my roots

Back Row: Dad, Michael, Mom, Teresa.
Front Row: Me, Billy Judy, Jimmy.

Where to start...where to start?

This, my dear readers, is a family portrait circa 1976. Obviously, it is the year my step-brother Michael graduated from high school. I'm a little fuzzy about how old he is --and also I am pretty bad at simple addition.

I'm really, really good at playing the piano, though.

I will demonstrate self-control and not make fun of our attire. (They call that self-deprecating humor, for the record.)

Here is another fun shot of four of us (Jimmy, Judy, Billy, Teresa) in the backyard of 38 Bayberry.

We were pretty cool kids, as far as the neighborhood goes, and all because of that pool with the blue-green stripes. It was bigger than the Daigle's. It even had a slide.
A curving one.

I remember divvying our pool up into pie-shaped sections in order to make sure each of us had exactly the same amount to clean with the pool-vacuum. By the time the job was done, it was time to hook up the hose all over again.

As I recall, it took ten minutes to vacuum each share and fifteen minutes to scwabble about it.
(No matter how I spell "scwabble", it still looks wrong.) (Edit* "squabble?)

As to this particular photo, I again exhibit self-restraint in the clothing-critique department.

I'm crumbling, though. I must give in to remarking upon the elephant in the living-room.
Not only is Billy doing a "Horrible Hulk" impression, but he is dressed like a member of a traveling circus. Actually, if you click on for a better look, you might notice his screwy-looking expression. What was wrong with this child??

Mom, I'm sure we were under your watchful eye from the kitchen window. But maybe you shouldn't have let us dress this way. Maybe you should have seen ahead thirty-plus years and predicted I would post this photo on the world-wide web for all to see.

But then again--maybe you knew that in thirty-plus years hence, Judy would need a break from the stresses of life, and photos like this would be just the ticket.

Moms.
They know everything.