Memory of Easters' Past

Easter Dinner is over for another year. As memories of past Easter Dinner's invades my mind... one in particular, at my grandparent's house in Springfield, OH, back in the early 1960's. Dinner was the big traditional- ham, potato salad, baked beans, green beans, homemade yeast rolls (made by my mother), relish trays and a variety of desserts! Always lots of food for this Irish Catholic family! The adults would sit at the table in Granny's big eat in kitchen and the 15 (of 17 grandchildren) would be at the big table in the dining room, chaperoned by Aunt Dot and (her younger) brother our Uncle John. We were always well behaved when they were around. Being the next to youngest grandchild, I got to sit by Aunt Dot every year. I sat on one side and my younger cousin was always on the other side of her. The boys (as ornery as they were) always got to sit with Uncle John! After dinner, we children were ushered outside to play in the back and side yard, being careful to stay out of the beautiful flower bed of Mrs. Idapence, the next door neighbor and good friend of our Granny's. That is probably one of the last memories I have of my Granny, as she passed away in April of '63.

Stampin' Up!!

There's Laundry on the floor

Dishes in the sink

who'd ever think

I'd find happiness

with rubber and some ink!!

Early April Tornado of 1974

Every year at this time, I remember the April 3rd. Tornado that devastated my hometown of Xenia, Ohio. It was classified as an F4(now considered an F5)tornado. Killing only 32 residents--8 were students ranging from Kindergarten-High school and one of my classmates attending her first year at a college in Wilberforce,Ohio.

As always,my thoughts go out to one of my former students, he not only lost his older brother in the tornado, but a few years later, he lost his Father, Mother and only Sister in the bombing of Pan Am Flight #103, over Lockerbe, Scotland. With his interest(as a child)in aviation and aerospace, I always thought he would grow up to be an Engineer, but today he is a Doctor in California, married to a young woman of his culture. Sudarkar, you are always in my thoughts and prayers, I wish you peace and happiness always!