Brennan Family Blog: March 2009

Monday, March 30, 2009

Look at These Adorable Children!

When Granny took this photo on that old Brownie camera of hers,

she could not even imagine that one day it would be on the Internet,

where MILLIONS of people could see it.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Sunday Greetings

Buona Domenica!--as the Italians would say. Have a good Sunday, everyone. I said Mass at St. Anthony's Church in Sullivan, Missouri, this morning. That was Aunt Marie's parish. The only other time I was there was for her funeral. Aunt Marie was the last member of our family with living memories of World War I. The morning of her funeral I remember standing at her casket before it was closed and I had a fantasy, as if the end of the casket behind her head opened into another dimension and I could see all the lights of the 20th century as she had seen them: the wars, the Depression, the Titanic, the Hindenberg, the abdication of Edward VIII, radio, television, Wonder Bread, the space shots, Americans on the moon, the rise and fall of European Communism, hula hoops, the turbulence of the 60's, and on and on. It was like looking down a tunnel full of stars. She lost a brother in World War I, and she lost her husband and at least two of her sons before her own death. How painful that must have been. After the funeral Mass, while I was standing next her casket waiting for the funeral directors to organize the pall-bearers, I found myself suddenly grieving the loss of that generation, of all the people (our forebears) who loved us, and I felt her hand on my shoulder reassuring me. Remember how she was so tall, and what beautiful blue eyes she had?

Welcome to all of you who have been joining the blog. Please do not be bashful about posting a message. We would all love to hear from you. Photos are purely optional.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

World's Sweetest Granny

Photo taken at her Cross Keys apartment,

in front of her indoor garden, in the late 1970's.

(Focus is somewhat soft.)

Neil Patrick Brennan

February 17, 1951 - August 9, 1998

Date of photo unknown

Baby Boom Visits Davison Avenue

Granny's handwriting, probably early 1950. Granny is holding Tim and Steve. The unidentified bundle in Grandpa's left arm is probably Sheila, doing her best to look uninterested. Any guidance from our esteemed elders?

Thursday, March 26, 2009

3 Weddings and a Christmas

These movies were on dvd's that I brought to the reunion a few years ago. They are a lot of fun to watch. Brennan Trivia - can you name everyone? I hope to post others in the future. Enjoy! (If the movie stops, click on the marker that moves along with the movie and it will continue.)

Where are the Phillips'?

Why am I the only one out here!

Carol, Thanks for setting the blog up. It's a family reunion every day!

Fr. Larry, Thanks for giving the command...with that kind of response you better watch your step around the Vatican or maybe you'll be the one in white next time! :-)

Check out Dan Phillips' creation for some cool Brennan and Phillips history.
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/p/h/i/Daniel-G-Phillips/index.html?Welcome=1064755844

He has done a great job with it!

Bob