Katherine Gallivan Punch turns 79
I feel close to Mother and often call on
Dad to guide and protect the grandchildren he never knew. I feel
nostalgic tonight as I come to the end of this 51 year old journal. Wilf
worries me. I fear he is headed for blindness. Where is my faith???
JIM
Jim
is still excitable and steadfast and straight from the shoulder honest.
Enthusiastic about life! Whenever he puts the cape on, he is still
Zorro!!! He still thinks if he could get on top of the clothesline, he could
fly over the roof. He is a dedicated teacher of the young. He loves
Susan-he loves his family. God Bless Him!! I love you, Jimmy!
I
have often been lonesome for you-but you have always been there-very
close. God Bless your Girls.
MICHAEL
Michael is firmly attached to home, just as he was to McDougall Street.
He needs its shelter, although he wouldn’t for the world admit it. He is
sentimental and loving to the point where he still can’t mention Mother without
tears in his eyes. He is a strong family man-stubborn, and with the Michael
Gallivan stormy temper-but controls it most of the time. Donna is his
haven, his support; he loves her very much-I wonder if he ever tells her??
At 8 months I handed you to Mother and went back to work. It was one of
the hardest things I ever had to do in my life…to give up my baby. But we
all survived-“it was all for the best”. You were her little love.
God Bless you Michael, I love you. P.S. thank you for the many ‘light
bulbs’ etc.. the companionship, etc.
MARY JANE
I should never have run to catch the street car, as it rattled over the high
line after I closed the Steelton Library at 9 p.m. Pre-natal influence
has you still running. Mea Culpa! You were always ahead of
yourself. You performed for a photographer at 6 months. You spoke
your first word, a comment on a daffodil, “fower” at 8 months. You never
slept as other children did. (I used to rattle the pages of Dr. Spock to find
out where you fit and I never did find you). You stood and walked at 9 months.
You confounded me in your teens and flew the nest at 17 for Toronto. Granny’s
prayers had you meet John and marry him, an asset to our family. You have been
my support in many family crises thank you. I lost you there from time to
time. I love you very much. God Bless you and John and your sons.
SUZANNE
You are the complex one-the storm and sunshine-you were
my experience with natural childbirth-too impatient to be born to wait for the
doctor. A whirlwind in the babe-tenda doing wheelies throughout the
house before you could walk. You knew the words but waited until you put
them into sentences to begin to talk. I made poor decisions about your
education-was pressed into letting you “accelerate”. You were talented in
whatever
you did-whether it was yo-yos, orals or nursing. I should have forced you
into medicine!
You loved Joel, not wisely, but too well. You made a very difficult
decision and lived with it, because you loved your children, and feared for
them. Why did you always try to compensate for the father they never ever
had?? Thank you for helping me through a very low point in my life-and
for always being there in spite of once threatening to report me to the
Children’s Aid! I love you, Suzanne. God Bless you and Christina
and Steven and Joanna.
I haven’t said anything the way I wanted to say it. I am getting
maudlin. Here’s to the entrance to my 80th year.
Hope the remainder of my years is as interesting as the first 80. (How do
I say this??)
However…here’s
to tomorrow!
Mary Jane Michael Suzanne Jimmy and Katherine Gallivan the Mom in the front..
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