Mary Stories
From: Mary
Subject: why mary potato head nickname
The 7 colemans were at a cottage on lake wabasee wisconsin enjoying sunday dinner which included mashed potatoes.
5 year old mary playing w her mashed potatoes threw some on her father......do that again he roared.....and she did right in his glasses
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Rob, in case you do not know Owls do not each bird seed. They are hunters and eat mice and small rodents.
Many years ago I visited a friend who lived in a cabin in a woods. She had a long drive way to the cabin from the street. When I was driving up a White Owl with very large white wings swooped down in front of my front head lights - obviously hunting. It was in the fall and there was frost on the ground. Spent a lovely evening in her hot tub on her deck under the trees with a glass of wine under snow flurries watching the birds.
Awsome evening. Never forgot it
MARY.
--- Tom Taking Us Sledding
When we were kids we once had a big snow fall. Tom packed all the sleds in his car and took us all to a big hill to go sledding. I remember him standing at the top of the hill watching us all sledding down to the bottom. Afterwards he took us all out for Hot Chocolate.
A Bike for Christrmas
One year Tom bought a second hand 2 wheeler bike and repainted it and fixed up for me and I found it under the Christmas Tree! I learned to ride a two wheeler on that bike!
Tom at Short Beach
One day we spend a day on the boat and went to Short Beach. The boat was docked - Tom was on the dock and he has me to get a 6-pak of Schlitz beer.When I handed the 6-Pak of beer up to him he accidently dropped it and we all watched it sink into the water, The dock was full of people.Tom dived into the water and a few minutes later a HAND appeared holding the 6-pak of Schilitz. Everyone on the Dock clapped!Would have made a great Schlitz Commercial.
Thanks for the memories Tom,
We love you!
Happy 8th Birthday,
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Here are some thoughts I would like to share about Tom's Thoughtfullness,
Tom always thought of this family, his sisters and brother and did things for us we cannot forget.
Tom had extra milage to use because of all travel he did so he invited Mother, and his sisters to visit him and Winnie in Hong Kong and in Japan.We will never forget those trips,. Hong Kong was the best vacation I ever had and we all have wonderful memories of those times.
When Tom was in the Navy he did a lot of travel and when he came home to visit he always had a gift for me - once a nice black and white ski sweater from Itally, another time a lovely woolen shawl from Scottland, and another time a bottle Channel #5 Perfume. I have never forgotten those gifts,
And when I was laid off from Digital he sent me a Dozen Red Roses with a note - For the First Day of The Rest of Your Life!
I Love your Tom and all you have done for me. I can't put into words how much I have appreciated you help and love,
Happy 80th Birthday!
The First Day of the Rest of Your LIfe!
With much loved and a big Hug!
Mary Potato Head
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From: Mary
Rob. no, Chamanade was Catholic Boy's School. I went to Freeeport Public High School. It was a big change and adjustment after having going to Catholic grade school for 8 years,
- Mary
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On Oct 12, 2022, at 8:14 PM, Rob Coleman wrote:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/BxmzANTrM6V5k8PE8
Cathy's photos.
Mary, did you also graduate from Chamanade?
Robby
You got me thinking. My mother said that I remind her of her mother. She was small - on the petite size and could be feisty. She loved to cook and bake apple pies. The neighbors next store had a Green Granny Apple tree and the branches on Grandma side of the fence provided her with plenty of apples for pie and applesauce.
Back in those days Grandma had a wringer washer machine. First the hot water had to be heated by coal furnice. The laundry was soaked hot soapy water and put the wringer by hand. Then the laundry had to be hung out clothes lines in the back yard and propped up with wooden sticks. Grandpa like to help hang the laundry after he retired. It was a all day job.
Grandma had a old Singer sewing machine in the kitchen. One Thanksgiving the pumpkin pies were placed on sewing machine and covered with dish clothes. I did not know the pies were there and put my hands down on the pies and started mushing them up! When I lifted up the dish towels I felt so bad but Grandma said don't worry we will cover it up with whipped cream and she did. I remember she had fruit cellar and put up here preserves and vegetables.
Grandpa stored the Pepsi for us kids which came in glass bottles and kept cool in fruit cellar. Back in those days the milk was delivered in glass bottles on back steps. When we went to visit Grandma & Grandpa she ordered Chocolate Milk from the milk man and I loved it. Still do!
I recall the milk freezing hard in the winter.
Hope you enjoyed my memories!
Mary
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From: Mary
Rob, that lovely picture is of my Grandma Rose and Grandpa Joe Heisdorf. I had copies made and framed for all my sisters & brothers.. That picture was taken in their back yard. Grandma had green thumb and her yard was filled with flowers. The tree behind them I believe was flowering crab apple tree. Thanks for sharing.
Mary
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From: Mary
Rob, thanks for sending this info. Its very interesting. I don't know why but I always thought the Colemans were from County Cork.
One summer Jack, Carol and I took a trip up north to the Boston area and found a old cemetery where many Colemans were buried. We actually found- the tombstone of our Great Grandfather Coleman. Carol kept notes on the tombstones we found of the Colemans. You many want to check with her for that info. And we had a picture of our Great Grandfather Coleman's.tombstone as well. It was really neat running around in the old cemetery and finding our relatives..
I knew my Grandfather Coleman worked for the RR. I believe he contacted lung cancer and died quiet young - in his 50s. I really don't remember him - but I do recall going to his funeral. I think I was about 4 years old.
My father was the first one in his family to go to college - he went to Marquette Univ. and studied Journerlism and Philosophy. He had a wonderful sense of humor .and II recall some friends called him a Gentleman and Scholar.
That's for sending this info. Rob.
Best regards, Mary
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From: Mary
Rob, your dad had apparently replaced a toilet so he had this old toilet laying around.
He, Ted and Mike moved the toilet to the Potochney's yard and put in under a tree by the street..
It was so funny - we have various pictures of people sitting on the toilet. Mike reading a paper, etc. Ros was cooking some sausage for breakfast and threw a couple in the toilet!
What memories of Wayland!
Mary
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From: Mary
Rob, great memories from Wayland days. Seems to me that I recall Tommy said the dog jumped on the cover of the pool. I don't recall the dog's name but Tom always liked that dog. I don't know if the dog [Molly[ (Red Irish setter) sank the cover in pool. Maybe Tom could fill us in.
I also recall a bunch of went to swimming at Wayland river while the Pig was roasting.. After we were there a couple of hours, an announcement was made on a Loud Speaker all over the beach - Attention Coleman Family -the PIG is ready!
Good memories!
Mary
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From: Mary
Julianne, so nice to hear from you. When we were growing and moved around alot we were not near our relatives to share Christmas and birthdays. So our parents made these events very special for us and we were very close.
Your dad & Mike were very close so are Carol and Cathy. I was a middle child and very shy and it harder for me I think to find myself. I love being near Carol - she has helped so much with being there and helping through all my surgeries.
Mike had a way of making us all all feel happy - he would always say "is everybody smiling when we were all together". He had newspaper route and one year my mother asked us (his sisters) to go with him to help deliver his papers because it was so bitter cold and snowing. I remember we sang Christmas Carols and pulled the newspaper on a big sled. Its a special memory I have a Mike.
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Its so very hard to see what he is going through but he is in God\s tender hands and I thank you and siblings for your prayers.
Love you all very much,
Mary
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From: Mary
Rob, we did not live at 236 Nassau very long. I remember a stray cat got in the garage and had her kittens on a jacket of my father's jacket that had a soft lining. We brought the cats inside because it was getting cold out.
I remember our next store neighbors were Italian and the father love to sing opera and listen to the opera it on his radio in the yard. I remember that it was the first time I saw a "Praying Mantus" and I was amazed at the thing.
There are many stories at 219.
Christmas. We always went to Mid-Night mass and my mother sang in the choir. We had a pretty good choir and I loved the music. One time I tried to sing with mother in the choir and she told me only to 'mouth' the words because I did not have a very good voice. When we got home from mass we had Eggnog and touch of brandy. Christmas Morning was announced by putting the Christmas tree lights on and the playing of Percy Faith's Hallelllujay full blast on the Hi Fi. Its a family favorite of ours and Carol made copies made for all us a few years ago for our Christmas mornings.
BOATING.
Many wonderful stories of boating. One time we went to a small island and you brother went exploring and came runningback that he found a dead whale. So we all ran after him along the shore until we came to cartledge. I think it might have been a shark.I remember my dad pulled a couple of teeth out of it and at a later date put the fangs in someone's drink.
One time I went out with my dad and Fred Frey to Short Beach. Late in the afternoon we noticed it was getting quite foggy and we all ran for the boat and along with everyone else on the dock. It was very foggy and you could hardly see where you were going. That was one time I was really scared.
One time I was at the beach and pulled up something from the water - I thought it was stick and it was tail of a Horse Shoe crab. Scared the hell out of me - I had never seen one before.
We used to go to this restaurant called Flynns for a cold beer. One time we had a full Lobster Dinner and Grandma Coleman was with us.After dinner we went back to the boat and it was "low tide" and Grandma had to sit down on the dock to try to get into the boat. Her underpants caught on the wharf and she almost lost them! Did we laugh - even Grandma!
I remmber the day after Cathy's wedding everyone was invited back to 219 for a big bash. We had dozens of half-shell claims and enough beer to float everyone. Had a great time. That was the time that Cathy first received the FAMILY JEWEL
I think for a wedding gift
Memories, Memories. What I would give for day on the boat!
Enjoy!
Mary
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From: Mary
Rob, one comment. The story about finding the dead shark it was my brother - your father who found the dead shark.
Here is a good Sean story.
My mother had bought a lovely new couch. One day when we were all out Sean tore up one of the pillows on the side you sit on. When we got home from school we found the damage before my mother got home from work.
Luckly the pillows could be turned over.
When we were all sitting a round the table for dinner we were all very quiet Then my mother said "alright whats going on". So we had to show her the pillow and she said thats it we are getting rid of that dog. Mike had the honers of taking him to the dog pound. All the girls cried to my father to plead to get the dog back and of course said he agreed. Mother was not very happy about that - but we we were delighted.
Mary
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From: Mary
My father's birthday was in April. One year he received a pair of white walking shorts.
We had a wash line out in the back yard to dry the laundry. My father's shorts were hanging on the line and Sean decided it would be fun to jump and chew them and they were all ragged on the end.. Well my grandmother was visiting that summer and she hemmed them. The next time my dad wore his shorts he said - what happened why are these so short? He wasn't too happy about that.
Mary
MORE 219 STORIES
NEW CARPETING
One year we got a new rug for the living room. We all helped put it down and were standing around admiring it when Sean walked in and threw up on it!
Another time we had wall to wall carpeting that that went from the dining room to living room down the hall past the bed room and into the kitchen. We were standing around looking at it and in walked Sean with a bloody paw and he walked across the dining room and living room and down the hallway to the kitchen. We had a RED LINE all through the house on the new carpeting.
Luckly it cleaned up easily.
NEW YORK TIMES
We received the New York TImes and on Sunday the girls loved to read the Magazine Section to see the latest fashions. My dad always did the Crosssword Puzzle. One Sunday we cut the Crossword Page out and pasted it into last week's Magazine section so we all look at his week's Magazine. When dad was finished with the puzzle he went to read the rest of the section and let out a YELL that it was last week's Magazine Section.
ANTS IN THE KITCHEN
One summer we had a problem with large black ants in the kitchen. My father looked under the sink and noticed the boards were damp. He tore the planks out and found a giant nest of large black ants. He took the vacume that had a paper bag for the dust and vacummed up all the ants and burned the bag in the fire place. Cathy swore shed saw the bag move. Gross.
A NICE CHRISTMAS MEMORY
One year we had a lot of snow. Your father piled us all into the car with sleds to a giant hill to go sledding. He then took us all out for Hot
Chocolate. We had such a good time! Enjoy the memories!
Mary
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I remember mother and Grandma ran in the kitchen and killed themselves laughing!
----- Original Message -----
From: Tom Coleman
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