Old Lyme Shores, July 1979 (Age 3)

My nana (my dad's mom) had a cottage on Long Island Sound in Old Lyme, Connecticut. [I'd put a line here about how all of us cousins were pissed that our parents sold it in 1980, but that would make it sound like we're still mad about it, and we're totally not. Like, at all.] Old Lyme was so much fun: the carousel, donuts, Italian ice, movies on the beach...  Above, Jene holds Shawnee, and I'm in my Spider-Man shirt on the rock in front. 

Jene's in a Wonder Woman bathing suit, I'm on the right, and this dude and presumably his daughter are looking on. Not sure if the girls are burying someone or not. (Identification alert! My dad says this man was his "idol," Dick, and his kids were Gretchen and Scott.)

Me in Long Island Sound. 

Me *from* Long Island Sound.

Me with Old Lyme legends Abby (sitting) and Nikki (standing). I had not seen or heard from these two in 45 years, but grew up seeing them in photos and wondering where they are. But this year...I found Abby! Without using facebook! Which admittedly would have been the easy way, but whatever, I hate facebook. Anyway, it's been great reconnecting with Abby and comparing Old Lyme memories. She's 3,000 miles away but who knows, maybe we can have a reunion next time she's back in New England.

Jene and Nikki, who I always thought looked very Poky Little Puppy-like in this shot.

Wow, an actual wave on the sound. Jene rides it on a float.

Me and an unknown girl.

Mom & More in '89

 

Here's a video from my mom's book signing (The Port of Missing Men by Mary-Ann Tirone Smith) at our hometown bookshop in 1989. This was her third published novel and many family members, neighbors, and friends turned out.

My dad filmed the action on our old giant video camera that you'd pop VHS tapes directly into. He is also the narrator/interviewer/agitator. What you see is unedited. I don't know why he stopped filming (or went back and started taping over) that one intro section.

While watching, I was wondering where I was, until my friend Mike's mom comes in and gives a baseball update! We played for Squash's in Pony League that summer, and it sounds like one of us was twirling a gem in the midst of this book extravaganza.

Books on the Common is still in business at the same location in Ridgefield in 2023! Sadly the longtime owner, Sally Ruggles, formerly Sally Silbernagel, died last summer; she is visible at the beginning and end of the video.

See the video description on the YouTube page for the full list of attendees!

Thanks to my sister, Jene, for holding onto this video all these years!