum lived at 4300 Cresson Street in 1890 and appeared to have had a shoe business on Main Street in Manayunk.

In 1910, he was a widower with four young children, Annie, Katie, John and Collum Jr. The reason I wonder if his wife was either an Anna or Katherine is because he had two daughters with these names and it was common practice among the Irish to name their children after their parents or themselves. Collum had two sons. His eldest son was named John after his own father and his second son (Uncle Coll) was named after himself. Collum also had a brother named John who came to Philadelphia in 1876. This John was the father of grandmom's Dad also called John McCaffery.

In 1920, Collum was living on 148 Hermitage Street with his oldest daughter Annie and her husband, Robert Pester. There were also two children living in the house, Margaret age 3 and Robert age 2.

By the 1930 census records, Collum was no longer listed which leads me to believe that he died between the years 1920 and 1930.

I recently discovered over the last few weeks that another Collum McCaffery currently lives in Florida. He is the son of Buddy, Uncle Coll's son. He would be the fourth generation of Collum McCaffery.

It should also be of interest that grandmom and grandpop named their third son Collum Eugene Gallagher . But, we know him today as Uncle Gene.

You Gotta Love The Headlines

As I was reading the news on the internet the other day, there was a headline that immediately grabbed my attention, "Body Parts In North Carolina Are Recalled". Now, I do not know about you but I did not know "body parts" could be recalled. I mean what do they actually do? Send a letter to the body part recipient and notify them they need to return that kidney or liver they received because it had a defect? It sort of reminds me of that major battery recall Dell just had because the battery in question could catch on fire. "Pop that battery out and return it before it catches on fire." "Pop that kidney out and return it before it causes a problem ."

But for all of those who need to return those defected body parts, there is a bright side. The second biggest health headline report for that day was "Genital Herpes Is Declining." I know you were worried about that.

Being A Nay Sayer

#1. Having a shoulder that constantly hurts all day.

#2. Taking twice as long to do the most simplest things.

#3. Feeling ten years beyond my current age.

#4. Worrying that my career in patient care may be over.

#5. Getting second and third opinions that amount to nothing different.

#6. Subjecting myself to painful physical therapy three times a week.

#7. Wishing I never had surgery on my shoulder to begin with.

Let This Be A lesson Learned

I recently was at my local grocery store and as I was checking out I noticed a little old very petite lady who had to be either in her late 80's or early 90's. At first I thought she was waiting for someone to carry the bag she held in front of her at the end of the checkout line until I got closer and realized this woman was not waiting for someone to carry her bag but she was waiting for me to place my groceries on the belt so that the cashier could scan them and SHE could bag them.

Now I have nothing against the elderly working. Many of today's retired folks either need to make some cash (god knows you cannot live on social security) or they like to stay busy. But, do you think there could be a better job at the store for her than bagging groceries? For one, this woman was not only very elderly but she moved like a very elderly person. Then there is the question of her strength. She could barely lift the groceries to place them in the bag. I really felt bad for her so I started to bag the groceries myself and it was a good thing I did because she not only had a difficult time bagging the groceries, she had a difficult time picking up the bag and placing it in the cart. So she began placing one item in each bag. So now I have several bags with one item in each.

And then there was that expression on her face when I began to bag my own things. Let's just say, I clearly jumped with both feet into her territory. The look she gave me was one, only a rabid dog needing a serious meal would give.

Now, I am a little "gun-shy" about old folks and their ability to knock me over. You see, it was only six months ago I had a 80+ year old man in Cardiac Care with two IV's and a wicked temper who did not appreciate the fact that I inserted a needle into his arm. Let's just say, the end result was a shoulder that required surgery and months of physical therapy and pain-relieving drugs.

When I was little and took walks in the park, grandpop always told me to carry a big stick to chase off any wild dogs . With my recent experience with the elderly, maybe it would be a good idea for me to carry that big stick after all.

Where Did The Time Go

With this post, I have officially passed my 300th entry to this blog. And I have to ask myself, where did the time go? I am amazed that I actually had this much to say or that many pictures to post.

For me each day is a testament to "Living History". Everyday we make history as well as discover it.

This year I have made some strong progress with my grandmother's maternal side of the family, the Bolands. In recent posts I wrote about the ships they entered the Port of Philadelphia on as well as their arrival dates. It also was discovered that there was another Boland who already lived in the East Falls Section of Philadelphia whom was their official contact. His name was Martin Boland and he is most likely the brother of John Boland, grandmom's grandfather.

Mary Boland Cafferty was the first of the family of John and Ella Boland to come to Philadelphia. She came with her husband Bernard and rented a house on the same block in East Falls as Martin Boland, Calumet Street. A most interesting fact about Bernard and Mary was they left their newborn son Michael back in Ireland in the care of her parents and did not see him for more than two years until her parents came to Philadelphia.

Agnes Bridget Boland, grandmom's mother was the second member of the family to come over from Ireland. She traveled with Bernard's younger sister.

The third member of the family that came over was Katherine Boland followed by the rest of the Boland family, John, Ella, John, Ellen and baby Michael.

It is at this time that I want to mention that I may not have gotten this far with the Bolands if it were not for the clues Jean Nicholson gave me during a conversation I had with her a year ago. Jean's grandmother was Katherine Boland Malervy, the aunt who took grandmom in after grandmom's mother then grandmother died when she was a small child.
Sadly, Jean passed away last December and like her parents is buried in Westminster Cemetery.

The family I am currently researching at this time is grandmom's paternal family, the McCafferys. Though I have been able to find a lot of information about Coll McCaffery, grandmom's cousin and grandpop's brother-in-law. I am still trying to piece together the information about grandmom's father, John McCaffery. So far it appears he was born in Philadelphia and not in Ireland in 1884. From what I have gathered so far is he may have had at least three brothers and his father may have come to Philadelphia from Ireland in 1875. A most interesting fact about John McCaffery that has come up is his father is from Ireland but his mother may have been from Scotland. If this is the case, our dear grandmother may not have been 100% Irish as we always thought and with that red hair
and green eyes, she could very well have Scot in her. It has already been established that grandmom did not have her mother's dark hair and blue eyes and it is most likely she looks like her father.

Hopefully, I will get to the bottom of the mysterious McCaffery family and have an update soon.

College Days In 1979

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun In 1978

Coming Into My Own At Sixteen

Fifteen Years Old "1975"

# Take note of my parents' 70 style wallpaper.

Being A Young Girl Of Eight Years Old

Little old me in 1968.

When We Were Small

My brother Michael and I in 1962.

When The Lap Top Does Not Want To cooperative

Ok it has happened. My lap top would not turn on today. How will I be able to write or research in the comfort of my bed without my beloved lap top?

No longer can I relax comforted by six down pillows at my back. Now I will be forced to sit upright in a chair at a desk using the desk top computer.

INSOMNIAC

I am your classic insomniac or simply defined as one who cannot sleep. Oh yes, there are some who tell me it is stress or the fact that the dreaded change of life is closely at hand or even the Gallagher curse. (insomnia is known to plague the family especially those with the name Gallagher) But whatever reason I do not sleep I can only say not doing it really sucks and I do not mean that in any polite form.

So I tried everything from warm lavender baths to valerian to tylenol PM to alcohol to ambien and so far the only thing that gives me any form of sleep is the ambien but with a very down side. First, it is a prescription drug. Second, it makes me feel as though I have a major hangover the next morning.

This ability to stay awake while most of the world is asleep has even given me the thought that maybe just maybe I should get one of those jobs that require a person to stay up all night. (but then again there is that little issue of a bum shoulder, another story for another time)

Hey, why not, I do not sleep anyway so I may as well make some money.

Anyway, whatever the reason why I stay up to wee hours of the morning only to stay exhausted throughout the day, I hope it passes soon because no rest makes one hell of a cranky "me".

Oh and by the way, if this blog entry makes absolutely no sense and is littered with misspelled words and incorrect punctuation, it is because a person who does not sleep much wrote it.

Daniel and Catherine (Boland) Melervy

There is not information known about the Melervy family other then Catherine Boland daughter of John and Ella (Doherty) Boland and sister to Agnes Bridget (Boland) McCaffery married Daniel Melervy on April 30th, 1913 and together they had two daughters Helen and a child who died at birth.

According to the 1920 Census records, Daniel was born in Ireland and emigrated to America in 1907. In 1920, Daniel and Catherine lived with their four year old daughter Helen in a rented house on 17 Osborne Street located in the Manayunk section of Philadelphia. The 1920 Census records listed Daniel as being a "chemical worker".

I found a little more information about Daniel Melervy when I looked up the draft records for World War I. Daniel was listed as being born December 24th, 1895. He had at least one brother John Joseph Melervy who also was listed on the draft records for World War I. I also saw that his father's first name was James. Catherine (Boland) Melervy, Daniel's wife was one of the children of John and Ella (Doherty) Boland who came to this country in 1907. One of her sisters, Agnes Bridget (Boland) McCaffery is the mother of my grandmother Anna Marie (McCaffery) Gallagher.

When Anna's mother died in 1915, Anna was sent to live with her maternal grandparents. When her grandmother Ella died, she was then sent to live with her Aunt and Godmother Catherine (Boland) Melervy also known as "Aunt Kate". I do not know the exact year Anna went to live with Aunt Kate but it had to be after the 1920 Census because Anna was not listed as living in that household.

The above photograph was taken in 1916 of Catherine (Boland) Melervy holding baby Helen sitting next to her husband Daniel Melervy.

Anna Marie (McCaffery) Gallagher 1912-1990

Photo taken January 24th, 1981


July 30th, 1990 you left us on a warm summer's evening after a two year courageous battle with Lymphoma. I sat on one side of your bed while Mom sat on the other side.. We both held your hand as you struggled with each and every breath you took. There was one light over your bed and the room was silent as the other family members had just left the room to congregate outside. For two weeks we all kept this daily vigil as we watched you silently slip into unconsciousness.

July 5th, 1990 you celebrated your last birthday with us. That day I came to your apartment and made you tomato soup with crackers but after one spoonful you sat at the table unable to eat. I made you a cup of tea but you were unable to drink it. I then helped you to bed. You were so weak and sick. My heart bled for you. I wished I could have made you more comfortable. After I placed Grandpop's sweater over you (you wore his sweater daily since his death in 1980 because it gave you comfort) I returned to your dining room and noticed your birthday cake sat upon the table. It was decorated in red, white and blue. It was a tradition with Uncle Frank and Aunt Ann. They gave you a cake decorated like this every year because your birthday fell on the day after 4th of July. You loved those cakes.

I will never forget that day in May of 1990 when we went shopping and then out to lunch together. You were feeling a little weak and while we ate our lunch you told me you had "this" cough at night. I asked you if you called your doctor. You told me you did not but you had a CAT scan in March and everything was fine. I suggested you call your doctor and have him look at you. During our lunch, you spoke alot about your past and your family. This was long before I had an interest in researching our family's history but I paid attention to everything you told me and I am glad I did because though I did not know it then the information you provided me was my stepping stone to research.

ONE WEEK LATER, you, me and my mother sat across from the doctor as he told us that your cancer has returned. Immediately, you began another round of Chemo but this time it did not work. I will never forget the private conversation my mother and I had with the doctor after he told us the cancer returned and now was located in the pleural space of your left lung. He said, we had the chance to have those two years with you. But since you were no longer in remission your cancer was no longer curable but treatable. However, Non-Hogkins Lymphoma was a difficult cancer to treat.

You entered the hospital for the last time two weeks before you died. You were so weak the doctor got a wheelchair and pushed you from his office to the hospital next door. Uncle Jack was told to come home because we were told things did not look good. Everyday and everynight, your family came and stayed with you. You were never left alone. My mother slept in the waiting room down the hall afraid to leave you even for a single moment. Then you saw things. Things that could not be explained. Things that were chilling.

One afternoon, you pointed to area above your head and said "Look at that bright light". "The light is so bright". We could not see this light but you, grandmom could see it clearly. Then you said, "Oh Nanna, I see Nanna". Nanna was what we called Aunt Anna, grandpop's sister who died a few years earlier. Aunt Nanna and you, grandmom were good friends. Before long, you called for Daddy. You could see him in the light with Aunt Anna. Daddy was your name for grandpop.

Some said it was the drugs you were given. Some said it was Aunt Anna and Grandpop waiting to take you to heaven. I believe the latter. One week later you died.

You were laid out in the church up at the alter. You looked like an angel. Though you suffered before your death, you were beautiful. I believe the angels even cried that day. You were interred with grandpop that same day, the only man you ever loved.

Remember grandmom, how you would always tell me that you kissed the ground I walked on. Well, little did you know, it was I who kissed the ground you walked on.


A poem I came across the other day.

God said you were getting tired and a cure was not to be; so he put his arms around you and whispered, come to me, With tearful eyes we watched you, and saw you pass away. Although we love you dearly. A golden heart stopped beating, hard-working hands at rest, God broke our hearts to prove to us, He only takes the best.


Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Thirty years ago no one survived Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer involving the body's lymph system. Today fifty percent of those diagnosed with this cancer survive because of the latest treatments available. Most people who relapse from this disease do so in the first two years.

HOT MOTORCYCLE MAMA MARIANNE

and yes she really does ride this harley

Things I Thought I 'd Never Say

My cousin Karin recently wrote a blog entry stating the things she thought she would never say and it made me think about some of the things I thought I would never say so I'm playing copycat and creating my own blog entry with the same title. Thanks for the idea Karin.

When I was younger there were things I heard my mother and grandmother say that I swore I never would say to my kids or just say in general but life has a pretty good sense of humor because one day something comes sliding out of your mouth and you think, Oh my God, I became my mother. Before you know it you find yourself saying things like, "I will kill you if you jump on the bed again and break your neck" or "I have no interest in spending my day at the emergency room so do not try and kill yourself climbing like that". Then I added a few of my own, "If you talk back to me again, I will sew up your lips" or "If you do not stop chewing that gum like that I am going to rip off your lips". Just the other day I used my grandmother's famous saying, "Turn the conditioner on, its suffocating in here".

So is it genetics or environment? I do not know. It is hard to say. But what I do know is we become our mothers in the little things we may do or say and if you have children this is a guarantee. I think it is funny how my sister, my mother and I start all our sentences while conversing with the word "Actually". Then, one day I heard my grandson Shaun begin his sentence with the word "Actually". "Oh my God, I thought. We are passing this genetic/environmental habit onto the male branch of our family and he is only five".

Other famous phrases I heard family members say.

"She/he is a windbag" (referring to someone who talks too much)
"Stop your windbagging" (someone who is complaining)
"What ya ma call it" (whatever or you know what I mean)
"Anyway" (another sentence starter)
"A bite to eat" or "just a little sandwich" (when ordering out)
"A cross to bear" (ongoing problem with someone)

If you grew up in Philadelphia you probably have your very own vocabulary and pronunciation. Philadelphians never seem to say their words correctly. Water tends to sound more like woodter. Picture sounds like pitcher. Believe me, when I say we pronounce things differently as it is evident when I visit another state and the waiter states "you are from Philadelphia, aren't you"? Of course you can also asked my very good friends Linda and Melissa. They have way too much fun when I pronounce a word weird. You would never guess that I did actually have four English classes in college and scored all A's. As they say, you can take a girl out of Philadelphia but you cannot take the Philadelphia out of the girl.

Life Is Like A Box Of Chocolates, You Never Know What You Will Get

Having a new house means getting a new heater. Thank God, I made the previous owners have it checked and serviced as part of my agreement to buy or else the dead as a door knob heater would have given me a grand and expensive surprise come this winter season.

The heater had not been serviced since 1999 and was well over forty years old which caused me to be just a little suspicious about its ability to actually heat a house. Whether or not the previous owners were trying to pull a fast one over me will never be known. Nevertheless, it became their responsibility to replace it as part of settlement and so on Friday this was accomplished. To other fun news.

I saw my surgeon Thursday and he gave the injured shoulder a shot of cortisone. He also put me out of work until I see him again in two weeks. I guess sitting in front of a computer monitor and handwriting Quest Diagnostic and Lab Corp forms for eight straight hours did not agree with the dominate right arm. Who would have known? So much for restricted duty. In all honesty, I believe the only folks happy to see my return to work last Monday was the insurance company. Between Human Resources and Management it had been determined that I should not come within five feet of a patient which in medical terms means no patient care. They felt that if a patient was to faint, I would not be able to catch them. Now, I have been working here twenty years and I do not recall many patients fainting in my presence and if they did I doubt I would have been able to catch anyone anyway even before this shoulder injury. Let this be a lesson; never get into a battle with an old man in CCU. You probably will not win.

What I love about my family is that you never have to worry about what comes out of their mouths because it always will no matter what, which was the case with two particular conversations I had recently.

In the week of my move, I needed a new toilet in the upstairs bathroom and my brother Frankie and my Dad were nice enough to come down to replace. When I asked Frankie what he thought of my new house he said and I quote, "It is a nice house if you want to live in this neighborhood". I call this a back handed compliment.

Then I spent a morning at my old house which I shared with my ex-husband for twenty-one years before we divorced and I moved out of. While, packing up some of my grandmother's dishes, Joe told me that his brother Anthony suggested Joe have a social and invite my sister Marianne because he missed her. Well, in an effort to cover up my shock at this suggestion I asked Joe if Anthony missed his sister-in-law of twenty-four years, you know me? If you guessed this question was answered in silence then you guessed correctly. I am thinking none of his family miss me. So much for being part of it for twenty-six years.

Today we take a break from all things called work and we will celebrate a family milestone. My youngest son Joseph is twenty-three. When I spoke to my five year old grandson Shaun the other day, I asked Shaun what kind of cake should we have for Uncle Joe's birthday. Shaun told me I needed to make a blueberry cake because he (Shaun) loved blueberries. Then I asked Shaun what if Uncle Joe does not like blueberries. This was his answer, "Then make it half blueberry and half chocolate because I like chocolate too MOM MOM". Out of the mouths of babes.

Sum It Up

The end of a long week is how I state it. The week began with the oppressive heat and humidity of over one hundred degrees. After a few days of this god awlful or as my grandmother used to say suffocating heat we had one hell of a storm that blew down everything in sight including the flowers in my garden.

This week was my return to work after I spent six weeks home after shoulder surgery. Things in that department did not go as planned. After two days on restricted duty my shoulder/arm became inflamed so here I am home again until the inflammation and surrounding tendons calm down. Hopefully, I will be back to almost normal next week.

We are still living out of some boxes and probably will be for the near future. Slowly but surely the house is coming together. I am sure if I had total use of my dominate right arm things would move along a little faster but Oh well, what are ya gonna do?

Keeping Up

Black & White

Sun Block Plus Pool Water Equals Crazy Hair

Time Out

A World Gone Mad

Is anyone out there as nervous as I about the ongoings in the Middle East this week? I generally stay away from the subject of politics but the current happenings that have plagued the news this week have been more than a little frightening. Israel fighting on two fronts with Gaza and now Beirut. Iran threatening Israel. Israel threatening Syria. Not to mention our ongoing war with Iraq and North Korea testing nuclear missiles that are landing in the Sea of Japan. Japan is really not too happy about it either. Hundreds killed in India by local terrorists.

What the hell is going on? The end of the world is coming or what?

It is at times like this I wonder if my grandparents felt this same way when the war broke out in Europe.

It also makes me wonder who's in charge of these decisions being made? "Hey you world leaders out there, this is not a game. We live in a very dangerous nuclear age where bombs can destroy not just a city but an entire world. Are you listening out there? I have two little grandsons growing up in this world. I like to see it be here for them".

Diary Of A Move

Day One

The rain came tumbling down as I made settlement. After signing numerous forms, I was handed the keys and became the owner of a three bedroom, two bathroom, seventy five year old house in Roxborough.

That afternoon, Bill loaded up his pickup truck with boxes, we arrived at the new house. The first thing on our agenda was to clean and clean we did.


Day Two

Mom and Dad arrived to help clean. Mom took over the kitchen while Dad began the task of cleaning the twenty windows in this house. I took down old window curtains and started on the house's woodwork and ceiling fixtures. Bill continued bringing the boxes from my other residence. Before long the cable guy arrived to install the Direct TV Satellite Dish while one of the two furniture stores I expected furniture from this week came with the bedroom and breakfast room sets. Shaun came at noon to install a chandelier in the dining room and a ceiling fan in what is to be a Kids' room for Shaun Patrick and Nikolas. Bill and I met the new neighbors Thomas and Lisa to our right and an elderly gentlemen Win to our left. By evening we met a third neighbor down the block. I think I am going to like living here.

Day Three

Mom and Dad came back to finish the tasks they started. Mom borrowed my sister's "cleaning lady" for the day to help clean the bathrooms and the family room. Soon Shaun arrived with a painter friend to give me an estimate on some rooms I want painted ASAP especially the "very pink" girl's room upstairs that will soon become a "very military" boy's room for Shaun and Nikolas when they come to visit. The second furniture store delivery came and set up the dining room set but had to take the sectional for family room back since the corner piece could not fit through the doorway. By evening my sons Shaun and Joey along with their friend Billy came to load up the truck and carry everything from one house to the other. It was a long night and by its end everyone was exhausted.

Day Four

Mom and Dad are back again but this time Mom and I escape to the store to shop for bathroom curtains and other miscellaneous things. Dad stayed behind with Bill and Joey and finished up the last morsel of things to be moved in the house. But this time we all took a well deserved break and had lunch out on the deck that overlooked the river at the Brewery in Manayunk.

Day Five

Today was a day of rest. I had coffee in bed while I read the Sunday newspaper. Though I did manage to put a few things away and dust a few other things, I mainly took it easy. As a matter of fact I did not even get out of my pajamas. And the best part is I did not even feel guilty about it. By late afternoon, Shaun, Trish and the boys arrived with a surprise, a grill for outback!

It will be weeks before I get settled in and it could be months before I get through each and every box.

Together In Florida

I am not sure what I was saying here but I suspect it was "Do Not Take My Picture".
Move over grandpop, these two boys have taken over your favorite chair.
Do I really need to comment on these three clowns?
Boys just wanna have fun.
Catch me if you can.
A day at the beach.

Florida Vacation June 30th to July 4th, 2006 "Nikolas"

Nikolas Joseph age twenty months.
Nikolas and his new friend gecko. Each morning outside my parents' house, this little creature made his appearance and Nikolas laughed with excitement. Thus a new word was added to his vocabulary, "gecko". A word I heard at least a hundred times over the course of five days.
Too young for the water slide but old enough for the kiddie pool, Nikolas enjoys himself at a friend's picnic outside their house on Tampa Bay.
Day four of our vacation took us on a fun filled trip out on the Gulf of Mexico on Captain Nemo's Pirate Ship.
Nikolas striking a pose at grandmom and grandpop's house in Dunedin, Florida.
Enjoying the sands and waters of Clearwater Beach.

Florida Vacation June 30th to July 4th "Shaun"

Being almost five means you can be a pirate on Captain Nemo's Pirate Ship.
Play video games with a new found friend.
Smile pretty for the camera.
Search for lizards and snakes with the other boys in the bushes and rocks near Tampa Bay.
Spend hours going high speed down the water slide
Make a smooth landing at the bottom.

While I was away

Mom and Dad celebrated an Anniversary. Here they are in a 1963 Photograph.