I think I just lost my first post, that's not a good sign.
Here I go again.
Following the examples of the blogs of Tricia and Bjorn I have decided to create this one so people can keep up to date with the progress made for the reunion in August. Here everybody can make known their opinions, ideas, concerns and questions.
The response to my emails has produced the following list of family hoping to attend:
Rob, Bonnie, Nicholas, Jessica, Therese, Mary, Christine, Len, Kelly, Amy, (Campbell), Marty, Karen, Mike, Diane, Lindsey, Luke, Shannon, Christine, Ron, James, Christine, Presley, Chris, Kristin, JJ, Nevan, Lucas, Marcia, Dennis, Shawn, Brant, Julianna, Kahless, Briana, Braden, Ed, Deanie, Heather, Holly, Jamie, Eddie, Mia, Lui, Ellie, Lou, Marie, Tricia, Brandon, Dana, Davis, Jack, Tony, Carol, Sonia, Justin, Jacob, Jordan, Dustin, Kelly, Keenan, Jenalee, Mary-Ellen, Bob, Anne Marie, Mike, Zach, Noah, Jacob, Barbara, David, Emmanuel, Grace Anne, Hannah Lynne, Louise, David, Paul, Alan, Melissa, Bjorn, Vic, Don, Michelle, Mike, Penny, Logan, Geron, Betty Jo, Bob, Louise, Steve and of course Mom. That makes 91.
News to date:
Holy Rosary Cathedral hall has been booked for the gathering Sunday August 26 from 12 to 5. People wishing to do so can invite their own family and close friends.
I ran into Art, the super at mom's building, and asked the capacity of the hospitality suite and he answered 40. The Cathedral hall is booked for a wedding the 25th so I am working on booking the student lounge at Campion College, with Heather's help, and it's looking hopeful.
Dave and Louise's offer to look after the snacks for Saturday is obviously too much to ask of them or any other couple. With ideas from the rest of you we should easily be able to come up with some kind of plan for feeding ourselves. Anybody else who have plans they need help with they need only ask for help.
Tony has answered my call for somebody to look after a budget for our event. Chris has let me know Marty has offered to play, Therese is looking after a performance program, Marcia has a great idea for family photos, Rob is looking after a cake for Sunday, and Vic and Don are looking after a photo and pin. Chris has also asked to let mom know what friends you are inviting. That is a good idea, it will be a little less overwhelming for mom if she knows who is coming.
That is what I have so far, like I said if there is any other news you will be able to post it here or let me know and I can. I am looking forward to seeing all of you. 159 and counting!
1,400 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 601 – 800 of 1400 Newer› Newest»At Louise's request, OH THERESE CAN LURE
TRICIA LOUISE is your last known link. You could link her next by name to LOUISE JOAN, LOUISE BARBARA KATHLEEN, CHRISTINE LOUISE or HEATHER LOUISE. You could also link her to BRANDON JAMES as her brother or MARIE AGNES as her mother. Try one of them and then try to figure out who could be linked next. There is only one link in and one link out to each person. I only found one way to get through all 65 people, but it's possible some of you may find another
We just spent an enjoyable evening with Tony and Carol and it's time for bed but before closing I'll update my contest results now that Lou is back in town.
Louise...15-Dad-mom-BJ-Vic-Louise-ME-Tony-Lou-Marcia-Chris-Mike-Marty-Len-Therese-Rob.
Lou...14-Dad-mom-BJ-Vic-Louise-ME-Tony-Lou-Ed-Chris-Mike-Marty-Len-Therese
Therese...11-Dad-Mom-BJ-Vic-Loise-ME-Tony-Lou-Marcia-Mike-Marty
ME...5-Chris-Mom-Dad-Mike-Vic
Lou...3-Louise-Lou-Vic
Rob...3-Chris-Dad-Mike
Michelle...2-Vic-Marty
Marcia...2-Vic-Tony
Mike...2-dad-Mike
See you in the morning.
#603
Ed
Paul ... we are so sorry to hear about the theft of your golf clubs. Only a golfer would rather have his car stolen than lose his clubs! Not many of us know exactly what you are feeling but one or two golf-buddy bloggers may truly understand. We hope you are soon back in the swing of things, out there on Kelowna's world-class courses.
Love, Mom and Dad
Hi Therese(teasing the troups),
This reminds me of a maze in which the paths are many to start with and few as you near the finishing line. I often work backwards. Would you consider giving us the final link in the family chain?
Lucy(lost in the labyrinth)
Hello Melissa,
Where are you? What happened to the count-up to 600? We miss you, Alan and Bjorn on the blog.
Don't you agree, fellow bloggers, that all of us are "being utterly tearful 'cause her entries receded."
Luv, Lucy at #606 and counting...
Leaping Lou!
....oh, oh, I'm in trouble.
Lingering Lucy!
Hi Lucy,
You're right about the many paths, but in this case it might be just as hard working backward, as multiple paths are just as likely working the other way. Here's another clue for you - you show up very early in the chain.
In my solution, the final link is KEENAN EARL's sister is JENALEE DAWN.
Hello Lingering Lucy,
You're right, Lou is right behind you, he must of fell asleep because his answers started tapering off around 11. If he hasn't answered by the time I get back from church I'll add clues at 10:30 my time. You do have everything you need in the ones you have though.
Waiting for an answer
#609
Ed
P.S. Thanks for getting Therese to give the final link, I was wondering how I was going to get out of that family of Tony's.
Thanks Therese,
That was not the help I had hoped it would be. However, now I have just 60 more links to connect! It sounds like Ed might be as far along as I am in the family maze - absolutely nowhere!
Ed, I know that you have just given me another broad hint about already having all the information that I need. I'm just not catching on, am I?
Vic, your "delightful accomplishment" wouldn't be as easy as "Happy Feat" (Happy Feet), would it?
Lucy, batting 0 for 3
here we go ...it's 10:30 or will be by the time I'm finished.
Just three clues...
Ed...My world starts at this hour, there's so many things in vogue now it's hard to choose.
Marcia... On Jan 13 she's this but on Jan 16 she back to this. A spoonful of this is good medicine
Robert... When work is over...Rob is glad. The DC9s and 10s are too big for this group.
Good luck.
Well, mine's over. Lou managed to come up with all 16 songs while Louise remained shutout with the clue to my own. Lou's knowledge of 50s and 60s music was his advantage. Well done Lou and well done Louise. Therese also correctly guessed 11, ME 5, Rob 3, Michelle 2, Marcia 2, and Mike 2. Also, in a late surge to reach the finish line Marty submitted guesses on all 16 songs and each guess was correct. Nice try Marty. I'll use his email to list the songs for blog consistency.
Hey Eddie
I think I got it.
Dad- Words of love Mamas and papas
Mom-Please Mr. Postman Marvellettes
BJ Around The world Bing Crosby
Vic wonderful wonderful Johnny Mathis
Louise I get around Beach boys
ME Walk Don't Run The Ventures
Tony Needles and pins The searchers
Lou Singin the Blues guy mitchell
Ed 5 oclock world The vouges ( one of my favorite bands ) I played with them in Regina back in Carnival days
marcia younger girl lovin' spoonful
Chris yellow rose of texas mitch miller
mike House of the rising sun animals
len the good the bad and the ugly hugo montenegro
therese magic moments perry como
rob glad all over dave clark 5
let me know
marty
there you have it
On to Therese's.
Be back in a couple of weeks.
Ed
It was a busy weekend on the blog! You might be an Antonini if you don't THINK you have the funniest and best family , you KNOW you do! We should have shirts, like Regina and New York does. I "heart" Antonini's.
Dad - I cut my lawn today, my lawn mower rocks. Everyone on the block knows when I cut my lawn though - it isn't because I have a noisy lawnmower, it's because my front lawn looks like a really bad athletic field.
Keenan - where are you?? I have some $$ for you....better find me quick before I go down to Zellers and buy some more raspberry bushes. It's your fault if you come looking for me too late and I pay you in raspberries....... !
Later!
Mary ellen,
are you there?
I thought i'd use the blog to tell you i will be in town tomorrow and hopefully we can get togther. Give me a call. 250-230-7404.
The theif still hasn't returned my golf clubs LOL. Hope everyone had a great weekend.
Later.
Hi Paul,
It was good talking to you on the phone tonight. Drive carefully!!
Louise, Did your last clue refer to the old dining room table out at the beach? It was stuck in a corner of the livingroom and didn't have much finish left on it, and was pretty scarred and worn, but it was great for doing jig-saw puzzles.
Talked to Lui this afternoon. He was on his way to Jasper so we won't be hearing much from him for a while. Good job on Ed's contest, Lou, and you too Lucy. Actually, it sounded like Marty got them quite quickly, too, so congrats to you, too, Marty.
It's bedtime. I gotta go!
LOLOL,
ME xoxoxoxoxo
#615
There is a chance I am mistaken but I'm taking a shot, I believe this works. R will stand for relationship N for name:
Luigi Sivano n Luigi Gerard r Tricia Louise r Brandon James r Marie Agnes n Christine Marie r Ronald Leonard n Leonard Andrew r Amy Clark r Kelly Lee r Campbell Allen n Dennis Allen r Shawn David n David Beverly r Louise Barbara Kathleen r Paul David r Alan Christopher n Christopher Scott r Nathan William n Stephen William r Kenneth James r Thomas Martin n Robert Martin n Robert David James r Martin william n Luke Martin r Michael John r Mary Emily (mother) r Betty Josephine n Anthony Joseph r Cory Justin r Irene Carol n Therese Irene r Mary Emily r Christine Louise n Louise Joan n Marcia Joan r Brant Bernard n Donald Bernard r Victoria Jean r Michael Jeffrey r Michelle Frances n Edward Francis r Holly Suzanne r Heather Louise r Geraldine Rose Annette n Anne Marie r Mary-Ellen r Barbara Elizabeth n Lindsey Elizabeth r Dianne Lynne n Veronica Lynn r Joshua Benjamin r James Paul n Robert Stephen paul r Bonnie Mildred nr Jessica Rae Mildred r Nicholas Silvano n Martin Silvano r Keagan McKenzie r Karen Gail n Sonia Gail r Dustin Kane r Jennalee Dawn r Keenan Earl.
#616
Good night
Edward
Happy forty-first anniversary greetings and congratulations, Vic and Don! I hope your weekend in Edmonton was exactly the break you needed and, no doubt, deserved.
PS: Could "garbage in the trees" be "Forest Dump" (Forest Gump)?
Love and best wishes, Louise
How did you do that, Ed? As Mary-Ellen would say: DOE RAY GO MOUND!
As is so often the case, the third sister's foil is the third brother's fun. You amaze me!
Lucy in the morning.
Leaping Lou,
In conceding victory to you, I was going to repeat BJ's contest wish for Ed: "May the names of a million songs haunt you!" However, for you that would not be a nightmare, it would be a dream come true. Congratulations!
Lagging Lucy
Oh, Mary-Ellen!
You have a better answer to my latest riddle than I had intended. Really...is that old family table still in the front room of the Regina Beach cottage? You are so right about the way it could handle a jigsaw puzzle of any shape and size. In fact, it survived years of wear and tear from little hands (and feet). Given a voice, what tales it could tell! Thanks again for the memories. I give you this one!
The table I had in mind is the one in Mom's suite. If you remove the cloth you'll see Dad's end of the table worn out from the millions of solitaire games he played there. And don't even think about asking....."how many?"!
Can you handle yet another riddle?
PICK UP A CAR, DROP ANOTHER,
ROUND AND ROUND FOR DAD AND MOTHER.
LOLOL, Lucy
Sonia and Tony,
The two of you can send the rest of us into gales of laughter just by going out to mow the lawn! You have no idea how funny you are. M-E isn't kidding when she says her sides are aching. If laughter were exercise, we could meet our daily quota just by taking a jog on the blog.
You might be an Antonini if you have memories set in marble, tile and terrazzo.
Laughing Lucy
Holy cow!! I go away for a day and everything's finished. Thank goodness you solved (I hope) Therese's puzzle, Edward; it was driving me crazy. And congratulations Lou, we knew you would get the songs pretty quickly, but that was amazing. Congratulations to you, too, Lucy. 15/16 is also amazing. And the Forest Dump is clever. I hope you're right.
Sorry to hear about the theft of your clubs, Paul. I hope you will be able to replace them with even better ones.
Happy Anniversary, Vic and Don. Have a safe trip home.
Mary Ellen, isn't that table refinished and in someone's home (Leonard, maybe)? It seems to me I saw it somewhere.
I am gone again today, but I'll be back this evening.
Love, BJ
Sorry I have been away - I wont be on as regular as usual as I have to go back to work! :( I missed the 600 spot by a long shot, but there is always 700!
I will try and update the Entries #'s in the next few days and Bjorn's Blog will also get updated.
Until next time,
Melissa!
Louise,
That was a great you might be an Antonini if...! Speaking of tile, my dad is planning on putting tile in Keenan's kitchen soon. He has put tile in my house just at the back door too. He does fine work! My dad and I put a bathroom downstairs in my house last October, I am just amazed how he can still do all that work - the best part about it was the time I got to spend with my dad though. The job took longer than it should have though - only because me and my dad are a bad pair for losing/misplacing the tools we were just using!! I wouldn't doubt if we cemented one into the floor actually....if you are missing a tool dad its either in my garage, storage room, van or in the floor downstairs.
You might be an Antonini if you just had to go down to Buns Master Bakery after visiting Antonini & Sons because it just smelled so yummy!!
Have a great week everybody!
Sonia
Hi All,
Louise,
Your latest riddle has to be " Down By The Station " which we'd perform often for Mom & Dad. I've got pictures of us even running in & out of a fancy room at the Hotel Saskatchewan dropping one off each round, then going back to pick one up each time around. What celebration was that?
BJ,
You're probably right about that old table - someone probably fixed it up because it really was a beautiful, big, unique, piece of furniture. Oh well, it was a good guess even though wrong!
Ed,
DAMN YOU'RE GOOD! I'm amazed - that was a tough puzzle.
Therese,
Good job! Was there anyone a close second?
Bye for now
Talk Later,
ME xoxoxoxoxoxox
#625
Ed, Your solution looks good. You used a lot more relationships than I did, and I didn't use the Francis to Frances link. Here's my solution which shows just how intertwined our names are:
Luigi Silvano
n Luigi Gerard
r Tricia Louise
n Louise Barbara Kathleen
n Barbara Elizabeth
n Lindsey Elizabeth
r Diane Lynn
n Veronica Lynn
r Ronald Leonard
n Leonard Andrew
r Kelly Lee
r Amy Clark
r Campbell Allan
n Dennis Allan
r Shawn David
n David Beverley
n Paul David
n Robert Stephen Paul
r Jessica Rae Mildred
n Bonnie Mildred
r Nicholas Silvano
n Martin Silvano
r Keaghan Mackenzie
r Karen Gail
n Sonia Gail
r Dustin Kane
r Irene Carol
n Therese Irene
r Mary Emily
n Mary Clark
n Mary Ellen
r Edward Francis
r Holly Suzanne
r Geraldine Rose Annette
n Ann Marie
n Marie Agnes
r Brandon James
n Robert David James
n Kenneth James
n James Alan
n Alan Christopher
n Christopher Scott
r Joshua Benjamin
r Christine Marie
n Christine Louise
n Heather Louise
n Louise Joan
n Marcia Joan
r Brant Bernard
n Donald Bernard
r Michele Frances
r Victoria Jean
r Michael Jeffrey
n Michael John
n Luke Martin Michael
n Thomas Martin
n Martin William
n Nathan William
n Stephen William
r Robert Martin
r Betty Josephine
n Anthony Joseph
r Cory Justin
r Keenan Earl
r Jenalee Dawn
Therese
ED,
One question about your solution to Therese's puzzle - for MICHAEL JOHN you have relationship MARY EMILY ( Mother ). Do you mean MARY CLARK? I'm confused! ( A usual occurence ).
Love,
ME xoxoxoxxo
WOW,
Therese snuck that one in. I see her solution is different than Ed's. How do you guys do that?
ME xoxoxoxoxoxo
Hi again.
Ed, I'm amazed at the contest that you wrote and the one you solved. I did not know that you were a 'boy genious' - and I'm not joking. I knew you were good looking, but who knew you had brains too?? (now I AM joking).
M.E. I love the way you love this blog!
Melissa, glad you're back! We missed you. Work does interfere with life doesn't it? Maybe you can get "blog-ternity" leave. Oh sorry that was not a very good attempt at creating a new blog word!
It's fun to meet all of you here every day.
Love to all,
Marcia
Marcia,
That was awesome!!! Blog-ternity leave. The amount of time I spend on this, I may get a "forced leave"....
Love it!!
Sonia
Lucy here,
Yes, Mary-Ellen! It seems that we Antonini children were born performers. We grew up doing concerts for Mom and Dad, and "Down By the Station" was often the finale. The "engine" (the eldest child still at home) would pull out of the station and return to pick up one "car" at a time (in birth order); if our audience showed special delight, we would reverse the process and end up with the engine all alone.
The picture you refer to was taken at Mom and Dad's 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration in 1988. We had a meal at the Saskatchewan Hotel and someone suggested that we do "Down By the Station" for old times' sake. How could we refuse?
BJ...of course, I myself have had a wonderful meal with Len and Kelly at that refinished family table in their Regina home. How could I forget that? Could the lapse in memory be age-related?
Therese...I believed you when you said there was a path through your maze. Trust Ed to find a second one. Now I am satisfied to put down my pen and consider this maze closed. Good eye, Ed!
Melissa...it's good to have you back. Thanks for giving us the heads up on where you'll be when we are missing you again.
Marcia ...blog-ternity leave is a keeper; it has already been added to our vocabulary. We love it!
This riddle was inspired by you, Tony:
THOUGH "BILATUDACIM" IS GONE
CHILDHOOD MEMORIES LINGER ON.
Lucy, remembering...
OK! the entry 'SCORES' as of June.4@ 10:38AM are:
1st - BJ(Blog Hog)= 79 Entries
2nd - Louise = 78 Entries
3rd - Ed = 64 Entries
4th - ME,Marty,Melissa = 54 Entries
May had a total of 445 Entries.
June already has 73 Entries!
This is what I'm keeping track of, As for the other contests, could the creator of each contest be responsible for who has won what, and can let myself or Holly know so we can acknowledge each person during the bloggie awards!
As I will not have time now that I'm back at work.
Thank you!
Now I can go back and read the blog now that I'm done counting it - for now anyway!
Keep Blogging!
Melissa
Lucy,
I don't know what the answer to your riddle is, but I do know how BILATUDACIM was created (by you, I believe)
You took the first consonant of the first child's name, then the first vowel of the next child and so on down the list. I guess there were only 11 of us at the time. B etty jo
v I cky
L ouise
m A ry-ellen
T ony
l U i
e D ward
m A rcia
C hristine
m I chael
M artin
And didn't you work backwards and come up with
AMIMELOMOVE as well?
Seems a long time ago. How is Tony involved?
Melissa,
I am passing my blog hog job over to Lucy. Long may she thrive (blog).
Love, BJ
Mary Ellen, good eye!!!
It's a good thing you guys are keeping an eye on me, and both occurrences involving mom. Yes of course I meant Mary Clark, the funny thing is I sort of handicapped myself because I didn't allow myself to use my own brothers and sisters in relationship, not to challenge myself more but because I was too dumb to realize I could have. Actually when Therese started it off with dad I thought, there goes one of my wild cards.
Anyways I got a riddle for you guys. Guess who.
THIS GUY COULD HELP WITH YOUR PRAYERS,
HE'S BEEN DOWN ON HIS KNEES FOR 56 YEARS
How smart is that?
Edweirdo
Is the answer to your riddle you, Ed. I know you're 56 and have been laying floors for most of those years.
Therese
Hey Everyone
I have one for you.....You know your NOT (a true blood Antonini) when you see to different answers for Therese quiz and still don't get it.....See you for now....
Love Bonnie
Oh,oh,Melissa,
I guess the evidence is stacking against me now. People around here understand me if I say that Dave is turning me into a "golf widow" but he gets absolutely no sympathy when he tries to tell them he is a "blog widower"! I may have to cut back. Sonia, do you have any info on Bloggers' Anonymous?
Lucy, alone in the morning again!
Close enough, BJ!
I was surprised by a recent email from Tony in which he vaguely recalled the name BILATUDACIM and how it was formed. He thought it might be linked to cottage names like MacDougall's DADOPEKILEE. He suggested that a riddle might jog memories for someone, somewhere out there in family land. Little did he know the impact his recollections would have on me.
When I was a teenager, I had a stuffed animal collection. I gave some of my favorite creatures special names by taking letters from the names of my brothers and sisters. You even figured out the patterns I used for BILATUDACIM (who was a bear)and AMIRELAMOVE (a dog). And you are correct, both names were formed before Leonard, Therese and Robert were born. I did create one more name after Leonard arrived: TILATIRATATA Tiger.
Mom said that after I left for Toronto to join the Sisters of Service, my stuffed animals sometimes made her cry. Tony's email had the same effect on me!
Enough tears...
WHO COULD BEAT MOM AT THIS SONG?
SHE KEPT IT GOING FOR SO LONG!
Love, Louise
Very funny, Bonnie!
In truth, I think there are probably a few "true blood" Antoninis who are still trying to figure out Therese's solution, let alone solve her original puzzle. However, I have no doubt that this challenge was great fun for Edward. Knowing him, he may even try to prove there is a third solution!
You might be an Antonini if you can laugh at yourself before others beat you to it.
LOLOL, Lucy
I love that story of BILATUDACIM! Will you make up a good one for us? I looked at the letters but according to your pattern I got Emll or Eill, not quite as euphonous as BILATUDACIM. You can use their full names (Edward, Emilia, Lui & Elisabet) or their oft-used nicknames (Eddie, Mia, Lui & Ellie).
You know you're an Antonini when you refer to a time in your childhood when "there were ONLY 11 of us"!
Hi Louise,
You know there has to be a bloggers anomyous (i believe i spelled that wrong and am not even going to check...) I don't doubt they have a blog site too....!
Hmm, if I tried that Bilatudacim thing with my kids I get JJJ. I wasn't very inventive was I?
Enjoy the day!
entry 642 - 80 days to go, its going to be such an exciting weekend, can hardly wait
love mike
Good Morning Holly ...I've had a lot of fun working with your children's names. Believe it or not, there are many melodious possibilities. I'll get you started.
This combination forms a perfect circle, like the children themselves do! Using their full names take the first consonant in Edward,the first vowel in Emilia, the first consonant in Lui and the first vowel in Elisabet. Now go back up the list taking the last consonant in Elisabet, last vowel in Lui, last consonant in Emilia and last vowel in Edward for a delightful DELETILA!
Or in their nicknames, starting with Ellie and using the first consonant/vowel combination to appear: a playful LILUMIDI appears.
Sonia ...what? with a combination like JUJAJO, who needs inventiveness?
Mike ...how many????
LOLOL, Lucy
Auntie Louise, I love the name combinations you came up with for my four little blessings! They'll do for now while there are "only" four of them! Ha ha!
Hi all
No wonder B.J. doesn't want to take on the job of controlling us -she couldn't do it(even if she wanted to...and she doesn't, because she and we are having way too much fun to blogstop.) Besides, you know her famous saying "At some point in their lives, everyone must take responsibility for their own actions."
Lucy - I'm wondering if the alphabet song is the one your latest riddle refers to - ABCDEFGHIJKLM and OPQRSTUVWXYZ, followed by a nursery rhyme sung through, then the alphabet again and another rhyme and so forth. I don't know about you, but I always ran out of nursery rhymes before Mom. There were a couple of times I thought I had her beat, but she would come up with another I had either forgotten or didn't know. She was and is amazing!
Your guesses for Happy Feat(Happy Feet) and Forest Dump(Forest Gump) are right but not Queen City. Here's two more to solve.
Nerd from Athens.
This conveyance is not yours.
ILTB, LTA, Vic
Hi Vic,
I have to quickly submit this or someone will get in before me.
Is "NERD FROM ATHENS" a "GREEK GEEK"?
You should see my Hawthorne tree. You can hardly see the leaves for the blooms. This is its best year ever! How is yours doing?
LOLOL,
ME xoxoxoxoxox
Welcome back Vic,
I think the answer is City of White (from City of Light).
And the Athens one is Zorba the Geek, instead of Zorba the Greek.
Love, BJ
Yes, Vic,
The Alphabet Song was a popular time-filler on the way to the beach. Together would sing through the alphabet chorus. Then one person would jump in with a nursery rhyme solo. Repeats were not allowed. If the rhyme you had in mind was taken by someone else, you quickly had to make another choice before the chorus of 26 letters ended again. Whoever sang the last known nursery rhyme won the day.
Mom had a distinct advantage since it was she who taught us the rhymes in the first place. She could always find one more to add to our repertoire. My store of verses is still pretty good, I think. While I was working on this riddle, I was able to recall 23 familiar nursery rhymes. Yet I know with certainty that Mom's total would still exceed mine by more than a few.
By the way, I'm pleased to see that I'm getting some answers to your plays on words but, oh, how I wanted the metropolis of a different color to be the Green City (Queen City). I'll get back to you on that one.
Hi, M-E...I'm glad you're pitching in on Vic's challenges. They are not easy, that's for sure. MAND!
BJ ...Mary-Ellen was on the right track but I think your "Zorba the Geek" is the correct answer. Let's see what Vic says.
Holly ...name combinations may get easier as numbers increase but absolutely nothing else does!
Okay, let's try another riddle:
A HIDDEN SURFACE, STILL INTACT;
ABOVE IT? GAMBLERS - THAT'S A FACT!
Luv, Lucy
Heck, it's bed time again! Dave and his golfing buddies are scheduled to play an early morning round on the Kingsbarns Course on the east coast of Fife. The Old Course beats Kingsbarns in fame but not in beauty. I'll be back to do some blogging while Dave is golfing.
Lucy, reluctantly leaving the blog
I'll take a stab at this one: Is there an old terrazzo floor installed by Antonini&Sons at the old Via Train Station, now Casino Regina?
I guess I'll have to wait 'til morning in Scotland to find out of I'm right...
Hi Lellan a.k.a. Mary-Ellen a.k.a. ME
Your Greek, the Geek is a neat answer but B.J.'s Zorba, the Geek from the movie Zorba, the Greek is the one I was thinking of.
B.J. your City of White guess is also a good answer but it's not my solution. My next POW(Play-on-words) is
No singing allowed.
Holly, I think your answer to Louise's latest riddle is right and aren't her name combinations for your children just like them - extraspecial! ILTB, LTA, Vic
Hi Vic,
Let me try Silent Night for no singing allowed or sounds of silence.
Bob...I received your email showing me my portion of the family tree with pictures and I highly recommend everybody to get their pictures over to Bob. The tree will look like Mary-Ellen's Hawthorne Tree.
Holly, there is a terrazzo floor under the carpeting at the old Via Rail now Casino Regina. I think it may have been the reason my grandpa moved to the Queen city.
Everybody else... I happen to have permission from a higher authority than even Betty-Jo, if you can believe that, that we can continue our out of control blogging.
Mom thanks you for another 70 pages of blog entries. She is having great fun reading, as is her sister Barbara and I tried to encourage her to put a few stories of her own in the blog. She had a few about dad that had her in hysterics.
On a more serious note while visiting our mother last night she said we should start putting our names on the things we want when she leaves us. She said I could start. I didn't come across anything I wanted but each of you have a lot of stuff with your names on now.
# 653
Ed
Hi Ed
Although your two guesses fit my descriptions they aren't my originals but thanks for the input and for thinking of all of us when you are with Mom. ILTB, LTA, Vic
#654
This is from Mom. She says she finally knew the answer to something on the Blog.
"Bilatudacim is the name of a stuffed animal. Louise had quite a few of them with odd-sounding names. The names were made up from the letters of her siblings' names. When she left for the convent she gave some of them away. I think Kenneth got one of them. It eventally got so worn out that I bought him a new one. My niece, Betty Ann also got one--she kept it for a long, long time. Those names were so different that I don't know if even Louise remembers them all. I knew them all at the time, but I don't remember them now. Mind you, there's so much I don't remember now. Last night Ed brought over some more of the BLOG and there is so much that I am all mixed up and confused. I read it after he and Deanie left last night and I kept thinking I've got to go to bed, I've got to go to bed, I'll read it tomorrow, but I kept reading and when I read the BILATUDACIM I knew right away what the answer was and I wanted to get it on the blog. So Betty Jo is writing this for me. You're all important people to me and I love you all.
LOL (I just found out that it means lots of love as well as laughing out loud.)"
Mom
Hi Lucy,
Mom has not read your explanation of the stuffed animals as it wasn't on the latest blog pages that Ed took to her. She was so pleased to have got the answer immediately. She says she hasn't known the answer to almost anything on the blog and was pretty excited to know this one. She claims you had names for ALL your stuffed toys. DO you remember their names?
Love, BJ
No, BJ, I do not remember the names I gave to most of the animals in my collection. Like Mom says, they were odd-sounding names - original and easily forgotten. That's why Tony's email caught me so off guard. Now, Mom's comments, relayed by you, are further reminders of long-ago times. Thanks for the memories, Mom!
Luv, Lucy**
**(your daughter, Louise)
Yes, Holly, there is a terrazzo floor beneath the Regina Casino in what used to be the lobby of the railway station. Your Great-grandpa Antonini probably helped to install it. Certainly, the business he established in Regina earned the reputation for doing the best marble, tile and terrazzo work in town.
The neat thing is that you can still look down at a small section of Grandpa's handiwork through a plexiglass window in the casino floor. A placard explains that the builders of the casino put a raised platform over the entire area, in recognition of the floor's permanent quality and its historical importance.
I wonder what the odds are that some of Grandpa's descendants might get to see that floor restored to its former beauty. I like to think it's a sure bet!
Here we go again:
DIPPING, DIVING, SOARING HIGH -
THESE MADE A PLAYGROUND OF THE SKY!
Luv, Lucy
Ed...please ask Mom WHY she doesn't just let us decide WHO gets WHAT, and WHERE stuff goes, WHEN she leaves us?
By the way, WHERE does Mom think she is going? She will always be HERE, WHEREVER we are - just like Dad!
LOLOL, Lucy
PS: Ed, that's spelled L-U-C-Y, for labelling purposes.
Good Morning, Vic
Are you ready for this one?
Could "No Singing Allowed" be "Forbidden Ditty" (Forbidden City)?
Louise aka Lucy
I like being one of the first on the blog in the morning because I get first crack at answering your riddles and they always bring back good memories. The riddle this morning is dad's kites and if I sit here reminiscing too long someone will beat me to the punch. I do remember one kite in particular it was a 6 footer and when dad got it up he had to tie the string to the truck and eventually it broke, I think that's the one they found at Pelican Point. We made an attempt to fly our version of dad's kite at our last reunion at the lake in a raging wind, when mom saw the video even before seeing the kite go up she said, "You can't fly a kite in that wind" she was right of course and we have the video to prove it.
Memories of past and recent.
Thanks Lucy.
Ed
P.S. I better quit typing here and get this on the blog.
#661
I'm glad I can use Lucy for labeling purposes it will save me a lot of time. I don't know how Tony is going to get the china cabinet out of the suite. I had to glue and nail it together because dad almost tipped it every time he came up to check the progress I was making on the suite renovations, which was often. We were so careful moving mom's stuff and dad would come up with his cane and start whacking things off the table. He's the only one who broke anything except Tony when he lost the plate rail mouldings off the truck and his attempt to kick the cars before they drove over it were in vain. We eventually had to send dad up to Saskatoon for a couple days. I'll never forget their faces when they returned to their finished suite.
Great memories.
Hey Tony, I know someone with a crane, if you take the patio doors out of their tracks you might be able to squeeze it through the opening.
lol
Ed
Ah, yes, Ed,
We all knew that sooner or later a kite would have to turn up, even on the blog. Summer wouldn't have been complete without our claiming the skies above Regina Beach. Dad made it all look so easy, didn't he? Ha!
Here on the west sands of St. Andrews we can count 20 to 30 kites of every size and shape, battling for sky space on a Sunday afternoon. Just watching them brings out the kid in me.
Now does anyone remember?...
A GAME (NOT SANCTIONED)HARD ON CHAIRS,
CUSHIONS, BOOKS AND HOUSEHOLD WARES.
Lucy does!
Wish I knew this one - Auntie Louise, I love your riddles because I look forward to hearing all the stories they bring out!
Uh, Ed - you shouldn't give my dad ideas about removing patio doors, getting a crane....etc. Cause you know he could find a way to do it!
Speaking of gluing plates and things together - my dad is a pro at this. Surprisingly, we broke a knick knack or a 100 or so, at home and my dad would rush in with the crazy glue and get it back on the shelf or wall before mom even had a clue what had happened....! Once she reads this she will be all over the house searching for cracks in her possessions trying to figure out which one/s we are talking about. Don't waste your time Mom - dad was extremely careful with the glue and you won't find them!!!
The ones that were beyond help we replaced with something else similar and she didn't catch on either.
Crazy glue - a great invention. Apoxy is wonderful as well...
Back to work.
Sonia
Holly, we just posted at the same time....great minds on the blog at 9:35 today!
Vic,
Is your no singing allowed Forbidden Voices (from Forbidden Choices)?
Hello all,
Thought I'd do a synopsis on my POWs. I have submitted fifteen, eleven of which have been solved
The four that are still out there in blogland are
Kingly Papa.
Metropolis of another color.
This conveyance is not yours.
No singing allowed.
I'm having so much fun fielding your guesses, many of them matching the descriptions and better than my originals.
Therese - that puzzle of yours was awesome. I'm glad it was solved before I got a headache trying to figure it out.
Ed - I loved your puzzle and its' answers. Man, you're good.
Lucy - Still loving your riddles, the answers to them and your explanations. Girl, you're good.
Glad to see you back, Marcia. you've been gone too long. ILTB, LTA, Vic
Hi B.J. and Lucy
I forgot to say that neither one of your guesses of Forbidden Ditty and Forbidden Voices are the one I thought of for No singing allowed. This entry is #669. ILTB, LTA, Vic
Once again, it is bedtime in St. Andrews and it's time for me to say good-night.
Vic ...could you give us two more POW's? I'm not sure what good that will do us. All I know is that I'd like to shift gears here and get unstuck. Moving off in a new direction might just help. Don't you agree, BJ? M-E? Ed? ....
Sonia ...sons and fathers also break ornaments and glue them back together before mothers know what has happened. Eventually, mothers discover the repair work, realise that the damage is done and get on with the dusting. We're as tough as the mending glue itself and not nearly as crazy. Have you looked closely at your own ornaments lately?
Holly ...thank you! When I first started posting riddles, I knew that they were as much for the memories as they were for the solving. As with everything else on our family blog site, responses have gone beyond our expectations. As Mary-Ellen would say: OWN EDGE ARM DO!
Ed ...I enjoyed reading about the 1994 suite renovations and Dad's daily "supervision" of your work. I'll bet things went much more smoothly for all of you while Dad was away in Saskatoon.
By the way, did you know that whenever Dad and Mom visited their out-of-town children, they fit in as if they were in their own surroundings? They were the ultimate house guests, and it was a unique experience for us to have them all to ourselves, away from their Regina home.
Lucy, signing off again until tomorrow
LUCY,
GUY MOONED ROAD!
Love,
Mary Ellen xoxoxoxoxo
Hi & Love to All
#671
Hi Lucy
It must be wonderful to see those kites on Sunday afternoon in St. Andrews. I have added four new POWs below. The ones not solved yet are all from movie titles.
Angry sportsman.
Gorgeous chick.
No frills transportation.
Lawn laying duo.
Don and I are watching what is probably the last NHL game of this season unless the Ottawa Senators can come back in the next couple of periods. The Ducks are up 3 games to 1 over the Senators and are currently leading this game 2-0. Go Sens!! ILTB, LTA, Vic
Hi Louise!
Hate to admit this, but I am the only guilty of breaking my own ornaments! I just keep them all, put them in a box and one day, when my dad has nothing to do and needs a good puzzle, I am going to give it to him and see what he can build from them all!
Happy Blogging!
#673
Did anyone else notice that when I asked Vic for TWO more of her POW's, she gave us FOUR and threw in a hint for solving the four we already had? How typical is that of the kindest sibling of us all?
Vic ...I hope your generosity is rewarded by both correct responses and cute attempts!
M-E ...do you think Vic might have slipped in "no frills transportation" for you to solve? Could it be a "Plain Train" for "Plain Jane". (I'm not calling you that, though; I'm just blog-surfing for clues.)
Vic...I'm also wondering if "this Conveyance is not yours" is "Just My Truck" (Just My Luck)?
Am I on a roll yet? Lucy
Very funny, Sonia! ...if your dad doesn't find free time between now and August, you could bring your puzzle box of broken ornaments to the reunion. Tony has 6 brothers who would compete with him to put your knick-knacks back together again in record time. All you would have to do is provide the glue and operate the stop-watch!
Laughing Louise...blogging happily
BJ ...sorry to hear about the Sens final loss to the Ducks. As it turns out, this year's run at the Stanley Cup ended badly for them. At least you know that you have 100% blog-backing in the early hours of Ottawa's disappointment.
Lucy
Hi, Ed ...I know you're there, first thing in the morning before you head off to work. Have a great day, bro... Lucy loves U!
Yes I'm here every morning on the blog starting my day off right but I'm not having much luck with Vic's puzzles. I don't think I have the picture yet, I was thinking the Godfather for Kingly Papa, City Lights for Metropolis of another color, Mutiny on the Bounty or Streetcar named desire for This conveyance is not yours and one of my favorite books To Kill a Mockingbird for No singing allowed but none of them are play on words. I think I should quit while I'm ahead. I'm off to work. Talk to you later.
I love Lucy.
Ed #678
I am also here first thing in the morning before the day gets crazy, looking for the answer to Lucy's last riddle. Has no one answered it yet, or did I miss it? I haven't even a guess!
Sonia, I've got a box of broken things too - maybe we could make this extra challenging for the brothers by mixing them up together!
Good Morning, Holly
Sorry about the latest riddle. I can't even suggest that you look up the name of the game in a compendium because it won't be listed anywhere else but in the minds of a few Antonini children. Let's give them a bit more time to remember their antics.
Ed ...you and Dave are playing Vic's game by your own rules, bypassing any play on words but making the rest of us laugh at double meanings. At least you're sending Vic some "cute attempts".
Now for some "correct responses" (maybe): for "metropolis of another colour" let me try "Jade in Manhattan" (Maid in Manhattan) and for "angry sportsman", I submit " The Mad Batter" (The Mad Hatter).
LOL, Lucy in blogtirement
Vic,
Could no singing allowed be
The Music Ban (The Music Man)
Sorry if someone already guessed that - I've only had brief moments to scan through the blog this week.
Thérèse
Good eye, Therese! but that's only from Lucy's point of view. Let's see what Vic has to say about it.
Vic ...for gorgeous chick I'll try "The Perfect Hatch" (The Perfect Match)
Hi fellow bloggers and darling siblings,
Whatever unsanctioned game we played has me baffled. Maybe I was too Miss-Goody-Two-Shoes to participate but then you'd think I'd remember what you brats did- whoops, there goes my kindly reputation(which exceeds me, in any case). Lucy, Jade In Manhattan(I love it) isn't my "point of view" but The Mad Batter(Mad Hatter)for Angry Sportsman is right. Dave and Ed may be playing by their own rules but what fun!
Ed - keep those inspiring guesses coming. Lucy is right - we are being entertained by them. To Kill A Mockingbird is also one of my favorite books, along with The Kitchen Madonna, The Snow Goose and too many others to name here.
Therese - way to go, The Music Ban (The Music Man) is my solution. As Lucy says, there's more than one answer to my POWs.
Don and I had a fab time in Edmonton - we love that city. We watched the only game the Senators won at Sherlock Holmes(Sports Pub) and listened to live music after the game. The music was good but we are spoiled by having an entertainer who can knock the socks off any and all comers - as we like to say, Bravo Marty. ILTB, LTA, Vic
Hi Vic,
For Gorgeous Chick, I'll try "Pretty Woman". Julia Roberts starred and it was a Cinderella-type movie.
Hi fellow-bloggers. I enjoy reading everyone's comments and the guesses to Vic & Louise's games are very clever ( even when they're wrong ).
See you online.
LOLOL,
Mary Ellen xoxoxoxo
#684
Hi eveyone
Just got back from the road again.
This blog is more fun reading than any book.
Love, Marty
Well, it seems that I am going to have to answer my own riddle! If Vic and M-E don't remember our "unsanctioned game" maybe I am the one with the faulty memory.
I know that someone was with me in the living room at 1140 Garnet and even in the cottage at Regina Beach when we positioned furniture, cushions, books, and anything moveable so that we could play "No-Stepping-on-the-Floor". (The primary rule of the game is evident in its very name; not very inventive, eh Sonia!).
"No-Stepping-on-the-Floor" was an indoor version of "Follow the Leader". Even I have to admit that it inevitably led to somebody getting hurt. Metal radiators, protruding doorknobs and slippery floors can bring a quick end to "innocent" fun. Maybe that's why the popularity of the game waned and future comers went on to play more conventional games for 5 to 7 players.
....You might just be an Antonini if you've ever had to have stitches to close a head wound!
Anyway, maybe someone knows the answer to this one:
SAVING LIVES SHOULD MAKE FRONT PAGE
WHEN YOUR DONATIONS MATCH YOUR AGE!
Lucy, alone,...remembering...
Hi Lucy,
Now you're no longer alone, remembering. You have me, and you have brought to mind many things I had kind of forgotten about - like "No-Stepping-On-The-Floor". I DO remember that game and I DO remember a few bumps & bruises. Yes, we did play it out at the beach as well as in Regina. Sigh!
I have a guess for your latest riddle. Is it Edward's regular blood donations? I know he gives blood as often as it is humanly possible. What a guy!
Marty, So good to see you back on the blog. How did your artistic endeavors go?
Love to everyone,
ME xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
#687
Hey ME
It was quite a hectic 3 weeks in the movie "Christmas In Wonderland".
My first week was cancelled and the next two weeks' days were moved around so much, we lost Lesley Neison. Tim Curry played the part instead, and he was great and fun to work with. He is famous for many credits including "Rocky Horror Picture Show". I had some nice scenes with him and Patrick Swayze. Also some of the kids might know Chris Kattan and a few others that they had to hold the fans away from.
I am still trying to catch up on all of the blog entries. I will get involved in the contests once I'm caught up.
THIS IS A RUNAWAY TRAIN!!!
Love,
Marty
So Marty, when you were hanging out with Tim, Patrick, and Chris, did you hear anyone say,
"So who are those guys with Marty Antonini?"
Thérèse
WISH I HAD SAID THAT!!!
Love it, Therese.
ME #691
I wish I had said that, too, Therese.
Welcome back, Marty--we really missed you. It sounds like you had a lot of fun. Now that you are back we expect to see you every few hours.
Lucy, Where was I when you guys were playing No-stepping-on-the-floor? And what else did I miss? Sometimes, I think things happened that I didn't know about, and other times I think maybe my memory has gone. Do you remember me ever playing that game? It looks like your last riddle has already been answered, so I'll wait for the next one.
Vic, I love the answers to your POWs. Wish I had got them before anyone else did. I also like the wrong answers. They are all clever and lots of fun.
Even though Stanley didn't make it back to Ottawa, our Senators are heroes. They gave us a very exciting year and 3 fantastic final series before being defeated. We are happy with them and celebrated their return.
Love, BJ
Whew, that's a relief, Mary-Ellen; and yes, my latest riddle is all about Ed, although it is rather misleading.
On May 29, Ed signed the guestbook on Tricia's Tides and mentioned that he was going to make his "56 day visit" to the blood donor clinic. It was not until you mentioned that Ed gives "as often as is humanly possible", that I understood what he meant.
Ed's donations don't match his age (56) but the days between his visits to the clinic do. He cannot give blood any more often than he does or I'm sure he would.
Ed could probably tell us the total number of donations he has made over the years. Though he gives with Tricia in mind, many other people have benefited from his regular "gift of life". I'm sure they would agree that he and others like him deserve front-page billing. So, Edward, this 693rd posting is for you! The headline reads:
EVERY 56 DAYS AT 56
My next riddle fits perfectly here:
EXTRA, EXTRA, DO YOU KNOW
OUR STAR REPORTER HAS YET TO SHOW?
Love, Lucy
Hi Louise
is the star reporter Thomas
Hello to every one else
Therese ...I get the third wish I had said that! We are all so proud of our most famous brother, aren't we. Welcome home, Marty.
BJ ...you were a very sensible kid. You were probably practising the piano, protecting it from climbing kids or doing your homework. I was the instigator of "No-Stepping-on-the-Floor" throughout its short-lived but intense period in our family history. (M-E, I agree with your "sigh" and enough said.)
Vic ...see, your extra POW's gave us the kick-start we needed. At least, I think they did, thanks.
Here in Scotland, it is already early Friday morning. I simply must go to bed - too bad.
Good night all, Lucy
entry 696 and i have to say it - 77 days to go
welcome back marty
maybe next year for ottawa b.j.
luv mike
Where are you Melissa?
Bj
I have just got off the phone with BJ and she told me that the blog is up to 696, So I said that I would jump on right away ans secure the 700 spot.
698
Melissa
699
melissa
700
Yahoo!
Melissa
ok so my 699 spot is 700 oops!
anyway, I have the spot!
Thanks BJ!
See you on the 800 spot if not before.
Melissa
Remember 300 years ago - oops I mean 300 entries ago I said I could look up some of Marty's movie credits.
Well, the following are ones that I know he was in. I'm not sure if I got them all but I know he got paid for at least these ones.
I've also included the director or producer or someone who was in the movie along with the part Marty had and whether he was in a Principal role, supporting, actor etc. All roles were speaking roles!
Some of them have not been released yet and the first one is being filmed now.
”Christmas In Wonderland” Patrick Swayze Principal: Block
“ Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee” Aiden Quinn Principal: Capt. James Forsyth
“ StraightEdge” Christian Duguay Actor : Danny’s Dad
“ Heartland” Dean Bennett Actor: Mallen
“September Dawn John Voigt Principal: Apostle
The Assasination of Jesse James Brad Pitt Principal: Miner
“ Dinosapien “ BBC (Recurring Role) Principal: Jake
For The Love Of A Child” Lifetime Channel Lead: Detective Carter
“Six Figures” David Christiansen Supporting Role: Detective Norton
“Brokeback Mountain” Ang Lee Principal: Timmy
“Touch The top of the World” A&E Principal: Mike O’Donnell
“Into The West” Steven Spielberg Principal: Sergeant
“Family Values” Allen Moyle Principal: Detective
“The Mountain” David Barrett Principal: Mechanic
“Legend of Butch & Sundance” Sergio Mimica Lead: Simpkins
“The Lazarus Child” Graham Theakston Actor: Deputy
“The Great Goose Caper” Nicholas Kendall Principal: Sgt. Oakly
“Little House on the Prairie” Melissa Gilbert Actor: Hunter
“Burn: The Robert Wraight Story” Stefan Scaini Principal: Larry
“Mentors” Francis Damberger Principal: Bank Robber
“Monte Walsh” Tom Selleck Principal: Farmer
“Another Country (North of 60)” Gary Harvey Principal: Guard
“Tom Stone” Stuart Margolin Principal: Alex
“The Claim” Wes Bentley Principal: German
“Rat Race” Whoopi Goldberg Actor: Truck Driver
“The Gift” Ric Kokotovich (CMT) Lead: Lyle
“Speaking of Sex” Bill Murray
Principal: Bartender
“Manitoba Telephone Ad” Manitoba Telephone Serv. Lead: Race Car Driver
“How Marty Got His Mojo Back Christianne Hirt Lead: Marty
“Knockaround Guys” John Malkovich Actor: Airport Mechanic
“The Virginian” Bill Pullman Principal: Lawyer
“Papa’s Angels” Dwight Little Principal: Reggie
“Hitcher II” Louis Morneau Actor: Semi-truck Driver
“Anatomy of a Hate Crime” Tim Hunter Actor: Guard
“For All Time” Steven Schacter Principal: Buck
“Almost America” Antonio & Andrea Frazzi Actor: Drunkard
“You Know My Name” John Kent Harrison Principal: Businessman
“Trial By Fire (North of 60)” Francis Damberger Actor: Worker
“The Sheldon Kennedy Story” Norma Bailey Actor: Flames Trainer
“Honey, I Shrunk The Kids” Honey Productions Actor: Police Officer
“Honey, I Shrunk The Kids” Honey Productions Actor: Security Guard
STAGE/THEATRE
“True West” Cold Water Productions Lead: Lee
“27 Wagons Full of Cotton” Cold Water Productions Lead: Jake
“Music for the Millenium” Stage West Productions Lead: Roger
“Savage in Limbo” Company of Rogues Lead: Tony Aronica
“Lysistrata (Aristophanes)” Company of Rogues Lead: Commissioner
“Italian American Reconciliation” Company of Rogues Lead: Aldo Scalicki
“Mac Beth” Shakespeare Company (Val Planche) Lead: MacDuff
I think you can find out about each movie by searching on the internet. It is amazing when you actually get it down on paper. You go Marty!!
Wow Lou,
Thanks for the run-down on Marty's movies. That's amazing that you did it and even more amazing that MARTY did it!!!!
I say with Lou, "You go, Marty".
WHAT A GUY!
LOVE TO ALL,
ME
#704
I actually remember that game Louise.
I have lots of movies to watch to catch up on Marty's parts, but I will never forget his live acting the night we saw him perform in Calgary. It was fantastic.
I can not believe the way you guys are keeping this blog active. Every one of you amaze me, I am so glad you're my brothers and sisters.
So I woke this morning by falling out of bed and hitting my noggin on the night stand, a bad dream. While I was down there it was a good time to grab a clean pair of socks for the day out of the bottom drawer but being only half awake I shut the drawer on my fingers. Oh! oh! Maybe I should go back to bed, this day isn't looking good. The deodorant is low so I twist the bottom to bring it up and it pops right out and on to the toe I just stubbed on the bathroom doorjamb. I have to go to work without breakfast because we are out of milk. My boss stops for gas on the way to the job but has conveniently forgotten his wallet at home so I end up paying for it. Days like this you have to be very carefull on the job and it goes good until early afternoon when I get a piece of sawdust in my eye. At the clinic I turn to leave the checkin and not being able to see I smash my knee on a steel chair and it hurts even worse than my eye, an hour later I'm on my way back to work just hoping I'll make it home safely. Working in a closet I stand up and catch my forehead on the clothes rod, it is time to go home. Getting out of the truck at home I catch my jacket in the door and find out even with adrenaline pumping I can only run about 18 miles an hour. Thank goodness there's a stop sign at the end of the street, I pick myself up off the road and am extra carefull walking to the house and make it safely, the kids are there when I walk in, I go down on one knee to undo my shoes and little Ellie comes racing across the floor, reaches up with her little fist and grabs a handfull of shirt, pulls herself up and tucks her little face into my shoulder. Man!! What a great day!!!
Love
Ed...Papa
#705 Wow
Hey Mike,
Keep your eyes open wide little brother #777 is going to be here quick I think you should get your name on it.
#706
Eddie
I finally understand western alienation.
Sounds like a great party being planned and the only thing standing between me and it is a very simple choice.
Do I spend a couple of thousand bucks to fly south, then north again, then east, or do I just drive for two days?
Then it hits me. It's only a two day drive. What am I even thinking about? Around here, we do that just to find a decent bowl of pho or a dim sum joint.
Greetings from waterlogged Northwestern B.C.
When I looked at the volume of blogging on this site, I thought, holy crap.
But when you do the math, 704 messages since March 18 is only 8.7 per day.
In a family with one matriarch, 14 children, 30-odd grandkids (don't make me count, I wouldn't know where to start) and God knows how many greats (plus spouses and/or whatever the current politically-correct euphemism is for sundry hangers-on is), that's only in the neighbourhood of .09 posts per family member, per day.
Slackers!
Of course, I include myself under that category, having not even lived up to that meagre fraction.
Don't get me started.
I didn't read all the posts. Give me a break, I do have a life. Places to go, people to save from drowning (or at least take photographs of and write about people saving people from drowning).
Anyway, here I am. I'm sorry to disappoint, however, I am not the star reporter previously riddled about.
I rarely, if ever, report on astronomy. Just a humble news reporter and columinst, I'm afraid.
Love to all y'all.
Oh, yes, you ARE our star reporter, Thom. Rob's answer to the latest riddle is correct.
We happen to know that you are one of an exceptional reporting team in Smithers and the surrounding area. You are a senior reporter and columnist for "The Interior News" which recently made Canadian Community Newspaper history. At what might be considered the Academy Awards for community newspapers, "The Interior News" swept the "Oscars" in its class, winning Best All-round Newspaper, Best Editorial Page and Best Front Page.
So, Thom, you are among Canada's best at what you do, and your personal reporting achievements make you a rising star. Congratulations! We're glad you finally tracked us down, here on the family blog site. As Ed would say, "good eye, Thom!"; and M-E would exclaim: ONE AD DUG ROOMY!
This family knows its current events as well as its history:
SCRAPS OF TILES, NEATLY PUT,
FORM A RAINBOW UNDERFOOT.
Lucy, riddling on....
Lui ...So far, the only blog pages I have printed are the ones with contest clues for lengthy consideration. Now, thanks to you, I have a comprehensive list of Marty's film and stage appearances (in which he had speaking roles).
M y
A ppreciative
R egards
T o
Y ou!
Consider the fact that acting is only one of the arenas in which Marty excels. Imagine a list of his gigs, his paintings and his recordings. How is it possible for one person to accomplish so much in a life time and still be so unassuming?
Lots of love, Louise
Ed ...how do you do that? In the account of your day, you took me from HA,HA,HA to AAAHHH.... and turned tears of laughter into tears of love. What a guy!
Lucy
Hi, Melissa,
We were counting on you to step in and take us over the 700 mark. With a little bit of a nudge from BJ, you did it. As you say: Yahoo!
Mike,... with your particular attachment to the number 7, there should be several nice combinations in the next 80 to 90 entries - none better than 777, of course.
LOLOL, Lucy
Hi Lucy,
I the answer to your riddle the floor in the cottage at the beach?
Len has kept the cottage standing the last few years, and it's always open and welcoming when a Sunday afternoon beckons one to Butler's for fish and chips. Len and his family are very generous in letting the rest of us hide out in this haven for the occasional night, weekend or week. It's always relaxing and full of happy memories.
Now, if carpet had been your clue instead of tile, I would have thought about Tony's floor in the front bedroom at 1140. We're lucky to have so many rainbow reminiscences - it gives me a little more insight into why rainbows are one of Lucy's favourite things.
Therese
You might be an Antonini if you have to get up at 5:30 to have the first chance to guess at a riddle!
Therese
WOW!!!
I stay off the computer for two days and it takes me another two to catch up.
Just to answer a couple of questions:
BJ - My involvement in the BILATUDACIM episode was not very accurate. I thought the name was an attempt by my four sisters to come up with a name for the cottage way back when. Louise did not leave me a stuffed animal for comfort in the dark, and if someone suggests that I needed it, as Lou says they may have to shed a few!
ME - I apologize for my comment about my plain Jane sister, I didn't mean you! I was talking about my invisible friend/sister. (Yea, that's it, my invisible friend)
Ed - The only way I'll get the china cabinet out of the apartment is with my axe and chainsaw, so if there is any sentimental attachement to it you better find someone else.
Louise - I know that Vic has told Mom as well, but I have told her on numerous occasions, "Leave that to us" when she talks about leaving her things.
Got to go, Carol is leaving for work and I need a ride.
Later!!!
WOW!!!
You guys are sharp on getting Louise's riddles.
Therese, the rainbow tiles at the cottage and the rainbow carpet at the house have brought back more nostalgic feelings in me once again. My cup runneth over. Thanks Louise.
Wow!! Thomas!! I remember my very first little newphew coming to 1140 Garnet Street. Who'd o' thunk
he could be Prime Minister some day.(If he wanted to be).
This family is too hip for the room.
Love, Marty
Hmmm? It looks like I'm going to have to set my alarm for 5 AM. Now that Therese is up at 5:30. I'd set it for 5:25 but half an hour head start on Therese probably isn't even enough.
I was hoping for it to happen and it finally did. One of my favorite writers has blogged us. I have always really enjoyed the writing of my nephew Thomas Barker along with his conversation and it sounds he might even push our total to 92. As Melissa would say Yahoo! Thomas has made my day.
It's a great one.
Ed
P.S. Just went to post and there are more entries. Man! I'm slow.
Gotta go, back soon.
Maybe Mom wants to label her things because she thinks if we're together long enough to go through them all Louise might end up instigating a game of 'No-Stepping-on-the-Floor' and we'll end up breaking our inheritances.
The four youngest boys and I, being a much more subdued bunch, would never have come up with such a rambunctious activity - but you should ask Marty sometime about the 'Kick-the-Baby-Across-the-Room' routine that he had. That may very well have been where the roots to his blossoming acting career began. You've come a long way, 'baby'.
Therese
Yes, Therese, the floor in this latest riddle is the one that Dad put down in the kitchen of our Regina Beach cottage.
He arrived with boxes and boxes of tile scraps that looked like nothing but junk. He started in one corner by spreading some creamy goop with a tool that made squiggly lines. Then he put down one tile and began to fit bits and pieces around it. He had a hooked blade that he used to trim tiles as he went along.
Line after line, the random colours fanned out before our very eyes. Dad was like an artist at work. With skill and ease, he turned those left-over scraps into a colorful, wash-and-wear floor to last a life time. Apparently it has done that and more.
Tony ...I have no idea what happened to the many animals in my collection. If any of my brothers latched onto one, it was probably because the little beast made a good football.
Marty ...thanks, little brother. Memories do have a way of stirring up strong emotions. From what I can tell, there have been lots of spills on the blog to date.
Ed ...you are usually first up in the morning (early afternoon, my time). Today, Therese, Tony and Marty surprised me by logging on even before you.
It seems these riddles are still blog-popular:
MUSICIANS, ARTISTS, ACTORS ABOUND!
PRODUCERS?? YES! ONE CAN BE FOUND.
Love, Lucy
Therese,
How did you slip that posting in before me? I promise not to organise another round of "No-Stepping-on-the-Floor" ever - not even for old times' sake. Right, Mary-Ellen?
I have to say that I think the name of my childhood game would still be politically correct today. Marty's routine might get all of you into some serious trouble - "Kick-the-Baby-Across-the-Room", indeed!
LOLOL, Lucy
My guess is Brandt.
Sorry for the terse comment - I had to get my guess in before someone else snuck in!
My guess is Brandt - among his many ventures, I have seen his name up there on my television screen!
Welcome, Thomas! I loved the post, and I am a fan of yours along with Lucy! I even have an article you wrote about Grandpa and football a long time ago - I put a copy of it in my little Lui's baby book so that he would have a beautifully written account of the kind of man he was named after! I am looking forward to the reunion so that I can get a picture of him with Unlce Lui ("Little Lui") to add to his book. I am also going to copy that post of Dad's "great day" and stick that in Ellie's book so that she knows how much she was loved by her Papa!
Anyways, you guys are hilarious! How many more days until the reunion? I'm not keeping track, because unfortunately for me, the sooner it is here, the sooner I send my "baby" off to kindergarten! :-(
Hello everyone!
Well, since I'm on the west coast, I guess I'm the last to get on to this blog each morning, but...it's the best part of my morning.
Thom, it was so good to hear from you. How could you miss this party?
Ed, your account of the 'great day' was so sweet. So many of us can relate to that.
I'm off to Vancouver today, where I hope to see a couple of my sisters at a Sweet Adeline workshop. Chris and Therese will be there and it makes the loooooooooooog ferry ride worth it. (OK it's only an hour and a half)
I'll be in touch with some of you by email to double check spelling etc for the name tags I am making.
I have always believed that one of the best parts of any great event, like Christmas Day, was the anticipation. This blog proves it. We are already visiting and getting to know each other better. It makes the excitement for the reunion so much greater.
I love you all for being there!
Bye for now,
Love Marcia
Hi. My name is Eddie. My Papa is Ed. My favourite thing is drawing monsters. At the reunion I'm going to draw.
Eddie
:) :{ :[
Welcome to the blog, little Eddie - I can't wait to see your drawings at the reunion.
Welcome too, Thomas. Looking at your statistics, I decided some 'spinning' was needed to redeem our profile.
I did a count of words after my last post, and we are averaging 665 a day according to MicroSoft Word! ME, xoxoxoxoxo counts as one word, but my poor spellcheck went into shock trying to come up with viable alternatives for BILATUDACIM, AMIRELAMOVE, and TILATIRATATA.
As ME would say, MADE GONE WORD!
Wow - I missed one day, that's it one day!! I was off on Thursday, for the United Way Day of Caring...missed you this year Therese! We were pioneer village moving planters, planting, shoveling, wheelbarrowing - got lots of practice with that last year when mom and dad redid the yard.
Nice to get out of the office, but not nice to have missed a day bloggin'. You guys are crazy!
Holly - before you know it, you will sending the youngest off to kindergarten....time flies doesn't it! I was shocked sending Justin off to High School last year....he is taller than me too! And it is official - all my kids now have glasses, Jordon had to get them a couple of weeks ago.
Louise - that is so funny about that "can't touch the floor" game. When I read that blog, I actually thought of that because we (Tony's rat pack) used to play that with our cousins on my mom's side. Downstairs in grandmas basement.....we would put pillows in the windows and set it all up and then turn off the lights and play! We called it "army" though? Not sure why, I think it was because we were out to snipe our siblings and cause minor injuries???? Cory?
You might be an Antonini if your parent's visited the emergency room weekly....
Marty - I have some more movies to watch!
Gotta take a blog break - the bird outside screaming needs to be rescued from jackjack - i think he must have gotten out! No - jackjack is one of my cats, not one of my kids....!
Later
Holy Smoke! When I went to bed last night we were at #704. I can't believe you guys have boosted that up to 723 and it's only 9:00 AM.
Welcome to the blog, Thom. I knew immediately that YOU were the star reporter in Lucy's riddle, but you have to be quick on the draw to be the first one to give the answer.All I can say is " YOU NAME DOG ROD!"
Hi Eddie, So nice to hear from one of the youngest!
Ed, You sure know how to get me crying.
Marcia, You three sisters have a ball. Wish I could join you.
Love to the whole clan!
ME
#724
Holy Smoke AGAIN! Therese & Sonia blogged on when I was typing so my number now is actually # 727.
HOLY SMOKE!!!!!
ME xoxoxoxoxo
Sonia, I'm just taking one day at a time here! I can't even think about high school!
Yes, Auntie Mary Ellen, it's crazy on here today! Such a witty family!
WEDGED MAROON!
By the way, Louise, I meant to say," Right, not even for old times sake!" Yikes! I can hardly believe I was once able to crawl & climb & jump and stretch across chasms with ease. I could probably still do it, but it would hurt!!!!
LOLOL,
Plain Jane ( Tony's invisible friend/sister )
# 728
Wow Holly,
We must have been typing at exactly the same time. I agree : WREN MADE GOOD!
#730
Yes, Holly, Brant is the answer to the latest riddle. Have you ever noticed how exciting it is to see the familiar name of a relative on your TV screen?
If you type in BRANT PINVIDIC on IMDb, you'll get a list of 4 TV series (2005 to 2007) for which Brant is the Executive Producer. I have to admit that the only one I have seen so far is "The Princes of Malibu".
Of course, we have no idea how many other projects Brant has initiated or collaborated on since he and his family moved to Santa Clarita, California. The totals have to be at least as high as his energy levels and as numerous as his creative ideas.
So, today we acknowlege you, Brant and we take delight in calling you the Hollywood producer in our family. As M-E would say: AD YOUNG DO MORE!
Riddle production continues to flourish, too:
OLD CHURCH LAWS HAVE GIVEN 'WAY
BUT THIS ONE MARRED A WEDDING DAY.
LOL, Lucy
Holy cow,
I take the morning off and there are 24 new postings.
Lucy,
Did you know that I helped lay that cottage floor? Okay, so I just put a few tiles in, but I figure that make me a tile setter in this family.
And I think this is the answer to your latest riddle. You used to have to fast from midnight in order to receive communion. (That's why Catholic weddings were only in the morning). Mom either ate or drank something the morning of her wedding day and was unable to receive communion.
Tony,
I don't remember ever trying to name a cottage, but did you know that Dad's family had a contest to name Grandma's cottage and Kay O'Donoghue won it with Knick, Knack, Knook?
Therese,
Although I don't remember No-Stepping-On-the-Floor or Kick-the-Baby-Across-the-Room, my own kids invented the game of "Toilet Throw" where the 3 oldest tried to toss Kenneth's stuffed animals into the toilet bowl from the bottom of the stairs. I guess they inherited some of the Antonini genes.
Marcia,
I love that the 3 of you are having a mini sisters' reunion. Just wish I could be there, too.
Welcome Little Eddie. You share your drawing skills with many in this family (including your mother)!
Holly and Sonia,
Hmmm...kindergarten and high school, eh? My oldest turned 44 yesterday!
Hi Mary-Ellen,
I don't know which is more insulting 'Plain Jane' or 'Invisible'. However, it doesn't matter, as you are neither!
Love, BJ
I do clearly remember Uncle Marty playing Kick-the-Baby-Across-the-Room... with MY beloved Cabbage Patch Kid! At the time I remember being totally mortified, but of course in retrospect, it is totally hilarious!
I'm about to head off for Vancouver with my noble director and sister Chris.
When Chris told Mom that we were going, she asked if she could come along. Chris told her no, that this was only for directors and presidents. Mom said, "Well, I'm the mother of a director and president."
When Mom told me about that conversation, I said to her "I'll bet not very many people can say that."
She asked, "Say what?"
I answered, "That they are the mothers of a director and a president."
She responded (without missing a beat), "And a judge." You can't get anything past her - I almost went out and bought her a plane ticket!
Chris says she is no good at puzzles, but I'm taking Vic's unsolved POW's with me on the plane to see if she can help me solve them.
Have a great weekend, everyone. I've blocked a couple of hours on Sunday to catch up on the blog again.
Thérèse
Yes, Lucy, our little paper has accomplished much in the last couple of years. As my editor is fond of saying: "We are a daily newspaper that just happens to come out only once a week."
Marcia, we do appear to be on the tail end of this. Or is it the other way around? By my estimation the blog spans nine time zones. When the Butcher clan is getting up in the morning it's still before midnight. Almost seems like an unfair advantage, if you're any kind of night owl.
Prime Minister? I doubt it, Marty. I know a lot of journalists get into the politics game, but I kind of view it as a conflict of interest. We're supposed to be watching those folks, not swilling around in the pen with them.
Yes, first nephew and, as Mary is fond of telling me (especially at this time of year), the one who made her a grandmother. I'm told she's not holding me personally accountable for that, however. If I'm not mistaken though, she can hold me personally responsible for making her a great-grandmother.
Some of my earliest memories are of 1140 Garnet. Unfortunately, I drove by there on my way out to Smithers. I didn't even get out of the car, it didn't seem like the safest thing to do.
I also went by the beach. I couldn't believe that Butler's doesn't start serving fish and chips until noon and had to settle for eggs-over and ham. Very disappointing. You can bet I'll be popping by there when I get out there in August.
Hey Holly, I remember that piece about Grandpa and the Grey Cup. Since I'm now putting approximately a quarter of a million words into print every year, it does seem like a very long time ago. When was that, 2004 or 2005?
Ed, I'm about 92 per cent sure, I will be making it 92.
Ninety-two, holy smokes (nod to Marty), that's almost ridiculous. Better start pushing it, I'll be disappointed if we don't break the 100 barrier.
I'd bring my soon-to-be lovely bride with me to make it 93, but she'll be in Victoria at Royal Rhodes University (where, by the way, they filmed X-Men, was Marty in that one) finishing up her Masters in Conflict Resolution.
I'll be looking forward to continuing the great conversation and thanks for the very kind words about my writing,
Speaking of which, I better get to it. Todd gets a bit cranky when he has nothing to fill pages with. Go figger.
Btw, I think this makes it 740.
Sorry for ignoring the protocol.
And I still have no clue what language ME is speaking.
OK Big News as far as Entry scores:
1st - Louise with 107 ENTRIES, See had her 100th Entry June.8 at 3:35am it was the 708th Blog entry.
Congratulations!
2nd - BJ with 87 Entries
3rd - Ed with 72 Entries
4th - ME with 64 Entries
There has been 32 different people visit the blog.
Mike we are 43 entries away from entry 777.
The reunion day is 78 days away if I were to apply Thomas Barker's math that's approx. 679 more entries with a total of 1413 total entries.
Mike I think your guess of 1000 entries will be way off.
Keep blogging and I'll keep counting!
Melissa
Thom,
All I'm saying, in a number of different scrambles, is DAMN YOU"RE GOOD! And you are!!!
Sometimes I'm saying DAMN WE"RE GOOD when I'm referring to the whole crazy bunch of us.
BJ, Thanks for the compliment but I'm rather flattered that Tony has singled me out: Invisible, Plain Jane, whatever. Hey Tone!
Hi Melissa, I don't know how you're able to keep track of this "Runaway Train" (as Marty says), but it's great to see the numbers. Good Job!
That's All, Folks.
ME xoxoxooxoxoxo
#742
EDAM WREN FOYOG
Vic,
How about the Sod Squad (Mod Squad) for Lawn laying duo.
BJ
Hey Thom,
I agree : GEE ROOF WAY!
Love, ME xoxoxoxo
#745
welcome little eddie
thomas - swilling around in the pen with them - thats classic
thks everybody for the heads up on 777
i'm now late for another appointment
taxi!!!!
Thomas, the date I have for the article is November 2004, and two months later Lui was born. Jamie was so sure it was going to be a girl that he didn't even entertain any conversations about boys' names (we were going to name "her" Elisabet - go figure!). When Lui arrived we had no boys names picked out, so since Eddie was named after grandpas and great-grandpas, we decided to pick between my two grandpas, Lui or William. Our "little" boy was just so big and fair and blue-eyed upon arrival, the name Lui seemed perfect for him, and still is! Consequently, Ellie would have been William if she had been a boy!
Well, I don't know what to say. I just don't know what to say. Give me a minute.
I still don't know what to say.
13 on the blog today
Louise starts our day and continues to supply us with riddles that stir our hearts.
Therese quick to answer a riddle and draw another memory from it and then invites us into the room with our own mother's sharpness and wit.
Tony...finally falling for one of my jokes then turning it back on me with his ax and chainsaw.
Marty with his own memories and heart felt compliments to his family.
My own Holly excited about getting to answer a riddle, then bringing up memories of dad and his character.
Marcia acknowledging our "great days" and reporting a mini reunion along with some actual reunion plans.
My name sake Eddie introducing himself to the blog.
Sonia with her antics bringing tears of laughter, and did I notice a nudge at Cory.
Mary-Ellen, Plain Jane you say, take a look, the spirit in her eyes brings me to tears of joy.
Betty Jo, she knows her stuff, always adds little bits of information to enrich our memories.
Thomas, a real writer adding his own to the blog. I agree with Mike, classic. Here's hoping he's 92.
Melissa, do you think she knows how much I like stats. thanks Melissa.
Mike... The housing market in Regina is out of control but he still manages a few words. He's still waiting for that taxi.
What a great day!!!
I've got something in my eye.
Edward #748
Must be that sawdust, Dad!
I don't know what to say either Ed but I'll put my name in for the 14th blogger today (gee 14th that sounds pretty nice) if I type fast enough
ME the only way i get louise's riddles is if i'm lucky enough to log on right after her
Thomas welcome to the party
all this typing at my speed. I'm probably not 14th anymore
Make it 15. I just about missed being on because I've been catching up for the last four hours.
Tricia and Marie left for New York today and I've got something in my eye too!
Oh, oh, oh....we have a lot of catching up to do this morning. (It's 7:15 am on June 9th here). It's a good thing we have a few quiet hours while the rest of you are sleeping. Sweet dreams!
We went to the Byre Theatre last night for a performance of "Broken Glass" by Arthur Miller. As we headed home, Dave said, "The best part of that was the ice-cream we ate during intermission." Enough said!
LOL, Lucy
Sorry, L and D, not all of us are sleeping. It's not even midnight here on the left coast.
I promise the rest of y'all I won't chime in on the riddle game, however.
Not that I wouldn't be able to get it, it just hardly seems fair, being such a newcomer and all.
So, how close are you to Carnoustie? Ay, how I'd love to roam those hallowed links when the Open gets there next month.
By the way, what's with the Lucy thing?
Is that some kind of Peanuts reference?
Why am I so out of the loop?
Testing, testing 1, 2, 3.
Yes, BJ, your riddle response (which was posted 20 entries back) is correct. A new convert to Catholicism, Mom was not able to make her First Communion on her wedding day because she drank water after midnight!
That might sound like "no big deal" but the fact that we're talking about it 69 years after the fact, suggests that it was a disappointment for Mom on that very special day. She and Dad went to communion together the following morning at Sunday Mass.
By the way, BJ, I did not remember that you had "helped" Dad lay the kitchen floor at Regina Beach. However, I'm sure that YOU know this: Had you chosen to continue in that line of work, Dad would not have hestitated to add "....and Daughters" to the Company name. What a guy!
Enough said! It's time for yet another riddle:
WITH THESE ARRANGEMENTS RIGHTLY MADE
MUCH-LOVED TUNES COULD STILL BE PLAYED.
Lucy, loving the memories
Sorry, folks, just trying to figure out what html can be used here.
So far only the basics bold and italics.
Can provide basic Web links.
My other blog and email links my email.
Unfortunately, no colour, size, lists or anything like that. I imagine posting pix is going to be out of the question but I'll keep trying.
Good grief, Thom, I was so busy typing my latest riddle that I didn't see you there!
You noticed my recently acquired nickname. It goes back to earlier blog entries when I explained that sometimes people misplaced the 'i' in my name and wrote "Lousie". Mike kindly replied, "I love it...Lou-sie". And the rest is history. As you, yourself, have said: GONE MAD FOR YEW!
Lucy aka Lousie
More apologies.
Trying again, this site appears to be very finicky.
Thom
Thom's blog
AAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH.
Okay, giving up... for now.
Web linking seems to work, but not the mailto attribute.
Oh well.
Thom, Carnoustie is no more than a two-hour drive up the east coast from St. Andrews. We'd even take you there, if you like.
Do you realise that the Women's Open Championship is being held here on the Old Course in the first week of August? That's a first, and the women will take over the Royal and Ancient Clubhouse - that's unheard of! Dave has already volunteered to be a marshal for that event.
Your calendar looks too full this summer but don't discount a future visit to the home of golf. You and Lorraine know where we are!
Lucy
Hi Louise, that's funny with the new nickname.
Way back when, we had a similar situation in our family.
It was a camping trip, I believe. Long distances in a sweaty volkswagon bus.
As patient as BJ was and as adept at coming up with games and songs to occupy four bored kids, I'm relatively certain there were a few "don't make me stop this bus" moments from Bob.
I can't remember precisely what triggered it, perhaps a song on the radio, but it wasn't long before our lovely, gentle sister Louise became Floozy Loozy.
Speaking of, thanks alot for bringing up the toilet throw, BJ. In retrospect, it may have been kind of cruel.
Then again, these kind of character-building exercises I'm sure are, in no insignificant way, responsible for Kenneth becoming a world-renowned AI guy.
Go Longhorns!!!
Thanks for the invite, Flucy Lucy. Done done and done.
Europe is next on my travel list and a round on the old course is creeping up to the top of my life list.
Yes, the Royal and Ancient Clubhouse is certainly a coup for women with respect to the venerable game of GOLF (Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden). Brava.
Nevertheless, I am still bitter that the Women's Open became the fourth women's major because the Canadian government chose to make it illegal for manufacturers of a legal product (tobacco) to sponsor sporting events.
Hypocrisy is a bit of a pet peeve. If you're going to let them sell it, you better be willing to let them promote it.
Thom...I would not have taken to being called "Floozy Loozy" like I have latched onto "Lucy". Poor Louise. Great story, though.
I've got a feeling that Bob's "Don't make me stop this bus!" is going to be repeated, twisted and turned on this blog site before very long. I'm warning you: Be careful what you type!
Louise
Gee, if we keep this up, Mike might not make the 777 post.
Let's see, it's 9:09 a.m in Scotland and 1:09 a.m. in Smithers. If Therese sticks to her ungodly 5:30, I'm assuming, perhaps erroneously, that's just more than two hours from now and
Ottawa should be coming online in about three hours (if I remember my mom's schedule).
Could be tight.
Is 777 the anti-anti-christ? I know it will beat pocket bullets or cowboys on the flop, turn or river, but will it save the world?
Enquiring minds want to know.
Hahahahahahaha.
I will not be careful what I type, even at the risk of being deleted by Ed.
Yes, although I didn't read everything, I did notice that little bit of censorship and I am curious. Professional hazard.
Are we there yet? I wanna be there.
Again, Thom, you have touched on a bit of blog history. One of the first competitions on the blog was Mike's challenge to guess his "hidden number". It turned out to be 77 - the double combination of his favorite single-digit number, 7. 777 is simply the triple combination. It's got to be lucky, don't you think? None of us expected to see it here but there's no stopping this bus now.
LOLOL, Lucy
Oh, great....more blog history to share. On Bonnie's behalf, Robert once asked about the "little can" at the bottom of their blog postings. You can only imagine the kinds of comments he got. ...Tony assured him that it didn't mean his comments were garbage. ...I reported that some of us were so eager to know, that we clicked first and asked later.
There's no censorship, Thom, just curiosity followed by immediate regret. As the text disappears, BJ's words echo in your mind: "What a maroon"!
Lucy
Hmmm, I guess I should have been here from the beginning. Lots of blog history to catch up on.
Oh well, I'll just keep asking questions because, as we all know, there are no stupid questions, just stupid people.
BTW, the answer to the latest riddle is:
Psyche!
Sorry, I've got nothing.
DO RE ME FA GOWNY
Regret is a wasted emotion.
Far better to channel it into a counterattack. There's no shortage of ridicule to be found in the world... especially among family.
Thom, your latest anagram suggests that you might know the answer to the latest riddle after all. Others won't mind if you beat them to it; they'll just change their tactics.
Louise
Sorry, Luce, I'm not going to wade into the riddle game. Mostly because I have no clue. My personal preference would be if it had something to do with arranging for the organ from 1140 to be a part of the reunion.
I am, however, going to dive into another one of the games.
You just may be an Antonini (even if you're a Barker) if you've ever stayed up until 3 a.m. in the morning mining an out-of-control blog for "you may be an Antonini" jokes.
Can anyone say OCD?
And having done all that work, I feel compelled to post a recap even though it's going to be an obscenely long comment.
Q: How many Antoninis does it take to change a light bulb?
A: 14. One to man the stop watch, one to organize the round robin, and the remaining 12 to see who can change it the fastest!
You might be an Antonini if you ever developed carpal tunnel syndrome from playing hand-held Yahtzee!
You might be an Antonini if...
...only a third of your family could make it for Christmas, and you still had to rent the Church hall.
you might be an antonini if you've never lost your keys
You might be an Antonini if...
you have ever over exaggerated the number of something... and been called on it.
If you've ever spent two hours coming up with the best response for a contest one of your family members created...you might be an Antonini.
you might be an Antonini if you've stub your toe on the foot of the bed!!! and your definitly an Antonini if you've broke your Toe stubbing it on the foot of the bed, coffee table or couch.
If you think blogging is a competitive sport, you might be an Antonini!
You might be an Antonini... if you love to laugh.
You might be an Antonini if you know not to ask for ice cream on the way to Lumsden. If you are an Antonini and ask for ice cream, you might not be one any more.
You might be an Antonini if you think Rice Krispies are for dessert.
If you sit at your computer waiting for the latest entries on the blog to print out so you can take them up for mom to enjoy, then go up to mom's and realize you left the pages on your kitchen table...you might be an Antonini.
You might be an Antonini if, for you, butlers are not male servants but the best "Fish 'N Chips" ever!!
If a drive to the beach with your kids doubles as NAP time!
You might be an Antonini.
You might be an Antonini if...you just told somebody you have six brothers and you're dying for them to ask if you have any sister
You might be an Antonini brother if you buy a bottle of shampoo and it lasts for 2 years!
You might be an Antonini if...you just told someone you had 6 sisters and you're dying for them to ask if you have any brothers.
You might be an Antonini if you used to watch 'Beat the Headlines' with your mother.
If your family tree looks more like a really big bush you might be an Antonini.
You might be an Antonini if you used to watch "Wagon Wheels" (aka Country Hoedown) with your Mother.
You might be an Antonini...if your dad ever showed you the rings of Saturn, or the Sea of Tranquility, through his telescope.
You might be an Antonini if.... You've been singing thousands of songs for people, up on stage for more than 30 years, and the only guy in the crowd who knows more songs than you is your brother... who happens to be a chartered accountant.
You might be an Antonini if you've ever let a puzzle take precidence over breakfast, lunch and supper - several days in a row.
You might be an Antonini if...
...after being called by your mother, you're still not sure she meant you.
...you knew that little Lui was over 6 feet tall.
...you have to tell the photographer there are no inlaws in the group photo.
...every time you hear the numbers
1140, your eyes well up.
...you've just discovered how many of your siblings' names start with 'M-A-R' and many acronyms result.
...you know 'how many' days there are until August 25th.
you might be an antonini if: you breg about eatin at butlers
You might be an Antonini if... ...you are relieved when you find out your sister Vic wasn't really kidnapped
you might be an Antonini if beautiful floors remind you of your dad.
You might be an Antonini if you wanted to be the first one to call out "I can see the lake", as Dad drove over the last hill on highway 54.
you might be an antonini if on your last day of summer at the beach, even though it was overcast and cold, you'd still go
for a final dip at the little beach
You might be an Antonini if you know Vic's candied popcorn recipe octupled will most certainly be enough... for YOU!
You might be an Antonini if you've been to the emergency room more than 3 times in the last 16 hours.
You might be an Antonini if you sweep up your decorations after Christmas rather than box them.
You might both be Antoninis if you left one of your kids behind and neither of you notice.
You might be an Antonini if your August 25/26 weekend reunion begins in March
You're definitely an Antonini if you can string off 14 children's names, in order of birth, without hesitation.
You might be an Antonini or related to one if you get up in the middle of the night to use the washroom and you quickly check to see if anyone has left a new message on the blog!!!!!!!!
you might be an Antonini if you find the doorknob to your bedroom in the junk drawer
Lui's in Las Vegas, eh? You might be an Antonini... if you take this blog on the road!
you might be an antonini if you love kneeocky
If you have at least one fimo miniature or fimo rosary... you might be an Antonini
If you hope for a Rice Krispy birthday cake instead of chocolate... you might be an Antonini!
you might be an Antonini if your WEDDING CAKE was Rice Krispie! (And it was goooood!)
You might be an Antonini if you dream in BLOG!
You might be an Antonini if your mom sends you to the store with a list of groceries, but you don't NEED to write it down and then you have to phone her because you remembered you needed 4 things, but only have 3 in the basket?
You might be an Antonini if you've been asked the question "now which brother is your dad?"
you might be an Antonini if you've ever lost track of a brother or two or three or. . .
You might be an Antonini when you have to jot down May 27 6:58 am to remember where you left off on the family blog.
You might be an Antonini when you finish your dinner by licking your tie!
you might be an Antonini if you could carry two pails of water across the street, or two gallons of A&W Root Beer into the cottage, before you were strong enough to pick your clothes up off the floor.
You might be an Antonini if an acquaintance says, "I see where your niece won the Cdn Racquetball Championship" and you say, "Uh ... yeah ... uh ... that's right" and wonder "which niece?"
you might be an antonini if you forget your blog password
You might be an Antonini if you number the blog and when you go and check your entry somebody else has already posted that number, or 2 or 3 people..
You might be an Antonini if you get disciplined at work because you blog too much...
You might be an Antonini if you knew that your first impulse was wrong while you were still in the middle of making a mistake.
You might be an Antonini if you have memories set in marble, tile and terrazzo
You might be an Antonini if you just had to go down to Buns Master Bakery after visiting Antonini & Sons because it just smelled so yummy!!
You might be an Antonini if you can laugh at yourself before others beat you to it.
You know you're an Antonini when you refer to a time in your childhood when "there were ONLY 11 of us"!
You might just be an Antonini if you've ever had to have stitches to close a head wound!
You might be an Antonini if you have to get up at 5:30 to have the first chance to guess at a riddle!
You might be an Antonini if your parent's visited the emergency room weekly....
What a collection of humor and memories! Nice work, Thom
You might be an Antonini if you laugh twice as hard the second time you hear a family joke.
With that, I must bid thee adieu. But not without (in anticipation of all the posts I'll be missing while I'm sleeping in until noon or beyond, probably around Scottish bedtime) a preemptive: YOU PEOPLE ARE NUTS!
Of course, I mean that in the most positive sense and include myself.
This might be my first!
Your riddle revolves around the music Dad put together after his stroke so Mom could play the left hand and the music played on as a duet.
#775 - Where's Uncle Michael anyways?! I'd call him, but it's not even 7:00 yet! I thought everyone would sleep in on the weekend (unfortunately, Ellie doesn't know it's Saturday...) but Uncle Lui slipped in there before me!
In regard to the riddle, Jamie and I attend a marrige vow renewal every year at the Hotel Sask (just to remind outselves how we got into this crazy - yet delightful! - mess!) and were asked to be the guest speakers a couple of years back (coicidentally, the theme was "A Night in Italy"). Our talk revolved around Grandma and Grandpa and our primary story was the one about the organ arrangements. This family has been fodder for a few inspiring stories! Actually, I belong to a Catholic women's group where every week we bring a case study and present it as a headline and vote on which story we'd like to hear; the person whose headline is chosen then presents the story and we discuss the virtues exhibited and make a team resolution to do something that week to grow in that virtue. I've already used a couple stories from this family:
WOMAN MAKES GREAT SACRIFICE FOR MOTHER-IN-LAW
GIFT REVEALS A MAN'S LOVE FOR HIS WIFE UNTIL "DEATH DO US PART"
I'm sure you can guess what these stories referred to! (I think I may have just invented a new contest...oh no! Come on, Thomas, you should be good at providing us with a few headlines!)
The next headline I will present to my group will be:
MAN TURNS PET PEEVE INTO PRAYER!
776 and hopefully 777
yep 777 is mine, i think, must send right away
wheww, made it, i will now go back and catch up
i do believe you people stopped blogin for an hour and a half so i could have the coveted 777.
what a nice family!!
thomas - just to add to lucy's #77 contest coment, it referred to the 7 brothers and sister, i believe thats how she guessed it.
i love the "luce" when referring to lucy. it reminds me of marty's "tone" for tony. i also love to see all your enties. its good to have you aboard.
bob, don't stop this bus!!!!!
777 Mike...all yours...yahoo!
Yet again Louise comes up with a riddle that stirs not just the heart this time but also the soul.
What a great way of preparing us for the 25th of August. I was talking to Vic today and she mentioned how good the blog is and how we are getting a lot of visiting in before the 25th. We won't have any catching up to do we will be able to just carry on face to face.
To all of you, Deanie gave me a card once and the sentiment works here.
I LOVE BEING US WITH YOU.
Edward
Ed,
I love being us with you, too.
Mike,
Congatulations on 777! Well done. It's hard to believe we've reached that number and still have 2 months to go.
Thomas,
Wow, it looks like you are catching up to the rest of us. Nice to see you on the Blog; looking forward to seeing you soon in person.
Vic,
Even though you haven't heard from me, I'm still working on your puzzles.
Love, BJ
You are right, Lui,...the music did play on, even after Dad's stroke affected his ability to play the piano with ease and grace.
Dad spent hours devising a system and preparing music manuals that would allow Mom to accompany him on the piano. She played the swing base chords while he played the melodies of some of their favourite tunes. Sitting there on the piano bench, Mom became the left hand for her right-hand man.
Holly ...the headline exercise sounds like such an interesting path to personal growth. Your latest entry should get a chuckle as you tell about Grandpa praying for others while he cleaned the lint screen on the dryer.
Mike ...we did stop blogging to await your arrival. This family, loves U! Congratulations on rolling in on the triple 7.
Deanie ...where did you find a card with such a perfect sentiment? You must have taken it to the till with a smile in your heart.
BJ ...Therese has taken Vic's POW's to Vancouver with her in hopes that she and Christine can solve a few together. Throw Marcia into the mix and Vic may have to serve up a fresh new batch of puzzles come Monday morning. I hope so.
Anyone for another riddle?
COUPLES SHARING FAITH AND LAUGHTER
REMAINED GOOD FRIENDS A LONG TIME AFTER.
Lots of love on line, Louise
Hey Lucy,
Does your latest riddle refer to Mom and Dad's old CFM ( Catholic Family Movement ) group? That's the faith part. I remember all those good friends coming over now & then and all we heard was huge amounts of laughter. We also got to serve little sandwiches to them. They were always playing tricks on one another and I remember Mom hiding Father Mooney in the closet one time and then starting a conversation about him. I don't think her friends spoke to her for a while after that!! What a lot of fun they had and they remained friends the rest of their lives. ( eg. the Garrittys)
To all the rest of you : DOUG MONEY ROAD!!
#783
Mary-Ellen,
You sure beat me to that one. I was thinking the Garrittys, but of course there were more couples than that.
Vic,
I've changed my mind about the Sod Squad as the Mod Squad was really a trio. How about The Sod Couple from the Odd Couple?
Love, BJ
#784
Yes, Mary-Ellen,
The CFM group to which Mom and Dad belonged was special. They and four other couples,(Campbells, Garrittys, Schuetts and Vickermans)held regular meetings in their homes to support one another in faith and friendship. We loved it when they came to our house because they had such a good time together.
(Hiding Father Mooney was not a good idea but the group eventually forgave Mom. Father Mooney also made the best of the situation. A terrible tease, he used what he had heard to poke fun at individual members of this group for a long, long time.)
Today, Mom and Freda Schuett remain close friends. They accept one another unconditionally and they still enjoy one another's company. Their daughters, Christine and Teresa get them together whenever possible.
BJ ...that "Sod Couple" is priceless. I wish I had said that!
One more riddle before I blog off for the night:
RETIRED AND FREE!! YET, NOT A THING
CAN MATCH THE JOY SIX GRANDKIDS BRING!
Lots of love, Louise
And their names are:
Zachary Matthew, Noah Anthony, Jacob Robert, Emmanuel John, Grace-Anne Mary, and Hannah-Lynn Elaine!!
Yahoo!
( I'm not too sure about that "Free" thing )
Love,
Grandpa Papa &
Grandma Papa
xoxoxoxoxox
#786
Dear Mary Ellen
MY FIRST CHANCE AT GETTING A RIDDLE AND YOU STOLE IT!!!
I had this one but I didn't get it fast enough.
I love you anyway.
Man, you gotta be fast to beat these guys.
marty
Oops, sorry Marty! I couldn't help myself. I know Bob & I are the only ones with 6 Grandchildren and they are such wonderful little people, I just had to get them on.
It probably would have been more exciting for me if someone else had guessed it, so I should have waited. That'll teach me!
Love your big sister,
ME xoxoxoxo
I hope you don't mind me posting a riddle Louise.
OLD MOON WAS THERE NOW THAT IS FUNNY, 'CAUSE THAT IS WHERE WE SPENT OUR MONEY.
5th ave tea room lou
sweet soft japinesean devil
sometimes moon could be kinda mean, but he sure liked us coming in there to spend our money, i used to go in there and sit on the stools with my friends or one of my brothers and have a bag of salt and vineger chips and a mountain dew
wooohoooo
luv mike
i just came from the hospital, i talked to the nurse, and mom is doing good, she has a phone in her room and the number is 766-8765, ed set it up for her so we can all phone her.
p.s. area code 306, just in case
What a treat this blog is and quite challenging at times. I'm still on Vic's Kingly Papa, I'm taking a swing with Pacino Royale (Casino Royale)...you know, Al Pacino played the big papa in The Godfather. If it's not right it should at least get a smile.
Melissa is going to have to be watching again.
I am really enjoying everybody's comments on this blog, it has become a highlight of my day.
#792
Ed
Hey All,
Moon & Sam were brothers at what we called Chee's. Chee was their Dad's name and as teenagers we'd go meet at Cheese! I didn't have salt 'n vinegar chips and a Mountain Dew, Mike. I had a Coke & a Du Maurier cigarette! It was a bit of a hang-out in my days and it's where I would often meet Bob & our crowd of friends. Oh, the memories keep taking me back to the "good old days."
So glad you're my family!!
LOLOL,
ME #793
Its 12:40am Calgary Time and I need to go to bed! - I would like to take the 800 spot just to keep up my streak but on the other hand I dont have 7 entries worth of stuff to say.
their are 76 days to the reunion, do you think we will still have stuff to talk about?
Addicted Nocturnal Ties On Nightly Internet News Information
#796 - i cant think of anything to say.
Making Entries Leading In Succession Satisfying Addiction
#799
I need to go to Bed!
oko this is #799
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