is under a severe cold climate at present. The coldest in years. well Lent started yesterday, so fish will come in to its own, not so well liked as meat
.
‘Jack was very funny. I remember thinking of my brother Joe; he was a very funny, witty man, and I’d often wondered where he got it from. And, having metJack, I realised: a kindred spirit, and a lover of the gee-gees, like Joe. And I thought to myself, what a pity they didn’t know each other when Joe was in America. One of the times when Jack was over here, and I was working, Rory brought him to the zoo. And they were roaming around; it was a lovely, sunny day. There was a big gorilla lying in a corner, stretched out, with his stomach up to the sun, and Jack said, “I guess that guy has it made.” * He was full of these sayings; they tripped off his tongue – although he was a very serious-looking man. And Connie wrote very witty letters. Unfortunately, I didn’t keep them all; there wouldn’t be room in the house, because she was a great writer of letters. Bob was into music in a big way. He was a great admirer of Hank Williams. And, of course, Irish music; he followed that all over the place. The others really didn’t. They were happy enough that they were Irish, but they weren’t Irish, Irish, Irish.
‘Aunt Mary and Aunt Emily will be with us tomorrow to spend the day. Never see Joe anymore, he is now on the N.Y. Street cars, not with Butler anymore. we used to see him frequently when he was with Butler, he came this direction with the truck often and would call in for a few minutes, but we haven’t saw him in over a year –
I never found out who Joe was. He might have been my mother’s brother; his name was O’Brien. I didn’t ask enough when I had the chance –
uncle Pat Hyland was confined to the bed several days with cold, and uncle Mike O’Brien wrenched his back. both are back at work. Aunt Mary has trouble with her back. not serious but enough to annoy her (Do you remember the time Aunt Mary and you gave Grandfathers trousers to theold woman for some apples?) I guess you and aunt Mary had some real great times well, Ellie, time goes bye fast, if we ever come to Ireland, (May be we will some day) we will sure call on you, We often hear from Emily. Aunt Mary and Emily uncle Pat sent her a pound each for X mas, and I sent her two since then, aunt Emily and I, each, sent her 1 pound, she must have it hard enough, God help her. it won’t be many years before her children are a help to her, then she will have it a bit better I hope, but you cant count so much on children, but then some of them might be good to her, I feel they will. I see you met aunt Emily’s old sweet heart. she married a brother of Uncle Pat’s wife. a very steady man. remember us to Jim, well, Ellie, I suppose you have a motor car, we get a lot of enjoyment with our small car, soon we will get the Spring, and pleasant days
…
‘That meeting with my cousins happened over twenty years ago. Bob is the only remaining cousin. Connie died first, then Phemie, and her husband, Anson Seaman. Jack died on Christmas Eve, 2000, aged ninety. From the time we’d met him, Jack phoned every two or three weeks. Early last year, four of Bob Beekman’s children came out to us for lunch – an all-day lunch. I hoped that the three O’Brien sisters, Mary, Ellen and Emily, were looking down on us, along with all the other O’Briens who might have been related to me.
‘Easter comes early this year. Do you ever hear from Peter? write soon, we always like to hear from you and dont forget, if we ever go to Ireland, we will sure see you, and pay you a visit. we are expecting the Photos of the children, write soon, Mary and I go to the movies and Theatre once a week at least. we like shows, write soon, closing with love to all from your loving sister and brother, John and Mary.
’
* Ita: ‘Why I worried about Pearl’s sensitivities, I do not know; on leaving Mount Jerome cemetery after the
.
‘Jack was very funny. I remember thinking of my brother Joe; he was a very funny, witty man, and I’d often wondered where he got it from. And, having metJack, I realised: a kindred spirit, and a lover of the gee-gees, like Joe. And I thought to myself, what a pity they didn’t know each other when Joe was in America. One of the times when Jack was over here, and I was working, Rory brought him to the zoo. And they were roaming around; it was a lovely, sunny day. There was a big gorilla lying in a corner, stretched out, with his stomach up to the sun, and Jack said, “I guess that guy has it made.” * He was full of these sayings; they tripped off his tongue – although he was a very serious-looking man. And Connie wrote very witty letters. Unfortunately, I didn’t keep them all; there wouldn’t be room in the house, because she was a great writer of letters. Bob was into music in a big way. He was a great admirer of Hank Williams. And, of course, Irish music; he followed that all over the place. The others really didn’t. They were happy enough that they were Irish, but they weren’t Irish, Irish, Irish.
‘Aunt Mary and Aunt Emily will be with us tomorrow to spend the day. Never see Joe anymore, he is now on the N.Y. Street cars, not with Butler anymore. we used to see him frequently when he was with Butler, he came this direction with the truck often and would call in for a few minutes, but we haven’t saw him in over a year –
I never found out who Joe was. He might have been my mother’s brother; his name was O’Brien. I didn’t ask enough when I had the chance –
uncle Pat Hyland was confined to the bed several days with cold, and uncle Mike O’Brien wrenched his back. both are back at work. Aunt Mary has trouble with her back. not serious but enough to annoy her (Do you remember the time Aunt Mary and you gave Grandfathers trousers to theold woman for some apples?) I guess you and aunt Mary had some real great times well, Ellie, time goes bye fast, if we ever come to Ireland, (May be we will some day) we will sure call on you, We often hear from Emily. Aunt Mary and Emily uncle Pat sent her a pound each for X mas, and I sent her two since then, aunt Emily and I, each, sent her 1 pound, she must have it hard enough, God help her. it won’t be many years before her children are a help to her, then she will have it a bit better I hope, but you cant count so much on children, but then some of them might be good to her, I feel they will. I see you met aunt Emily’s old sweet heart. she married a brother of Uncle Pat’s wife. a very steady man. remember us to Jim, well, Ellie, I suppose you have a motor car, we get a lot of enjoyment with our small car, soon we will get the Spring, and pleasant days
…
‘That meeting with my cousins happened over twenty years ago. Bob is the only remaining cousin. Connie died first, then Phemie, and her husband, Anson Seaman. Jack died on Christmas Eve, 2000, aged ninety. From the time we’d met him, Jack phoned every two or three weeks. Early last year, four of Bob Beekman’s children came out to us for lunch – an all-day lunch. I hoped that the three O’Brien sisters, Mary, Ellen and Emily, were looking down on us, along with all the other O’Briens who might have been related to me.
‘Easter comes early this year. Do you ever hear from Peter? write soon, we always like to hear from you and dont forget, if we ever go to Ireland, we will sure see you, and pay you a visit. we are expecting the Photos of the children, write soon, Mary and I go to the movies and Theatre once a week at least. we like shows, write soon, closing with love to all from your loving sister and brother, John and Mary.
’
* Ita: ‘Why I worried about Pearl’s sensitivities, I do not know; on leaving Mount Jerome cemetery after the
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