“Flappers Days…High Fashion…”
“How do you like this photo?
This photo includes my MOTHER – at least twenty years before I was ever a thought… but that is Marie Brady in the middle of the three girls … sitting on the top step. This photo is old… and I am Lucky to even have… photo restoring – well – that is not something that I am even … oh well … just not good at trying to do. There would be a great possibility that only ashes would be left – when I got to where I would be expecting a miracle!
All the girls are very good looking…they are all dressed to go somewhere. And – of course…I’m guessing …that back in the day … that this was taken – – girls wore… black stockings. “Do I sound like FORD – when he offered his cars in any color – that you would like… as long as you ordered the vehicle in BLACK!”
Now… that I give another thought to the above photo… I see that my MOTHER is wearing “PEARLS” – a favorite of her’s – – and would you believe that I still have some of her “PEARLS” – – they are good and last forever.
So… on second thought… since the girls are all dressed to the 10th degree… and they are all on the front steps to one of their homes … and my MOTHER is in the center of the group… looks like they are celebrating my Mother’s BIRTHDAY on the 25th of SEPTEMBER! When you are invited to a “BIRTHDAY PARTY” – you get dressed as nice as you can… everyone who is invited are all friends… and each enjoys being with all the others… and at some point in the festivities… just to remember this special occasion… there is a call for a “PHOTO” to be taken – – just so in another …hundred years from “NOW” – – someone will resurrect the old “PHOTO” – – and show the whole wide world… just how lovely their MOTHER was on one her BIRTHDAYS… so very many years ago.
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“Happy Birthday”… “MARIE AGNES BRADY…”
“WOW!” “This beautiful little “IRISH-AMERICAN” girl…”MARIE AGNES BRADY” – – is “One Hundred and Fifteen years old!” (115)
On the …”fourgrandmas.com” – Marie Brady is the third in order of the Four Grandmas. So that everyone will know who the “FOUR GRANDMAS” are – – – just thought that I would – – and in honor of Marie’s BIRTHDAY on the 25th of September – – let everyone have a reminder – so the first of our four Grandmas is the one who came to America… from England with three daughters – and she was…Anne Smart. And so LUCKY… that one of the three daughters – – would find and marry Mr. Brady who come over from IRELAND. “How do you like that – they both came from other Countries – and found the one and only person here in AMERICA – to marry and be forever HAPPY!
The second Grandmas… to be a great influence on all of us – is one of the three daughters, Anne Elizabeth Smart Brady – – mother to little MARIE.
We are “LUCKY” that – little MARIE was a survivor – – as she was number thirteen (13) – – and the last child born in the BRADY FAMILY. Those were the days when it was beneficial to have a large FAMILY – – The only thing in the case of my MOTHER… coming into a large FAMILY – – and her MOTHER being so old… was… that so many people thought that little MARIE …was surly the daughter of one of the older brothers – – – who were already married at the time of MARIE”s birth!
So… continuing… in the order of the Four Grandmas – little MARIE is the third of the four. Now – – with “NUMBERS” – – – – I said that little MARIE was the 13th – and “LUCKY” – guess what day of SEPTEMBER that I was born??? LUCKY 13 – – and I was he first (1st) of six (6) children. So… was I “LUCKY” … or was my MOTHER ???
Now it comes to the last of the four GRANDMAS – the fourth of the four – is “ME”… and I am so glad that – I was named “MARY ELLEN” – because…what ever question is asked – – I can always answer …”ME!” I do not have to go into a long ordeal as to who I am – – as it is always – plain and simple “ME” is “ME” – – and – then – with a very distinctive voice – – everybody knows – and for sure… who I am…little old ME!
“Thanks – MOM for being YOU – and that you were LUCKY… to have “ME” – – and that I can always tell the world – that I am so blessed – just to be your daughter, makes me extra HAPPY… that I have to always … and mean always remember to – WHOM is in charge of this world – – and that the CREATOR gave to me – the best FAMILY to be a part of – and I am always glad to tell the world! DV
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“Everyone has – FEES… My FEE Chart…”
Just noticed on the calendar… this week – – is the week to celebrate the “DUMB Question” – – and so … I figure with all the DUMB questions – that I receive – – may as well display my “FEE CHART” – – just so …that when you get a DUMB LOOK – back at you – you will know that this is the result coming from – – my official PRICE LIST – – that I have posted – – for all to see and read – – when they enter – – into my office!
My “PRICE LIST” is at least – forty years old (40) – – and that is only a wild guess – so you know that it is old… as you can see by the color. Also… those prices are so cheap – where in the world can you go and receive correct answers for only $2.15 – – – If you want good and correct information – – well – everybody is charging you an arm and a leg! No more …el cheapo info…
So… what I thought that I would do…is to wait and let some answers come in – letting me know… what new and higher prices should I put on “MY PRICE LIST” – – since everyone is charging so much more… for the same old stuff you purchased years ago – – and today you are receiving half the size and less in the bottles – – did you notice… that the bottles have a new design – a nice high arch inside the bottom of the bottle – it looks the same size as before – – but today it has HALF as much and the price is also HIGHER!
“PACKAGE DESIGNERS” have a terrific job today… It is called “Deceiving the PUBLIC” – – Everything that is being sold is the same old thing – nothing new. The requirements for this “JOB” – is to make the package to look like the old – FULL SIZE of years ago – – but make the contents half as much…and put that in this package that is now… more valuable the the actual contents.
It is really a CRIME – the way that the PUBLIC is being cheated at any store – – in AMERICA. Either the general PUBLIC is all unaware of the changes in the packaging – and are all MILLIONAIRES – – or everyone shopping is on FOOD STAMPS – – and the PRICE on anything – – has no bearing at all – in relation to all of us being OVER-CHARGED!
How do we get AMERICA – to wake up – smell the ROSES – and find out that – today – that you can not afford to buy anything – – Those “FAKE SALES” – – advertising …buy one get one free – – does anyone do the MATH??? There is “NO FREE LUNCH” – not anywhere – at all!
“My “DUMB LOOKS” – – are still FREE! – – Let me know how you like them???
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“It is in… the BIRTHDAY BOOK…”
“Is this the beginning or the end… to the BIRTHDAY…WEEK??”
the rest of the card… inside…
“I knew… what I was doing… when I …gave My HEART …to YOU!”
How do you like a BIRTHDAY Card…. that lets you know that your children… LOVE YOU… In addition to the FAMILY LOVE… the card listed each and every animal that my son has and … each of the animals had a word or two… to be added … to making my BIRTHDAY – – one of the best yet and – – who knows – – when… we will all share lots of extra LOVE – – in the “near by” – – here-after – – – this “senior citizen” is sometimes forgetful – – and… I catch myself saying to myself… “NOW” … what am I… here…after…???
Do not forget to always share – – the most important thing that we have here on earth – – and that is our LOVE – – for each other! My THANKS… to all… for all the cards…gifts …and the sharing of meals for and on … the big day – – for this old GRANDMA – – the BIG G…herself! xoxoxoxoox ME…
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“Birthday Photos on Visiting Sunday”
“Visiting Sundays” – – were just too hard for me to take! I would be just so very “HAPPY” that my PARENTS were there to see me – – but just as soon as it would be getting close to 5:00 p.m. – well… I would start to get all choked up – – ready for the tears to flow… as if the “Niagara Falls” were turned on – – and in full force!
In the above photo – – that is ME and TOMMY and DENNY – and we seem to be so HAPPY – – one thing that my Parents never forgot – was to bring something good to eat and a whole list of other goodies that I would ask for… by writing on a three cent post card to my MOM – – with all the goodies that I would like and even something for my brothers… Just the other day – – I was looking through some photos – – and in and amongst the photos there was an old post car – date of February 1948 – – and I was reminding my Dad to send to us the VALENTINES – that he promised – so that … we could send them to our classmates – – and the “big to do” thing for my MOM…was to bake a “BIRTHDAY CAKE” for our next – VISITING SUNDAY …as that would be little TOMMY’s BIRTHDAY!
Should not have said “LITTLE” TOMMY – as he is only “six foot – four inches… only the tallest of all of us – takes after the BRADY side of the FAMILY!
In the “PHOTO” – – and behind us on the slide… are some of the children …just sitting on that “circular swing” – as I have forgotten what they called…it – – but and on – many of a VISITING SUNDAY – there were a good number of the children – – that never had a “VISIT” from anyone at all! There was only one child who was a true ORPHAN – so why in the world did the same children …never ever receive a visit??? That was always very hard for me to believe – – I think that I would have really felt bad – each and every Visiting Sunday – and no one took the time to come and see me – – – even to this day – – it is still hard for me to figure – – why – was not someone appointed to visit these children???
There were case-workers assigned to work with each FAMILY placement – and I believe that – they should have been informed of the situation and – – and if that “good” case-worker could only – find someone that would visit these children – they too…needed to know that someone would care about them and LOVE them and would spend time with them – – as it would be the only decent thing to do.
It would only make for a much better world – – if we all… could show a little more LOVE to our neighbor – – and even double that LOVE to a young child – – especially in an institution!
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“Birthday Gifts…”
When the “Poodle Skirts” were part of a your girls’s dreams… even in the Orphanage – – I had to ask my MOTHER… “Would it be possible for me to have a “POODLE SKIRT” – – for my BIRTHDAY???”
In the above photo – – you can see me with the new “POODLE SKIRT” on…and just so that I would have a complete outfit to wear… my Aunt Irene – – did what she does so well – she made a very nice scoop neck blouse with a draw-string neck opening – – a nice light pink, soft organza material – and as you can see – I have that neck tied up – nice and high – – no off the shoulders for me – – the NUNS …would not allow such stuff!
If … I were …to ever live in an Orphanage.. again – – and I don’t think that would be possible – -since there is no way to re-do – the LIFE I had over seventy years ago – but – giving thought to my own childhood in the Orphanage – I did have the habit of asking my MOTHER for entirely too many things – – that I really did not need – – and in an Orphanage – – the more that you as an individual child has – the more that is lost or just taken away and in those years that I was there everything was sent to Germany.
The “POODLE SKIRT” was just too much – really no place to wear it – and if I was allowed to wear it – – for a couple of “Visiting Sundays” – there was no wear – that I could wear it – and never ever wore it – and never ever saw it – – and no one else ever wore it – – so where did it go??? I did have the nerve to ask…”Where are the clothes that I had when I first come here?” The answer I received. – “there are families of some of the NUNS in GERMANY – and since they lost everything during the WWII years – they had need of our things – since we worn standard uniforms – and we have no need for extra things.”
After a good number of years… I feel that we should remember … that it is easier in this LIFE TIME to learn to travel our journey on the “LIGHT SIDE” – – – as you never see a “U-Haul Truck” following the hearse of the deceased person – – on the way to the Cemetery – as you have no longer have need to take anything to the next LIFE – – use what you need – enjoy that which you have – but to just collect a lot of stuff – – it is a waste of your time and talents – use and do the best – learning to enjoy all the gifts that the Almighty gives us and share all of the extras with our neighbors – that makes for a much better LIFE!
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