Is that a hoot or what? It’s a picture of my entire family that was taken (judging by how old I look) sometime in the summer/fall of 1965 or early '66.
Here’s the line-up for ya, folks…
Front Row: Eileen, Me, Marty
Second Row: Dad, Mom, Anne
Back Row: Denny, John, Phil, Vince, Steve
Me, being placed front and center on Mom’s lap shows how
I had more hair when I was relatively new than I do now. And you know what would make my mom sad about seeing this again?
She would say, as she often did…“Seven boys and not one damn priest among them.”
Ha. Well, Pax Vobiscum, Mom, but you happened to spit out seven boys who like their Sundays free.
Now, Phil died some years ago. He passed a little while prior to my Dad dying. Phil was my favorite.
He was always trying new things. He had been a teacher, an amusement park character, a PBS TV Station Manager, and an ICU Nurse among other occupations.
He packed this all into a mere fifty years and in between three wives. He was frickin’ hilarious in an arid, philosophical way.
Some may think it was intimidating being the youngest boy of seven, but I was never intimidated by them. You know why?
When I look at my five brothers in the back row, two words jump to the forefront of my mind…Herman’s Hermits!!
It’s kinda hard to be intimidated by Herman’s Hermits…even when one is six months old.
All the boys are pretty damn funny, however, Vince is mainly amusing only because it’s 2009 and he still sports a mullet.
The two sisters? Eh, they’re not as much funny as they are mean. Ha. Kidding. I kid because I love.
Okay, I was kidding about the mean part, but seriously, neither of them are very funny.
Eileen’s daughter was born only hours before my Ryno. My sister Anne served as a nurse and a Captain in the U.S. Army in Vietnam.
When her tours were over, she had the distinction of being stationed at Ft. Sam Houston and bringing LBJ his morning
My brothers?
While Steve was too young for the draft, the other four in the back row never got tagged.
Which is good because, well, they’re all a bunch of pussies, who obviously were half-blind anyway. So them not going to ‘Nam probably saved lives…American Lives.
I really have no point to this post. The picture just struck me funny. And to this day…
All of my brothers, even my memories of Phil, continue to strike me funny.
And my sisters? Eh, not so much.
Cheers!!
28 comments:
Hmm, must be a brother sister thing. I'm reasonably sure my brother doesn't find me the least bit amusing either.
My brother was a riot.
My sister? eh...not so much
how many years between the oldest and the spoiled rotten baby?
I bet your sister Anne has some pretty good stories...I keep thinking Hot Lips Houlihan...
You were a cute little bugger. :-)
Mystery: I don't know what it is. They just aren't blessed with a big funny bone. Cheers Chick!!
Kat: Anne is the oldest and was born in 1946 and I was born in '65, so roughly 19 years. She doesn't talk to much about her time in Vietnam. Cheers Kat!!
Karen: Ha. Thanks for saying. At 22" and a shade over 10 lbs when born I was much bigger than I was cute. Cheers Karen!!
you were adorable!
quite the family
great photo
Dianne: What do you mean "were"? I still am adorable. Cheers Di!!
Candice: Ha. We used to call her just that...a saint. But boy could she wield a mean bolo paddle. And thanks. Cheers Candice!!
...would you still like me if I told you that you bear a remarkable reseblance to Wilfred Brimley in that pic?...
Phfrankie: No, no I wouldn't. I LOATHE Wilford Brimley. But I guess, in spite of your hurtful comment, I still love ya. Cheers P-Man!!
...thank you for correcting my spelling, WILFORD!...
I'm way funnier than my sister. She's smarter and much more responsible and all that useless stuff though. LOL ;-)
Great family photo. Family photos are always cool.
Phfrankie: Ha. The funny thing is that I didn't know I was. As you know from my comments, I am not big on spelling Cheers!!
Jay: Ha. I hear ya. I hate responsible fuckers. They think they're all that. Thanks and Cheers, Jay!!
I am one of four and all of us is funny but I am the funniest. I am so fucking funny I crack myself up.
It's not my fault that no one is smart enough to get my humor!
You were one cute tiny human!
Metal: Ha. You crack me up too. Cheers Metal!!
My family has some of those b&w's from the 60's and I look like such a nerd with my black-framed glasses.
I think ours have the Olan Mills logo in the corner - they were the go-to photographer in our little town.
Ah, memories.
Cheers
Wow! I am amazed that a woman would want to go through child birth that many times. Ugh & Ow!!! (although I can't speak; I've never done it) Oye, the responsibility, but the rewards got be well worth it. Seven boys? WOW again.
The B side of my thoughts make me want to tell you how lucky you are that only one of your sib's has passed on. I know a family of 5 and only the first born is alive today. Mom is even still alive, but she lost four of her five kids; one was my best friend.
Thanks for sharing the pic with us!
Makes me wanna dig out our Olan Mills! it's in color though.
Dude...you even had that Man, I had one too many bottles of Bagwine last night" look even as a baby!
Great photo and great post! I can't even begin to imagine having such a large family although I always thought it would be cool.
The look on your face is so, "WTF?"
Too cute! Makes me want a scanner even more~
I love the look on your face. And Marty looks like a rascal.
David: Ha. That picture was probably taken by Olan Mills as well. Cheers!!
Dice: Yeah...Nine times is a helluva way to go numb below the waist. That's a shame about the family. That's rough. Cheers to ya, Dice!!
Bond: A prelude to my consistency throughout my life. Cheers Vinny!!
Desert Rat: Having a large family is a blast at times, especially during Christmas. I still have that look on my face most of the time. Cheers!!
Cheesy: I don't have a scanner. I just take pictures of pictures. Cheers!!
Michele: Ha. Marty is needler and a very funny guy. Cheers Michele!!
Ha! I'm picturing a thought bubble over you right now that says "Will somebody PLEASE change me!" That's a lot of siblings...
Awww ...
What the hell happened?
VE: I still say that all of the time to this day. Cheers!!
Dana: What? What Happened? I have no idea. Cheers!!
Nice post Matt-Man thanks for sharing the tribe :)
Lu: Anytime, my pal. Cheers Lu!!
I was thinking more along the lines of the Cowsils. LOL!
Seriously, thanks for sharing some words about the family.
And my sister is way funnier than I am. I'm always jealous of her because she has a brother and I don't. Of course, I had a sister and she didn't, so I guess that evens out.
HA!
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