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.

My 4th Birthday Party, 1979

The dining room in Ridgefield, September 1979. I still have that Spider-Man. And note the picture of me crawling on the sand as a baby. That hung in our hallway for the life of that house--I hadn't realized it had gone up so soon after the moment happened. (Showing you part of the physical photo album, with my mom's handwriting on "Jere's 4th.")

Blowing out the candles as my dad looks on. Hey, why is Stefan blowing too?? WTF.

Left to right: 

Carter (born in the same year Carter was elected! He was a big motorcycle guy and the Internet tells me he was still doing motocross as of a few years ago. 

Ali, who've I've been in touch with somewhat recently--she became the head cheerleader and always kind of felt like a second sister growing up. 

Jessica, who ended up going to a different school I think, never heard from her post-nursery school. 

My sister, Jene, whose own kids I still think of as being the age of the kids in this picture, but who are actually all full-grown adults now. 

And me.

Left to right:

Stefan again. This guy became a professional magician, and my sister keeps in touch with him.

Possibly Timmy, who ended up getting a mohawk in middle school, long before I knew you could get a haircut that wasn't, ya know, the same one you'd always had.

Chris. Went on to be one of the popular crowd in high school, on the football team, etc. I always felt like despite that I wasn't popular, I'd grown up with enough of the popular kids so that they gave me a "break," like, nobody was gonna beat me up, they pretty much left me alone.

The party rages on.......

Group shot in the living room for present-opening. Is that my to-this-day friend Pat in the striped shirt at right? Hmm...