FOURTH OF JULY SHINDIG

This past weekend, starting pretty much on Friday morning, my father's relatives got together for their fifty~first annual overcrowded feeding frenzy in Hilldale.   They call it a family reunion.  Richie's, Sean's & Jamie's families were all missing.  Michael, Tony Sr. & Junior & Scott from Buffalo weren't there either,  but most of the others managed to make it.   Michael even took Erin with him.   I made sure I wore a hat most days & didn't a headache or sunburn.   Yesterday I forgot though, & I woke up very early this morning with a headache.  Because I always made sure I stayed only until around 8:00 each night I never got too worn out.    As always it was a mixture of sports, gossip, intellectual debate, religion & politics,  & picture taking.   My camera & video camera got a lot of mileage.  The food was entirely too fattening so I shall have to spend the next few weeks toning my appetite down.   Mary Anne, Robin & a few others even went shopping for hooch.  I put in a share of the price & got a few swigs to show for it over the course of the weekend.  Most probably I shall not have another drop until the next especially big occasion.   Unfortunately the only thing missing this year was music.  Most years lately we always seem to have an ad~hoc band made up of anyone who can play his way out of a brown paper bag.    There was some bad news on Saturday since the insanely violent electrical storm, that started at about 4:00 a.m., lasted all day & drove us all plum crazy.  It's been raining like crazy for quite a while this past spring & summer.   A few weeks ago Vinnie, Steve & I got the idea to go to Jitty Joe's  for ice cream but somehow we didn't end up going.    Several people only stayed for a day or two so it was hard to keep track of everyone.

HAPPY EASTER

This month's Carmelite meeting worked out quite well. It was Chris's reception day. Her husband & mother both showed up for the Mass. Yvonne & Judy were there too. The only catch is that whenever they attend a meeting it's always so mind~bogglingly long. Sr. Mary Robert, as always, was especially helpful. Easter was a very nice time too. The kin from West Wyoming showed up. Steve & all the kids were here too. Mary Anne wasn't available though because she wasn't feeling well. We had our big meal on Holy Saturday because it was the best thing to do for the people who had to travel. At around 8:00 that night Steve & I took the kids to Jitty Joe's for our mandatory ice cream jaunt. I ended up getting a cup of teaberry ice cream. There's still entirely too much candy & food left over. Aunt Lauren & Uncle Jim brought Benjamin over on Good Friday night. As always I ended up lectoring in church on Palm Sunday. Fr. McKernan even got me to have my foot washed. My cell phone works quite well though most of the mileage I get from it is from the Facebook app. I made sure I got a haircut from Rose Chairge a few days before Easter. I always have to call for an appointment. She recognizes my voice on the phone whenever I call. Among other birthdays this month, yesterday was KrissyKrissyKrissy's daughter Natalie's big day. She's three. I haven't gotten many headaches lately, just the occasional really slight one. The weather, finally & at last, has been getting very nice. Well it's about time. There's no weekday Mass at O.L. Sorrows this week so I go to St. John's in Pittston every morning. People are still working so hard to keep St. Gabriel's, over in East Elmhurst, from having to close down. I have an appointment to give blood this Friday.

MANY BIRTHDAYS

A few days ago a woman called from a political organization. I know those surveys are unavoidably necessary but she drove me crazy for around ten minutes with all sorts of annoying repetetive questions about my opinions about the Pa. politicians & how they stand on things. Mary Anne, Steve, Sam & Bridget came in on Friday night & left last night. Michael's enjoying his big trip to Costa Rica. This month has many birthdays & we had quite a nice party for them all. All the gang from West Wyoming showed up. All their birthdays are this month. Sam did a lot of work over the weekend. He, Steve & Bridget helped my father with the garage too. Steve, Uncle Frankie, the kids & I went, as always, to Jitty Joe's last night. Sam's favorite singer & musician these days is Jack Johnson. Johnson does a really nice version of Beatle John's "Imagine". Recently I got the new schedule for O.L. Sorrows. Now that Rocco's back I'm not on the schedule that frequently anymore. One individual makes quite a difference. My hay fever has been going crazy lately. I've been doing quite a bit more coughing than sneezing. There's a bit of a drought these days besides the excessive heat. After a brief respite the temperature this week will be back up past ninety degrees.