Top Of The Mornin'

Happy St. Patrick's Day!



I know some of you were really ticked off disappointed that JJ wasn't my Letter J yesterday...because you know I could write about that little guy from here to Timbuktu! But I was saving him for today because he's Irish.


Here is a cute picture of him with his sister getting ready to party! Can't you tell he's excited? Before he gets to his first Guinness, he wants to share with you how Grandma J's paternal grandmother, Margaret Mary Spellman, happened to cross the pond. And to be sure, JJ's tutorials are far less wordy and more illustrative that Grandma J's. Just saying.



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This is the certificate we could have paid $29.95 for, because you can't print it out or even do a print screen without the people at the Ellis Island HOA Foundation smacking your hand, which is Grandma J's favorite way of stealing borrowing Internet data. Instead we had to take our own picture of the screen, which is when Grandma J said to no one in particular, "isn't this fun?"


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Margaret Mary Spellman boarded this ship, The Oceanic, in Queenstowne, County Cork, Ireland on May 31, 1900, arriving at Ellis Island June 6, 1900. Queenstowne was also the last port-of-call for the Titanic several years later. The ships manifest (which is hand written) states that Margaret Mary had the minimum $5.00 and was sponsored by an Uncle James of 35th Ave., New York, NY.

Grandma J's grandmother married the Frenchman.

Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day, just ask JJ....what say you?

I will be picking the Blog Birthday winner, with the help of a random number generator, and posting the results this afternoon. Good Luck!

VINTAGE THINGIE THURSDAY

BIG BROTHER UPDATE...it's over! Dan is the winner! I think this is the only time my favorite houseguest won. I think it's the only time the final two remained best buddies..probably for life. Renny was amazing, and I hope some one nabs her for a sitcom because she's hilarious. Keesha will probably model for Playboy, and have a lucrative career. I can't wait for the next BB. Hopefully this Winter.

I'm still on vacation. As you read this, I should be in sunny Southern California, romping on the beach....drinking strawberry margaritas, and eating real honest to goodness Mexican food. But I didn't forget you.

It's time again for Vintage Thingie Thursday!

Head on over to Confessions of an Apron Queen and sign up to participate. If you like vintage stuff, you will find a whole plethora of amazing websites that are participating with great stuff. I love that word plethora...I love it so much I should have named my first born Plethora!




This is my paternal grandmother, Margaret Mary Spellman (maiden name), at the age of 89, in 1972. She departed from Queenstown, County Cork, Ireland on June 6,1900 aboard the Oceanic.

Just a teenager, from a large family, with very little...which was the norm at the turn of the century, she set out alone across the Atlantic to Ellis Island, New York. Her mother had passed away years before, but her aunt gave her a momento that belonged to her mother, Nora Daley (maiden name).




It was this simple cameo pin, which is over two inches in length. The details on the cameo are very fine. The onyx is chipped, and the pin on the back is very crude and rusty.



It wasn't "fine" jewelry, but it is truly vintage, and very heavy. Since I could never wear it due to the rust and weight, I had it professionaly framed, set on soft blue velvet.


The frame is deep and sealed in the back, so I can't show you the back of the pin without tearing the back off. I love that I can display this on a wall like a piece of art.

THE BARON, PART IV

Jack had an air about him that gave strangers the feeling that he must be someone important. He was very well mannered, well groomed and his aloofness made people basically give him the royal treatment.

He didn't have the typical physical appearance that some retarded people have. It usually took strangers quite a while to recognize the fact that Jack was mentally challenged because he was good at role playing. The fact that his parents were never ashamed of him, and never hid him away when he was growing up says a lot about their determination to make Jack fit in. Typically, retarded people are very good at mimicking behavior and in Jack's case, he had an extensive vocabulary that fooled people into thinking he was very worldly. My grandparents traveled extensively in their later years, and Jack went with them to numerous countries and cultures.

We were all amazed at the royal treatment Jack received in public. The stories were numerous. I have taken Jack to fancy restaurants, and let him give the hostess his name for the waiting list, only to have her seat us right away...practically bowing to Jack! I would ask him what he said to get to the top of the list and he never had an answer.

So, that's just a bit more insight into the man I always called The Baron. The man who wanted to marry me. The man who told everyone I was is favorite....and no bribe in the world could make him change his mind. It was for no other reason than the fact that I was silly. Jack loved silly. Jack used to say I made him hi.steer.a.cal. I was also someone who loved having Jack around. Even when he wouldn't lend me $2 for gas, telling me "if you run out of gas, you'll learn your lesson". I loved making time for him and taking him places like zoos, the beach, and there was always that banana split or any ice cream to win him over.

Now I have a cute story....one that I've hinted about. Jack going to confession. Jack went to confession all the time. He was raised strict in the Catholic faith, and my grandparents used this as a tool in handling Jack, keeping him in check. Don't get me wrong, my grandparents were very strong in their faith, and Jack followed suit...in the tradition of mimicking as well as a basic understanding of Christianity.

Their parish priest knew Jack, and in keeping with my grandmother's wishes, always reminded Jack of the ten commandments, specifically Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother.
The priest would ask Jack, if he was good to his mother at the close of each visit to the confessional.

On the weekends that Jack would spend with me and my family, I would take him to confession with me. I would make sure I went in before Jack so I could explain the situation to the priest. I mean I didn't want the priest to take anything Jack said the wrong way....and of course we never knew what the heck Jack said when he went to confession...so a heads up to the priest was in order.

This one particular Saturday, I go into the confessional, and before leaving give the priest the lowdown on Jack. I open the curtain to come out, and a strange man enters the confessional....Jack is no where in sight! I quickly went looking for Jack and found him exiting the restroom. I told him the priest was feeling ill, and said Jack could just say The Act of Contrition on his own, that was fine. We high tailed out of there.

Seriously? Did I want to be there when that man came out of the confessional? I'm wondering what the man thought about the priest asking him if he was good to his mother.

VINTAGE THINGIE THURSDAY

Today I'm participating in Vintage Thingie Thursday, hosted by Confessions of an Apron Queen. Check out the other vintage thingies at her site, and join us by sharing something of your own.

My grandfather gave my grandmother this Bulova watch when my father was born in 1920. She wore it all the time until she died in 1974.

The band isn't the original. It was replaced with a Spiedel stretch band from the 60's. I had to take it off the watch to get a decent picture without all the glare. I love this watch. It still runs, but the stem came off, so I have to get it replaced and perhaps cleaned.

A friend sent me this picture...I think its a riot. This could never happen in my tub...EVER!