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#142827 11/29/04 11:35 AM
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Your posting about your decision to delay your trip is a lesson in wisdom. Thanks for sharing it. You've condensed a lifetime of lessons offered and lessons painfully accepted we all can benefit from.

I have to share how I read the bit about Eamonn hoping for admission to a special high school; I read "Holy Tech..."

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#142828 11/29/04 11:38 AM
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Dear Madame Editor:

I finally figured out how to post my remarks and replies.

Dunesbury the Dinosaur

#142829 12/01/04 06:39 PM
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What a story....isn't it interesting how the delayed in the trip turned out? "There are no coincidences". How old is your Eammon? Hope it all works out for him; but he sounds like he has a great attitude about it all, and some wisdom beyond his years, if he can think it's OK if it doesn't work out this year. I will pray that it all works out in the way that will be best for him and you all. Meanwhile, you have Feb. to look forward to!
We are having a mild MN winter so far. I'm hoping for LOTS of snow, because we like to go out on snowshoes. It's something my husband likes to do with me....he's never been in to any kind of skiing or skating...so this has been a great thing to get in to.
I agree with your advice about a tour. Both times I've been to Ireland, I've gone with a tour group-different leaders each time. The second time (in 2000) was led by 2 college professors with family roots in County Mayo. So we stayed for a week in holiday cottages in Louisburg (?sp) and went out on day trips every day. I would never have found the Strokestown Famine Museum or the Gore Booth mansion near Sligo, for example.
Well, I must be off. Cheers! Hope to "talk" to you again soon.

#142830 12/01/04 09:06 PM
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Quote:
Originally posted by dunesbury:
[qb] Your posting about your decision to delay your trip is a lesson in wisdom. Thanks for sharing it. You've condensed a lifetime of lessons offered and lessons painfully accepted we all can benefit from.

I have to share how I read the bit about Eamonn hoping for admission to a special high school; I read "Holy Tech..." [/qb]

#142831 12/01/04 09:11 PM
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Ha, ha! Your "Holy Tech" has made the rounds at his parochial school! It has comforted all the religion teachers from the past eight years.
Mary Ellen

#142832 12/01/04 09:14 PM
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Quote:
Originally posted by dunesbury:
[qb] Dear Madame Editor:

I finally figured out how to post my remarks and replies.

Dunesbury the Dinosaur [/qb]
Some Dinosaur! If you were a dino, they wouldn't have gone extinct; they'd be ruling the planet. There'd be Barney posters on every pole.<G>
Mary Ellen

#142833 12/01/04 09:26 PM
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I know it will all turn out as it's meant to. The way the award showed up a day or so after I made up my mind to postpone the trip was very nearly spooky...okay, I'll admit it, I was seeing signs all over the place.<G> I love snow too, particularly from my kitchen when it has required that we all stay home because the hill is too steep to leave the house.
Eamonn is 14 on St. Stephen's Day. The nurse who took him from the doctor who took him from me lit my husband's candles when she took a look at him and said, "This one's an old soul." We have yet to find evidence to the contrary.<G> Old or whatever, he's a good soul, and I'm very happy that he's getting these affirmations of his gifts. A trip to Ireland is nothing at all next to seeing your child realize his gifts.
He is a throwback anyway and loves to visit his cousins as well. I'll enjoy the trip much more with John and Eamonn with me. In February, the daffodils and gorse will be blooming there. That just blows me away. We have a primrose that's about 20 years old that my Dad brought back from a trip over there. I dug a piece of it out of the ground with my bare fingers the day he died, and it has thrived for the past 7 years in my garden. They're different from the American variety. The blossom is off-white and stands higher above the leaves than the ones at the local nursery. I keep meaning to look that up.
Best wishes,
Mary Ellen

#142834 12/02/04 08:55 PM
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Oh wow....I got chills when you said Eamonn was an old soul. I've thought the same about our son, Joe, all along. He's more than a son to me...he's been my teacher in so many ways over the years. (He's 32 this past November 11). And I had a similar experience as your with your Dad and planting the primrose. Some folks my Dad knew brought a pot of miniature daffodils to the wake service, since he's had cancer and the daffodil is the flower symbol for the Cancer society. I brought that pot home and planted the bulbs in my yard. You know how they say forced bulbs won't bloom again...well, they've come up every year since he died in 1992. It's funny....since my Dad died in '92 and then my momin '93, I've grown to have such a deep appreciation for Easter, and all that it symbolizes. On the other hand, Christmas mostly makes me sad...and is something to be endured. Too many things I miss now.
Well, this got a little maudlin. Sorry about that. Later.....

#142835 12/02/04 10:12 PM
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Oh Jeri, I know what you're talking about. I used to be a real Grinch. Christmas left me feeling so bereft. I missed everyone who was gone so much I missed all the fun in the present. I made it a point to get over that a few years ago, mostly for Eamonn's sake. It just wasn't fair to him. My recipe for beating the Christmas bah humbugs was to host the family Christmas dinner. Now, if you think about the numbers, we were 12, ten now, all married with children, we're coming up on close to 40 for Christmas now. And I know they all love me. (Some in varying degrees on varying years, but that's okay. We all didn't like Dad equally well different years.<G>) Now it's just getting better every year. Everybody enjoys this big old house (John and I are caretakers of an old historic clubhouse on the Jersey Shore.) and we "do" Christmas.
It's a lot of work, just giving instructions to the willing workers, (last year I spent the three days following in bed, not able to move) but there's no room for grief.
Remind yourself what Christmas brought to us. I used to get sad just thinking of the fate of the Babe whose birth we were celebrating, but don't focus on that, celebrate being with the ones you love, even if they are there in spirit alone. Yes, dear, think of them and they'll show up. Some little thing will happen to prove it to you.
You'll know.
And yes, I really, really love Easter!!! Forced bulbs will come back when planted at the right time and given adequate love.<G> The primrose is looking good under its protection of maple leaves. I gave a sliver of it to one of my sisters this year, and her's is doing just fine as well.
Have a little sniff for yourself and be done with it. Joe and Eamo are in the same class. Give Joe a happy-hearted Ma for Christmas and it'll make his day, for sure, even if you're miles away. He'll know. So will the auld fella. It's important for us to keep the happiness in Holy Days even though it's so easy to go sad and so miss the ones who have passed over. If you believe what I think you do, there's no need to be sad.
Love,
Mary Ellen

#142836 12/03/04 08:53 PM
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Your description of hosting Christmas reminds me of Ed's sister Pam. She lives near Chicago and has a big house. Ed is the oldest of 15, 13 alive. Pam hosted Thanksgiving last year at her home, and this year volunteered their place for a wedding reception for the first nephew to get married. It was a grand time...everyone was pretty much on his or her best behavior and tried to get along with a minimum of conflict.
I think part of my problem with Christmas is that my folks made such a big deal of it. On Christmas Eve Day we got all dressed up and went out to eat at a fancy restaurant. I remember Dad bursting with pride over his family, and how people would come up to the table and he'd introduce us kids (myself and 4 brothers). Then we'd go to a special holiday movie (to kill time, I'm sure) and then home to await Santa's arrival. Then off to Midnight Mass, which used to be at Midnight, and then back home to eat something special. Then the next morning, a big family type gift was waiting, and then of course the big Christmas dinner. I don't know how they kept it up all those years....makes me tired just writing about it! I had a big disappointment after they both died, because I always thought "the boys" and I were all close, but without Mom and Dad around, there's very little attempt to get together more than once a year.
But, you are right, it's selfish of me to let sadness take over. Last year, I didn't even want to get a tree. Poor Ed...he puts up with a lot!
I am better this year...we're going out to get roping for the deck, and a small tree, and put lights on the house this weekend....might as well, it's supposed to be a warm 45 degrees.
Joe went to Ireland the first semester of his Junior year in college (they were in Spiddal). They came home right before Christmas that year. I was wishing we'd gone over there to visit hiim while he was there, or met up after the semester and toured a bit before coming home. He said they told them that lots of tourist attractions were closed around the holidays, so we ended up not going. But I would love for the 3 of us to go together. Ed's never been, so Joe and I would have a lot to show him. Guess I better buy more than 2 lottery tickets a week!
What does "O'Donnell Abu" mean?

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