Skeet's Wedding

Skeet is getting married next month. Actually on the 11th, 1 day before his 30th birthday. It will be small (to say the least). Him, Jenee, her parents, Al and me. An unexpected throw back to Wm. T, Ryan doesn't want any "Dog and Pony Show". Funny thing, marriages, births, deaths, we all have to take life as we are able to handle it. Taking it isn't nearly as hard as handling it...

Gone Fishing

I used to cry in the arms of my mom, when my dad was away in Roscommon. I remember a time when she asked me, “Do you cry this much when I’m gone?”

I still cry in the arms of my mom because my dad isn’t coming back this time. But she never sees the tears of missing her, because I am too busy being happy when she‘s with me.

My mom sent me a picture of the shells she collected while roaming the beach in Florida for the past couple weeks. My mom has a shell-collecting problem: Whenever we would go near the waters, she picks up any shiny or colorful piece of junk she sees on our walk. Then lugs them back in armfuls, trying to pawn them off on her kids to carry.

At home we have cups and shelves and bowls and plates dedicated to displaying her collection. Because once she picks them up, she won’t set them back down.

She told me she didn’t want the shells to feel sad. That someone picked them up, then decided they weren’t good enough to keep. So she keeps everyone she touches So they all can have a home, my home.

Which makes it a little hard for me to dust around them.

Make-up Class

A week or so ago Karly, Jack and myself decided to take Grandpa to the doctor in Traverse City. Big day for us and Grandpa. Grandpa had super news at the doctor and the kids enjoyed the fact there was an elevator....who knew the day could be so awesome.

Do to our change of venue that day, we had to miss Jack's gymnastics class. His teacher was very kind and decided to let Jack take a make-up class this week because he enjoys it so much. Anyway, as we wait for the class to get started I go over and over it with Jack. "Jack, this is just a make-up class, your friends will not be in there, it will be full of new people. You will probably not recognize these people. Are you sure you still want to go because you don't have to?"

Jack reassures me, "Mom, it's OK...I want to go....umm...do we put our make-up on before the class starts or do we put our make-up on once we get in there?"

Got to love the minds of the young....I laughed through the whole class.

Heart of ......

"The sea-reach of the Thames stretched before us like the beginning of an interminable waterway. In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits. A haze rested on the low shores that ran out to sea in vanishing flatness. Gravesend, and farther back still seemed condensed into a mournful gloom, brooding motionless over the biggest, and the greatest, town on earth."
English is the second language for this author. Who is the author?

Wedding Song

This song reminds me of Brian and Susie's wedding. Bill, Susie's dad, who I believed discovered the song, would always give his absolute zany laugh whenever it played.

Jump Start

By the calendar, things are hard to work out on time. Sometimes feeding the dog gets in the way, or there could be a snow storm, or something wrecking that doggone calendar. When the day does arrive, too much is happening at once.
This is a freelance prelude to a special day. The winter has been so long that a change is in order. Well...we can't change the weather, but we can add something different to the atmosphere i.e. an electric charge. I'm not suggesting that we start the Saint's Day early, but it is a birthday after all.

Break Neck Diet

It has been a wild and Crazy time with Randy laid up for 6 weeks, we went through the scary " what ifs to the Holy Shits.. but equally as scary. He had 8 vertebrates fused in his neck and was in pretty a painful state for about one month. He did hallucinate to the point that I started questioning myself. He actually told me his wife was a "Bitch "
Really, I replied, so what do you think about me?" Your golden he replied with a big shit eating grin on his face.. " But my wife plans on selling this house and buying a boat and just leaving!" I smiled, " Yea, I think she is thinking about it!"

COLA

Wm T. would often say, "It only cost a nickel more to go top shelf." When he sent you to the store, no one dared point out inflation, or the Cost of Living Allowance. These weren't relevant. This basic fact still held true. Quality isn't much more expensive than cheap. Plus the fact that quality is much more enjoyable to use while you are using it.
In the book world, I have been torn between my eReader and hard copy books, for I love them both for somewhat different reasons. Last week on a quirk, I went scouring the internet for leather bound books. An Edgar Allen Poe book went for eighteen dollars, but some leather bound classics were over a thousand. I took Bill's simple approach by buying a leather cover for my Kindle for a mere thirty five bucks.

Revisited

Brian wrote the following story when he was at the cottage. It is a bit scary, so read at your own risk.

The Visit, by Brian

He crouched at the edge of the bed on one knee alternately pulling at his sleeve and HITTING him on the ear with his social finger cocked against his thumb to give it more spring when it was released. This could be painful enough to bring tears to the eyes of many a victim. Finally Brian wakes from a fitful sleep to see his brother Butch crouched by his bedside with a big mischievous grin on his face. “ What the hell are you doing here?” You’ve been dead for over two years now for chrissake” said Brian. "Where did you get all those stitch marks all over your face? “You look like hammered shit and your scaring me.” “I’m not really dead” said Butch. “They put us all in a camp. Everybody thinks were dead but we’re not. They just have us all hidden in this big camp. That’s where all the stitch marks come from on my face, from me trying to get through the wire when I first got here. I never did get out and I was starting to think they were lying about us not being dead.” Brian rolled over to one side and propped himself up on one elbow. ”look , in the first place I wake up fifty percent of the time with nightmares from that bullshit war in Vietnam and now I get woke up by you thumping me on the ear and telling me you’re not dead. I cried at your funeral until my knee caps went dry. When the red cross notified me that you were dead I told myself that ma had just pulled some tricky shit to keep me stateside and not have to go to Vietnam. You know how tricky Hope could be, so I went along with the gag all the way home having a good brace of gin on the plane and praying that was the case. When I got home I called my friend Bill and told him I would be over to see him because Hope had just pulled some shit and pretended Butch was dead so I wouldn’t have to go to Viet Nam. He said ”I don’t think so Brian I saw your brother Mike coming out of the funeral home today and yes it was true, you were f..... dead. I don’t even think you are who you say you are even now.” “oh yea” said Butch,” i even brought my thunderbird with me for the weekend.” The one you and I got in trouble with.” Remember the time on a Friday night when I picked you up off the sidewalk on your way home from school?” We went to Sandusky to buy a new shirt for the friday night dance and ass kicken contest? we went down that side street that that state cop happened to live and he chased us down the street in his own car and gave me a ticket on an empty match box. I tore it up in his face and threw it on the side walk and told him if you’re going to give me a ticket you better have a real ticket book, a real police car and a uniform,go f... yourself.” “you bet I remember said Brian, If it weren’t for Hope and Tony you wouldn’t have had time to die. You would still be in court. Do you remember how when we went home after you got done buying your new friday night shirt to either get into a fight in or get lucky and we told the story to Hope? She got all nervous and realized the cop had taken your license plate number no matter what he wrote your ticket on. She decided to nip it in the bud. In her devious mind she realized that Tony was of the same size and stature as you and could almost be a twin. She had Tony put on the hooded sweat that you were wearing and off we went to the state police post. Hope, tony and myself drove that eight miles in about fifteen minutes and didn’t rehearse a thing on the way. We had Tony take your place because Hope knew that he wouldn’t lose his temper like you and want to fight the old cop. You stayed home and drank beer while we went on this mission to save your ass. We walked into the police station and I gave Hope the nod that it was the same cop on duty desk that Butch and I had encountered on his way to work. There was nobody else in the station but this old sergeant about to retire and stuck behind the desk until that would ultimately happen. After Hope got my signal she was on. ”Hello Captain, I’m Hope Quinlan and I guess you already know this pair. When they told me what happened this afternoon I told them to jump in the car and show you some respect as in apologizing. I never raised my kids to be disrespectful of older people period, LET alone an officer of the law. They are here to apologize and I apologize myself if I have missed something in their upbringing I did not raise any of my twelve children that way but we all know nobody is perfect. perhaps you may have made a mistake or two in your lifetime but if you did I’m sure they were small ones.” “God that woman was good.” The cop kept looking at me and Tony. He was possibly not buying the scam that Tony was you. His superiors might start claiming dementia or something AND SCREW HIM OUT OF HIS RETIREMENT. HE EITHER BOUGHT THE LARK OR WAS TOO EMBARRASSED TO CONTEST IT. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL THING. TONY STARTED TALKING TO HIM ABOUT A DRUG POSTER ON CANNABIS AND DIVERTED HIS ATTENTION. FINALLY THE COP JUST TOLD HIM IT WAS SERIOUS BUSINESS TALKING TO AN OFFICER OF THE LAW THE WAY HE DID AND TORE UP HIS NEW TICKET HE WAS ABOUT TO MAIL ONCE AGAIN YOU WERE LET OFF THE HOOK.
I DON’T KNOW IF YOU ARE ONE 0F THE DARK MINIONS OF THE NIGHT PLAYING THE ROLE OF AN IMPOSTOR OR MAYBE WE HAVE CROSSED PATHS. YOU LOOK LIKE MY BROTHER BUT I HAVE BEEN TRICKED BEFORE. IF THE ONLY TIME YOU CAN VISIT ME IS AT NIGHT WHEN I AM TRYING TO SLEEP, THAN I DON’T THINK YOU ARE YOU. I THINK YOU ARE ME. I REALLY LIKED THE VISIT FROM ME TO ME. I WAS THE ONLY ONE IN THE ROOM. YOU DIDN’T VISIT ME, I VISITED MYSELF.
THE NEXT TIME YOU COME FOR ONE OF YOUR VISITS, COULD YOU PLEASE NOT THUMP ME ON THE EAR. IT HURTS LIKE HELL.

An Irish Blessing on Christmas

http://www.andiesisle.com/ThisBlessingIsForYou.html

So much excitement going on!

I have to share this one because it made me laugh so hard. Karly had her first Chance to wrap gifts last night. Trying to teach the spirit of giving and not getting. She was so excited about the paper, bows and being able to use tape. It was hilarious......she got her present ready and put it under the tree. She then turned to me and said..."I hope nobody unwraps that one early, it would sure ruin our Hanukkah"

My Dad said he was just getting used to us being protestant....I guess now we are Jewish :)

Merry Christmas everyone....hope you all find some love in your heart and make it the best holiday you can.

Quinlanology

You know you're a Quinlan when...

[add in the comments]

We had the Fire Department Christmas party last night. We were told that Santa would be there and if we were good he might bring us a present. Well...Jack decided to bite Karly a couple hours before the big event so needless to say....he was walking on pins and needles to see if he would even get one. Both kids were very excited when the big man showed up. Actually this is the closest I have ever seen them to Santa....we have had years of fears of him. Anyway, Karly took her gift and was excited that he knew exactly what she wanted. Jack waited and waited and at the end of the bag, there was a gift for him, he was thrilled and figured Santa forgave the bite. On the way home Karly said, "I love my gift but I was really hoping for a bunch more.....but that's ok" I guess Scott and I forgot to mention that Santa comes to our house too and we may see a few more gifts. The minds of young people are great!

Just the Fax

It is a Sunday Morning in Pontiac Michigan. I am hanging out with my dad for the day, and we are pulling into the parking lot next to Sam’s club.
I am about to get out of the truck, when my dad says:

“Oh my god.” Look over there.”

“What, I say.”


“Dustin Hoffman just got into that mini van.”

“What would Dustin Hoffman be doing in Pontiac on a Sunday morning, getting into a crappy mini van?”


“ Well, maybe he’s buying fax paper.”

14.7 pounds per square inch

I don't remember my godfather's face for I was very young. My godmother was even more remote as I never knew her name.
Mystery godparents, but they were out there, just the same (excuse the what Hope would term 'nickel- pickle rhyme').
When J.D. asked me to be John David III's godfather, I was baffled. Strange pick I thought, why me?
Years later, my eyes were opened in a little Midland country church. Brian and Joe were singing their hearts out to Protestant hymns I had never heard before. Enthusiasm Unbound! This wasn't an ordinary event. In the pew with me, it appeared to be Godfathers, Inc singing. Now, I understand that godchildren are an extra bond to the earth and I love everyone of mine.

The Bra

The August air was humid. My clothing stuck to me like the skin of a grape-filmy and sticky.
It was my 13th Michigan summer, so the weather wasn’t unusual but always uncomfortable. I’d spent my days in between junior high grades hanging out with my friends trying to discover the newest nail polish shade or the exact amount of spray highlighter to turn my dark brown hair to a light shade of caramel. And wishing for boobs. My best friend Kim had just gotten a training bra and I desperately wanted a reason to wear a bra too. Until that point we’d done everything together, and suddenly she was taking off without me.

On one particularly quiet afternoon, where there were no invites to go to a neighbor’s pool or new books I was dying to read, Dad had called and invited me to come along while he looked at tree jobs. He picked me up as I sat on the front porch in my lavender Espirit tee shirt and matching shorts.

My dad was a tree-trimmer who owned his own business so he spent a great deal of time driving around looking at trees as free estimates had been part of his business he’d started before I was born. Riding shotgun was always a given with the big bench seat of the truck, but usually I had to share the real estate with my two brothers, but this particular Friday I had the seat all to myself.

But after sitting in the old green Chevy, for a few estimates while the smell of motor oil mixing with sawdust and stale summer air. I was antsy and wanted to go home. Dad relented and started the drive back to Milford where I lived with my mom and two brothers. Our conversation seemed to be filler at best, nothing of note comes to mind until he pulled into our cracked driveway and turned off the truck. Into the silence of the cab, he announced in a voice I was sure the next-door neighbor could hear:

“You need to get a bra.”

My cheeks got hot, and I suddenly needed a glass of water. The cab felt like a dollhouse, and I was a giant. It got even hotter in the truck and I started feeling like I was going to suffocate. I mumbled something about my mom taking me shopping soon, when I knew no such thing and began frantically shoving the manual metal door handle with the heel of my hand, it slipped a little from the sweat on my palms, but I quickly scrambled out of the Chevy and jumped to the ground with the agility of a gymnast, as opposed to my usual clumsiness that had caused me to bang my head against a closed door on more than one occasion.

My dad always called me his” little Goil.” I couldn’t believe he was telling me to get a bra. And as much as I wanted to embrace the idea that I was finally catching up to the popular cheerleader types, who had all worn bras for over a year and 7th grade would be something special because I thought maybe I’d become popular too, I’d wanted to wear a bra, but I wasn’t prepared for the rest of my life to be different. I was used to being one of the guys growing up and suddenly I was a girl?


When I woke Saturday morning, I stumbled into the living room to find my mom drinking coffee.
When she saw me, she fixed her gaze on me and announced:

“I need to measure you for a bra.”

My face got hot and I was having trouble swallowing. I thought I'd reached my embarrassment threshold the day before with my dad, but as my mom wrapped the yellow measuring tape I’d normally used as a weapon during sword fights with my brothers, the metal tape once again was unforgiving as she pressed it under the two tiny bumps that suddenly warranted everyone’s attention. Not quite sure where to look, I’d settled for straight ahead at my mom’s chest. It looked like two giant cantaloupes had landed on her front side.

That afternoon we headed off to TJ Maxx to go bra hunting, which had no glamour, no special racks. Just a huge bin full of discarded undergarments that no one wanted, A Land of Misfit Bras. After pawing through pile after pile, I settled on two-nylon bras, no bigger than a handkerchief and no wires.
One was pink and the other was beige because my mom said that beige was pracitical because it wouldn’t show through my shirt but if you couldn’t see it, why wear it?

As I modeled my new bra in the dressing room, I felt disappointed. How come I didn’t have that fold between my boobs like the women in magazines and on TV? And as soon as I put the thing on it didn’t look as if I even had any boobs so why did I need to wear this contraption?

My bra was an exciting pain in the ass. I was very aware of it rubbing, scratching and binding. It felt as if some foreign entity had landed on my chest. Much like the boobs themselves. I didn’t yet know how we fit together. After a few days, my fashion accessories were dirty. I was going to have to wash them without my brothers finding out.

I hid my new bras in a pile of dirty towels and sat watch over the washing machine like a rabid watch dog. I was afraid that if my brothers discovered them, they’d have the following conversation.

Shane: What’s this doing in here?

BJ: Want to play Mario Brothers?

Shane: Is this Kelly’s bra?

BJ: What?

Shane: Kelly. She thinks she needs a bra.

BJ: Who needs a bra?

Shane: You’re a dumb-ass BJ.


That fall I started 7th grade with the shaky adolescence confidence that I was part of something bigger. I was finally a bra wearer. Could head cheerleader be far behind? I secretly wished a boy would snap my bra. After all, handholding and bra snapping was considered a relationship in 7th grade.
If I could feel that sting from a snapped bra, I’d be a worthy girlfriend.

Turns out, my bra strap remained quiet for all of 7th grade.

In the end the huge ordeal was a very small A cup.

And it didn’t matter to anybody but me.

My first 100 days with Thump and Bump on an every day basis.

Our family is really enjoying my newly found retirement. I have adjusted well but not sure when those pension checks will be rolling in….small glitch in the plan.

I would like to share with you the top 5 things I have learned from Karly and Jack during this time we have been hanging out…..

1. Poop, pee and butt are always added and perfectly acceptable in every single conversation.
2. As I explained to my kids that ordering a happy meal every time is a waste of money and only a marketing scheme to get more money from you for a silly toy, Karly pointed out to me……Mom, the toy is FREE if you would just order the right meal.
3. Grandpa is the coolest guy around because he has a “pretend” leg. It is also a super fun game to get a cane and play amputee….who know.
4. We can figure out how to do anything as long as we read the “Burr-ections” located inside any package or product.
5. Apparently it is ok in public to let people know when they are stinky and when their teeth are dirty.
6. It is also ok to point out to boys that they should not wear pony tails or earrings (even when you yell this out across a restaurant.

Just thought I should fill you in on what I have learned. All these years I have had it way wrong!

4th Daughter

I'm not sure when Tony's going to tell us about this other child of his, but hopefully she has some great cds to add to our collection.

A separate note: Casey's in Paris!

Invisible Friends for us all

Invisible friends

I have the joy of watching Kylan my grand son twice a week. He is truly a funny kid. The other day I gave him an old pad of paper that I had given Morgan years ago; it was a Winnie the Pooh small tablet. (With Pooh and the gang photo's on the bottom.

I was making lunch and looked over at the pad, he was drawing on. I said," Oh, too bad Piglet in on the paper, I don't like him." Kylan said," Na Na, You gotta like Piglet? No, I don't Kylan I am sorry but Na Na just doesn't like him. Kylan got up set, Na Na don't say that, you gotta (Yove) Piglet. This when one for a few min then he looked me square in my eyes, with his young clear blue eyes looking just like McKenzie.
Na Na he said, " You were just sitting outside with Piglet a little while ago!"

I had no idea I had spend the afternoon with piglet, I guess, you got to watch your friends closer.

Bryanne had invisible friends also, Pumpkin, and Banana they only came out of the linen closet when she was going to the bathroom. Often they would pull her hair also, but they stayed tight for about 2 years. I have the opportunity to visit the world of make believe once again.
Perhaps there is a little invisible friends in us all.. I am sure Hope has a few friends like that, we know Brian did on his last day.. this might all just be a gift that God gives us to keep us not feeling alone.. just a thought?

Bye, honey!

One of my aunts* once told Tony that he should always tell people he loved them, in case something were to happen and they died without knowing. This, of course, would lead to many awkward pauses at the end of an otherwise great conversation (should I say it first? Will that cause him to stutter? What if we say it at the same time? Do we skip it? Does it mean less if you say it out of habit or all the time?). I, on the other hand, have a keen sense of awareness when someone loves me, without necessarily feeling a need to articulate it.

*'Ricia, I'm thinking. She has philosophical conversations like a beer drinker, minus the beer.

Bill used to call his kids "honey" to show affection, which is our new code for that old cliche'. The new order ends phone calls and emails with a "bye, honey!", which is a perfect way to tell someone you love them.

CASE DISMISSED

What up this is RC Collins

As some of you may know, I got a DUI September 11-2010 and went to jail for the second time. I got to see some of the homeboys from high school, and was able to catch them up on current events (mainly about how Obama is keepsin it real), girls, and how the price of steel reserve 211 has gone up. I then realized for the second time how I never want to be back, so I haven't drank and drove since, drank more than like 8 beers at a time, or hollered at any underage girls.

At this time Colleen had been debt free for an ENTIRE WEEK, but being the selfless humanitarian socialist patriot that she is, loaned me $2500 for the best lawyer in town. Court time rolled around so I put on my lucky court shirt and we went. After sitting in the court room nervous for what seemed about 15 minutes, the prosecuting attourney comes out LOOKIN EXTRA FINE!!!!! In my past 3 court expieiences the prosecutors were pale bald slimy looking weasles who sucked at life tryin to hate on a brother. But not this time! CASE DISMISSED!!! Im thinking because I was so nice, cooperative and polite to the cop. No probation, no court fees, no fines, NO NOTHING!!

Colleen and I then proceeded to ask no questions, and speed walked out of the court house before they had the chance to change their minds, making a swift escape in the 2006 Audi A4 2.0 turbo quattro. She then celebrated by drinking a bud light, but I politely refused because I was going to the gym or I would have.

Moral of the story is: keep it real at all times no matter what to the fullest, AND do not drink and drive.

ALSO, TONY PLEASE DO NOT SELL THE 88 GT

SIDE NOTE: SPELLING IS OFF BECAUSE I COULDN'T FIND SPELL CHECK

P.S. THANKS COLLEEN, YOUR PRETTY COOL

Brian's Fairgrove

Whamg, kachink. It was the fourth one that day. There was that whining ricochet noise and then that kachink noise as the glass insulator burst into pieces from it's false sense of eternity on the wooden fence post. The wire that used to be wrapped around it conveying electric current gone for decades. Tony and Brian were sworn to secrecy under penalty of older Brother Butch's wrath should an outsider find out. Butch carried the 22 semi automatic rifle that was to be opened in about four days on Christmas. Tony carried a carpenter hand saw and Brian carried a single blade axe with about three quarters of the handle still holding on to the rusty head. The handle was whittled down considerably where it fit into the head due to many misguided swings from well intentioned ametuers missing the mark with the head and hitting the handle instead. There was plenty of snow out in the lane that ran by the old pasture fence.

The farmhouse was still in sight and the woods beckened from ahead. They set there load down to take a break after the last successful shot from the rifle. They had no boots but instead the shoes that couldn't be considered "good" anymore by the fact that they were a couple years old. They still only came up to the ankles which isn't much comfort in two feet of snow. The socks on the hands and diapers from the current baby tied around their ears wern't much for style but were necessary. A spring jacket and two oversized shirts finished up Tony and Brian's attire for the mission and Butch found an old hunting coat that seemed to put him in first place as far as warmth.

About an hour later and two more asasinated insulators the boys found their way into the woods. The farmhouse was now out of sight which all of a sudden brought urgency to their mission. Butch was 14 years old and was probably responsible for the success of the mission. Tony was 12 and a studious kid and probably felt the load of responsibility due to Butch's cavileer attitude. Brian was 10 and the youngest and just took orders from whoever gave them and tried not to get smacked by his older brothers anymore than was necessary from day to day.

The tall trees blocked the breeze and the swirling snow in the woods. It was quiet and so surreal. There were tall evergreens interjected amongst the leafless trees which were accented by some oaks stubbornly holding on to last years dying leaves. Butch all of a sudden trades the rifle for the saw with Tony and says "you drop that gun in the snow and i'll kill ya." The statement didn't require a reply and none was given.

Butch pulled on a chord in his hunting jacket and made it long enough to tie a knot around the handle of the saw and carry it up the tree he had selected. A half hour later the top of the tree was laying on the ground. After the display of bravado about cutting the top out of the tree it became the job of Tony and Brian to drag the tree the mile up to the house. There was much resting and complaining not to mention the punches being passed down the sibling ladder but the boys and the tree finally make it home in time to beat the early December Sundown.

Hope and Bill were back from their Saturday trek into Caro to get groceries and celebrate another payday with some draught beers at a bar that the patrons had to walk down off the sidewalk to enter, aptly named the Snake Pit.
It came time for the inspection of the tree. The boys stood outside near the tree sort of looking at the ground as Bill looked the tree over. He took another drag off his cigarette and just stared at the tree. He finally exhaled the nasty smoke into the crisp air and still said nothing.

Finally after what seemed like another lifetime he got this mocking grin on his face and says "no needles." "What do you mean, no needles" asked Brian. He was glib and not afraid of asking a question if it had to be asked." A Christmas Tree has to have needles as any fool knows" says Bill." "This is a cedar tree" says Bill. "YOU gotta have needles before it's a goddam Christmas Tree" he says. So it was a failed mission and Sundays plans were on the table.

Literary Dynasty

I think Colleen, Tiffany, Carol and Tony should receive an award as best writing family ever. I am astonished by the sheer level of talent coming from that bunch. We have equally talented writers in other families but none that encompass the entire crew.

PS> Kelly, maybe BJ and I could get lessons from you to up the ante from our family??:)

Vladimir's Service Pack

Converting to Quicken last year to manage my finances had been the final step in my PC-to-Mac conversion at home, with one tiny hurdle: no one knew the password that would allow the computer to receive updates. After much discussion, Team Mac (Tony and Patrick) eagerly set to work installing a new operating system, Snow Leopard, on my iMac. Confident I was in the hands of experts, I paid no further attention to the i-chatter.

Patrick explained how he registered his own new computer under 'Vladimir Petrenko' of Moscow, Russia, then Ed-proofed it against his dad by changing his ip address, adding passwords, programs and a host of other stealth moves to prevent invasion (where was all this talent when I was married to his dad?).

At the end of the day, unfortunately, an older copy of my financial files was saved, which means I lost all records for 2010 and iPhoto didn't make the journey to the updated computer. I don't dare file a complaint...

Give that Girl a 10

10/10/10 - A special day - Susie’s birthday.

Susie and I met 45 years ago- before we were with the Quinlan boys. We’ve been accused of having addictive personalities: bowling 7 hours straight on Saturdays; volleyball and walleyball followed by bar stops; bridge games and tournaments to excess; moving each other and decorating together, and traveling whenever we could. The common factor to each escapade was lots of from-the-gut laughter.

One Quinlan memory of the "dynamic duo" was when we decided to surprise Hope on her birthday by remodeling her kitchen. At the time Hope and Bill had the chicken farm. Susie and I found some exciting wallpaper with modern, goofy-looking chickens. It was bright yellow and orange (an Irishman’s favorite color) - very cool. Of course, Susie was about 8 months pregnant so I did the majority of the work. When we were finished, elated and satisfied that we had done a great thing, we went to the bar with Hope where Susie was hit on (really made Hope and me giggle). Both Hope and Bill graciously hated the wallpaper, saying they needed sunglasses to get up in the morning. (We have matured since then and only paint rooms when the owner buys the color they want.)

Susie has a magical charm, enthusiasm for life, openness, and sensitivity to others which puts friends, family and strangers at ease. Her artistic talents are amazing and I am proud to display many of her paintings. Her artistic personality makes her a little quirky at times but, hey, that’s part of her charm.

Her greatest quality to me is being a true friend and I am grateful every day for having her in my life. If the Olympics had a "heart" contest, Susie would surely get a 10.

Have a great birthday, Susie.

Bob says: "Happy 6th Birthday Mess.be!"

Rearry? It's your 6th birthday, mess.be? Well, celebrate we will!

Feliz Navidad

[Note: I wrote and posted this entry on my blog in 2005, the first year I started it. I like to think it's still relevant, and of course, he still doesn't look his age]

My dad, Tony, sends odd greeting cards...on the wrong days...with sentiments written in Spanish (which he doesn't speak).

Mainstream has never been his forte. He was the third child of twelve born to Irish descendants living on a small farm in Michigan - seven boys and five girls, all of whom have Irish names (Shannon, Erin, etc.) - except my dad, Tony.

He was a tall, skinny kid who was usually squirrelled away in a corner, reading a library book, until his brothers found him to drag him back to reality by beating the crap out of him or throwing him off the roof. He always wanted to be a monk, surrounded by God, books, introspection and maybe an alcoholic beverage or two.

Facts and quirks:

*he had a full scholarship to Michigan State, but left after one year to hitch hike to California

*he wears a broken watch with no face from a motorcycle accident he had 35 years ago

*an insomniac, he prefers to grocery shop between 3:00 and 5:00 a.m.

*he tries to keep telemarketers on the phone by talking to them as long as possible...his record is over an hour.

*he bought and fixed up 20 old Apple GS computers to set up a computer lab in his classroom

*he's an audio/video equipment junkie - and still has Harold and Maude and The Vanishing Point on Beta tapes

*he loves music, from Hank Williams to Bob Dylan to Tori Amos

*if you touch him from behind, duck, because he will turn around swinging
he turned 60 this year and has no grey hair (of course, he does have my son for the summer, so that's likely to change).

I believe one of the biggest factors in shaping Tony's life was his stuttering. As a child, I remember making phone calls for him - he would often not be able to verbalize the "hello, is..." before the person at the other end hung up. Sometimes, he'd call back several times, hoping to get the words out, until the other person would assume it was a prankster on the other end. He is one of the most intelligent people I know, but spent close to fifteen years working at General Motors, dreaming of becoming a teacher.

He still pauses before words when he's anxious or stressed, but he went back to college at 42 and finally has that dream job teaching 5th graders. Apparently a late bloomer, he also got married last fall. Intelligent, philosophical, generous, honest, compassionate, caring and funny...I hope to be more like this old soul when I grow up.

Fun Photo Tuesday

Look at that formation!





Come on Lace, the flash won't wait forever.... ;)

The Godfather

Kook almost died,
Born to early.
Too small-that’s what everyone said.
It’s better to let go.

But Brian and Susie prayed on.
And put Joe in Charge
Of God-fathering.
Full of light and jokes,
Joe kept Kook laughing.

As the years passed, Kook got healthy
But Joe got sick.

There was still laughter and light
That was Joe’s way.
Kook couldn't’ help him.
She could only hug him.

It’s better to let go.
Tell him good-bye-

And pray that isn’t the last time,
Kook and Joe
will see eye to eye.


KRQ
11-18-08

Two Brides

Having dual citizenship in "Faceoff" and Blogger means scouring the internet for photos to steal post is that much simpler. McKenzie and Bryanne, beautiful brides this season: