June 1st already. Five months of 2003 gone.

It is a beautiful day, though a little chilly and there was a definate frosty look on the ground when Chelsea and I went for our morning walk, though the temperature registered at 38Degrees, 38 Degrees is too cold for June, but the sun and the freshly leafed out trees made up for it today.

Tomorrow I will go to a funeral with my Mother, my Aunt Kathleen and her husband Bob. Johnny Bill Shea of Armstrong, WI died on Thursday Morning. He was my Mother's age and married to her cousin Eileen O'Connor. I did not know Johnny Bill until I came back from California some 20 years ago and became the transportation for Dad and Mom to the various Shea events out at Our Lady of the Angels parish, usually when Johnny and Eileen's son Mike was home on a visit. He is a missionary in Thailand and Johnny Bill was his most enthusiastic supporter. Johnny Bill is probably the last family person of my Mother's generation who was still alive. Uncle Pat, Mom's brother (who is much younger, only about 6 years older than me) went to see him often and sometimes would bring him in to visit Mom. They enjoyed those visits so much and I know Mother feels a great loss.

Johnny was a great story teller, a true Irishman. I remember at one of the fish boil fundraisers, Johnny was talking to Fr. Robinson who was a pastor at Our Lady of the Angels. He told him that Fr. Mike was going to be back in the U. S. for six months that year to get some schooling. Then he proceeded to tell Fr. Robinson what he was studying. He said that since there was talk of allowing married priests, "Mike was coming home to take some classes to learn how to live with a woman."

Fr. Robinson's face was worth a million dollars and he couldn't believe that he fell for it.

A prayer for a fine Irish Gentleman please.

Love

Mary