My Nanny and Me

Just look at her, My Nanny, she was so tickled on her 97th birthday! You can see the smile on her face and the sparkle in her eyes. She loved her animal ballons and her little monkey on her lap. She laughed and smiled all day. I miss her!!

How do you say good bye....

To my Nanny with her bird, she had a cat but it passed away and she was heartbroken so her daughter, my Mom gave her a little birdie for her birthday a year ago. Her chair (which was my grandfathers) her bird and the TV remote...............that's my Nanny!!
....To my Nanny and her favorite "cooking channel" Buddy Cher. The would sit together every Saturday that we went to RI to visit and watch Lydia and others on the cooking channel. Nanny loved to cook!! Last month she made us lasagna and 2 weeks before her passing to animal heaven she had made us a yummy beef stew! She was forever the hostess. I am gonna miss her cooking!
To the Greatgrandmother of my 2 sons, here she is with Joey, you can sure tell she is a proud
Greatgrandmother! Those 2 make quite a pair! I don't know who is more the cut-up! Joey must have gotten some of his sense of humor from her. Nanny had her silliness, laughter, jokes, even in the final days of her pain. She was always wanting to give of herself in one way or another.
...To my Nanny (Grandmother) Lea Galligan, also a Mother and a Greatgrandmother! She may be the smallest of the bunch, but she was heard the loudest and was our center of her attention.
....To my Nanny that went grocery shopping every Sunday, the cart just about swallowed her! But she was determined to be in control (as always!) She was a short little grandmother all of 4' 4", and she has this cane (see it hanging on the basket handle?) if she needed something on the top shelf, she wouldn't ask for help.....OH NO!, she would eye her prey(poor papertowel or toilet paper) , get a grip on the cane handle ....then WHAP!!!", the unaware object was hurled into the air til it fell and she would retrieve it then throw it in the basket. No one was safe. She also had a habit, God forbid if anyone left their cart in the middle of the isle while they were shopping...........if she saw it and it was alone, she RAMMED! it with her cart to get it out of the way. She was a hoot! She didn't like me hanging around or Cher when we would take her to the grocery store, so we would hide behind an isle and peek at her to make sure she was ok. She never let anyone do her shopping...."You don't know what I want" she would say.

....To the Grandmother that kept us all laughing and in good spirits, she was such a cut up!!
.....To my Nanny who got the biggest smile, laugh and "God Love "em" out of a stuffed animal. She had her collection, some were sent to her by the organizations she donated to, others were given to her by family and friends. They are with her now and always will be..........in Animal Heaven!!
.....To the silly, happy, sneaky(yes I said sneaky, and she could be at times, in a good way) and lovable grandmother she was, the life of the party, the source of many hours of entertainment, her songs (she would sing some song in French), her Mother taught it to her and she didn't know how to sing it in English, as with her prayers when she was young.

The baseball fanatic...................she LOVED the Brooklyn Dodgers and always Will!! Do you know she won a contest one year , the prize being $500 which was alot back in the 40's. She bought a TV (they only had a radio) just to watch her Brooklyn Dodgers! She was a happy woman!!

...To my 1 curler head Nanny (she had to look her best to do her Sunday shopping at the Stop and Shop Grocery Store) , the BEST grandmother I have known for 50 years (she is 97) of my life. Her funny laughter, the sparkle in her eyes while she was telling a story, her stubborness (and I mean STUBBORN!). Her stories of her life growing up with 8 siblings, her wonderful tales of flour sack "undies" that her Mother made, to the worries when Grandpa G. was fighting over in Europe in WWII while she was living in the projects in Brooklyn , New York raising 2 small children (my Mom and Uncle).
How do I say good bye to a humorous, emotional, ever devout in her faith, her love of her family and of course animals! Do you know she has contributed to the safe and well-being of animals, the shelters and homes. She actually got a 50 year "chip" from one of the many humane societies that she gave unselfishly too. She was a woman of modest means, living on a very small income, but she was always the first to give of her money and her heart, and sometimes even at her own comfort.

With her I know I don't have to say good-bye..........So with all my Love, Respect and knowing you are where you want to be now in Animal Heaven surrounds by all the soft furry things you loved here on earth..................See You Later Nanny, I surely Love and Miss you.

A field of beauties

Erin and her girls.......aren't they lovely!


Hint: back stroke 

A Classic Picture

This is such a beautiful classic picture of the Bride Erin, one final look before she gets married. Isn't she BEAUTIFUL!!

Hint: no more headaches 

Escorting Mom

Here is the Groom, my son Joey, escorting me to my seat before he gets married. Isn't he handsome!! In the background in the light tan suit is my other son Allen. I was sure a proud Mom that day!!


Hint : 1 month free 

Rain or Shine..

With the thread of possible rain on the wedding day, I bought these umbrella hats for the groomsmen "just in case". It didn't rain during the ceremony but I just had to get a picture with the guys and their "hats" . 

Rehersal Day

Friday July 21st was a day of friends, family, laughter, some crying too! Here is Erin with her 2 nephews (the 2 on her right), Jack (the little guy) and Colin.
Erin giving instructions to her Ring Bearers........her nephews, Colin and Jack.
Sharing a laugh and just enjoying the day!
The girls are ready and anxious to start the rehersal!

The Wedding party

Everyone was waiting around for the rehersal to begin. The chairs were set. Later on a tent would be added as a last minute measure, as showers were predicted "just in case". It was so hot and sunny anyway it was good that the tent was put up later, it shaded everyone. 

The outside at the Rockwood

The land and surrounding area were breathtaking and beautiful around the Rockwood Manor as you can see on Rehersal Day. 

Groomsmen have a laugh

While the guys were waiting for the ladies to come down the isle during the rehersal, they all shared in stories and a laugh or two. 

Practice, practice

After repeating their vows and Scott the preacher saying his words, they were about to walk down the isle... 

Bride to be and her Maid of Honor

Part of the rehersal of course were the ladies. Here Erin (the bride) holds her corsage of "flowers" and Lauren her Maid of Honor holding the umbrella for her. It was very hot and humid with a chance of showers everyday. 

Rehersal Day before the Wedding

On rehersal day (Friday) the weather was warm and humid. Here is a picture of one of the Wedding Coordinators giving directions to the Groomsmen.

Hint: 2 day 20 

Biking

Yes even me, the "non exercise" girl still gets out and goes biking once in a while. This was taken up in Quabbin.

My Nanny and me

Here I am with my Nanny on her 97th Birthday! I also brought her lunch of some of her favorites, shrimp, honey and BBQ chicken, salads (potato and tortellini) and of course the Carvel Birthday cake. 

The Birthday Girl at 97!

Here she is Lea Galligan with all her birthday goodies, flowers, ballons, her new little monkey, a box of candy and birthday cards were all given to her on her big day. 

The cake

Here I am giving my Nanny her 97th Birthday cake. 

Nanny at 97!

Went to Rhode Island this weekend to celebrate my grandmother's (Nanny) 97th Birthday! Here is the birthday girl with her cake, her new little buddy -the monkey on her shoulder whom she has named "Sammy". Isn't she cute! 

Family Pictures

Here is the Bride-Erin with her 2 sisters and brother.
Here is the happy Bride and Groom with her parents, Rick and Carol Collins.


Hint - the number 200

All Smiles

Another day and another Blog...........see told ya I was going to try and get better at blogging on a regular basis.
Here is Erin and Joey pre-marriage, as we were all getting into the festivities and getting ready for the BIG DAY. This is Friday, the day before the wedding. The cute hats were given to Joey and Erin by Erin's Mom Carol, you probably can't see it unless you click on the picture to make it bigger, but Erin's cap has rhinestones on it that says BRIDE and Joey's cap says GROOM. Cute huh? Erin's Mom and Dad are the greatest! and we all had a great time. I will post in the future a picture of the Bride's family.............more to come!!


Hint#4. It comes in many colors

Tuna Casserole

Of all the things in this world to eat, my son wanted for his Wedding Dinner Mom's Homemade Tuna Noodle Casserole. When he first told me back in January I thought he was kidding, but he wasn't. So here I am serving it to him on a silver platter on his wedding.
His beautiful bride by his side (I'll get more face shots later) a kiss from his Mom and Mom's Homemade Tuna Noodle Casserole. AHHHH.........what else could a man want?? :) He didn't think I was going to make it, as I kept telling him there was so much going on that day, I didn't have time, etc., etc. But I surprised him and he was happy!!

Hint #3. It runs by a meter. :)