Grandma’s Stories

Feb 16th Remembering “EVE KAREN” on her BIRTHDAY and Forever”

       “Eve Karen is a Natural…”

Like I was saying…nothing like celebrating someone’s BIRTHDAY for the whole week.

Evidently…we must have been enjoying ourselves so much… and in taking a few pictures… while  we were “bowling”  those that were in the area around where we were…must have thought that,  we thought we were special or very important… just to be doing all the silly stuff … that we were  way back in the day when we  were taking EVE KAREN McClarren  around, must have been just a little more than most people would do on a “HAPPY DAY” outing???

Sure was glad to have my brother, TOM McClarren along… as he was taking the PHOTOS… and if ever…  you are    having  “FUN” and a very good time… it will  sooner or later… all fade… from  the old “memory”   bank…but… if you have a couple of old PHOTOS  well… there is… then…  no  way  of ever forgetting!

Having lots of old PHOTOS… in a good place, that is accessible, since you will always  want to have a  beautiful  visual memory… because  for us old timers’ … good memories are what we always want to have  for sharing… and that is forever!

When celebrating and having lots of GOOD FUN…always have someone in charge of taking the PHOTOS…because someday…those PHOTOS will be worth millions in memories…  so for your “medicine”  today,  just  remember that I was the “ONE” to tell  you… and YOU can thank me later,  good memories are the LIFE in the “LIVING Journey”… that we are for sure  in our  traveling mode…NOW!

“Our little KAREN”was just like everyone else… watching “TOMMY” and admiring him… and listening to his every word. Tom has a persona that attract others… just like a “VIP”  and I’m guessing back in the day… as you can see…  little KAREN is  maybe one of the  very first to decide, that our  very young and good looking  “TOM” is “Mr. Wonderful, himself”!

Just having  lots of old PHOTOS that go back to some good old times,  that we all had  and shared… when we were young and sitting on top of the world … too young to know just exactly who would go where… and what in the world … if anything could  be achieved  …. that could make  for our memories  being so enjoyable… as well as being remembered!

 “Happy Birthday to Dear… “Eve Karen” and your identical twin sister, “KATHlEEN”… LOVE… from all the family!”

Feb 15th “My Little Sisters Eve Karen and Kathleen… Remembered”

“This is with MOM and the three of us… February 1946 … as our baby sister,  “EVE KAREN  Francisca McClarren” was born on the 16th, and when “MOM and DAD” took our sister to the  “HOLY NAME CHURCH” to be baptized  and  were asked what  is the baby’s  NAME  to be… he was told  – – “EVE KAREN” – – the Priest said … “there is not a   “SAINT EVE KAREN” …  DO you have a DOG?” 

“I  need a  “SAINT’s  NAME.”  So as not to hold up the ceremony…  MOM  remembered that… “Francisca CABRINI”  was in the NEWS…  as just having been canonized a  “SAINT”  … so that is  “HOW”   our little  sister “KAREN” received her  long and full name.

This was an “IRISH PRIEST” and his “IRISH brogue” was so strong…  you could  hardly  understand  what he was saying, as the word “DOG” really sounded like “DOGUE!”

“This  next photo  is  of “KAREN” with DADDY, and of course the three of  us  – DENNY – ME  –  TOMMY –  in the area where the “APPLE”  trees were growing,  and every so often… when the trees were full of good apples…  one of  the kids  would run down and get a handful of  ‘apples’  for  their friends… but…  for some of the kids, there was a problem… they could not eat the green “apples”  they would  immediately get… a good case of the “runs” to the bathroom.”

That “SAILOR” outfit that  “TOMMY”  is wearing… is the same  “outfit” that  “DENNY” wore on his trip to “OHIO” …  when he was  only “four years old”   and I did  write about that trip a couple weeks earlier, and posted the news-paper clipping along   giving all of the particulars of the   long “trip”  that little  “DENNY”  took … all by himself, when “DADDY” had to go to  “CALIFORNIA”  to work on the  “NAVY SHIPS”   during WWII  just some the exciting things that the  “McClarren”  children did during those “hard” times  right here in AMERICA,  and we  have all have  lived …  long enough to tell about it!

“Just some of the  good ole memories of our little sister, EVE KAREN”  just good to have a few  old  PHOTOS,  for a “BACK-up” … otherwise  no one would believe…  half of  the good old days…  when we were  in those bad and hard times of  a  “WAR” and what  “AMERICANS”  that is all  of us did to help  our “COUNTRY”  WIN… but, we  “ALL”   just did what we could  and always felt good in our hearts,  for  just doing our  small part  in UNITY…  which ended up being a great and positive effort … for in the end.. we were BLESS from above …. for whatever small contribution… that we were able to do.!”         D.V

Feb 14th “Happy Saint Patrick’s Day to Everyone…TODAY”

VALENTINE’S DAY

Valentine’s Day began as St. Valentine’s Day, a liturgical celebration of one or more early Christian saints named Valentinus.  February 14th first became associated with romantic love during the High Middle Ages as the tradition of courtly love was then flourishing. During 18th century England, this day evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery and sending Valentine cards.    

Ancient History

Mixed opinions prevail regarding who or what was celebrated in mid-February. Some point to martyred saints by the name of Valentine or Valentinus. The most popular story tells of the saint who defied a decree by Emperor Claudius II who outlawed marriage for young men because he believed single men made better soldiers. St. Valentine, preferring young lovers to be wed than have them sneaking around (or believing in the power of love), would marry them in secret. However, it may have been another Valentine who performed the marriages. Either way, at least two of them were beheaded for their actions.

Another possible origin for Valentine’s Day takes us back to a pagan festival called Lupercalia. As a way to discourage participation in the fertility festival, the Christian church placed St. Valentine’s Day in the middle of February.

Modern Celebrations

Since the Renaissance, we’ve been exchanging Valentine’s cards. These handmade missives of romance grew into a more commercial venture by the Victorian era. Today, school children exchange Valentine greetings, too. They prepare for the day by making unique boxes to receive their many hearts, cupids, and pun-filled rhymes. 

Chocolates and candy have also become a part of the celebration. While couples tend to be the focus of the day, singles celebrate being single, too. Friends take each other out or reject the overall notion of Valentine’s Day. Dinner and a movie, candlelight, and flowers also fit the bill for couples. It’s one of the busiest days of the year for florists.

HOW TO OBSERVE #ValentinesDay

You can surprise your special someone with flowers, chocolate or a card. Bring a smile to their face with an original poem or homemade meal. If you’re short on ideas, the Dating Divas offer a list of 115 Literal last-minute Valentine’s Day ideas to save your goose!

Get something special for your Valentine and use #ValentinesDay to post on social media.

VALENTINE’S DAY HISTORY

Credit is traditionally given to Pope Gelasius for declaring February 14th as Saint Valentine’s Day around the year 496 to separate the church from the Roman celebration of Lupercalia, an ancient pagan fertility festival which occurred on February 15th.

Feb 14th “A BIG Happy Birthday to Mr. Wonderful”

When you ring a doorbell… do you always receive a “WONDERFUL” Wellcome like this?

This is my little brother “TOMMY” and would you believe… that he is NOW … the big “80” years of age! The whole wide world would be a real and truly happy place… if all of us would answer their doorbell with such a wonderful big smile with a big welcome to his home as he does… as he is well admired…  as his smile says marvelous things… just to let you know he is glad to see you… and he loves to share the LOVE  he has … for everyone!

“Mr. Wonderful” celebrates today … just the day before Valentine’s Day… his 80th Birthday … and with so many good friends … it is good to know a wonderful person… someone we can all LOVE and are so happy to be related to…but  especially his being a good friend … and with his BIRTHDAY   on the thirteenth of February… no wonder we celebrate “Valentine’s Day on the fourteenth as there is so much LOVE  to share with our most wonderful friends that we all have… but especially since my brother TOMMY shares his LOVE of being  “WONDERFUL”  to all…and all year long?

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY to TOMMY… just happens to be born on Lucky “13”… which makes for you to be… Mr. Wonderful, too!”