So, it was finally Wednesday (paper recycling day) and I was able to drag all of the recycling we were saving since before Christmas out to the curb. There was a lot of dragging. Every box was filled with more paper and more boxes.

And I can only imagine the thoughts of the recycling truck guys when the came around the corner and saw this. In my head it went something like “are you fu*king kidding me?!”

Then, after the recycling went out, the purge of 13 years worth of attic, basement, and scrapbook room crap quickly replaced the boxes in the garage to wait for the Vietnam Veterans pick up on Friday. 13 years worth of crap is a LOT of crap. My back still hurts from all the moving and lifting and shifting of said crap. And the pile goes back about 6 feet.

A special thanks to Nick & Chris, my friend Nicole’s brother and cousin who worked their butts off to cart all my piles of crap into the garage. And while the Vietnam Vets came and picked up, there’s still quite a pile in there (they couldn’t fit it all on their truck!) so I’ll schedule another pick up this week.

Sorry for all the boring blog posts. Have some other more interesting posts coming up soon that don’t involve my garage or hoarding.

 

A few from this year’s Christmas celebrations. Most of the pictures are from Hanukah & Christmas Eve as we left early afternoon Christmas day. We all had dinner at my in-law’s and my father in law did his usual speech (below).

So here we’re all gathered on this Christmas Eve

A bevy of stars and it’s hard to believe

There’s Richard and Ken, both of the deans

And Marilyn too, cause she’s Ken’s queen

There’s a new bride on board and that would be Heather

If you need cheering up, well she’s the belle weather

And Inez, our oldest, but I call her Dolly

She works very hard to keep Thomas jolly

And my son John, there’s a story to tell

Just think by tomorrow he’ll be hanging with Mel

And his lovely bride, now that would be Beth

Just look at her home page and you’ll lose your breath

Next there is Joseph who has great appeal

He’s married to Gail- got the best of the the deal

We come now to grandsons, so now I’ll have fun

Eight stalwart lads, we love every one

There’s Jack, who’s the eldest, by minutes- no more

Bright as a whip and he knows the score

I’ve seen him play ball and involved in percussion

He should join a pipe band. End of discussion.

Same thing for Patrick, another fine fellow

He looks just like Jack but a little more mellow

He playde the clave and did it quite well

I’m sorry I thought it was just a cow bell

Now these boys have courage that never will wilt

I’ll welcome the day when each dons a kilt

We move on the Brendan, he’s the tops not the middle

And is clearly an ace on the double bass fiddle

He is the tops, as good as it gets

But he roots for the Red Sox forsaking the Mets

And then there is Sean who’s as nice as can be

I read his essay- Hey, it could have been me

He told a story that made people smile

This guy is tops, he really has style

And of course there is Aidan who’s dead on the level

But why does he call his Grandpa the devil?

He often says stuff that makes me smile wide

Sometimes I suspect he comes from Woodside

And so on to Timmy, smart as a whip

A really good boy- he is quite a trip

He shows me these things- ipads and stuff

And makes me feel bad cause I don’t know enough

But there’s a day coming that will give him pause

When he needs me to parse an adverbial clause

And then there’s the happies kid on the block

He’s so smiley and good, there’s nothing to knock

And that would be James, he’s nothing but fun

He never learned walking- only to run

There’s the youngest of all still a tale to be told

He may be docile or he may be bold

But whichever way he goes, you know he’s gonna win

Cause we’ve not seen  nothing like the Mighty Quinn

So these are the grandsons, the best in the land

And one day they’ll all march with Armagh Pipe Band

But the story’s not over, theres one yet to come

And that’ll make nine, a right tidy sum

A boy or a girl we all have our wishes

Will it be Amazing Grace? Or young Aloysius?

So we’re happy to be here, all of us blessed

To share the even with each treasured guest

For Grandmas and Grandpas, it’s been a grand treat

And my toast is all over so now we can eat!!

 

Some Hanukah celebrations. With Bob, of course.

Hakka telling stories. Was it hurting John’s head? Timmy leaving a note for Santa along with carrots and milk & cookies. Jack sat next to a lady in church “who smelled like cigarettes and prunes.” Yeah, I would make that face too.Enjoying Christmas between nebulizer treatments.Patrick and Brendan drinking the most disgusting thing. Lemonade and Dr. Pepper. Ew. All the boys. And…we recently found out that Joe & Gail (who are having their third) will be welcoming…wait for it…..a BOY! Yup, another one. So that is going to be 9 grandchildren/cousins. And 9 boys. Ridic.