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welcome to 1996!december 29warwick, rhode islandToday we said farewell to Elaine, Joe, and Barbara Shea. Along with Barry, Daniel, and Dan's friend Tracy, the Sheas drove down from New Hampshire for a belated Christmas celebration. We began yesterday with lunch for 23 at a local Chinese restaurant. Then on to Colleen and Jack's for more to eat. (Like we really needed more to eat.) That evening Daniel and Tracy were headed for Nantucket (I think they got their seasons confused), and Barry was forced to return to New Hampshire. Even without Barry's help, however, the boys (Denny, Jack, Tim, and myself) beat the girls (Pam, Shelly, Jessie, and Elaine) in three straight games of "Times to Remember." Brush up, girls. This is becoming a habit! december 25warwick, rhode Islandmerry christmas!Christmas for us actually started at about 11:30pm the night before when we joined the Flynns at their church for Midnight Mass. (Don't worry. James was home asleep with his Uncle Tim.) Ordinarily we would have gone to our own church, but in our role as Santa's helpers, it was necessary to deliver a present for Chris Flynn to his parents. It can now be said that this present was a bicycle — a very special bicycle with more accoutrements than my car—which had been stored in our garage. In order to deliver this treasure, it was necessary to stuff—miraculously (in the spirit of the season)—the bike into the back seat of Suzie's car. (Those of you who know me also know that the use of my car for this adventure, although larger, was out of the question.) Because bicycles are, relatively speaking, larger than a bread box, this very recognizable bicycle was visible through the windows from the outside of the car. (The car itself was recognizable by the bulge around the rear doors.) Now, the plan was for Jack and Colleen Flynn to take separate cars to church. (The entire family attended as Chris was an altar boy at the service.) Then Colleen would take the kids home in her car while we transferred the contraband to Jack's. The problem was the visibility of the bike in our car (and even in a sea of cars, you know the kids would spot the car and, of course, the bike within). So we opted to park the car in the shadows at the faaaarrrr end of the parking lot. (Did I mention we were in the middle of a downpour?) Completely overflowing with the spirit of Christmas, we elbowed some old women out the way and entered the church. As it turns out, it was a lovely mass, and I actually got horse bellowing out Christmas carols accompanied (incidentally) by the sounds of a spectacular choir and organ. After the service, mission accomplished, we headed home—to begin wrapping. Later that morning, after pretending to sleep, Santa didn't disappoint us (James slept until 8 o'clock), and although "Santa's helpers" worked very hard the night before (Suzie was up until after 5:00am; I gave up at around 4:30am), we began the ritual without delay — once the coffee was ready. With a sea of presents to unwrap, James quickly figured out that he wanted to open the big boxes first. This solemn, controlled, and very civilized ceremony continued until Daddy was completely buried beneath an avalanche of paper, bows, and ribbons (and was out of coffee). At this point, it was absolutely required that James (and Daddy) take a nap. I swear if James had stuck his finger in a light socket we could have sold the excess electricity back to the power company. But the day was young . . . We were due at the Flynn's for Christmas dinner at 1:00pm. Suzie went first; James and I arrived a bit late—around 4:00pm. Of course by then the Flynns were out of food . . . NOT! After stuffing my gullet in a manner reminiscent of the bicycle episode, we decided to do something novel—open more gifts. At this point I am compelled to mention that our son, James, is normally a calm and well-adjusted child, but at the site of yet one more ribbon-and-bow-festooned package, he cradled his head in his little hands (picture Macauley Culkin in Home Alone) and shrieked, "Nooooooo!" Being enormously perceptive parents, we decided to begin pacing things a bit. To make a long story short (if that is still possible), a good time was had by all, and James survived the experience. I only hope all of you had as merry and blessed a day—I know the Johnny Walker company did. gainesville, floridaMom and Larry departed Georgia for Florida today. As I understand it, the day's celebration was held in the restaurant of a Holiday Inn—where they had to talk the management into seating them. (Now when was the last time you had to work yourself into a Holiday Inn?) It just goes to show you that we are not, in fact, what we eat—I hope. If they survive the experience, they'll arrive at their destination (somewhere near Palm Beach; Singer Island, I think?) sometime tomorrow. houston, texasMeanwhile, the Adamoli clan in Houston ate, drank, and made merry (who would have guessed?) at Uncle Mark's place. While traveling to the event, Jim Adamoli (my dad) was forced to put down rumors that—despite the graying hair and prodigious girth—he was not, in fact, St. Nick. december 24somewhere in rhode islandWe celebrated Christmas Eve last night by having dinner with Kathy Shea and Barbara and John Andreozzi. We almost didn't get to eat. By the time we met at the appointed restaurant (the Grist Mill), they were no longer accepting patrons. This, after we had called and attempted to make a reservation but were told there was absolutely no problem. Needless to say, I was filled the Christmas spirit. Once Suzie managed to drag me (kicking and screaming) out the place, we located a nearby Red Lobster. Although we were warned by the manager that they were "out of everything," we stuck with it and had a terrific meal. (In the spirit of Christmas, I was prepared to tell them to go out and fish for something.) december 22warwick, rhode islandLast night the Rhode Island Adamolis held their annual Christmas Party. As always, it was great for us to see everyone. Unfortunately, there are far too many we see only once a year. There is enough food left for another party. So if you're hungry, come on over. december 14houston, texasHappy Birthday, Michael Adamoli! december 10warwick, rhode islandHappy Birthday, Jessica Shea! december 6coventry, rhode islandHappy Birthday, Andrew Flynn! december 4warwick, rhode islandWell, it's taken me a few days to admit it, but once last week. Jessie Shea and I argued about the relationship between the television celebrities Penny and Garry Marshall. Jessie said they are brother and sister; I insisted Penny is Garry's daughter. I, of course, won the argument — but only through bombastic delivery. I looked it up, and Jessie was right. (I hate it when that happens.) december 2warwick, rhode islandHappy third birthday, James III! We haven't even officially celebrated yet, and already he's been showered with gifts from "Grandma' Nancy and Hots" and his nanny. I'm convinced he's going to grow up believing in the "twelve days of birthday!" all over, everywhereWell, it's been some time since we've had an update, so I'll try to condense a few of the things which have happened over the last couple of weeks. Trying to keep track of the dynamic Craig/Chandler duo seems too much for even the computer age. In the past couple of weeks, they've gone from Atlanta to Cozumel to Phoenix and back. (At least I think they're back.) The investment opportunity for Larry in Phoenix is rearing its head once again like—dare I say it?—a Phoenix! At some point near Christmas, they're off to the Palm Beach area—I think. If you're planning to visit, I recommend open-ended tickets. Even they don't know where they'll be a few weeks from now. Kerry Palmer (the Internet's Intranet) is online again! We missed you, Kerry! Tell us about the new job (and the rest of the dirt in your life!). We've been waiting with baited breath. Check your crystal ball, Randy Adamoli may be in for a change of career. Stay tuned . . . Paul Adamoli has spent the last several weeks saving what I assume is thousands of dollars (based on time expended) trying to get his very sophisticated computer equipment to type a letter. Paul, I have some bad news for you: no matter what software you buy or how many fonts you have, you still have to write the letter. At the rate you're going, I could charge you about a hundred dollars a word and you'd be way ahead of the game—but then I don't accept Tascon checks. Poor Suzie is convinced she has not a human baby, but an alien being (think the movie "Alien") growing within. She has had a pretty rough time of it. In fact she weighs less now than before she was pregnant. At times, she goes days without eating or drinking. (She has coined the child-to-be's nick-name as "Damien.") Fortunately (for me at least), she remains in good spirits, and according to the doctors, "Damien" is doing fine. More later. november 15warwick, rhode IslandSuzie Adamoli officially become a lady of leisure today when she completed her last day at work with WNAC-TV. James III accompanied her to the office. Suzie and James lunched with several of Suzie's former colleagues at a restaurant called the Grist Mill. The restaurant is housed in a rustic old mill which apparently looked to James much like a large cabin. When asked why he was staring out the window so often, he explained he was watching for Santa Claus. november 14houston, texasThe Adamoli Clan got together today at Mark Adamoli's house to celebrate the birthdays of David Drake, Megan Adamoli, and Michael Adamoli. november 13warwick, rhode islandBarbara and John Andreozzi flew south for the winter once again after attending the Christening of Aimee Beth Flynn. providence, rhode island
november 11orange county, californiaHappy Birthday, Kerry Palmer! november 10coventry, rhode islandToday the Flynn and Shea families gathered to celebrate the sacrament of baptism for Aimee Beth Flynn. In direct contrast to the ceremony (with fourteen children being Christened at once), Aimee Beth was the picture of serenity. Her brother Chris was the altar boy assisting Fr. Henry. Immediately following the service, the whole clan regrouped at the Flynn's home for too much food, where in the opinion of this critic, Kathy's beans out shown all comers. november 8houston, texasIt was the best of times: Happy Birthday, David Drake and Megan Adamoli! It was the worst of times: Today marks the first anniversary of Miriam Drake's death. november 5austin, texasHappy Birthday, Randy! november 1warwick, rhode islandTony Adamoli returned home today from a four-day whirlwind tour through Atlanta, Phoenix, Honolulu, and San Francisco. Continental Airlines has begun addressing him as Commodore. october 31coventry, rhode islandThe Cookie Monster, accompanied at various times by a ruthless pirate, Robin (sans Batman), and Special Forces Commando, was seen throughout the neighborhood extorting candy from innocent bystanders. Stay tuned for details! october 28oak ridge, tennesseeA few too-fast good byes, and the Craig family once again scatters itself across the country. Special thanks to Bob and Judy. It was sure fun while it lasted. october 27oak ridge, tennesseeWe started off today (rather late) with a tour of Uncle Bob's company, M4 Environmental. Fascinating stuff! Next, a round of golf at the Oak Ridge Country Club, then back to the house for more socialization. The evening ended with a Trivial Pursuit match stretching into the wee small hours—the boys against the girls. [Wait a minute . . . I seem to have misplaced the results of the competition . . .] october 26oak ridge, tennesseeLIGHTS! CAMERA! RAIN! . . . Rain? In true Craig tradition, we managed to deny the rain during our outdoor photo shoot and smile until it hurt. The backdrop for our family portraits was the beautiful Tennessee hills in all their autumn glory as viewed from the lower rear terrace at Bob's and Judy's house. (The new house is huge. In fact all twenty-one of us spent most of our time just wandering around the kitchen.) A sampling of the pictures will be posted soon. october 25oak ridge, tennesseeThe gang's all here. Let the wild rumpus start! At last count we had twenty-one Craigs, Craig descendants, and almost-Craigs. Not since the 1940s has the normally quiet town of Oak Ridge been associated with so much mayhem.
october 24atlanta, georgiaThe Rhode Island Adamolis plus Paul and Randy converged on Larry and Nancy's place tonight in preparation for tomorrow's trek to Tennessee. The 1996 Craig Clan Reunion begins tomorrow at the new home of Bob and Judy Craig in Oak Ridge. october 14los angeles, californiaToday Kerry Palmer holds her nose and takes the plunge into a new position with a start-up company. She's in for quite a shock going from the giant Baxter company, but she is sure to thrive in the new environment. Congratulations, and best of luck to Kerry! october 10warwick, rhode islandWell, it's official. The test results are in, and the Adamolis are expecting another member of the family toward the end of May. If it's a girl, we're thinking of Anna Rose. If it's a boy, we have no idea. Send us your suggestions! october 9houston, texasHappy Birthday, Paul! Welcome into your thirties. october 6alexandria, virginiaMackensie Catheryn Smith, daughter of Chuck and Lisa, was baptized into the Catholic Church today amidst much fanfare. After Mass, the day's events kicked off with a fantastic Sunday brunch at the Holiday Inn in Old Town. Then it was on to St. Mary's for the Christening—a beautiful service in a beautiful church. After the ceremony, one and all repaired to the home of the proud parents where we all carried on until much too late. october 4washington, d.c.James III paid his first visit to the Smithsonian today with his parents. First stop was the Museum of Natural History which contains . . . DINOSAUR BONES! (These were a very big deal.) september 28chicago, illinoisThe Adamoli Family arrived in Chicago today (Tony and James from Rhode Island, and Suzie from Arkansas). Tony is in town with Siemens Nixdorf for a retail trade show at the Navy Pier. Suzie is in town to support the retailers. september 21south county, rhode island
Tony and Suzanne Adamoli celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary today—1500 miles apart. Better luck next time, sweetheart. The roses are beautiful. september 18warwick, rhode islandCousin Kerry took off for home in sunny California today. By all accounts we had a great time during her visit. Although the weather in New England was unseasonably miserable, we managed to squeeze in Newport, Foxwoods, and Boston with plenty of "visit time" in between. Come back soon, Kerry! september 16warwick, rhode islandSuzie is off to the burgeoning metropolis for Fort Smith Arkansas for what looks to be her last time. When she returns in two weeks, she'll be officially unemployed. Congratulations, Suzie! september 15oxford, mississippiHappy Birthday, Jack Czarnetzky! september 13warwick, rhode islandCousin Kerry Palmer arrived in New England today for a visit, but she left the California weather at home. september 6coventry, rhode islandChristopher Flynn celebrates his birthday day. Happy Birthday, Chris! houston, texasMark Adamoli celebrates another birthday. Happy Birthday, Uncle Mark! warwick, rhode islandTony Adamoli returned home today to greet the effects of Hurricane Fran. The hurricane made for a most pleasant day of air travel—NOT! During his travels he stopped in Santa Monica to visit with the Smoots and spent a day in Ojai with his Grandma' Evie. While in Ojai, Tony and Evelyn went for a spirited drive around Lake Casitas in a rented convertible. (It was fun watching Grandma' try to keep her hair in place.) september 3ka'anapali, maui, hawai'iThe Adamolis depart Hawai'i for the mainland; Suzie to the burgeoning metropolis of Fort Smith, Arkansas, and Tony to Santa Monica, California. While in California, Tony will visit with his Aunt and Uncle, the Smoots, and his grandmother, Evelyn Craig. august 30ka'anapali, maui, hawai'iThe Adamolis arrived in Maui today. Upon appearing at the Hyatt Regency pool, Mr. Adamoli was mistaken by many hotel guests for Moby Dick, the white whale. The rumor was put to rest when it was pointed out that whales do not appear off the coast of Maui until spring. august 28honolulu, hawai'iSuzie joins Tony in Honolulu. As a goodwill gesture to Liberty House, Tony's customer, Suzie has agreed to purchase everything in the main store at Ala Moana. atlanta, georgiaJames III arrived in Atlanta today for an extended visit with Grandma Nancy and "Hots." Having just hosted the 1996 Olympics, the City of Atlanta may be up to the task. Stay tuned . . . august 26houston, texasJim Adamoli, Jr. celebrates yet another birthday today. Happy Birthday, Dad! august 24honolulu, hawai'iTony Adamoli arrived in Honolulu today for a presentation to Liberty House, the leading retailer on the island. august 15houston, texasTascon was raided today by Immigration officials who believed some of Tascon's employees had entered the country illegally. Of the eight people arrested, according to the Immigration official in charge, none were properly documented.When asked about this apparent oversight on the part of the company, Tascon's general manager, Mark Adamoli, replied, "What Mexicans? We have Mexicans working here? Are you sure?" Jim Adamoli, president of Tascon, could not be reached for comment but is believed to be hiding out. august 9atlanta, georgiaDue to weather, Suzie will likely misconnect in Atlanta on her return from Ft. Smith. She will have to spend the night with (have someone hum the theme to JAWS while you read . . .) THE MOTHER-IN-LAW. august 5warwick, rhode islandSuzie is off to beautiful downtown Fort Smith, Arkansas for the week. To see if James and I can survive on our own, stay tuned . . . july 27warwick, rhode islandWell, we're back from vacation, so naturally the weather is terrific for a change. Had a great time, but now it's back to the salt mines. july 26atlanta, georgiaMy brothers, Paul and Randy, arrived in Atlanta today to catch some of the Olympics. Tough life! july 24providence, rhode islandJames (III) has gained another pound and a half to put him back on the weight chart! Although his gain in height is not as dramatic, he is growing, and according to his doctors, it is normal for an increase in height to lag behind a gain in weight. The physicians at Hasbro Children's Hospital say that James appears to have returned to a growth path which is normal for him, and he does not have to return for further testing in the future. warwick, rhode islandIMPORTANT UPDATE — It was recently brought to the editor's attention that a significant omission had been made in a previous posting. I neglected to mention that Christopher Flynn assisted Father Champigny as Alter Boy at the July 13 memorial mass held for Brian Shea. [Apologies from the editorial staff.] july 22narragansett, rhode islandThe Houston Adamolis and "Brother Jack" have now come and gone. Damage was limited to only a few items and a LOT of golf clubs. On Friday we spent time eating and drinking, then headed to Foxwoods to strip the Indians of some cash. Randy was the big winner (up $300), so we made him buy dinner Sunday night. On Saturday we spent time eating and drinking before heading to Warwick where Tim Shea joined Randy, Jim, and Jack at Quonset for a most entertaining game of golf. Paul and Tony slaved away at the computer producing a couple of new brochures for Tascon. On Sunday we spent time eating and drinking before taking a trip to Newport. We stopped off at Fort Adams to see the Sailing Museum before getting Jack on his way to the airport. The rest of us toured the Breakers and spent some time at Castle Hill eating and drinking. Then we returned to Narragansett for dinner at Casa Rossi where we spent time eating and drinking while Dad demonstrated the proper way to eat—and wear—"tossed veal." On Monday we put the Houston Adamolis on a plane for home. Then I took a long, long nap. july 17houston, texasKathy (Hogle) and Joe Andress are expecting! Congratulations to Kathy and Joe! july 15narragansett, rhode islandWell, Shea Days '96 has come to a close, and once again we learned a few things. (1) Men are smarter than women (or at least more trivial) as demonstrated in their Trivial Pursuit victory. (2) Kathy can't cook worth beans. (3) It takes more than a little hurricane to keep us from having a good time. july 13warwick, rhode islandShea Days '96 is underway! At noon today the family gathered at St. Catherine's Catholic Church in Warwick to celebrate a memorial mass for the late Brian Shea. Brian's brother Barry remembered "Buzzy" for the family, and sisters Colleen and Suzanne recited scripture readings. Despite an untimely visit from Tropical Storm Bertha, the clan will reconvene tonight in Narragansett. june 26coventry, rhode islandCongratulations to Jack Flynn who snagged that great new job he was after! Electric Boat was able to hang on to him after all. june 23atlanta, georgiaNancy Craig and Larry Chandler have left Houston for good and returned to their home in Atlanta just in time for the Olympics. Is Phoenix next? Stay tuned . . . june 20warwick, rhode islandBarbara and John Andreozzi finally completed their migration north for the summer and arrived unscathed. They had an eventful trip, however, seemingly replacing their car along the way . . . one piece at a time. june 17warwick, rhode islandSuzanne Adamoli celebrates her ??th birthday! june 15warwick, rhode islandTony and James return from their visit to Texas. James spent time with his paternal relatives in Houston while his father slaved away at a trade show in Dallas, but a good time was had by all. Grandma' Nancy took James swimming and started the potty-training process that seems to overwhelm Mom and Dad. Grandpa' Jimmy taught James to throw rocks. Uncles Paul and Randy were on hand to see that he wasn't starved for tickles, and Aunt Kathy presented him with a personalized stool—which he insists on taking wherever he goes. |
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