These two, what a wonderfully pleasant long over due surprise!

Last night I received a call that was and I quote, "A blast from the past!" Mary said. And she was very right.

My childhood friend and neighbor Mary and her husband of fifty years Arnie called for a visit and to let me know that they were already here in Florida, in fact in Port  Charlotte.

I had been at their wedding and I think that was the last time that we had seen them!

Mary was also about a year and half old when we met all those years ago. Being neighbors on Gordon Drive in Paramus NJ, my first friend really. Mary was to become the eldest of eleven children and there was always room for one more or even more than that in her very large Irish/ Italian welcoming family!

Her mom taught me how to do so many things, bathing, feeding, and changing babies at my age of five!

By the age of twelve I was asked to babysit her seven younger children Christmas Eve with a brand new puppy, Santee. I was paid handsomely with a musical ballerina jewelry box. and five dollars, since in those days the going rate for babysitters was fifty cents an hour and a dollar after twelve. 

The first Super Mom! Peggy, the mom of Mary had been a nurse, had eleven children and then went back to being a nurse in the maternity ward, but of course!

Peggy was so organized, she would put numbers in a hat and the children would help by cleaning the room the number coincided with, it worked well that home always seemed clean.

Mary and I were like competitive sisters, we played and fought too.
All in all I think I learned the most from all of them how they stick together.
Of course this large family grew to more children and eventual adults and today I have no idea on the exact count but I do know Mary's two sons and two daughters they had eight sons and two daughters, and one great grand baby!
And we have two sons and no grandbabies!
Still competing! Not fair for me to do.

HA!

We all ate Wally's ribs.

Tired.

Wonderful day!

Happy good night all!

Count those blessings and we will too!

And next time please be here or be square, ya hear!

I will be.
AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH Memories!