Tag Archives: family

Jan9

a series of choices.

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i recently wrote a post about

my dear friend and author, breeda kelly miller

who researched, wrote a play, performed, and presented

her family’s heritage story:

https://ididnthavemyglasseson.com/?s=kelly

she continues to perform the play on stage

had the play aired on pbs,

and presents her story all over the world.

above is the companion book she has written 

which includes more details, background, quotes, photos, and inside jokes

fully rounding out her family’s tale. 

this book was a lovely read

 it was a pleasure to follow along with the story

of the kelly family’s journey

from ireland to canada, and ultimately, the united states

their tale is told through the eyes of a daughter

with stories from the generations before her

sharing the true life eccentric characters and situations 

that carried all of them through life.

it’s a story of love, humor, grace, loss, and acceptance

the photographs make it easy to imagine the people she writes about 

their brave and challenging moments

along with their glories

as they made the best of situations presented to them

gained personal strength, learned as they went

finally finding their place in the world 

a place they came to call home. 

This book takes you through the ebbs and flows of their lives

while sometimes just treading water

but they make it through and inspire us to do the same.

What a beautiful legacy gift Breeda Kelly Miller has created for her family

and for all families

who can all imagine bits of themselves and their own stories in this book. 

every person, every family, every place, every choice, has a story.

looking back and learning about our past

how we came to be who we are, where we came from, bringing us to where we are now

helps us to understand and make sense of our lives.

I hope that you enjoy the Kelly family’s journey as much as I did. 

Sláinte! 

—

“life, like a poem, is a series of choices.”

Dame Maggie Smith

—

Mrs. Kelly’s Journey Home is now available for sale at the two sites listed below:

https://breedamiller.com/products/mkjh-book/

https://www.amazon.com/Mrs-Kellys-Journey-Home-American/dp/1956465235

 

Oct11

goodbye, ethel.

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“Along with a lifetime’s work in social justice and human rights, our mother, age 96, widow of *Robert F. Kennedy, leaves behind nine surviving children, (2 others preceded her in death), 34 grandchildren and 24 great-great grandchildren, along with numerous nieces and nephews, all of whom love her dearly,” the family statement said.
—
‘if you see something wrong, if you speak out…you can change it.’
-ethel kennedy
—
*Robert Francis Kennedy, also known as RFK, was married to Ethel Kennedy, and was an American politician and lawyer. He served as the U.S. Attorney General  from 1961-1964, and as a U.S. senator from New York from January 1965 until his assassination in 1968, when he was running for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Oct5

pete the cat.

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pete’s glam shot

—

  and just like that 

in steps pete the cat

(i named him after my fav politician/good human, pete b.)

born memorial day weekend

found in the trunk of an old car in a barn

by faerie tales cat rescue

how could i not support a group with this name

how could i not choose this sweet guy to join our family

 pete is a little shy right now and stepping out tiptoe-style

 soon he’ll be prancing around

singing his song

in his white shoes

playing and bonding with olive.

both sweet and gentle cats

pete’s foster mom

said his hobbies are

watching tv, eating treats, and playing with feather toys

and

is the most affectionate cat she’s ever met

very similar to olive’s demeanor and minimalist athletic style

i see them as ‘soon to become best friends/siblings.’

—

“no matter what you step in, keep walking along and singing your song… because its all good.”

-pete the cat

credits: pete the cat and his white shoes: eric litwin, james dean, harper collins publishing

 

Oct2

let it rain.

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at the moment of kickoff

at my grandson’s game

the skies opened up

serving up a main course

of biting sideways rain

with a side dish of high-winded temperature drop

no lighting or thunder

so the game went on

 having just taken the umbrella out of my car

at least there was a rain jacket still on the seat

yet quickly apparent that it wasn’t built

for sudden deluge-level weather

nor were the fans’ soon to be inside-out umbrellas

but they kept on playing and playing

while they didn’t win

they stayed in the game

as did the families/fans

showing a lot of heart

 when we got to the car

as we  made our way out

and onto the road home

the weather left

just as quickly as it had arrived

not one more drop of rain fell

not a wisp of wind was blown

not a chill in the air to be found

as we dripped and dropped in the car

laughing about the crazy storm

 so looking forward to hot showers, warm food, and cozy, dry pajamas

our just desserts

after a game

well-played by all.

—

‘the best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain.’

-henry wadsworth longfellow

Aug12

the partridge family.

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we loved watching the partridge family show growing up

it had everything

music, family, adventure, comedy, teen idols

recently

i ran into a real partridge family

following mom

into the tall grass

 i was instantly transported

back to that happy, fun, tv family

the flock of kids

following mom onto the family bus.

 

“I guess every family has to have a black sheep. I always thought ours was Keith.”

-youngest brother danny, on the partridge family

 

 

 

—

*The Partridge Family is a musical situation comedy

that aired on American Broadcasting Company. from 1970-1974.

 

Jul25

to the lake.

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night slowly arrives 

warmly wraps around the lake

color fades away.

—

“of all the paths you take in life make some lead to the lake.”
– unknown

 

 

—

on glen lake, empire, michigan, usa – summer 2024

 

 

Jul23

ten years after.

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ten years have passed

since the moment

when my entire 6-pack of grandies

at last

all on the same continent

 met for the very first time

in a large box on my front lawn

as long as i live

i will never forget that moment.

‘cousins are the barometers of how fun a family get-together will be.’

 – jm gaffigan

Jul3

invincibly young.

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‘lots of good, cheap food, and dozens of beers’

—

celebrating four family birthdays

 12 to 73 years old

at casey’s tavern

neighborhood favorite

 historic building

once a lumberyard

casual, relaxed, friendly

nothing fancy

eclectic menu

we were happy, loud, full, laughing

a win for the day and a win for the birthdays.

—

‘nothing is inherently and invincibly young except spirit.’

*george santayana

 

—

*Jorge Agustín Nicolás Ruiz de Santayana y Borrás, known in English as Geroge Santayana, (1863 – 1952), was a Spanish-American philosopher, essayist, poet, and novelist.

 

May16

unleash your kindness.

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author, brad meltzer, class of ’92, gives the commencement speech at his son’s graduation

 

“My son hadn’t had a proper graduation since middle school. Here’s my commencement address at the University of Michigan, written for him & Class of 2024, “

And here is the last line: “The world needs more empathy, more humility, and certainly more decency. If you really want to shock the world, unleash your kindness.” – Brad Meltzer

 

—

*Brad Meltzer is an American novelist, non-fiction writer, TV show creator, and comic book author. His novels touch on the political thriller, legal thriller and conspiracy fiction genres, while he has also written superhero fiction for DC Comics and a series of short biographies of prominent people for young readers.

 

 

 

—

source credit: Alumni Association of the University of Michigan

May13

‘to love beauty is to see light.’- victor hugo

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a couple of grandsons and i

drove to the highest point in the city

snuck onto a golf course

at dusk

on a quest to see the aurora

under a crescent moon

star- sprinkled sky

we waited,

and waited,

and waited

and waited

my photo-wise grandie

set up a long exposure shot

 his camera captured the beauty

better than our eyes could

how lucky and lovely 

and

we did not get arrested for trespassing.

—

‘hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”
-desmond tutu